CR ratings

[supersurgilator]

For those of you who are interested, I just got my CR buying guide for 2013. I was actually kind of surprised how well the new belt drive Kenmore and Whirlpool machines rated.

The Kenmore 21102 scored a 45 overall, Kenmore 21252 scored a 37, the Whirlpool 4850XQ scored a 50. All 3 were rated as doing a good job on washing and energy use with only the Kenmore 21252 rating poor for water efficiency. All scored Excellent for vibration.
The SPeed Queen AWN542 was 5th from the bottom with a score of 40, which surprised me. It did a good job for washing performance, and energy/water efficiency, but was rated only fair for capacity. It also scored excellent for in the vibration test.

The Speed Queen frontloader AFN50R scored second to last among the 55 front loaders tested. It got an overall score of 52.

 

[launderess]

SQ Front Loaders

Are IMHO an aquired taste. *LOL*

Those that have them installed on firm flooring and know *how* to use them and aren't looking for a washer with twenty thousands cycles that speaks ten languages on balance are happy. OTOH others may not be so much.

What you get with a SQ front loader isn't that much different than what is on offer from it's laundromat or otherwise commercial machines. A unit that is built rock solid designed to process a decent amount of laundry quickly and often. It will do this day in and day out for years with perhaps only minor problems if properly cared for and maintained.

 

[washer111]

How is this Possible?

WHAT!? I'll bet CR didn't like the No-Nonsense cycle options, "extra rinse option," warm rinse option or its idea to just damn misbalances and spin. 

This washer is supposed to clean VERY well - especially when the water levels are raised about up to the top of the tub, even if the cycle control knob is sparsely populated. Since when did you need anything more than Normal, Perm. Press and Delicates/Bulky?

 

Is build quality part of the machines score? If not, it really should be, since many a machine they tested would fall over in that department within moments of someone popping the covers...

 

[teknikleespekng]

Quick note on balance

The other day I did two stadium blankets in the AFN50R. I just happened to be in the laundry room when it went out of balance, so much that the drum nearly banged the cabinet. It aborted the spin IMMEDIATELY, slowed to let the blankets tumble and re-balanced the load. Next attempt - success. I was very impressed that although the machine will tolerate a less balanced load, it will NOT sacrifice itself to do so.

 

[mieleforever]

I so agree with...

Laundress on the SQ, fl. They are quite reliable machines, if you really only want a washer that is reliable, IMHO, but some of us wants the option to do boil washes and be able to wash dry clean only items, this is where a Miele comes in so handy.

Glad that your Miele is up and running again Laundress.

Regards

 

[mrb627]

Miele

Has always rated towards the bottom of the list as well and is much more of an acquired taste than the SQ. which leads one to believe that the basis for CR's tests is much more superficial than substance.

Malcolm

 

[ronhic]

Interestingly,

Miele has always featured in the top of the UK Which? tests and does well here too under Choice testing.

In addition, Miele is THE brand that tops both consumer magazines reliability charts too.

 

[arbilab]

Note that CR makes no representation in the "ratings" as to reliability unless the sample fails under test. They do publish brand-reliability reports from subscribers but those are averaged over the past 5 years and do not represent any model or design.

 

[frigilux]

CR tests washers using the default Normal cycle. No options for soil level or water temperature are used, nor would they alter the manufacturer's maximum water level. The score for cleaning ability is given the most weight toward the total. I'd bet the farm that this is the reason the SQ scores relatively poorly in that department: The default Normal cycle cleans the 8-lb. test load well, but is not long enough to do the same with their heavily-soiled "maximum capacity" load.

You will recall that the new Frigidaire line suffered a similar fate until recently, when the Normal cycle was lengthened from roughly 45 minutes to 80. It now scores near the top of the pack. It was cleaning the 8-lb. load like a champ, but the 18-minute wash of the 45-minute cycle was not long enough to clean the very large maximum capacity load. Cycle time lengthened; problem solved. If you tend to wash average-size loads, the SQ will most likely produce excellent results.

CR does not score a machine for its bells-and-whistles cycles/features. In fact, they state flat-out that many advertised additional features/cycles aren't worth the extra cost. They also do not score for build-quality. Instead, there is a reliability chart with information gathered from polling CR's hundreds of thousands of subscribers. Unfortunately, there is not enough reliable data for CR to place Speed Queen on that chart. This will probably change as SQ gains a better foothold in the mass market.[this post was last edited: 1/23/2013-08:21]

 

[petek]

It would be fun if they'd take some of the vintage machines you guys have and retest them against the new models..
A year or so back they were featuring some of the readers old machinery but it only lasted a couple of issues iirc.

 

[tomturbomatic]

The unwashed hordes are at the gates

I find it hard to believe that the 24 minute wash on SQ's NORMAL cycle does not adequately clean a full load. We are no longer an agrarian society with work clothing featuring caked mud and splattered manure. What sorts of soils are they testing?

