Looking for washing machine suggestions

[sdifox]

Used Commercial washer, assuming you are willing to anchor

Speed Queen / UniMac SC20MN2 Washer, 20Lb, 120V, OPL, Reconditioned | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Speed Queen / UniMac SC20MN2 Washer, 20Lb, 120V, OPL, Reconditioned at the best online prices at eBay! Free shipping for many products!

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[Scarpozzi]

I definitely want to buy brand new for peace of mind. I looked at those speed queen ones and they are tiny at 3.2cf for the space. That's smaller than my current one.

Get a Speedqueen top loader, especially if you can find a model with all knobs. They're made by Amana and are beasts. My wife was washing a pillow for some reason...on the rinse cycle it floated and got lodged at the top of the tub and put it in a bind. The belt burned up from friction and broke. I was able to get a replacement for $15 locally and repair it in less than 30 minutes.

I prefer knobs to those printed circuit board buttons. I also like the old school mechanical timer modules. They have tons of contacts and plastic gears that will go bad, but they are way cheaper than $100-200 computer logic timer modules to do the same thing. I had a friend of mine buy a front loader (Nissangirl on here). Sears had just been swapping boards to try to fix the problems...when older models are way easier to troubleshoot.

 

[Scarpozzi]

https://www.bestbuy.com/site/amana-3-5-cu-ft-8-cycle-top-loading-washer-white/5369600.p?skuId=5369600&ref=212&loc=1&ref=212&loc=1&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIvuTkjeSf6wIVXj6tBh0gjACCEAQYAiABEgIMY_D_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

This is the same as a Speedqueen, but doesn't have a stainless tub. I recommend a model with all knobs. I also recommend trying to avoid auto water level sensing...and only by a model with a agitator. Big cities have ruined washers with their HE B.S.... water is required to wash clothes and actually get them clean.

 

[purbeast0]

I am pretty confident you all are just trolling me at this point.

 

[Scarpozzi]

I am pretty confident you all are just trolling me at this point.

I'm not trolling. My Speedqueen is not too small. I understand your concerns. Unless you're washing a very large down comforter or multiple king sized blankets at once, go smaller. Most standard dryers can't handle more than that efficiently anyways.

I also thought the same about the tub size as I downsized from a larger Whirlpool that came with my house. I have not looked back. I just do smaller loads so things get washed. Not a big deal. Additionally, I installed a 4' bar on the wall above my washer/dryer for hanging clothes to dry (on hangers). This keeps my cotton shirts from shrinking in the dryer.
Just research the model. In 2018, the tub and agitator were designed to move in the same direction. That's what you need to research on the model you select...make sure you pick one that washes.

Any questions, PM me.

 

[pcgeek11]

I am pretty confident you all are just trolling me at this point.

No, You asked for input and people that own Speed Queen washers are giving you honest input.

It is up to you what you do with the information provided.

 

[purbeast0]

No, You asked for input and people that own Speed Queen washers are giving you honest input.

It is up to you what you do with the information provided.

Yes and I've said multiple times I'm not getting one of those because they are too little and I'm getting a top loader.

Yet people keep recommending front loaders and/or Speed Queens.

 

[mikeford]

Trolling, nah, the thread has just drifted away from your point of view.

 

[Scarpozzi]

Here's the problem. Reviews on washers/dryers will most always be bad. Almost every household has them and they have moving parts.... therefore you hear more complaining than praising.

For me, it was 2014 and I was on the hunt for a replacement for my Whirlpool. I went to every local place in my crap town that sold appliances and everything was junk. Front loader reviews cited mold and mechanical issues....leaky doors. Top loaders were missing agitators and water level selection was automated and often wrong for when you wanted MORE water. Just because NYC and LA are trying to save ounces of water where they can, the rest of the country(and world) suffers.

Speedqueen checked all my boxes....but alas, I also had an issue with the tub size. However, as I stated before....get over it. 😛

....Or buy one of the other numerous brands made by one of the few companies left that actually manufacturer them. Just look for knobs over circuit boards and try to find a manual water selector.

