Best washer for large family?

[Patrice]

Thank you for all the input. There's some passion behind these washers!

To answer a couple questions,
I don't know what our previous FL was. I know it was the cheapest at best buy when we got approved for their credit card--- you live and learn.
We are not picky about having a matching set. I had just planned to get a matching dryer, but would love a great dryer for less! I do need a new dryer as well.

I've been researching a bit more and you all brought up some good points

I can't overload the septic... the TL SQ might be too much on the septic. While I do need water to soak my diapers, I can use the utility sink for that; making the FL a good option. The hot water won't be an issue. But, I do like the lower price point of the LG.
I'm going to research the LG and see what info I can find (I can hear the collective ".....ahhhh!...")

 

[henene4]

LGs

I think the common opinion is that these are good machines. TurboWash not only cuts down the time, it can help with rinsing as well due to the spray rinsing carried out. And with up to 3 deep extra rinse addable, clear rinsing is assured. Some of them have a prewash option, some even an optional soak.

However, these won't quite last as long as a SQ. Anywhere from 5 years up seems typical life span. Parts are usually not supplied any more after the 10th year. So there are drawbacks as well.

 

[ea56]

Well said Eugene in your reply #18. One man's poison may very well be another man's pleasure. I think that it is wonderful the Speed Queen owners are so happy with their washers. However they should consider that others may also be happy with their washers too, for different reasons. Seems like the members of this site would be well served to recognize that others have their own reasons for either liking or not liking their washers. That said, Patrice I think that you could very well use an LG FL for your diapers without needing to also use your utility sink. As I recall in the 50's and 60's before disposables became popular people soaked diapers in a diaper pail with either borax or Lysol. Then they would wash them in hot water, usually with soap flakes or powder. In an LG FL you could put the presoaked diapers in the washer, set for a prewash, then a reg cycle using hot water, add an extra rinse and turbo and you should be good to go. Since you will be washing diapers get an LG with an internal heater, this will insure extra hot water. And while the LG will take a bit longer than a Speed Queen TL, you will be able to wash way more diapers, therby reducing the number of times you'll need to take on this task. Good Luck! And as for a dryer, I own the companion dryer to my LG FL and it is wonderful. There is even an anti bacterial cycle that would be perfect for diapers.[this post was last edited: 8/23/2015-21:22]

 

[brucelucenta]

All depends on whether you are interested in a machine that will do a good job with everything or.....if you are just interested in some sort of fetish about old school top load washers. The front load LG machines are far superior to all and any top load machines including the precious speed queen one. If the speed queen top loader machines are in comparison to the Maytag machines of the 60's, 70's & 80's then someone needs to rethink that. They are pitiful in comparison to those machines. Just because they are the closest thing you can get to anything made 20 years ago doesn't make them great. The LG front loaders wash more, do it better and even heat the water to practically scalding on some models. Does speed queen do that? No. Besides all that, speed queen has had serious mechanical failures in the machines made from the early 70's till now. The ones made in the '80's were crap and found in many land fills after they were a year or two old.

 

[mamapinky]

You haven't heard me voice a negitive about any FL'er, even though I'm a old school fan, but I've read many posts refering to fl'ers and issues with rinsing...I was pointing out the importance of excellent rinsing with diapers, can't have chemical residue that close to a babies tender skin. I don't have a fl'er so I have no idea how they rinse, but I'm always reading negativity about it.I've also spoken to die hard fl fans that wish for more water in the rinse.

 

[alr2903]

Well water + Septic system+kids= Frontload

I am not a hater of FL's when my beloved LA series Tag dies off. I plan to try one,  Here is one other idea Patrice, go to rent a center  and rent a FL for the shortest term possible.   Try it out, put it through the "real life" paces of your household.  Let them pick it up and go buy what is best for your situation.  This is a big investment the rental would be a pittance to the hassle of a wrong decision.  Just a thought.

 

 

[mamapinky]

Air..not a bad idea, I have a friend who manages a Aarons rental store, you can rent for a week or longer until its considered paid off and you than own it, if at anytime you don't want it, well it was a rental so it doesn't affect your credit..they often have first week rental fee free and they deliver.

 

[kb0nes]

Being on a septic system the water saving of a front load machine make a lot of sense. Also load capacity of a front load machine will likely be superior.

