The Cabrio/Bravos debate....this is sure to ruffle some feathers.
Yes, I think it’s good for people who have normal dirt. I found that it would not get my greasy nasty work clothes clean. But it did OK on non work clothing and seemed to rinse OK too. It is not as hard on fabrics as the Calypso which may by why it does not clean as well.
The early ones had various issues that we’ve seen. Boards, balancing, and rusting drive shafts. They also redesigned the wash plate to be more gentle on clothing. The tub cover was redesigned to prevent splashing from the dispensers. I’ve seen some with bad bearings and seals too. All of these issues have been corrected. The only problem that I have not seen corrected is the rust issue. Because of the recirculating and splashing water the top cabinet frame and underside of the top tends to rust. If they would galvanize the metal, use a thicker coat of paint and do a better job on the porcelain coating it would be ok.
I don’t advise anyone get an extended warranty. Simply because the warranty pays the servicer pennies on the dollar. Which means usually and I did say USUALLY the only ones willing to accept that, are the ones who are hard up and don’t really know what they are doing anyway. It’s better to find a local independent or self servicing dealer who actually knows what they are doing.
It isn’t really good to pit SQ against the HE Top loader. That would be like comparing my car to a Civic. My car is big, fast, reliable, comfortable, takes a corner nicely and blows almost everyone off the road. But it comes with a penalty at the gas pump. The Civic on the other hand is small, reliable, very fuel efficient, is an ultra low emission vehicle, choppy riding, slow, is usually seen in my rear view mirror and four people are also packed in like sardines.
The HE Top Loader has a larger capacity, uses less water, spins faster, uses less energy and does an ok job at removing normal dirt from clothing and is usually easy to repair. Depending on model it is very flexible in cycles, water temps, spin speeds. You CAN fit a king size comforter in the machine, how clean it actually is at the end of the cycle....well you can decide that.
The SQ on the other hand, holds less(if you go by capacity ratings. Personally I could put more in the SQ and get them cleaner than I could in the Cabrio), uses a lot more water, completes the cycle in 30 to 45 mins, spins slower but in my opinion gets things cleaner. Repairs are a little more involved if it comes to something major like a main bearing or a transmission. But the machine is very sturdy, dependable and comes with a longer warranty from the start. Expect to go through a belt every once in a while.
So the question is really what are your priorities. What is important to you and remember that you can’t have it all. There will always be a trade off.
