Washing machine recommendations?

[Weetabix]

My washing machine died. I'm looking for recommendations for brands or models either to look at or to avoid.

I looked at a bunch last night on the internet. The interesting thing was the same model would have glowing reviews at one site and "STAY AWAY" reviews at another.

So, I thought I'd ask real people.

Here's the geekery: This washer has been a problem for years. I've fixed it several times. I'm quite familiar with all the diagnostic tests on the tech sheet - Washing machine owner: don't touch this! You're not an only one!

This time normal operations and the diagnostic tests were returning a current overload code. So I went to the section for checking power and resistances with a meter. Short story: the motor windings are returning resistances far too low. That would explain a current spike. Motor is dead and unavailable. Not sure I'd replace it anyway, given the machine's past issues.

[toad]

Used to you could talk to the owner of a laundromat but with all the regulations they have now regarding energy and water use reliability may have had to take a back seat. Back a few years ago an apartment washing machine rental guy said to avoid front loader washing machines 'cause their seals tended to give out

[MarkD]

It used to be there weren't ANY bad washers, you bought a top-loader based on the features you wanted/needed and what you wanted to spend, and they'd all get your clothes clean and last a couple decades. We have a Kenmore (made by Whirlpool IIRC) we bought when we bought the house in 2001 and it's still running like a champ, the only thing I ever had to do with it was replace the lid-switch because my wife dropped the lid and broke it. Well, that and periodically replace the hoses because it's a good idea. Hoses are maintenance, and the switch was damage caused by mis-use.

Front loaders suck, from what I've heard, they don't get the clothes clean and the door seals go and they leak. But everyone has gone front-loader because they use less water, big frikkin' deal.

[pediem]

I bought a Whirlpool front-loader with the matching dryer 12 years ago. Both were still going strong when I sold my house last month and left them for the new owners (I'll be in an apartment for 6 months and didn't want them sitting in storage that long).

I loved my front-loader and never had a single problem with it. No mold. No stink. No problem with the seals. Nothing. Never had to deodorize it, either. And it got the clothes plenty clean. The only thing I did was to leave the washer door open just a little bit all the time. That way, it dried out between loads.

As soon as I get to my new house, I'm buying another front-loader.

[Weetabix]

Bought a Speed Queen. Pretty good warranty and supposed to be easy to work on. I hated working on my old one.

[Weetabix]

It just occurred to me that I asked for recommendations, then pulled the trigger quickly, and people might think, "WTH?"

I'd been thinking about it for a while and interested in Speed Queen for a while. Someone told me there was a dealer in town that I hadn't known about.

Also, I have a LOT on my plate right now. So I figured I'd get this one item off my plate quickly so I could deal with other stuff with less distraction.

I do appreciate the input.

[pediem]

A washer isn't something I'd go without for very long either. Don't blame you one bit for snagging one in a hurry. But this thread may help me down the road in a few months when I need to buy for my new place, so nothing is wasted.

[HTRN]

Bought a Speed Queen.

This. Buy the one without the electronicshipment in it.

[Weetabix]

Bought a Speed Queen.

This. Buy the one without the electronicshipment in it.

That's what I got. We kind of realized we don't wash laundry the way one would cook a souffle. A cake is just fine.

[Odahi]

Our condo was flooded last March. One of the waterfalls came directly down on the washer and dryer. We replaced them with a set of LG machines, front-loading. It's been our observation that the clothes come out much cleaner than in the old top-loader. And ours are high efficiency units, so we don't use nearly as much detergent or fabric softener as we used to. Our main concern is the electronics, but so far we've been good. It's my understanding that the front-loaders don't last like the old ones did. However, due to Mrs. O's disability, a top-loader wasn't a good choice, so we're stuck with the fancy ones. But they do play a little tune for you...