You will read a lot of reviews on the Interwebs (also know as the CB on TV) which will state negativity towards front loaders due to a plethora of reasons. Supposedly they don't rinse as well, or that they all get stinky or they don't clean as well. The question is why do some users have great luck with them and won't consider changing from a front loader for their next machine? It's all how they adapt their wash practices to an entirely different machine. Its a bit like using a screwdriver like a hammer and saying it makes a lousy hammer...

Ultimately the choice is yours and it depends on what you expect from your machine. If you want to just do laundry as you always have, buy a SQ top loader which is the best currently available machine if that style. If you are willing to modify your washing habits then you can reap the benefits of a new front load machine.

 

[brucelucenta]

I will tell you true. I am crowding 60 years old now and have used and worked on nearly every kind of washing machine made since automatic washers were around. I personally have always been fascinated with them since I can remember. I have had many through the years and the one's that do the best job and use the least amount of water for the amount of clothes are front loaders. I never had a front loader for my home machine before last year. I bought the biggest load one I could find. It is a Kenmore Elite made by LG. It holds a king size feather comforter that I have to wash sometimes. It is huge! And it has all kinds of cycles. It heats the water to "steam treat" when needed. It also will extra rinse up to 3 times. It does a better job than any machine I have ever used and spins the clothes out so dry it takes little time to dry in the dryer. It also promotes NO lint at all and no wear and tear on your clothes. Only difference is the cycle times, which are quite long compared to old style machines. It sometimes takes a couple of hours or more, but then new dishwashers take that long too these days. I have always loved top load machines, but this machine has changed my mind entirely. Anyone can say what they want, but a top loader just will not do the same job with the savings on water as a front loader.

 

[iheartmaytag]

Here is my reasoning

I can't offer an opinion of one machine over another, as most machines on the market are good, as other posters said; the user is what makes the difference.

 

I had a Maytag top loader that I loved, when It was near death I began searching.   Though I am on city water, we have had drout  situations for the last few years.   When I do the Saturday wash--the bedding.   It would take me three loads at 50 gallons of water each load.   Sure the cycle was done in 30 minutes, rinsing still wasn't that good, 

 

With a front loader I am able to wash what was three loads in one load: 2 king sized sheets and 4 pillow cases, 2 full sized sheets and two pillow cases, 2 twin sized sheets and 1 pillow case using approximately 18 gallons of water, taking about 1HR 10 MIN.   rinsing three times and if there were stains I could add a steam treat that would  20 minutes to the cycle.   

 

Another thing I discovered, dingy clothes were bright again,.  Pit stains were gone, and the clothes came out on high speed spin practically dry. 

 

Would I buy another front loader?  You betcha.

 

Honestly if you were to go with a top loader, Speed Queen would be about the only choice.   If you went with a front loader, there are many on the market, and with exception for a few you will more than likely get good service out of it. 

 

[brucelucenta]

Wow!!! Someone who finally has some sense!!! I was beginning to think I was the only one. I have had nearly every kind of top load washer there is. I loved some of them because of the novelty of the way they washed. Most of them did at least a decent job on whatever I washed. The last set I had was a '90's set of Maytag's. They were very good machines that washed well, when you didn't overload them and rinsed adequately. I always used the 2nd rinse option. They wasted a LOT of water though. This LG made washer & dryer I have now will wash 3 sets of king size sheets with ease. I do have to split them up for drying just because they tend to ball up. But the washer extracts them so dry that it takes just a few minutes if I dry them set by set. The washer I have will rinse 3 additional times, if you want it to. The performance of these is just no comparison to anything else I have ever used. And I no longer have to take ANYTHING to the laundromat because it is too big to wash in my home machine. I'd say that was a GIANT plus!!! Samsung is even making a set that is a little bit bigger still, than the set I bought. I would NEVER have believed I would change over to a front load washer, but I have now. They are far more energy efficient and do a better job at washing and rinsing than a top load machine. Even the sacred speed queen washer pales in comparison and it uses far far more water. It also beats the clothes to get them clean instead of dropping them in the water. Your clothes will last way way longer along with towels and sheets. And there is virtually NO lint at all!!! You will find that out when you dry things. Even my Maytag set promoted lint. BTW, my old Maytag set found it's way to a friend's home that uses it everyday still. They were built to last. I will admit that for sure. The front load cycle is a LOT longer, but if you can do 3 loads in one, who cares?

