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LG Tromm Steamwasher – Model WM2487HRMA vs Bosch Nexxt 500 Series - Model WFMC330SUC
Summary: The LG Tromm is a top of the line, feature rich washer with solid performance and beautiful color choices. You get what you pay for, and this washer isn’t cheap. One-time leveling of washer and leaving door open between washes solves any issues with vibration or mildew. Six months after purchase, we're still very pleased.
It’s just a washing machine.
This is the basis for thought as I embarked upon choosing a washer for our new house. The washer and dryer we left at the previous house were about 3 years old, though we had purchased them new when we moved into that house. It was a Whirlpool pair, top loading extra capacity and a standard electric dryer, again with extra capacity. They worked well, did their job and we didn’t give much thought to leaving them behind.
As we approached moving day, we set out to select a washer and dryer for our new house, and having heard increasing amounts about the European-style front-loading washers we decided that they were worth a look...
I started by looking at Consumer Reports, evaluating the merits of the various washers, which quickly became information overload when one factors in the variety of features and designs. Hoping to gain some perspective by seeing the machines in person, we went down to Home Depot and open and shut the machine’s doors, played with the buttons, made stern, approving faces at each other while we nodded back and forth, then left. The review sites gave good ratings to the Bosch and LG models across the board, with the slight edge given to the LG, so we were fairly set on one of those two brands. While the Teutonic engineering of the Bosch drew my attention, the style of the design was simply no match for the cherry red LG WM2487HRMA steam-washer. The Bosch build quality felt a bit suspect, with a bit of flex in the parts during testing. On the LG, the feel of the circular wash-cycle selector is very solid, and seemed to pull itself into place at each turn. This, coupled with the variety of lighting and chimes made the front of the washer as enticing as an airplane cockpit to a child on the way to Disneyland. “Ooooh, what does this button do?”
Being swept away while in the store, I managed to regain my analytical side once we had left, and decided to dig further into the LG once we arrived home. Top marks across the board. Washer performance, noise, energy consumption, internal water heater, features, steam – This thing has it all. ‘So why doesn’t everyone own one?’ I asked myself. Oh, there it is…The price. The closest competitor, the Bosch Nexxt 500 series is several hundred dollars less – which was still a lot of money, but after we resigned ourselves to going for the best,  it all became just numbers at some point. And the LG is the best. Rated better than the high-end Miele W4840 and with settings for every imaginable fabric or clothing combination, we knew we would be happy with this washer.
And we weren’t wrong. We bought the washer and once it arrived setup was a snap. Coming from a top-loading washing machine my expectations for the drain hose size were revised when I saw the 1” hose (as opposed to the standard 1.5”) - It really must use less water! Drain hose goes into the drain pipe, hot and cold water connects and four transport bolts come out of the back. All that’s left is leveling the washer, since the manual describes heavy vibration if not leveled correctly. We have a second-floor laundry room so I was especially worried, but after a few adjustments the washer doesn’t move or vibrate much at all, certainly not enough to be concerned anyway. Our accompanying dryer is the LG DLG7188RM, which is the gas model (electric model is DLE7177RM) and it works just as well as the washer, matching the washing time or less each time, even with a full load of towels! This means that the washer can be kept constantly busy, great for the day one decides to deal with the accumulation of laundry from the rest of the week. Some people in the reviews had mentioned issues of mildew forming on the washer, but after 6 months of use we haven’t had any issues and I attribute this to one factor: We leave the washer door open when it’s not in use. It makes complete sense that any water-tight enclosure, with time will develop mildew if not allowed to dry out. Leaving the door open, even just a bit, eliminates this issue entirely – and I’d have to say this would be the same situation with every front-load washing machine.
The steam function is something that helped us make our decision, especially the ability to wash baby clothes at sanitizing temperatures. In use, the steam function is especially quiet, and the only sounds you hear are of the clothing falling from one side of the washer to the other. Clothes come out smelling great, and I’ve taken up putting our towel loads on steam, since the fresh scent is then released as you pull the towels into the shower to dry off. We’ve found that the steam cycle seems especially sensitive to overuse of laundry detergent, with about half as much as would normally be needed working well and leaving no bubbles/residue in the washer. As with all front-load washers, high-efficiency detergent is needed, but it is readily available, including a fully organic brand that Costco has recently started carrying.
Especially as prices have been coming down in recent months, the reasons to purchase another washer are dwindling. The LG WM2487HRMA is an amazing washer that has it all, and when you consider the (in)frequency of purchasing a washer, it really is worth it to buy the best.
Other reviews:
Other reviews of the LG Tromm Steamwasher Other reviews of the Bosch Nexxt 500
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