Vent: I spent $150 on a 'universal' washer door boot that didn't fit a single machine last month

I bought this aftermarket kit for a bunch of front-loader repairs, thinking it would save me time on parts runs. The rubber was cheap and the clamp design was wrong, so I had to order three separate OEM boots anyway. Do you guys ever trust those universal parts, or is it always a gamble?

3 comments

3 Comments

the_drew3mo ago

Feel my blood pressure rising just reading that. They wanted you to use the same flimsy piece of rubber on a modern LG and a ten year old Whirlpool? That's insane. I tried a universal drain pump once and the wiring harness was off by an inch. Never again, it's OEM or bust for anything that actually has to seal or connect right.

olivers283mo ago

Honestly I've had decent luck with some universal parts if you know what to look for. The key is checking the specs and reviews really close before buying. I saved a ton on a dishwasher door latch that way, fit my old Maytag perfect. Sometimes OEM is just overpriced for what it is, you know?

christopher_flores462mo ago

Drew's got a point but that drain pump thing might've been a bad batch honestly. Not all universal parts are created equal, some companies just slap the label on anything that vaguely looks right. The boot situation is trickier though because the shape has to be dead on or it won't seal at all. People forget even OEM boots vary between runs of the same model sometimes, so it's not just a universal vs OEM thing.