 

[mtn1584]

Sorry but.......

LG and Samsung are Korean made garbage!!!!
No quality control measures in their factories and 5 year life spans, while we're at it, exploding top loaders.

I get the financial aspect, I really do. If you're going to buy a new washer buy AMERICAN.....
Whirlpool/Maytag or General Electric but for Pete Sakes don't buy a made in Korea product!!
Mike

PS two LG washers in five to seven years is the cost (if not more) of one SPEED QUEEN washer now!!

 

[laundromat]

Dear Patrice,
If you have to get a top loading machine, I highly recommend the LG Model WT1101CW. I've had and used mine almost six months and not one issue of any flaws or breakage. It is an HE machine and senses the right amount of water to use. No guessing of what to set the water level to. 4.7 cu ft. capacity, high speed 1100 rpm spins,all stainless steel tub and impeller,see through glass ,slamless,hydrowave lid, and gets my clothes so clean!!!!!!! Uses less water giving the option of either deep or shallow rinses. That depends on whether you're using fabric softener or not.. There's also a recirculating spray that getsactivated when not using the "Fabric Softener" option to spray the load as the drum revolvrs and the pump drains out the dirty rinse water until it's crystal clear. Amazing how great this unit is in getting HUGE loads clean and well spun out.Short cycle options and extremely quiet operation. Ten year long motor warranty. Direct Drive. No pullys,no gears,no belts. Just a flat , reversing, quiet, DC motor and a 1/4 hp pump. It has.yet to oversuds and has.only not spun fully once when I had a 9'X 18" runner in it. After.I redistributed and restarted the final spin,it finished the cycle. No backsplash. The controls are up front right where the lid handle is. Just flat in front at counter . Easy to see and read. Hope you find your dream machine!!!

 

[mattl]

Well I'll add my comments...  After many, many years with top loaders I'm a total convert to front loaders.  I would never go back - especially to a wash plate.  I think the only reason that absurdity exists is to placate people who can't accept change.  The action of a FL is much better than trying to swish clothes through a puddle of water.  Lifting and dropping them through a similar amount of water does a much better job.

 

As to brands my machine of choice is the LG, especially the models with Tubo wash.  Does a fantastic job.

 

[iheartmaytag]

Yes, I should have added

Since I was washing essentially three loads in one, saving approximately 120 gallons of water, the 1:10 wash time was actually shorter than the three wash cycles it would have taken to do this much wash in a conventional top loader.

I have a Maytag/Whirlpool BTW. Though I do shy away from the Korean machines, the May-pool is actually built in Germany, and the dryer in U.S.

 

[brucelucenta]

As you can see, everyone has their own opinion. The fact is, that top load washers are becoming a thing of the past. Only change resistant people want to keep buying top load machines. The speed queen top loader is the closest thing you can find to an old time washer that fills totally up when water saving was not such an issue and wasting water was no big deal. I really don't know the longevity of LG or speed queen machines, but I believe that how you use and take care of them has a great deal to do with it. I do know that when Amana bought speed queen they made very problematic machines that I used to see in the junkyard all the time in the 80's and 90's. I don't know if they have improved them since then or if quality has just gone down so far that they seem good now. As far as only buying American made stuff, I have long since quit trying to do that. Toyota & Honda are the best cars around and have fewer problems and last longer. Chrysler, GM and Ford don't even come close in comparison. Same thing seems to be so in appliances now too.
Why spend nearly twice what you would just to get something made in the USA? And usually it is inferior to what you would get with another brand. Just doesn't make sense.

 

[jkbff]

Wasn't it Raytheon who owned Speed Queen while they still owned Amana?

Anyways,

I guess I would have to say that I'd recommend an LG with turbowash as well.

I understand not wanting the recirculating spray but that is an option that is enabled on demand.

The recirculating spray is driven off of a pump attached to the drain pump. When the spray stops, the water empties back into the tub. The water is filtered through the same screen that is in the pump to keep it from clogging.

