Complain about a product or service

Staber Washer

Janice of Fultonville, NY September 7, 2009

I bought this washer after much research and seeing it being used at 2 friends homes. This was a huge investment for us. We are totally off grid and need to be very careful about products. we also don't have money to throw away on junk. So after speaking with a sales rep. we finally decide on a washer. Big surprise. It worked kind of ok for a while, if you are REALLY careful about loading it. Design flawa are many, I sent these to the company, no response.

I too wanted to support an American company. Ha, ha. JUNK! The inside basket needs to be opended with both hands carefully, you will get cut and pinched badly if you don't The holes for ventilation(?) ar not finsihed, just rough cut, so you will get scraped up if you touch them. The tub is so low down inside that if you are short, you can't reach the clothes. The spinn cycle never worked good after a few weeeks.

Many phone calls back and forth. They NEVER returned a call until I tried repeatedly. A secretary usually answered, if you said things were great, she was terrific, any complaints and suddenly, she was a monster. How nice. Ends up our control board was no good(maybe) My husband figured it out, they were NO help at all. This is not abused or old. Just a couple loads a week for the 2 of us. They wanted 250.00 for a new board! WHAT?

We ended up getting a friends super heavy duty one theat he was trashing and taking the board out of that. YES, his was a total lemon too. So many repairs in such a short time, he was enraged. The comapanies bad attitude didn't help matters. They refuse to answer my questions. Our open house this Oct. will be with a big sign to not buy a Staber. Or an HP product either. That's another story. This is how I get my revenge!

Steve of Ardmore, OK May 5, 2009

DO NOT BUY A STABER WASHING MACHINE. I am on the second one. It tore the clothes up bad. After much complaining they sent a new machine. It worked good for a few month then it would not drain. No help from the company to fix it. They would not send any new parts.You will visit the laundry mat often. Its now setting in the garage collecting dust.Make me an offer.

Lynn of Los Gatos, CA December 16, 2008

I purchased a washer and dryer from Staber Industries (manufacturer located in Ohio) and they were delivered in early September of this year. After about 10 loads, it seemed to not be spinning the clothes as dry anymore. I went through the troubleshooting list and checked all connections, checked the electrical outlet and even checked the reset button on the back of the washer which sent a small current of electricity up my arm! Nothing worked. However, since this was a new machine I thought I should test it each laundry day for a few weeks to see if I was loading it correctly or some such thing as this is a hybrid top loader (loads from the top but washes like a front loader.) It never did spin the clothes as dry as the beginning and then randomly stopped spinning at all at the beginning of the final spin cycle no matter what the composition of the load.

So, I called them and spoke with the sales rep who asked me to help diagnose the problem. After opening the machine up and checking several things for her, she determined that, statistically, it was probably the motor control board and would send me another and could I install it. I thought sure why not it's a quick fix to plug a board in.

Well, about a week later, the board came and I plugged it in and the washer seemed to spin the clothes very dry like the first 10 loads. But, again, after about 10 loads, the washer again seemed to stop spinning the clothes as dry. For example, a load of towels, same amount, at first only took about 60 minutes to dry as opposed to after it would take 160 minutes. So, again, I called up and left a message and was called back by the sales rep who seemed puzzled and wondered if she got in a batch of 'bad boards' and would send me another. By this time, I am wondering what is going on with this company. So, while I am waiting for the third board, the washer stopped spinning all the wash water out and it would take me 3 complete cycles to clean a single load of laundry not to mention twice the drying time. So, here comes the third board and I plug it in and nothing changes. So, I call up on a Saturday and leave a message for a technician to call me Monday.

By Wednesday, no one has called and I call again and leave another message. The next day, while I am at the laundromat, the sales and service SECRETARY calls me on my cell and wants me to open the machine up and check things so SHE can diagnose the problem. She is sure that it is just a 'lose wire.' I tell her that the sales rep already had me check for that and that I can no longer play this guessing game with random parts being sent out. I tell her this machine is a lemon and they need to take it back. She tells me that I have to crate it up and that she will send me a freight bill. I tell her I do not have the crating materials after three months. So, she tells me to take boxes from the supermarket and tape pieces together to give the appearance of being 'boxed up.' I then ask her if I am going to get my full refund and she puts me on hold. She comes back and says only if they receive it in 'saleable' condition!

I tell her that the machine is a lemon, that it's broken, how can it be in 'saleable' condition? I tell her she is asking me to tape pieces of cardboard in the most substandard shipping manner and for them to expect that they will receive it in saleable condition?' I told her that morally and legally that they are responsible for this defective equipment and that they should have freight people come out and box it up. It was obvious to me that she did not care about the FULL 1 year warranty which they are supposed to pay for both parts and labor to fix the machine. They never offered anything; a 'real' professional to come out and fix the machine or to ship me another one and the freight people pick up the lemon. Nothing. The tone of her voice said to me that she did not care and that everything was my fault. I took her full name and title and told her that someone would be contacting Staber. Now, I am sorry that I ordered from them. I was trying to purchase American made goods and help my own country.

I have no working washer and now the dryer is starting to make very high-pitched whining noise. The washer only worked correctly for approximately two 12 hour periods and it's only three months old. Now, I have to go to the laundromat. I cannot afford to buy another washer at this time but cannot afford the high cost of the laundromat either. I am actually scared to use the washer and keep it unplugged for safety. I don't trust them to refund my money and I don't believe that the machine would reach them in 'saleable' condition and even if it did I do not trust them to be honest about it. They have already proven themselves to be untrustworthy.

Dan of 13437 Se 43rd Street, WA November 29, 2008

I have owned a Staber washing machine since October, 2002. It works as advertised and is used constantly in our household several times a week year after year since purchased.