I for one, and am probably alone in this, do not feel that the SQ rinses adequately, but I have alternatives to that. After suffering with a neurotic Duet, I admire the SQ's ability to take off and spin, but feel that the pulse spins do not adequately extract water between the water changes and the rinses themselves are hardly long enough; a couple of tumbles in each direction once the water level has been reached and it goes into drain. I realize that in the eyes of the DOE and the EPA, this laundromat-based machine saves water on the rinses because it does not extract all of the water out of the load before each of the rinse fills, hence it uses less water. I would not want it as my only washer, but I just let it do its cycle without any extra rinse and then dump the load into something that rinses better. In spite of this, it is a better or certainly less frustrating machine than the Duet because it does not waste time. It does what it does and then the load is ready for a real rinse and on to the dryer.

As for CU's low ratings of the Miele, which I feel is a gold standard of sorts, I think it is mostly due to an American prejudice for Brobdingnagian machines which only in the largest families are used to capacity. My Mieles are the only machines that I can start and leave and know that by the end of the cycle, the rinse water is clear and sudsless, a condition confirmed as I pass in front of them while doing other things. I don't imagine that many of the people in the grocery store who pile up the cart like they are buying for an orphanage and throw in a couple of gallons of liquid detergent care about this. To most of them, as long as the clothes smell like an explosion in a perfume factory and are soft to the touch, they are laundered. The fact that washing machine cleaners are so heavily advertised is testament to this. This slovenly approach to laundry is compounded & reinforced by the power company sending out suggestions for lowering my bill that include washing in cold water.

 

[frigilux]

The current ratings from Consumer Reports have the two Miele models they tested well into the top half of the list. Models W4842 ($1900) and W4802 ($1750) received scores of 80, putting them in the Excellent category. (For reference: The top-scoring models, by Samsung and LG, received an 89; the lowest, a GE, received a 51).

Don't know much about Mieles. Are these two models the discontinued large models, or are they Euro-sized?

 

[re563]

I don't put much stock

into what CR has to say. First of all the bascily was a clean load with stained "squares" of cloth stained with various soils to see how they cleaned.  This would not be a proper representation of soil. 

 

As far as rinsing in a frontloader, (and having had a Kenmore Elite HE3) I never really had an issue with it what so ever.  Of course everyones experience is different.  I did find that the 1st rinse was long and ever understood that.  Since water in a frontloader is kept with the clothes and moving through the clothes, it truly doesn't need a long time of tumbling to get the job done.  Being here in this house with a Whirlpool Cabrio, I'd take a frontloader any day over this machine.  I have found that my clothes are not lasting as along and with each load, something always comes out with new little holes in it. 

 

But, my true reason for not trusting CR any longer is the fact that back in the mid "80s as I recall, An issue came out praising the GE line of washers.  The very next issue they down-graded the GE line for have (in their words) "an antiquated filtering system with a pan type filter that sits on top of the agitator thus blocking access to the tub for clothes removeal and loading"

 

They did the same thing with the whirlpool dishwasher for having the silverware basket on the door.  One issue it was fine and scored well, then next time, not so much.  As with any machine it depends on the user and what they like and don't like. 

 

[mrb627]

Flip-Flop

CR does seem to flip-flop on their views all too frequently.  Generally, if they love something this issue, they will hate it on the next.

 

Malcolm

 

[mrb627]

Boosted Hot and Rinse

I do miss the Boosted Hot option which I feel was the best executed version out there.  Pause the cycle, heat the water, then resume count down.  Everyone else counts down the wash time while heating and if you make your target, great, if not, touch stuff.

 

I would also like to see some additional programming options added to the SQFL.  Perhaps a bank of dip switches inside the console.  Got someone in the house that is sensitive to detergent, flip dip switch 2 on to enable 2 more rinses.  Need more, flip switch 3 to add another 2 more. 

 

Wouldn't it be great to sit down with their design engineers and get some of this stuff in the works!

 

Malcolm

 

[launderess]

Pause Cycle Time Whist Heating

Methinks many do not do this today because of the puny amount of water used for washing. That coupled with low wattage 120v heaters (usually 1K watts or less) means it could take ages to heat tap cold water to hot much less warm. All the while one's wash is being slapped about which could lead to increased wear and tear.

 

[frigilux]

My washer tumbles while heating the water, and here's why I like that: It provides a true "profile" wash. The gradual heating while agitation continues means protein stains are removed in warm water, fruit and vegetable stains at 125-140 degrees, and grease is tackled at 145-155 degrees.

Yes, the load tumbles for 70 minutes during the wash portion of the Sanitize cycle in the Frigidaire, but I've experienced no undue wear/tear on fabrics after two-and-a-half years of washing kitchen and personal whites that way---with chlorine bleach added to the first rinse for good measure (and old habits).

Having said that, I absolutely agree that the Speed Queen should restore the internal heater. It's not a feature you'll use on every load, but it's sure nice to have when you need it / want it.

 

[launderess]

SQ Goes Back And Forth With Internal Water Heaters

First domestic models of SQ front loaders didn't have them, then they did, then didn't, did, now we are back to don't?

 

[washer111]

And Soon:

(If someone here gets a petition going): They will once more!