Customer Reviews

Amana : NFW7200TW 27 Front-Load Washer

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(8)

 

 

This washer has a FATAL defect in its design: if the washer fails to drain, there is NO WAY to override the door lock. So Amana warranty service will tell you, wait 4+ days for service or force the door. Then the service people will tell you they don't preorder parts, so won't come with a new lock when they do show up. So wait again. Otherwise, let clothes sit in dirty water for days. DO NOT buy this machine: first time it goes wrong the door is locked and can't be released. Plus the serial # and model # are, you guessed it, inside the locked door that can't be overriden. FATAL DESIGN FLAW. DO NOT BUY THIS WASHER.

This washer is pretty good for the price; I got mine at Home Depot for under $500. Both it and the matching dryer are quirky, though, and you won't see that reflected in the carefully culled reviews posted on Home Depot's web site. I'm accustomed to setting my washer and dryer to operate at bedtime and then waking up the next morning and folding the dry clothes and moving the washed clothes to the dryer. However, in these appliances, they stay on until you manually turn them off, so they are still on in the morning--not a very energy-saving feature for an Energy Star appliance. I didn't pay much attention to the fact that there is no console on top of these, but now that I have them installed in my very narrow little laundry room, that is a problem. Every time you walk past them, they turn on because you're brushing the knobs. If you lean down to put in or take out clothes, you inadvertently hit the knobs as well. In addition, although there is a place in the pull-out detergent drawer for powdered or liquid detergent, fabric softener, and bleach, if you pour a granular product into the drawer from a box, it will be all over your floor because the drawer is narrow. Instead, you need to carefully scoop it in. I finally resorted to just throwing the powder into the machine, which I'm sure is not the best way to do it, but the powder never dissolves completely in the drawer anyway.

I would say that the washer does a pretty good job of getting the clothes clean, but I'm not in love with it. For the money, it will do until I can get a better one. If you can afford a nicer machine without all the quirks, I would say get it. The delivery men that brought my washer said they don't sell too many of these (I can see why); they told me that most customers are buying LGs. My sister has an LG and loves it, but of course, her dryer alone cost more than both my washer and dryer together.

If all you want is a machine to wash things in and you really don't care about the convenience of using it, you'll probably like it. I like it a lot better than I like the matching dryer, which has a lot of issues.

I think both the washer and dryer are great! My previous dryer went out and I needed a new new one pronto! I was skeptical about buying this product because it was so inexpensive, but I wanted to save the money. So I bought it and I love it. For all the people who keeps bumping into the knobs, you can lock the controls. That seem to help me. Although I didn't have a problem knocking into the power off button. Just wanted to give my review on this product.

After 2 years of a new leaking Maytag Centennial, I decided that ditching the $600 leaker was worth my peace of mind. After 40 years of Sears loyalty, I decided never do business with them again! The Centennial leaked intermittently and I was told there was nothing wrong with it - it was the design of the machine!! Service threatened to charge for a call although under warranty because repair people could find nothing wrong.

My new Amana is wonderful! After being very anxious after my previous experience, I can say nothing bad about this washer. It cleans - WOW! It doesn't leak onto the floor - WOW! It is SOOO QUIET - WOW! It isn't overpriced liked most front loaders (or for that matter, most machines) - WOW! It is kind of like the olden days when you bought a washer and it didn't have problems - WOW!

MAY 2010 UPDATE: ALMOST A YEAR LATER AND THIS WASHER STILL WORKS FLAWLESSLY!
Cleans wonderfully, clothes dry very quickly, and my water
bill bill has gone down.

I'm VERY happy with my new washer and dryer. My mom built a house and took her LG's with her so I got this set since it was affordable and had good reviews. These machines are awesome. I don't understand how anyone brushes up against the knobs unless their laundry room is uber tiny or they are uber big. They hold a ton of clothes, wash is quick quieter than the LG's and efficient. My clothes come out almost dry.

This washer performs like a champ. We are very happy with the washing performance. Don't know how it gets them so clean with so little water or agitation. Wish we would have bought it a long time ago.

