Maytag Commercial Washer

[vintagemh]

Hello,

I own a vacation rental and the HOA replaced our SpeedQueens with Maytags. I really like them! They make cool sounds and the wash well when you select a deep wash cycle and don't have issues balancing off balance loads.

If Maytag (Whirlpool) is making these now does that mean Whirlpool is committed to improving its quality and will they be bringing these machines into the non commercial market?

Just curious, I'm rooting for the whirlpool that used to be hoping it can be again.

 

[panasonicvac]

Technically Maytag already came out with a commercial model that can be sold for residential homes. It's been on the market now for a few years. You can either get one over at Lowe's with a one year warranty or you can go over to an authorized Maytag dealer and get one that has a 5 year warranty, but they're both the exact same machines.

Unfortunately however, I humbly think this is as far as Whirlpool can go for making a classic top load washer in today's market and possibly beyond. I don't think they'll ever go back over to the direct drive washers that they used to make which was Whirlpool's best top load washers. Mainly due to government regulations, price, noise, etc. This is one of the reasons why I'm getting a Speed Queen over the Maytag because they make a model today and possibly beyond that still uses a old school motor like what Whirlpool used to make on their direct drive models. I just would have a hard time trusting that the Maytag would last for a very long time for me, especially if our market ever crashes in the future. I want a washer that would last for a very long time or possibly for the rest of my lifetime and SQ is the answer for me.

 

[vintagemh]

SQ

How come SpeedQueen isn't subject to the same laws as Whirlpool is? It seems strange that other manufacturers had to revert to a lesser design but SQ did not. I like that this WP has direct drive/belt drive performance with new tech it seems there would be great flexibility in this inverter style system I just wish they could make it bullet proof.

 

[maytag85]

It wouldn’t be wise for Speed Queen to go to a design like Whirlpool is since they have been making commercial laundry appliances for quite some time. Those Whirlpool VMW washers wouldn’t hold up very well in commercial service for very long since I remember reading something awhile back where one of John Lefever’s brothers had to keep on repairing and servicing those Maytag commercial washers since that’s how under-built and under-designed they are. Those Whirlpool VMW washers aren’t as easy to work on compared to the direct drive washers made from 1981 to 2011 and the parts for the VMW washers are more expensive as well.

 

[windrivers]

While the government does tend to have a negative impact on product function, there are no regulations that say that Whirlpool has to make poor quality products that don't last. It was Whirlpool's decision to buy out other companies such as Maytag, and destroy their names along with their own.

They see it as more profitable to cheaply produce products and to expect consumers to replace them every few years.

I believe the Maytag "Commercial" washer is Whirlpool's attempt to try to gain or hold on to consumers who were going to SQ and such who were put off by the lack of quality of their own products. After the MT "Commercial" came out it was even referred to as the "Speed Queen Killer", though I don't have any idea who came up with that description, but they were able to sell what was perceived as a heavy duty washer at a lower price point than SQ. It would have been even more successful if SQ hadn't brought back their "classic" washer, though I don't know how much it would have really hurt SQ as I understand a very large majority of SQs business comes from real commercial sales and not homeowners, while few to no people in the laundry business would buy a MT "commercial" machine.

Anyway, as you can see, the Maytag "Commercial" is a decent washer that many enjoy, but still not built like they used to be. I agree it would be a great washer if it was.

 

[DADoES]

 
VMW is a simpler mechanical design, easier to disassemble and repair than DD ... except for the DD pump.

 

[panasonicvac]

Reply #2

They are apparently. Around the same time as when the Maytag was launched, SQ completely redesigned their top load washers to meet with the 2018 regulations called the Perfect Wash or the TR series (TR3/TR5/TR7). Unfortunately, those have gotten mixed feedback. Because of that, SQ reintroduced a top load washer with an old school motor called the Classic Wash or the TC5 to those who'd prefer a washer that washes like the older SQ top loaders while meeting with the same regulations. Feel free to see a proper demonstration by a user here who did a test between an older SQ and one of SQ's TR models.

 

[maytag85]

Reply #5

The VMW design may be simpler but lacks the build quality and reliability of the direct drive washers. I wouldn’t see a VMW in commercial service for very long since they are under-built for commercial use and that’s why you mainly see Speed Queen and Dexter machines in laundromats VS Whirlpool VMW washers.

 

[DADoES]

 
My comment is in response to your statement "VMW washers aren’t as easy to work on compared to the direct drive washers made from 1981 to 2011" which isn't true.  Reliability/longevity is a separate issue.

There are VMW coin-op models.  I don't know what they're exhibiting regards to reliability.

 

[henene4]

Even in a commercial setting, a VMW might make sense.

While the VMW will with all likelihood be gone before the SQ, that dosen't mean one is cheaper than the other.

If a VMW is a third the cost of a SQ and allows the customer to just have cold spares on hand, the reduced down time might allow the VMW to make more money per time.
That can go so far that they might heavily benefit from the VMW breaking down during the warranty period under heavy use and offloading the repair cost through that - in a commercial setting the SQ might need a belt after 18 months, but there you'd pay for the service yourself while VMW might break after 10 months where WP would be still kn the hook for it.

Don't think one is necessarily always the better way to go in a commercial setting over the other.

A lot of factors come into play when going commercial (like capital, time frames of investment and even stuff like availability).

