Whirlpool 8212638RP 6-Foot Industrial Braided Fill Hose with 90 Degree Elbow, 2-Pack

• Braided nylon-shielded hose performs better than stainless steel
• 90 degree elbow saves space and helps prevent kinking
• Dependable crimp is industry's most reliable against leakage
• Built-in washer and hose made of long-lasting EPDM rubber
• Fusion-resistant coupler and non-conductive surface

The hoses that came with my washer were marked "replace every 5 years". While few probably pay attention to such things, I know *far* to many who have had hoses leak, or worse, burst when they're not home and cause huge problems. Washing machines used to almost always be in basements, garages, etc. where a water leak might be onto concrete. That can still cause lots of damage to whatever is sitting on the concrete but the house itself is less likely to suffer serious damage.

But the trend in new homes is to put the laundry room near the bedrooms so it's often on the main floor or even upstairs. How much damage do you think might be caused if a hose bursts? It can easily exceed $100,000 in some houses. And the "pan" they sometimes sit under the washer on an upper floor won't catch more than a slow drip in just the right spot. When hoses fail they typically spray water several feet or more in random directions.

Long story short, it's cheap insurance to replace the hoses. And these braided hoses with right angle fittings are a significant upgrade over the plain ones that come with most washers. The right angle helps keep the hose from being kinked (which can make it fail) and reduces the stress on the hose if it's up against a wall (as most are) as the washer vibrates during the spin cycle.

The stainless hoses look nice but are kind of a gimmick in my opinion. The metal braid is just a sleeve over a plain rubber hose and water runs right through it. While it might help keep the hose from bulging and bursting under high pressure, that's not how hoses usually fail. Typically the rubber gets *harder* as it gets older and eventually starts to fatigue or even crack. They don't get softer and bulge out. So a stainless steel hose will probably leak just as easily as a cheap one.

These hoses, however, are different. The braided material is actually PART OF THE HOSE not just a sleeve slipped over the outside. So they're probably quite a bit stronger and less prone to failure than plain hoses. It's like the difference between a $5 garden hose and a $30 garden hose. The more expensive hose has a braided layer bonded into it that greatly prolongs its life.

The bottom line: These hoses are cheap insurance. They also come in a straight (vs 90 degree right angle) version.

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I have been a fan of the stainless external braid hoses for various plumbing hookups, but the price/length value that this set represented was compelling.

There's a lot of FUD about the stainless external braid being "just a simple hose inside a braided shell", but the fact is that the braid provides both abrasion protection and mechanical support for the internal tubing, and I have sections of it that have been in service under pressure for over 20 years without a failure -and on hot water. I have never had any stainless-braided hose fail in service. I can't say the same for rigid PVC or CPVC plumbing, or even copper pipe.

I have no reason to expect this set to be superior to the braided stainless variety, and it certainly doesn't look as good.

But this set is definitely less expensive than a comparable length stainless-braided set, and I like the right-angle connectors on one end. The build quality appears excellent, and both ends were drip-free with moderate hand-tightening, indicating good mechanical tolerances and quality washers.

The one missing feature is a marker to distinguish the hot and cold lines. I marked the metal portions of one hose with red paint to indicate the hot circuit, but there really should have been a colored plastic sleeve or clip or tag or _something_.The lack of this feature (which is present in other washer hookup sets on Amazon) cost this set a star.

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These hoses are very light, yet they appear to be very sturdy. The 90 degree elbow gives me another two inches of clearance which I needed after replacing my old washing machine.

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I got these after I noticed a leak in the ones I had. They were really easy to install and have no leaks now!

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I bought this because it has larger internal diameter than usual hose (for faster filling) and for the whirlpool name.I always look for metal outside for the abrasion protection, but the description sounded like the outside wrap was something like kevlar.It is not.The nylon jacket looks rather cheap.I've seen high grade nylon wraps and they look shiny and tight.The wrap on this is dull and loose. I suspect the item description is exaggerated. I am going back to metal.