DO NOT BUY. Customer support for this unit is non existent!! We have had our washer since January of 2008. Last week the washer failed to drain and the door would not unlock. Finally after playing with the control panel repeatedly and unplugging the unit and then plugging it in, the door unlocked but the clothes were sitting in a pool of dirty water which stained our white shirts and the remaining dirty water would not drain. We noticed that the only time it seemed to lock up and display a "nd" code on the display for no drain was if the washer had a couple pieces of clothes in it. Our home consist of two adults and a teenager so it is not overworked! Sometimes with one or two articles of clothes in the drum it will run all the way through completing the entire wash but NEVER with a regular load. Everytime a medium or normal load of wash is put in, it locks during the spin cycle, displays a "nd" on the electronic display, We explained this thoroughly over the phone to Amana's customer service dept and to the tech that came for the repar visit. The Service repair man came and said pump was bad and replaced it for $280, checking it by running an empty cycle through spin even though we told him it only does it when loaded. That same evening we tried to wash a load of clothes and the exact same problem occurred. We called Amana back and they said that depending on what the tech finds wrong on the repair visit Oct 10, they might charge us again for more parts!! Unbelievaable lack of service for a barely over 3 and a half year old product!! Amana's customer service department took the approach that it was out of warranty, we did not purchase an extended warranty and therefore there was nothing they would/could do. Working in Customer service myself for 28 years, I know that is not the truth as every major company that I know of has the ability to assist their customers with out of warranty repairs on a customer goodwill basis. In addition, when my GE Profile Fridge (came with the house we bought)had issues, GE agreed to pay for half the parts and labor for the repairs and they even sent a $100 check for loss of the food that spoiled DESPITE being out of warranty and that unit is older than my Amana washer. Amana simply chose to not assist a customer that has purchased a new Amana Fridge, washer and dryer in recent years.
Product is one thing, service after the sale and making an attempt to assist your loyal customers is equally important. Amana failed at both.

We purchased this washer approximately 4 or 5 years ago. It washed the clothes well however I would not purchase one again. I hate how it smells -- frontloader syndrom --. You cannot use Fabric Softener with it so the clothes come out smelling bad. I use dryer sheets and dryer bar to attempt to make the clothes smell better.
The numbers and writing came off the front when it was being cleaned with 409 spray - that sucks -

The water pump went out due to a coin being left in my wifes jeans. We were lucky in that the local Maytag dealership replaced it for free as we had not owned it long. Now the brain has gone out on it and the part alone is $250.

I bought the Amana new at a bargain price cheaper than here. Before, I used a cheap off-brand top loader that was rough on clothes & didn't clean well. The machine is easy to use, is easy on clothes and cleans adequately. The detergent bin is an awkward pull out tray and it's easy to spill soap or bleach into the softener cup, or on the floor. Since the 1st load the drain pump makes a loud noise and sometimes the water dispenser too. I hoped that like some electrical/mechanical devices it might lessen after a little use, but no. The door lock is loud and the machine is designed to start, then stop and unlock for a minute then lock and start again which is a little strange. The wash and rinse cycles are almost silent. The machine vibrates during spin, especially with a load of even the slightest bulk. There is still inherent noise but if my laundry closet floor were not cement the vibration could be a problem. The extra care these types of machines need can be a slight nuisance too. I'm slightly concerned with the cleanliness of the clothes. I have to use mild cleaners (Eco or Sensitive Skin) and while new spill stains are removed it seems to me that clothes might not be really clean. Really tough or set in, or old stains aren't resolved by this machine. Whites are appearing dingy and sometimes clothes don't smell clean after washing (I can tell most when I'm ironing) although I closely follow garment, machine and detergent instructions. I do seem to get a lot less spotting from my occasional use of fabric softener. Extra rinse is practically mandatory when using bleach or for larger loads that require a bit more detergent. The cycle choices are good, the controls are easy to understand. A power button separate from the cycle control takes some getting used to. A couple of the settings are a little gimmicky but there's nothing here that is just a gimmick. The electronics are slightly glitchy. The selector knob can seem to select a cycle different than expected, the timer display occasionally stays the same number for several minutes, or the spin cycle occasionally takes longer to start. The selection of water temps and spin speeds needs attention too when starting a load. It's looks are basic but it's in a closet so no big deal. I suppose, for a front loader it's worth the low price. I wish it didn't make the noise and that the electronics were more reliable. It's miles ahead of the dirt cheap top loader I used to use but I would recommend this only for the budget conscious occasional user with a sturdy floor who can't wait for a sale.

I have had both machines for upwards of 2 years and have had no issues with either machine. Clothes come out clean and smelling nice. Dryer dries clothes quickly as they come out of the wash cycle with no excess water on them. If you are complaining of bad smells in your washer YOU are not taking care of the machine properly! You have to get the washing machine cleaner recommended for this machine and clean it MONTHLY. Also, don't close the machine door when not in use... so if you have a very small space for this machine or ANY front loader, don't buy one. I leave the door open and the soap dispenser pulled out when not in use to give everything a chance to dry out otherwise you keep moisture in, thus your bad smelling musty machine. Also, the buttons are sensitive but I have my machines in a wide open laundry room and do not bump into them. Seems like some of you are giving the machine a bad rap for stupid reasons. They are affordable and reliable thus far in my opinion. I say go for it!