Proud new Speed Queen owners

[Dreaming of Freedom]

Thanks to all the advice and reviews on this forum, we decided to buy a Speed Queen washing machine. I am hoping we will never have to buy another washing machine again as long as we live. We decided to go with the front load machine with front controls. I can't wait to try it out. I have never been so excited to do laundry before!

 

[ABQ2015]

Keep us posted on whether you like it. My 20 year old Kenmore is starting to make strange noises.

 

[JoeWras]

Does it require a stack of quarters for every load?

 

[Marita40]

I just replaced my 30 year old Kenmores. The dryer finally gave up the ghost. After much research I bought Whirlpool Duet front loaders and am astonished at how much cleaner and brighter my clothes are! I was checking many sites before deciding and lots and lots of people also love the Speed Queens, proudly made in our neighbor state of WI.

 

[HFWR]

As my 20-yo Hotpoint set keeps ticking along...

 

[Another Reader]

I would be extremely cautious about buying any front loading washer or any HE washer. Repairs are frequent on almost all of them and the clothes do not get as clean, because water plus surfactants are what do the job. LOTS of water to dissolve the dirt. I suspect the "new" Speed Queens are no better than other home consumer-oriented machines.

The recommendations I have seen for Speed Queen washers are for the old-style heavy duty top loaders. Likely they are not making these any longer. Hope I'm wrong.

 

[Payin-the-Toll]

Don't know the makes or models, but 2 of my daughters have newish front-loaders. Seems like it takes 45 minutes+ to wash, and the matching dryers that came with them take over 1 1/2 hours to dry--not impressed. Our 23-yr old Kenmore top loader can crank out a wash in 20 minutes and the matching dryer that came with it can dry it all in less than 40 minutes. But when mine give up the ghost, I'll definitely be looking at the Speed Queens.

 

[Marita40]

The front loaders do a really superior job in cleaning with little water. If you've not used one before I recommend doing so before judging them against top loaders. I've used both and much prefer front loaders. Do check out the reviews for all newer models and you'll find the top performers in both top loaders and front loaders have about the same track record in terms of repairs. I certainly did my homework! Unfortunately all washers and dryers today, with the possible exception of old school Speed Queens with agitators and minimal electronic boards, are built for planned obsolescence. Unlike the sturdy Kenmores of old they are built to last no more than about 10 years. Sad but true.

 

[Happyras]

I own 7 washers and 10 dryers between my rentals, home and business. I am fairly good at repairing most of them, and know when to toss them. I bought 2 Speed Queen commercial washers, they lasted a very short time before I tossed them. WAY too MUCH money to buy parts. Of all the brands I own, the least problems come from our LG front loaders, awesome not to repair now for 9 years. In that same time I have repaired the Maytag/Whirpools or GE/Frigidaire models, and tossed several. I bought a top of the line Whirlpool front loader that had so many electronics it could not run without errors, and they even hid the pump suction strainer so only a tech knows how to clean it out. Nothing lasted as long as the old cast iron gear case whirlpool washers, except maybe the LG's are challenging them.

 

[calico1597]

I have a Maytag pair that is nearly 23 years old. This spring I figured I'd sell them while they still ran and had some value. I visited several appliance stores, ALL the salesmen told me the machines made today only last around eight years. Heck, I may get another eight years out of the Maytags. Think I'll keep what I have until I have to replace them. Several of the guys were amazed to hear I had machines that were still running with that age on them.

 

[Moemg]

My GE washer has gotten finicky after 14 years it refuses to do more than one load a day and then only if it is a small load . Sadly it is being replaced tomorrow with a HE top loader .

 

[Dreaming of Freedom]

We still have a 25 year old Kenmore top load washer that works, but the tub is rusting like crazy, and something breaks on it almost every year. The current top load machine really wears out my clothes after a year. I really liked how well the front load washers I used all through college worked, and decided it was time to buy one for myself. I also love that I will not have to go to the laundrymat anymore to wash comforters, sleeping bags, and large blankets. No coins needed.

 

[samclem]

The front loaders do a really superior job in cleaning with little water. If you've not used one before I recommend doing so before judging them against top loaders.

Just one note: There's one washer available in the US that loads through the top but which has the same horizontal-axis tumbling action as a front-loader: The amazing and unique Staber Washing Machine, still produced right here in the US.

Unfortunately all washers and dryers today, with the possible exception of old school Speed Queens with agitators and minimal electronic boards, are built for planned obsolescence.

Again, not so fast. The Staber is a standout exception and is designed to be rugged >and< designed to be easily user-servicable when something needs fixing. The timer is mechanical and easily obtained, the motor and pump are right in front for easy changing when they eventually wear out, the "transmission" is a single easily changed belt. It's a sturdy tank of a washer. Not cheap (about $1100), but I don't plan to ever need to buy another washing machine. As a bonus, it uses little water and the tumbling action is much gentler on clothes than a tub-style agitator. It's like a front-loader, but without the gasketed door and having the drum supported at each side rather than cantilevered off a single rear bearing.h

Note: A limitation of the Staber: Some people want a machine with a higher capacity. The capacity seems plenty big enough to DW and I (queen size comforter is no problem, a big armload of laundry goes in fine). The company says it can wash 14 regular-sized bath towels without a problem. I think people get spooked by the apparent narrow size of the drum, but it is big in diameter and has no agitator in the middle taking up room. But, I'm sure some high-capacity machines do hold more.