I settled on a AWN542SP111TW01 Speedqueen.....fwiw and have never been let down by this unit (aside from user error mentioned above). Happy hunting finding something that isn't junk.

 

[purbeast0]

Here's the problem. Reviews on washers/dryers will most always be bad.

I mean that's not really true. If you look at the ratings/reviews of the ones I posted, they are all 4+ out of 5 stars.

And I've looked across Lowes, Home Depot, and Best Buy.

However I was just wondering about people on here versus just random reviews which is why I made the thread. But it pretty much seems this has divulged into a washer snob thread and it's Speed Queen or bust. It reminds me of when I was on AVS asking about Bluray players and it was Oppo or bust for pretty much every opinion on there, even though I did not want one of those.

 

[mikeford]

For this "sort" of thing, my go to was Consumer Search, a place that would aggregate and link to a variety of "consumer reports" type places.

There is little doubt that among industry professionals, the water and energy standards are resulting in POOR performance initially, slowly rising to marginally acceptable, or routine practices like running washers twice with the same load or on selected loads.

 

[Scarpozzi]

I mean that's not really true. If you look at the ratings/reviews of the ones I posted, they are all 4+ out of 5 stars.

And I've looked across Lowes, Home Depot, and Best Buy.

However I was just wondering about people on here versus just random reviews which is why I made the thread. But it pretty much seems this has divulged into a washer snob thread and it's Speed Queen or bust. It reminds me of when I was on AVS asking about Bluray players and it was Oppo or bust for pretty much every opinion on there, even though I did not want one of those.

I suppose what I'm saying is you see lots of positive reviews when people get something new...they only return to post a review after the first month to let you know how it broke. So the positive reviews don't cover longevity and the negatives could be people complaining about typical wear and tear.

I'm no snob. Just happy I found the specs I was looking for and that I didn't end up with the junk they were selling at Sears and Lowe's when I looked.

 

[pcgeek11]

I wish you well on whatever washer you choose.

I'm not sure what other washer compares to the excellence of a Speed Queen... I looked at dozens before choosing and even bought two that went back ( LG and Whirlpool ) as they were crap.

Yes and I've said multiple times I'm not getting one of those because they are too little and I'm getting a top loader.

Yet people keep recommending front loaders and/or Speed Queens.

You obviously missed my post I quoted again above here Post # 16.

Again I wish you well on your hunt. Maybe you will have better luck than most.

 

[Homerboy]

Recently (6 months ago) bought this one:

https://www.lowes.com/pd/Whirlpool-5-cu-ft-High-Efficiency-Top-Load-Washer-White/50254189

Love it thus far. The lack of agitator int he middle is the greatest single invention in washing machines since the rock down by the river. So much more capacity and nothing gets "tangled" around it and way more gentle on your clothes.

 

[Scarpozzi]

Recently (6 months ago) bought this one:

https://www.lowes.com/pd/Whirlpool-5-cu-ft-High-Efficiency-Top-Load-Washer-White/50254189

Love it thus far. The lack of agitator int he middle is the greatest single invention in washing machines since the rock down by the river. So much more capacity and nothing gets "tangled" around it and way more gentle on your clothes.

They say you're not supposed to put clothes where the agitator *used to be. You should still load around the edges and not overfill...

That's why I prefer agitator models with water selectors. HE appliances are for dirty hippies that wear dirty clothes (even if they're washed).

 

[Viper GTS]

So much hatred for front loaders and HE I really don't get it. I've never owned anything but LG front loaders, and the first set got replaced only because I moved cross country from a place with no natural gas to one with so I replaced the whole set. I'm 8 years into my current pair and never a single issue that was not user caused.

No moldy seals, no issues getting clothes clean. I wouldn't use a top loader/agitator if you gave it to me for free. Vastly superior to the antiques you guys are fawning over.