From what I've seen, you aren't really washing physically soiled diapers, just diapers that have soaked in whatever solution first to break down the soil. You would have the option to do NSF sani-temps.

The only thing I've really noticed missing from most FL machines is a soak. The Whirlpool Duets have an 8 hour soak option, they also have a recirculating spray but the LG's have a better wash motion. If the LG's had an extended soak option they would really fit the needs of a lot of customers.

With these eco machines, a recirculating spray and heating element really makes a better performing machine. They are tumbled in a constant spray of soapy water then during the rinse they are tumbled in a constant spray of rinse water as well as fresh water depending on the rinse option.

I'll be the first one to admit that I am against Samsung washers... But with my digging on this forum, gardenweb and from seeing our service logs, LG makes a pretty reliable washer. These machines will give a good life if taken care of. A lot of our logs are showing that the average life cycle is around 10 years of useage with minor service calls. The biggest thing is don't use a ton of fabric softener, always run at least one hot wash a week, leave the door propped open when not in use and wipe the lint/pet hair/what-have-you from the seals when they are moist. The new LG's have a magnet that pops out from the bottom of the door to leave the door ajar for airflow.

I guess this rambling is my two cents, but even with all of the brands we sell, I'd go with an LG turbowash pair.

 

[brucelucenta]

Time will tell I guess, my LG made Kenmore set is very nice and holds a huge load. Too soon to tell how long they will last, but in the first year I have had no problems at all and been very happy with them. I don't really know who owned speed queen when they started making the perforated tub model washers. I did work on washers and dryers back then and remember that they had a big problem with the main tub seal failing in the first few years of the machine's life. There were other problems with the belts and some with the pump as well. Even when speed queen was making the last solid tub home machine models there were many problems with the clutch that engaged the agitation and spin on the reversing motor models. The commercial model solid tub washers where unchanged up until about '79 and still had the single direction motor with the large solenoids for agitate and spin. Those models were the most reliable, long lasting work horses ever made. They would go on and on like the energizer bunny! Nearly every laundromat around was Speed Queen back then. The speed queen machines of today are similar to the ones made back in the '80's and '90's. I know the transmission looks the same and the basic design is the same as it was. Hopefully they have made some changes to improve the reliability of them now. I don't know, but the basic design looks much the same.

 

[mr_b]

The new Speed Queen front load washers are a quantum leap over their predecessors. They are larger and offer more options and wash cycles including a pre-wash and soak cycles in addition to having a 5 year warranty on parts and labor. Most other companies including LG only offer a 1 year warranty. What ever Speed Queens were in the 80's and 90's, twenty-five to thirty-five years later they are a totally new breed of washer rated for over 10,000 loads where as most washers today are only rated for 2500 wash loads. LG makes excellent washers and offers more cycles, including the ability to heat water but as far as longevity goes Speed Queen and maybe Miele are in a league of their own. If you need to wash with water hotter than that which comes from the tap, get a front load LG. If you only need tap hot water get the Speed Queen. It will last longer.

 

[combo52]

Best Washer For Heavy Family Use.

Speed Queen Front Load machine hands down, nothing else meets your requested requirements.

 

It is very durable and should last 25-50 years.

 

It is easy for you or your husband to work on, or repair personnel, NO OTHER FL WASHER IS ANYWHERE NEAR AS EASY TO REPAIR, you can even do a main bearing job on a SQFL washer without special tools in just an hour or two.

 

The LG and Samsung junk you will be lucky if you can even get parts for these in just a few years let alone ten years. And if you do not repair your own appliances call your local company and ask them how they feel about working on this Korean- Chinese machines, [ many of the SS, and LG laundry appliances are now made in China ].

A customer and I are currently fighting with Samsung over a 2 1/2 YO SS DW, the control panel is NLA and the DW cost over $1000 installed from Home Depot, currently it looks like the customer will file suit against HD for selling a non-repairable product as SS is just saying tough luck, life is too busy for this type of buls..t service. Yet another customer that will NEVER but a Korean appliance again, we literally have people begging us to help them with this junk EVERYDAY.

 

 

Buying a SQFL washer is like buying a Kitchenaid stand mixer if you like to cook, either one of these appliances will last most of your lifetime and either are designed to be repaired if and when needed.

 

John L.