Whirlpool 2-in-1 Removable Agitator Washer
A lot of times people will ask me:
“Al, what’s an agitator?”
The agitator is that spindle in the middle of a traditional top-loading washing machine, which rotates the clothing back and forth underwater to wash it.
Simple right? Problem is that question has many more attached to it like:
Do I need it? and Do the washers with/without an agitator clean better?
This is where this question gets tougher and at the end of the day, I have found only one correct answer to this question:
It all depends on what you’re cleaning. A larger load might benefit from the space not having an agitator affords you. While on the flipside, a messier load of laundry might need the aggression of an agitator.
So if some laundry needs an agitator and some might not, where does that leave us? We need a washer that can have an agitator sometimes and other times not.
Step right up and look at the latest offering from Whirlpool that is exactly that!
Whirlpool’s latest washer is a “2 in 1” top loader that features the industry’s first removable agitator. Some people argue that the agitator is aggressive on clothes, which is why front loaders are appealing to them. Whirlpool combined the best of both worlds with their “2 in 1” top loader. You can use the traditional wash with the agitator in or you can easily remove it and set it aside. This opens the washer’s cavity, making it larger. When you remove the agitator, the machine uses the impeller at the bottom of the machine—a flat disc that sprays water upward from the bottom of the machine and uses fins to coax clothing to constantly rotate toward the middle of the machine. You can now choose your wash type depending on the load of laundry. Use an agitator for when you want the most aggressive wash. Use an impeller for loads that are bigger or more delicate.
If you need some guidance on when and when not to use the agitator, fear not! Whirlpool’s website has a handy tool to give you some examples of when the agitator is necessary and when you can pass on it!
There are two options to choose from. The WTW5057LW features a slightly smaller capacity and a single-dose dispenser.
There is also the WTW8127LW that brings smart capabilities into the equation. It also bumps up the capacity, and features the load-and-go dispenser, letting you fill it and forget it.
While one may seem like a direct upgrade over the other depending on your needs, I’d hardly be the appliance expert if I didn’t mention the differing controls. The WTW5057LW features straightforward knob controls that are mechanical and harder to mess with, the WTW8127LW has an “intuitive” touch panel. While some love the simplicity of a panel that tells you what settings are selected, it is another electronic to break and could become troublesome.
Saw these today at Lowes! Does anyone have any personal experience yet?