If nothing else consider this - What's the value of the clothing you are putting in every load? Who cares if a washer lasts 20+ years if it's doing multiples of its cost in damage to your clothing over that time period?

Viper GTS

 

[Homerboy]

They say you're not supposed to put clothes where the agitator *used to be. You should still load around the edges and not overfill...

That's why I prefer agitator models with water selectors. HE appliances are for dirty hippies that wear dirty clothes (even if they're washed).

How would it matter if I put clothes where it was or wasn't? Once it starts up, it's going to slosh around no matter what.

 

[Viper GTS]

How would it matter if I put clothes where it was or wasn't? Once it starts up, it's going to slosh around no matter what.

It's a capacity issue not literally where they are. In other words, don't consider the middle to be usable load space - It's necessary for the washer to function as designed.

Viper GTS

 

[Scarpozzi]

How would it matter if I put clothes where it was or wasn't? Once it starts up, it's going to slosh around no matter what.

As Viper said, capacity is the real issue, but also keep in mind that it's all relative to how much soil you have in your clothing. If you're generally not mucking around in dirt for a living, you may be fine with a weaker wash. Also remember that clothing brushes up against the side of the tub....this is the other point about not overfilling. They need to slosh to the edges freely and have room to move amongst the gallon of water in the tub.

 

[Homerboy]

It's a capacity issue not literally where they are. In other words, don't consider the middle to be usable load space - It's necessary for the washer to function as designed.

Viper GTS

Oh no. I'm not putting MORE clothes in than we used to due to the extra agitator space. Besides, the dryer wouldn't be able to handle more. So it's normal loading. In my original post I guess I was referring to "so much more capacity" in comparison to our old washer in sure drum size. Not specially due to the missing agitator. Sorry, I can see where what I stated was confusing, and in turn, where I was confused by your response

And for what it's worth, generally speaking our clothes don't get overly soiled. Though after my son plays 2+ baseball games in a weekend and/or I spend a weekend in the yard those clothes are GROSS. Our HE has not had any issue getting any dirt or grass stains out (his uniform is white too)

 

[Steltek]

https://www.bestbuy.com/site/amana-3-5-cu-ft-8-cycle-top-loading-washer-white/5369600.p?skuId=5369600&ref=212&loc=1&ref=212&loc=1&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIvuTkjeSf6wIVXj6tBh0gjACCEAQYAiABEgIMY_D_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

This is the same as a Speedqueen, but doesn't have a stainless tub. I recommend a model with all knobs. I also recommend trying to avoid auto water level sensing...and only by a model with a agitator. Big cities have ruined washers with their HE B.S.... water is required to wash clothes and actually get them clean.

It isn't a Speed Queen, but is rather based upon the older belt drive Whirlpool designs. For the price, it is a pretty decent washer, but it isn't made with the best quality components.

Here is a video review by Lorain Furniture and Appliance, who used to do a lot of great reviews on washers. He actually lost his Speed Queen dealer status as retaliation after daring to call out Speed Queen on their disastrous 2017 redesign.

 

[Steltek]

I've never seen a toploader without an agitator that was worth buying. Wash doesn't circulate well in them, so they don't clean soiled clothing very well at all unless you consider a long soak in soapy water to be cleansing (which is basically what they end up doing). The one I had wasn't worth owning (I had a Kenmore version of the one @Homerboy has), and was the reason I ended up buying my Speed Queen set. Granted, I always had a lot of pretty soiled clothing, so my case was more extreme than many would be.

Also, one thing to keep in mind about those large capacity toploaders like you are wanting is that they are having to support A LOT of weight (filling a 5.0cf toploader up empty takes a lot of water at 64 lbs/cu ft, then add the weight of your clothing which is being washed - it has to hold all of this up while agitating it around). As a result, while you might find an acceptable large capacity toploader, I suspect it won't last more than 5-7 years without needing repairs based upon how chintzy appliances are manufactured these days.