I've been banging on about it for a long time here, do a search on "Staber" if you aren't tired of hearing about it yet. . . .

 

[samclem]

Think I'll keep what I have until I have to replace them.

Absolutely. They are almost certainly better made than most machines today. When something breaks, it would probably still make sense to fix the washer if it could be done for less than a couple hundred dollars.
Now, dryers are a different matter. I'd bet new ones aren't as reliable as the old ones, but the differences probably aren't as great. An old dryer can often be kept going for a long time, the stuff that goes wrong is generally easy to fix (heating elements, belts, switches).

 

[JoeWras]

Absolutely. They are almost certainly better made than most machines today. When something breaks, it would probably still make sense to fix the washer if it could be done for less than a couple hundred dollars.
Now, dryers are a different matter. I'd bet new ones aren't as reliable as the old ones, but the differences probably aren't as great. An old dryer can often be kept going for a long time, the stuff that goes wrong is generally easy to fix (heating elements, belts, switches).

Basic electric dryers -- even the ones built today -- are incredibly simple. But since people want bells and whistles, and want them to look like their front loader, they complicated things. But if you look at a brand new Whirlpool old school dryer built today, almost nothing has changed inside. It just works.

I should have put this in "my recent repair", but I recently replaced the drum roller on my 31 year old Kenmore (made by Whirlpool). After 31 years, the simple bearing finally wore out and the drum started bouncing. Very easy fix. Since I had it apart, I repainted the cabinet (very, very easy) from almond to white and it looks great!

 

[Marita40]

Those old time Kenmores are really legendary. Toward the end (30 years) my washer was making rust spots on my clothes and I had to run to hug it during spin cycles to keep it from walking all over the floor. But it was still chugging along and the dryer, until the day it just quit, was working beautifully. 30 years! Honestly I could have had it repaired but just decided that I wanted new--life is short. Love the new Whirlpool Duets! Perhaps it is finally time to quit cable as now I have Laundry TV.

 

[Bamaman]

There has been so much consolidation in the appliance world that you can see a Maytag washer is basically the same as the cheap Admiral brand. And the Maytag Repairman is no longer lonely--but a very popular guy. I had it with front loaders and their incredibly expensive Maytag Neptune washer wasn't structurally sound--binding up the bearings.

My wife's life is essentially washing clothes--all day, every day. And she's worn out many washers. But she's absolutely loving our Fisher-Paykel machine that's made in New Zealand. It's a completely different animal to any North American made washing machine. It spins so fast that the clothes are almost dry--and the dryer runs very little time which saves us money on electricity.

 

[Gotadimple]

Nothing lasted as long as the old cast iron gear case whirlpool washers, except maybe the LG's are challenging them.

+1
I replaced a 20-year Amana set 5 years ago with an LG front-loading pair. LG and Samsung both have figured out the technology for the HE machines, while the US Manufacturer (Whirlpool) is still making adjustments.

The LG uses less water. Yes a normal load using the normal setting takes 55 minutes. But, drying time which is set to 45 minutes under the normal setting often takes less that 25 minutes. Only because the washer is able to extract more water.

Couldn't be happier, stains come out that the old machine could get out and the drying time is cut in half.

Rita

 

[Nodak]

My Speed Queen washer and dryer were installed in 1984 and still going strong.

 

[Yellowjacket]

We have a 2 year old speed queen and absolutely love it. Old School top load washer at its finest. I did make one modification prior to using it. Had to "adjust" the fill switch so that it would fill to the top of the drum if desired. Super easy to as I found a video on youtube while doing my research. New government regulations limit the amount of water a washer can use.

 

[W2R]

+1
I replaced a 20-year Amana set 5 years ago with an LG front-loading pair. LG and Samsung both have figured out the technology for the HE machines, while the US Manufacturer (Whirlpool) is still making adjustments.

The LG uses less water. Yes a normal load using the normal setting takes 55 minutes. But, drying time which is set to 45 minutes under the normal setting often takes less that 25 minutes. Only because the washer is able to extract more water.

Couldn't be happier, stains come out that the old machine could get out and the drying time is cut in half.

Rita

(emphasis mine)

+1

I replaced my 2002 top loader agitator GE washer and matching dryer with an LG HE top loader washer and matching dryer when I moved last year, and would never go back. Same amazing results with old stains.

 

[eytonxav]

Our top loader Samsung's are 3 yrs old, and do a very good job, knock on wood.

 

[travelover]

.......... the drying time is cut in half.

Rita

This is the biggest advantage I see with a front loader, especially if you have an electric dryer. I have a gas dryer and this combined with the hard spin the front loader gives, clothes are dry in no time.

 

[Marita40]

Agree, travelover. My new front loader spins clothes nearly dry, quickly finished by the gas dryer. All in all I'm finding a lot of efficiency in these new appliances. Too bad they won't last more than 10 years, if that.

 

[ABQ2015]

My concern with the front loader is that the detergent will not be fully rinsed away and will cause my skin to be irritated. Even using less detergent than recommended, I have to double rinse with my old Kenmore washer or have itchy skin. This is with Tide Free and similar detergents.