Washing machines

(1 of 1 customers found this review helpful)

Comment:

I have owned my new washer and dryer for a few months now and although they don't compare to the ease of use of my old Kenmore machines from 1994, they are very good. Truth be known, I shouldn't even compare the machines because I couldn't repair my old washer without accepting an inferior part replacement for the original. Kenmore (Whirlpool) just doesn't measure up anymore. So, back to my review.My Speed Queen washer is huge inside. I am 5.2 and I sometimes have trouble reaching small items from the bottom of the tub but that is a good thing. I like to wash large loads and get the work done. New efficiency laws require the water level to be lower than with my former washer which I don't love but Speed Queen has a reset setting on the dial which allows me to add water to the tub and wash as I did before. After reading tons of reviews of other washers, I see that a common complaint is water doesn't get hot enough on most machines. This is true with the warm setting of Speed Queen as well. I wonder if this is also a casualty to the new laws. Again, I'm comparing it to my former washer which used to self-adjust temp on cold days. However, with Speed Queen, it's an easy fix. I just start my fill cycle on hot, allow the water level to rise a few inches and then switch the temp to warm and let the machine do the rest. I'm still figuring out how much detergent to add to my wash. Seems like heavy items really make a lot of suds so I am stuck sometimes rinsing more than normal. To be fair, this started to happen with my former machine about 2 years ago so I question if detergents are now formulated to behave this way. Cleaning ability is good. I want to say it's great but clothes, specifically whites, don't always get as clean as they used to. This is a problem I was facing with my former machine as well...again in the last two years which raises my suspicion with the detergents once more. The washer has a bleach dispenser and a fabric softener dispenser, a great 3 yr. warranty, is built of strong quality materials, has a stainless steel tub and, for those who care, is made in the USA. It also has the advantage of user intervention with respect to water level, temperature, and rinsing only with a simple turn of a dial which many washers don't offer today. No moldy smells are present because there aren't any rubber seals on the washer. Better still, the transition from my 17-yr.-old washer to this one was a good one. I didn't settle for inferior workmanship, materials or performance and that is the most important thing I can say. I realize that energy star ratings make a difference to CR but customers want appliances that work well most of all.As a footnote...my matching Speed Queen dryer is in a word...awesome! I don't care for the lint trap because it is smaller in comparison to my former machine's lint screen but that is an asthetic issue...not performance. Clothes dry beautifully and almost wrinkle free.I will review again in a year to update or sooner if I notice performance issues. Shame on CR. Speed Queen deserved a better and more accurate review.

(1 of 1 customers found this review helpful)

Comment:

CAN'T BELIEVE C.R. GAVE THIS A POOR RATING. THIS MACHINE HAS THE OLD STYLE STEEL TRANS. AND PUMP NOT THE PLASTIC JUNK THATS ON THE MARKET. LOOK A LITTLE FARTHER INTO THE MECHANICS OF THE MACHINES YOU TEST. WHEN WASHING UNBALANCED LOADS IT STAYS PUT!

(1 of 1 customers found this review helpful)

Comment:

I researched (and became quite frustrated in the process) to find a reliable FRONT loader washing machine that was rated high from Consumer Reports- and found that most all front loaders dissapointed many consumers as revealed in the Customer Reviews of the product-- I decided that I didn't want to pay high bucks for problems that would cause the need for more repairmen and their high costs--Also decided I didn't want a machine with 80 -90 minute cycles (front loaders) - so I began looking for a reliable top loader--I stumbled upon the Speed Queeen (after more extensive research) of the top loaders. Didn't think I could find one--but I DID with the SPEED QUEEN--It's a well made product backed by the manufacturer with a 3yr parts and labor warranty. Does what you want it to w/o all the LED baloney, bells, whistels etc.. Clothes come out clean and they take less time to dry.<br /><br />If you're looking for a quality product to just wash your clothes w/o issues (10 YRS WARRANTY ON THE TRANSMISSION (HEAVY DUTY COMMERCIAL TRANSMISSION METAL GEARS -NOT PLASTIC), 5 YRS ON THE MOTOR, 5 YR ON THE CABINET, LIFETIME OUTER TUB DRAIN TUB, SOLID STAINLESS STEEL TUB) --this is deinitely it.