 

[Scarpozzi]

It isn't a Speed Queen, but is rather based upon the older belt drive Whirlpool designs. For the price, it is a pretty decent washer, but it isn't made with the best quality components.

Here is a video review by Lorain Furniture and Appliance, who used to do a lot of great reviews on washers. He actually lost his Speed Queen dealer status as retaliation after daring to call out Speed Queen on their disastrous 2017 redesign.

My apologies if my assumption was incorrect. My understanding was that Speedqueen and Amana were essentially manufactured in the same place with reasonably similar parts.

Is Amana made by Speed Queen?

www.automaticwasher.org

 

[Steltek]

My apologies if my assumption was incorrect. My understanding was that Speedqueen and Amana were essentially manufactured in the same place with reasonably similar parts.

Is Amana made by Speed Queen?

www.automaticwasher.org

No big. Speed Queen (Alliance Laundry Systems) makes their own machines in their factory in Ripon, Wisconsin. Whirlpool owns the Amana home appliance brand and manufactures them.

The old-style Whirlpool belt driven designs used to last for ages, when they actually built them out of steel and used decent materials. When I was a kid, mom's old Kenmore washer (which was also a Whirlpool) lasted for 25 years of the heaviest use before it broke down beyond being fixed.

My mother also had the exact model you have in her vacation place a couple of years ago. They wash really well, especially for what they cost, but there is one thing in particular you have to watch out for on them. At least yearly, flip it on its side and check to see if there is any indication at all that the pump might be leaking. Otherwise, if it starts leaking (it eventually will) and you wait too long to replace it, the leaky pump will literally rust out the end of the shaft from the motor that turns the pump and you can't separate the pump from the shaft without destroying the end of the shaft. The shaft is a non-replaceable part of the motor, so if this happens you end up having to replace both the motor and the pump which just isn't cost effective for that washer. It is a known problem with that model washer, so if you keep an eye out for it you can otherwise get a lot of good years out of that washer given how easy it is to service.

 

[mindless1]

So much hatred for front loaders and HE I really don't get it. I've never owned anything but LG front loaders, and the first set got replaced only because I moved cross country from a place with no natural gas to one with so I replaced the whole set. I'm 8 years into my current pair and never a single issue that was not user caused.

No moldy seals, no issues getting clothes clean. I wouldn't use a top loader/agitator if you gave it to me for free. Vastly superior to the antiques you guys are fawning over.

If nothing else consider this - What's the value of the clothing you are putting in every load? Who cares if a washer lasts 20+ years if it's doing multiples of its cost in damage to your clothing over that time period?

Viper GTS

Your nose isn't working very well if you can't smell the sour stink.

You aren't playing very hard if your clothes don't get dirty.

There's nothing superior about washers that do less of their task - WASHING.

If you really want to not wash your clothes, there are lots of washers with a gentle cycle and a shorter cycle. Why even bother washing clothes, you can just not do that and save so much money!

I care extremely if a washer lasts 20 years. It's not damaging clothing if you set loads to delicate if they need that. Otherwise, it is not damaging my clothes, rather getting them clean so I don't stink and have stains.

It's kind of like low flow faucets. They were developed for idiots that don't know how to use a faucet, to turn it down if they want water to come out slower. Same thing for the setting on your washer, if you want gentle that is not a reason to buy a machine incapable of getting clothing clean otherwise.

Delicate garments aren't what people tend to wear when they are going to get dirty. Your washer should be able to handle both scenarios. That's what those funny looking round and square dials and buttons on it are supposed to be for.

It is nonsense that a top loader, set appropriate to the load, damages clothing... unless you are buying junk that would fall apart anyway.

There is no valid argument for buying a poor performing washer then hoping it keeps poor quality clothing from disintegrating. That's like gravitating towards filling your life with crap, defeated, unable to cope with basic life staples like clothing and cleanliness.

It is a tale of making bad choices and then pretending it's a better choice than made by people who have none of these problems. No. Listen to those who don't make everything in their life a problem. It never ends... self perpetuating.