Considering A Speed Queen

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artcurus

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Sep 1, 2014
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Odessa
Our 1995 vintage Kenmore finally completely died.(Pretty sure it's the transmission, tub is completely locked up). We are considering replacing with a Speed Queen after hearing bad things about the HE washers, plus the insane wash times. There's also NO WAY IN H#LL we are getting a front loader.

My only real concern is the smaller tub size. Can this machine wash a king size comforter? I'm getting mixed answers from the appliance companies.
 
I don't think they can wash a king size comforter, at least I wouldn't try. Were you able to wash one in your Kenmore? The tub isn't that small, and it doesn't seem smaller then any DD Whirlpool/Kenmore I've ever seen.
 
I would not wash a king size comforter in my Speed Queen, I would think that it would cause excessive wear and tear on the belt. Anything like that I take in to the cleaners to have it professionally cleaned. (I want my machine to last a very long time trouble free and I'm very careful not to overload.) No.
 
I have a Speed Queen. The largest size comforter you can get in the machine is a queen. However if the comforter is pretty fluffy i don't think the queen will wash well. We just take ours to the laundromat.
 
Thanks for the replies. There's only three staying here at the house, but we have spurts (grandkids come over) where we do multiple loads in one day.However, the short, but effective wash times would play heavily in our favor. The small tub size MIGHT not be that much of an issue. The pros for these machines outweigh the cons.

As someone else mentioned, there's the laundrymat or dry cleaners for the comforter.
 
you would be surprised at the actual capacity a SQ has, at maximum fill level, it holds a lot.....

comforters are hard for most any machine if their really puffy.....

I prefer quilts myself, and I have two king size beds, which wash nicely in the SQ...
 
I can fit more in our SQ TL then I could in our old front loader before it would start throwing out error codes and refusing to spin. It can indeed handle a lot and still have good turnover.
 
Speed Queen Dealer

I went by another Speed Queen dealer yesterday. Seems there is a 6 week backorder on all the SQ TL models. He says the last delivery they had sold out in under two weeks. The next delivery they are expecting in two weeks has been spoken for already. The TL machines are selling 3 to 1 against all FL machines they stock.

Amazing...

Malcolm
 
Malcolm, when I bought my Speed Queen last week, I got it same day, only because there was a cancellation, the dealer told me he sells tons of them and cannot keep them in stock.
Artcurus, what is the tub size in your current washer? Don't be fooled by SQ'S tub size, it holds a lot of clothes, I have a big family and this model AWN432 is perfect for me. I tried a medium weight queen comforter, not much turn over, and its not something I would do again, just puts too much stress on the machine and for me its not worth it. I use duvet covers on the comforters which can be washed in the SQ and take the comforters to the laundry every 3 months. I love my Speed Queen.
 
It's amazing, Alliance is really cashing in on SQ being the only, IMO REAL TL washer left on the market. So many people have been burned on the FL'er fad in the past 15 years (or HE TL) that they just want their old Maytag or Whirlpool back only to find that the only options left are cheap junk. They have wisened up to that. Everyone I talk to who does laundry and cares about clean clothes and has had a FL or HE TL has said something to me about wanting their old water guzzler back.
To me this clearly says the manufacturers, such as Whirlpool just aren't doing it right, or else people wouldn't be wanting old tried and true technology back after having the new stuff. Especially when it comes to cycle times, water temperature, and longevity...
 
I'm editing this post because I've had seconds thoughts.  It sounds like a Speed Queen TL would suit you well for daily laundry.  But what about comforters?  If they don't fit, would you be happy to buy a Speed Queen TL and be prepared to take comforters to a laundromat?  Or would this be a deal breaker?

[this post was last edited: 8/23/2015-16:33]
 
In my opinion, people who feel they have been "burned" by a FL didn't know how to use it. Most Americans do not deal well with change and don't read or follow instructions. They tried to use a FL like they did their old TL....throw in tons of laundry with too much detergent and fabric softner in cold water and push go. Probably didn't even use HE detergent. Then they slam the door shut when they are done and don't let it air out. Probably have mold growing in their showers too.