Don't get me wrong. I also have experienced some of the problems mentioned on this website and I too would be upset if issues were not resolved.

I think the difference is that I understand mechanics. I have tinkered with mechanical things since I was a kid. Whenever something goes wrong, I try to understand the logic behind the problem and troubleshoot accordingly. The Staber washing machine was designed so that this is possible for a non high tech savy person like me to do.

I suggest that the Staber company create an exhaustive service manual, taking into account all the issues that they receive from consumers.

There also should be service technicians throughout the country who can be available to help consumers with difficult cases. Since the machines are simple in design, any competent appliance service repair technician should be able to comprehend an additional training course provided by the Staber company.

I suggest that the Staber company work towards providing consumers with a solid one year parts and labor warranty along with the consumer having the option of purchasing an extended service warranty. I feel the extra cost added to the product for this is worth it.

I feel Staber is a good company with a good product. However, great companies survive by listening to consumer complaints and making necessary improvements.

Moby of Bellvue, CO November 19, 2008

I have been recommending Staber Washers for over 15 years, as I have had such good luck with the products. My Staber is 14 years old and I have replaced the bearings, drive wheel, belt, etc. once, about 2 years ago. Only one of the referrals I have made has had any problems and they were an application, not overall quality. Many of the complaints I have read are absolutely 180 degrees from my experience - both with the product, and with the company. Customer Service has always been friendly, helpful, and immediate! I even bought one that was having a drive wheel problem, fixed it, and gave it to a neighbor for cost. That was 5 years ago and they have had no problems since. Thanks for the space. I LOVE these products! By the way, we've been 100% off-grid since 1981...

Jill of Groveport, OH October 22, 2008

I have owned a Staber washing machine for 2 years now. I have never experienced anything similar to what is being reported here or that I hear from other customers periodically. I worked for the company for well over a year, before getting a unit and thought long and hard before placing it in my home. I have cut my water bills in half, buy detergent maybe twice a year and have had nothing but a great experience with it. You do have to have a basic understanding of how to use the machine and a little common sense so it will work to the best of its ability. Any machine on todays market will not perform well if overloaded and oversudsed and eventually develop issues because of these conditions. All in all, it is a great product, and the last of its kind being American made. And you will NEVER get the option to press 1 for English when calling the company!

Vita of Hanover, PA October 20, 2008

Wow! I really didn't expect to spend a few minutes reading consumeraffairs.com. Web links can absolutely derail a person from their intended subject. Ha! While in the process of researching Staber's dryer closet, I saw the link for Staber complaints. I was immediately curious. I don't have a complaint but a comment. My Staber washer/dryer set was was delivered on December 3, 2007. During the past ten months and sixteen days I have been elated to have purchased this set! I previously had paid for an Elite Calypso set which was the thorn in my side for seven years!

I was so grateful for a simple but yet very functional washer. I have spoken to one representative twice at the home office in Ohio. She listened to my questions and offered advice which when applied was the answer. I hope those in dire straits contacted them but it appears to be the route they took and am so perplexed that they confronted adversity!

I doubt that those who commented their complaints will be returning to this site for further reading, but I wish they would consider that the satisfied customers also exist. I don't doubt their vehement advice to others as to using these products, but I am so relieved that I've not encountered any problems yet.

I bought the insulated package which results in a very minimal application inside the machine envelope. My machine is very quiet compared to my brother's who has had his for ten years. He is also a distributor and hasn't dealt with any of the mentioned atrosities.

Mine does not leak, shake, vibrate or stink. I receive clean clothes--such a remarkable deliverance compared to my previous foe--and do not have difficulty loading 6-8 pairs of tall man's jeans, 5 towels plus hand/wash towels, King-sized sheets, mattress cover, and bed spreads. I send my feather-filled comforter to the dry cleaner. That bulk would be demanding a lot from any washer.

Staber probably won't read this site but I would offer to them to please value the production of these necessary appliances. Address the multitude of problems of which many should not be happening, and empathize with their customers until a problem is resolved as though it were the appliance sitting in their home.

Sarah of Columbus, OH May 2, 2008

I just wanted to share a story about the amazing washing machine i purchased from Staber Industries. This month makes 2 years since we bought this wonderful machine, and my husband and I couldn't be happier with it! The machine runs quietly, and hardly uses any detergent or water, and we have estimated that with the amount of laundry that we do, we are saving around 300-400 per year in our laundry costs. The one time that we had a (very) minor issue with the washer, the Staber service department was very friendly, and helped us to quickly determine that the problem was operator error - big surprise! Anyway, I just thought I'd take a moment to recognize an American company for outstanding service and an outstanding product!

Maria of Kings Park, NY February 10, 2008

We did a lot of research and decided to purchase the Staber Washer. BUT within the first 3 months we had to replace the belt and the wheel 3 times, and were told by staber that we had to tighten all the nuts every few weeks. We had water on the floors, stench from water in the bottom of the machine which eventually ended up on the fresh wash. Often the machine shook violently and we were told that we were using the machine wrong. There is often water on the floor. We have had to replace the drive shaft twice.

Now the machine is not working again we believe the drive shaft is broken again. Staber refuses to take responsibility for the defective machine. I would not recommend this machine to ANYBODY. The amount of time and money we have spent on replacement parts and going to use the town laundry while we wait for parts; we could have purchased a whole new machine - NOT A STABER EITHER. At this point we are so sick of STABER INDUSTRIES and having to deal with their uncooperative reps that we are just going to ditch the machine and bye a well known brand. This machine was not worth the amount of money we spent. PLEASE, ANYBODY THINKING OF BUYING THIS MACHINE - DO YOURSELF A FAVOR - DON'T. It is more trouble than the machine is worth

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