UPDATE 6/29/2010 - While we still believe the Staber washer (mentioned below) to be an excellent one, it is a significant expense.  Because of this we decided to go with the least expensive LG front loading washing machine we could find.  So far we have had excellent results and have found it to be extremely efficient.  While it is not guaranteed off-grid and is not as friendly to being owner-repaired, it is around half the cost of a Staber.  We have friends who live off-the-grid and have used this same washer for longer than we have with equally good results. Just passing this along for what it is worth.

When you move off the grid, you naturally want to have appliances that will use the least amount of power, get the job done, do it well, and be durable. This is the same for a washing machine. You want one that will use the least amount of electricity, use the least amount of water (for those times when water will be scarce depending on your particular situation, also less water uses less power to pump water to the washer, that is, if you don’t have a gravity flow water system), extract the most water out of the clothes during the spin cycle (so it won’t take so much electricity/propane gas to dry the clothes), do a great job washing the clothes, be quality built for durability, be simple to repair, and in this case be able to operate on an Alternative Energy system (some washers require a sine wave inverter, will not run on a generator, and void their warranty when operated with generator or inverter power).  We have lived off the grid for years and LOVE THE INDEPENDENCE. We have a wonderful older Maytag washer and are thankful for it. It works great on our A.E. system, washes clothes well, and is durable, BUT it uses HUGE amounts of water and power. If it ever dies (Maytags can last for years) before the Lord comes we will probably purchase a “Staber” washing machine. The reasons for this are:

Where they may be purchased
Staber clothes washers are not usually sold at typical retailers.  One new source you should check out is Stoves & More (931) 593-3462), www.stovesandmoreonline.com.  These folks know what they are talking about, have reasonable prices, and are fellow-believers.  They have a wealth of knowledge to share about non-electric living (Amish style).   Backwoods Solar Electric Systems is another source you could contact (208)263-4290, www.backwoodssolar.com.  I highly recommend ordering their catalog. (It is not only a catalog but is like a visual text book for living off the grid.) The folks there are very experienced and they give good tech support for what they sell.  However, you might want to go to www.yahoo.com and type in “Staber Washing Machines” to check out the prices online.

Alternatives
Although Stabers are not cheap they can pay off in the long run when you are on or off the grid.  However, if a Staber costs more than you want to put into a washer right now, you might want to check out the new electronic washers by Whirlpool, Frigidaire, Maytag and possibly other brands.  They also use much less power, less water, and less soap, but once again some of them require a sine wave inverter (which I recommend people buy anyway for their A.E. system), will not run on some generators, and void their warranty when used with some generators or non-sine wave inverter power. The salesperson should be asked about this when looking at their washers. You might consider just going with a basic, good quality brand washer that will use around 500 to 600 watts or less. It might not be as efficient as the electronic washers but it will probably work on an A.E. system like our old Maytag does (especially if you buy a sine wave inverter when you get “set up” off the grid).  However, the safest thing to do is to purchase a Staber clothes washer just to be sure you have a washer that will work safely on an Alternative Energy System.

For more information about Staber washers go to www.staber.com.

WHAT IF YOUR STABER WASHER NEEDS TO BE REPAIRED?
Most people have probably never heard of a Staber washing machine therefore one might ask where or how do you get it fixed in the event it breaks down? This is one of the beauties of the Staber washer, especially for God’s people, as many of them will be living discreetly in “retired places” in the mountains.

Let us quote from www.staber.com:

“Parts are available factory-direct by calling 614-548-0098 between 7-3 ET Monday-Friday or by simply ordering below. If required, service is one of the benefits of our Staber washer’s design. It is designed to be end user repairable, even if you are not ‘mechanically-inclined’. We do not require authorized service technicians for service on our washer. There is total front access to the parts, no transmission to worry about, and fewer overall moving parts. If a customer has a service question, they call our service department at 614-548-0098 between 7-3 ET Monday-Friday and tell us the symptom over the phone. We can either help them fix it over the phone or if they need a part we send it via UPS or U.S. Postal Service. Service questions can also be sent via e-mail at This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it ”