I tell you one thing. I'm never buying another "High Efficiency" washer again. Total P.O.S.... Takes twice as long to wash as the old one, doesn't get clothes as clean, and twists everything into nots. Never. Again.

I think Speed Queen is the way to go, and you just have to decide based on your usage. Better clean, or gentler on clothes? I guarantee, belt or shaft, both get clothes plenty clean. Speed Queen is not going to sell you a wash machine that doesn't clean clothes. Truth be told, I wouldn't hold much stock in all that stuff you read in forums and stuff, most of the "issues" are overblown because every person that has a problem makes a post to complain but the 1000s of people that have no problems don't make a post to say it went well.

Do not buy Samsung, LG, GE, or Whirlpool, or any associated brands. All trash.

Also as a pro-tip: Modern appliances have circuitboard controllers, basically a computer, and should be plugged into a surge protector to prevent the board from getting fried. My cousin works at Whirlpool and said fried circuitboards are the #1 reason modern wash machines stop working.

Thanks Steven,

Yes, there are many complaints that I sort of take with a grain of salt, though one person posted a photo of consumer reports report stating the belt model was the first Speed queen to get a bad rating due to it not cleaning clothes well. i don't belong to consumer reports, so I cannot confirm it. Seems like an easy choice, that is till the wife gets upset about her clothes getting damaged. Just the fact that the salesmen told me that story about the need to have the new machine and then bring the old one back just sort of screams issues with both. :(

My GE profile that I bought 25 years ago just died, had issues that I kept fixing myself. If I had confidence in the newer ones I would buy one. I also think that if I have to get two cheap machines over the next 8 to 10 years that it would be close to the price of the S.Q.

Good idea about the surge protector, though the speed queen models that I am looking at only has dials. Another thing I like about it.

Ken

we ended up with a maytag belt drive that has knobs that feel like a rheostat .... wife says it does get the clothes clean and it is a bigger top load HE machine...she had to learn how to wash clothes all over again with it . how long will it last? who knows. but i know it won't last like the old direct drive maytag we had.

Speed Queen is the ONLY way to go. Trust us. Get the "No Thrills" non computerized display model, with knobs and an agitator, and with a selector that allows YOU to control the water level.

Made it USA. Heavy duty. Put the clothes in, turn it on, done in 30 mins or less. No alarms, no shifted load shutdowns, no dry clothes that are still dirty...no BS.

I bought a brand new Speed Queen washer in 2016, model # AWN432SP113TW04. Non computerized, updated agitator, belt drive...solid machine. It DOES NOT tear up clothes, is NOT rough on clothes. It cleans clothes like a SOB, whereas the other machines without an agitator do not, and take 3 hours to do so, and are made in China and break down within 10 years...

Theres a reason the military, hotels, prisons, and laundry-mats all use Speed Queen.

Never had a problem once with suds coming out of the pipe either. I did have to zip tie the pipe to the drain hole, as the speed Queen has a lot more force in the dirty water discharge than other machines. Without that zip tie, I could see suds coming out maybe.

Good luck. Choose wisely Indiana.

Dow

When I was a kid we had a Speed Queen, the kind with three legs, a wooded tub and rollers. Half a bar of Fels naptha and everyone gets a turn at the crank!!

Might want to think about that model, just in case.

Our public library keeps about 2 years worth of Consumer Reports magazines. You can subscribe online. If you are considering any large purchase the annual rate for online service would be well worth $50 or whatever it is. When our 30 year old Maytag washer started leaking I went and asked the local repair shop about the best brands to buy. His opinion is that they are almost all 'a bunch of crap'. The last actual Maytag from the Iowa factory was in 1996. Mine was made in 1995. The ones made today are typical 2nd rate knock-offs. [his own words]. I was told by two experts to repair the old Maytag as many times as possible before it actually crumbles into dust. The repair in 2013 was $500 and it lasted 7 years. Our previous Maytag was purchased in 1974 and we used until 2005. There are some good prices on new ones at Home Depot but good luck with the 2 months wait for parts and warranty service.

Thanks Dow,

Nice to hear from an owner.

I thought the 2016 model had direct drive and the agitator that spun independently of the drum. Maybe there have been a few updates to the agitator? Does your spin in one direction when the tub is still?

I will check the library, thanks! You find it to be accurate?

We have a washboard:) 

Thanks!

Ken

You can buy individual Consumer Reports articles for a few bucks, might be worth it. I usually do that for any big purchase.

i couldn't find a direct drive agitator maytag that didn't have all electronic controls... and they started at 1000 dollars.... if you gonna spend that much might as well spend a little more and get a speed queen commercial... the 3.2 capcity is around 1100 dollars. she wanted a bigger tub then that so we went with the 4.5 maytag... hope it will last.

Anyone know why the direct drive would have 1/2 horse where as the belt has 1 horse? Does the belt require more power?

The direct drive is 2 speed where as the belt is variable, that a reason?

I remember an old mechanic once remarked to some likely stupid question I asked him. Give me enough gears and I can drive a car with a washing machine motor.