For example, from the original post, the HOA might want to get a SQ set long term, but maybe renovations are on the books 5 years down the line and a high investment move might be done then better.

 

[vintagemh]

its a commercial laundry company not an HOA

Sorry I should have said our HOA which is contracted thru WASH a large commercial laundry company brought us the Maytags. They are in constant use because its a vacation rental property on the beach 500+ units, those machines are on constantly. We will see how they fare.

If a large company like WASH is using these machines it makes me think they believe in them.

 

[vintagemh]

that what we have.

https://www.wash.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/MAT20PDAWW.pdf

 

[windrivers]

MAT20PD vs. MWVP575G

I wonder what differences there are between the MAT20PD WASH is contracting out to the MWVP575G sold to individual consumers?

I notice in the brochure linked above at the "wash" site that the capacity claims 3.27 cu ft capacity vs. 3.5 claimed for the 575, don't know how much practical difference that is, could be a different method of measuring for all I know. https://www.maytag.com/content/dam/.../specification-sheet-mvwp575gspecsheetv01.pdf
But I'm not finding a real detailed spec sheet offhand.

One thing that catches my eye in the "real" commercial machine is that it claims to have stainless steel shaft. There is at least one thread somewhere here that have pictures of shafts from the 575 that look rusted out. The feature sheet for the 575 also doesn't advertise the other things like a triple-lip seal and "quadgear" transmission. Not sure that sounds like the motor and gearbox on the homeowner "commercial" version.

"• Enhanced design of the triple-lip seal and stainless-steel shaft, in addition to the premium bearings, delivers reliability and consistency.
• Powerful ½-HP PSC motor and quadgear transmission create an efficient
wash for every load."

 

[pinkpower4]

Maytag mvwp575gw...

I will see if I can find it later, but the Maytag mvwp575gw used to be advertised with premium bearings. I remember seeing "triple-lip seal". Maybe they took this out as the typical customer wouldn't really know what this means?

Interesting about the stainless steel shaft. I wonder if this transmission is interchangeable with the one on the Maytag.

I'll look through the service manual (I was able to find one on the real commercial models) in more detail later tonight. I don't see a lot of difference. The gear case (also referred to as the transmission) on the Maytag mvwp575gw seems to be a quad gear. I think someone said the gear are a nylon type material?

The seal is pressed onto the transmission shaft at the factory. A new transmission will come with a new seal pressed on. As DADoES said in the other recent Maytag thread, it seems when you change out the transmission that you also change out the bearings. This is huge as it seems so many washers are finally discarded for this reason even among those who do fix them. I think even if I could do that. After watching a few videos on trying to switch out bearings on a SQ, I am pretty sure I'll have to pay for someone to do that or replace the washer. Also, the Maytagmvwp575gw only has one control panel. It's about a third of the cost of the washer but easily replaced. Again, if it lasts 7 or 8 years with some of these parts, it may be worth it to try for another 7 or 8 years versus cost of replacing a whole new one plus these better washers might not even be available 7 or 8 years from now. The DOE restrictions are making less and less sense and cents LOL.

******
What is surprising is so many on this board are concerned about water, yet send washer to the scrap yard, crusher, etc. for something that can be fixed.
*****

It's important to note that the Maytag residential is not meant for commercial use. In searching everything it seems when used properly in a normal household, a family can probably reasonably expect at least 8 years probably ten out of this washer. I think it will be more especially is one can fix the parts themselves. It is the cost of labor and parts why many opt to just replace. These things are repairable. That is about the same as one would get out a currently sold front load.

 

[henene4]

4 gear transmission

Pretty certain the planetary gear set in any VMW has 4 planetary gears...

 

[windrivers]

Another interesting thing is that the commercial commercial machine (MAT20) doesn't have the dual action agitator, which saves a little in maintenance I assume.

Actually things like "quadgear transmission" or "triple-lip seal" can sound more impressive to those who don't know what they mean, and people who look at the residential "commercial" model tend to be interested in things that at least sound heavy duty. Using those terms at least shouldn't turn people off. Maybe Whirlpool reserves the right to substitute cheaper parts, or maybe they decided the residential commercial was selling too good so they toned down some of the hype. Who knows how marketers think? Maybe the average homeowner is more impressed with "ultra-sturdy knobs".

Ease of repair and [predicted] availability and costs of parts are also an important factor for me, and I enjoy keeping things running, that's one reason the trucks I drive weren't even made this century. I remember when Consumer Reports actually took things like that in account before they became more of a consumer manipulation organization rather than a consumer advocacy, and we became a disposable society while pretending to care about resource conservation. (Still can't get off my CR conspiracy theory kick. )

 

[DADoES]

 
This is the tub seal on the new transmission that went into a 2012 WP VMW in May 2019 (for bad bearings).  What's the lip count on it?  5?  3, disregarding the top and bottom?

 

[vintagemh]

Maybe whirlpool is cutting their teeth in the commercial market with a re-designed machine getting it right and then will offer that to consumers.

 

[windrivers]

This is a picture I found on ebay that's supposed to be for a MVWP575. Looks more like three to me.

Sounds like the new Whirlpool strategy; cheapen the parts and then brag about them.

After all, I fell for the "triple-lip seal" marketing hype thinking it was some great thing until someone showed me the penta-lip seal, or whatever, from the regular old Whirlpool washers.