WFMW - second hand appliances

When's the last time you saw a washing machine with a dial like this one? I think that dial might just be my favorite thing about this machine, in addition to its not-quite-yellow color and the fact that it actually washes clothes. It works and it gets the clothes clean -- what more could a stay at home mommy want?

We thought we were going to buy a new machine. We went to all of the big stores that sell them and the more we looked the more dismal I felt about the idea. Because we just bought a new HE machine four years ago and the thing needed repairs eight times before the warranty expired, on at least four different parts. (And it's not just me -- All I Want is Clean Laundry! almost sums up our experience with the same machine.) The more research I did about new machines, the less I wanted one.

So I started searching Craig's List ads and found this beauty for thirty bucks. We tested it in the guy's driveway with a hose and an extension cord (which was a good idea, since the first washer we tested that way died during the spin cycle.)

We've done this before. When the stove at our old house gave out, we installed a stove my uncle had just ripped out for his kitchen remodel. The thing was dark brown and ugly and sat on cinderblocks, but it got the food hot. That temporary solution lasted until we needed to put the house on the market. Then we put in a new one (and finally painted the kitchen...there's something a bit wrong with that logic!)

I'd definitely do this again. I wouldn't spend a lot on a used appliance, and wouldn't buy one that I couldn't try out first. I know that my new washer probably won't last long, but for what we spent, I can live with that.

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