I believe our SQ is the direct drive. but I am out of town and have forgotten. We had them for about ten-ish years with no problems. My wife is very particular on her clothes washing methods and she has never complained. loves the large stainless tub to do bedding. I do my own laundry-she claims my stuff is disgusting. Whatever we have works for me.
Brad

I don’t know if mine are belt drive or direct. I’ve owned them for about 7 years and haven’t had to have them taken apart or repaired. 17 minutes to do a load of wash.
About 30 minutes to dry a large load. I’ve never notice my clothes didn’t come out clean. They get used a lot and just keep working flawlessly!!!
If it is a big concern between the two, I would call a repair man or two and ask them!!!
Slammer!!!

quote:

---

Originally posted by banjoken

Thanks Dow,

Nice to hear from an owner.

I thought the 2016 model had direct drive and the agitator that spun independently of the drum. Maybe there have been a few updates to the agitator? Does your spin in one direction when the tub is still?

I will check the library, thanks! You find it to be accurate?

We have a washboard:) 

Thanks!

Ken

---

Ken...the machine I have is the same as Slammer Dale's...at least visually from looking at his picture anyway.  It has an agitator that moves independently from the tub, and the agitator is also belt driven. 
The agitator design was changed years ago, to be a little more gentle on the clothes, but it still does a very efficient job of moving water through the clothes and cleaning them. 
I already listed the model # in my previous post, if you can find one for sale...I'd get it...as I can't vouch for the "newest" model SQ. They were changed to meet a federal water consumption mandate. 

I just checked several different online retailers, and they have the model Dale and I have for sale still, around $880 brand new. Research it, and see if it will suit your needs. It has exceeded all of ours.

Ours looks like Dale's. But he got the right handed set. Ours is a left handed version.
;-) Brad

What we really like was getting a matching steel storage unit about a foot wide, that sits between the washer and dryer at the same height. A little drawer at top for all that change you find and other little stuff, then a big deep drawer below that fits your washing products.
Brad

I was hoping that the Speed Queen might be an American turntable.

quote:

---

Originally posted by GrahamHawker

I was hoping that the Speed Queen might be an American turntable.

---

i haven't figured out how these turn tables work yet !

Okay, now that we've drifted sufficiently, I suppose I can chime in.... although it still does have to do with washing machines.  A few decades ago I saw a write-up in Farmshow magazine https://www.farmshow.com/ for a washing machine a dude had developed.   I've checked their archives, but can't find it, and time/rust it taking a toll on what I recall. 

It was a top-loader with 2 concentric drums.  The inner drum was 6 (?) sided.  I don't recall whether the outer drum was round or 6 or 8 sided.... and I don't recall whether both drums rotated slowly in opposite directions or the outer one was stationary.   The space between the two drums was the "washing compartment," and was continuously changing from narrow-to-wide-to-narrow-etc. as the drum(s) slowly rotated.  The "squishing and releasing" action was what washed the clothes.

It was touted for its simplicity, [expected] longevity, superior washing, less wear on clothes.... maybe even conserving water.   I've not heard or read anything about it since..... maybe another million dollar idea that went into the black hole??   I trust I've provided enough "recall" to give you the basics and enough "don't recall" for you to let your imaginations fill  in what's missing.  Anyway, the idea intrigued me; YMMV.   

And, banjoken, you've now got another DIY project...... some guys build banjos, some guys build washing machines.   

Edit: I dunno whether it was direct or belt drive..... you can make one of each and report back.

quote:

---

Originally posted by 1935tb-11

i haven't figured out how these turn tables work yet !

---

Where do you put the soap?

....Now that I've put a bit more thought into it ^^, I guess if you use your imagination, it's a modified agitator-type machine.... the inner drum serves as the agitator...... but would it be simpler to keep the inner drum stationary and rotate the outer drum?

I subscribed to Consumer Reports for a month, that is if I remember to unsubscribe. :) The new Speed Queens did not get the kind of ratings I was expecting!

The 2018 model, where the agitator is fixed to the drum, the rating for how it actually cleans clothes was at the lowest rating possible... poor! CR called SQ to tell them they must have gotten a defective machine at which SQ said they made a firmware change to address the issue. CR bought another machine with the new firmware and the rating for how it cleaned clothes did improve... from poor to only fair!! It did so by increasing the wash time by 20 minutes and water usage from 18 to 30 gallons. Still only fair with all that extra time and water. Of course dependability was a top rating, but with it being such a poor performer I would probably hope it would break!

The newer model that brought back the regular agitation brought the rating up to good, but it got an overall score less than the model that does not clean clothes! The only things that changed between these two models is that with the fixed agitator the cleanliness was fair and noise was good, With the real agitator the cleanliness was good and the noise was fair. I cannot believe that! I cannot believe that CR would rate a washing machine that did not clean clothes higher than a comparable machine that actually cleaned clothes, its main purpose. The real agitator is about a hundred dollars more, that should deduct some points in my view I guess, but really.

This machine is not in my basement, it goes by the back door just off my kitchen. If the noise rating made it get a lower score than its ability to clean clothes than this machine must be really loud. I am going to cancel my order.

Wish I felt comfortable ordering a machine online, if so I would order the older model that was mentioned here. I ordered an expensive tablesaw from hundreds of miles away, from a catalog long before internet, and the machine had issues. Not going to go through that again.

ken

When we bought our SQ set, again I recall in about 2010 +/-, front loaders were all rage. for many reasons I cannot recall after visiting with many folks about their front loaders, we choose top loading washer. I think had to do with leakage, bacteria growth you had to deal with, and perhaps other reasons?
We had so many problems with a kitchenaid with electronic controls and circuit boards, we wanted to avoid that with our W/D.
We will be facing a new dishwasher in the near future. Yuck! Brad