SQ TLs are the only old school TL machines today and are a good choice for some. Personally I would not have one. Too primitive and I couldn't stand using that much water to wash a load of clothes. I get cleaner clothes using less. I've owned TLs in the past and will never go back to one. Unless you heat the water, they take about 5 or 10 minutes longer than a TL. Big deal. There are no TLs that can heat water to high temps and sanitize.

Don't even try to wash a comforter in a TL agitator washer. Go straight to the Laundromat or dry cleaners.

But I love vintage TLs and they are fun to see and play with.
 
well water+kids=Frontload

I am with Yogi on the  preference for quilts.  They are so easy to care for and if you have "neutral" curtains or blinds in your bedrooms they are interchangeable.  In a pinch you can always scavenge one from a guest room.  Back on topic,  the OP has a drilled well not municipal water I really believe a FL machine of whatever brand is the best idea.  The OP stated she has a laundry tub to "soak".  The parents had "well water" and although we never run out, in times of drought we went to the town coin op. Much better to go to the Laundromat than to the filling station to use the bathroom. Just a thought.  In areas where the water table might be questionable it seems unfair to encourage someone to buy something expensive and not in there best interest. Especially if it may contribute to greater problems for them. -A
 
Additionally...

The dealer that I went to on Saturday had an AWNE82 on the sales floor and the tub was fine. So, this may have been an isolated problem and not widespread.

Malcolm
 
I agree with Rich. In my own experiences with FLs, the mildew/mold issue is caused by not leaving the door.ajar after the final load is done. Use of HIGH EFFICIENCY/low sudsing detergent is recommended but ,most of what's available now IS low suds and may be used sparingly with reasonable results way below half the way up the window. In my L.G Tromms, I can fit my queen size down comforter,both shams,both sheets and pillow cases . I adjusted the water level to fill just level with the door handle. I use the quick cycle and fourteen hundred RPM final spin. I've had this one over three years and it has had no problems. Our daily drive model. When I got it,it worked sometimes but the door lock assembly was bad. I bought a replacement on line for under forty dollars on ebay, replaced the faulty part and everything began to work. A $1100 front loading washer in stainless steel for only $40 plus the part. Easy to work on. Great performance, great style, and dependability. Their top loaders are also great. I got.mine about half a year ago and had no idea how great a job and how huge a capacity it heald. Model number is WT1101CW.. I see them at Home Depot on sale for $599. They hold a lot more then ANY Speed Queen washers or dryers I know of. No beating, pounding,or pulling. Just tumbling clothes in water using perforated fins instead of sharp blades that ware out the fabrics and can cause dryer fires from excess lint accumulation in dryer vents.
 
My neighbor has some sort of Fl kenmore, I think its 1-2years old..she washes everything on quick wash, cold water and liquid purex..she's been complaing door seal is black and clothes come out stinking, now she says the bad smell is in the dryer...she won't listen to a word I say..so I told her she's essentially wearing moldy clothes, she hasn't spoken to me since.lol
 
Follow up. We got the SQ, and we are very pleased. The dealer also said that he couldn't keep them in stock and sold at least 30 a month. Mine already came with hte water level adjusted. As I mentioned before, we don't believe the tub size is going to be that big a deal in the long run. There's the laundry mat for the really big stuff.

@golittlesport, sorry but I'm not buying it. When I did the research, there were thousands of reports of mold, clothes not getting clean/not getting rinsed out properly because of not enough water, (even dry spots on clothes), proof that the turnover was not there with TL HE machines, constant breakdowns, the list goes on. And I read both positive and negative reviews. In most cases, the negatives outnumber the positives almost two to one on the most the popular machines.

There's actually a class action lawsuit over the mold issue in many popular machine brands.
 

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