Samsung and Haier are not in the same league at all.
Which? (a Consumer Report's type publication in the UK),rated Samsung Washers a best buy several years in a row. In fact IIRC the Samsung washer came in second in the last report, with the Bosch Maxx first.
I've been comparing Samsung washers from their website to the one shown in the Maytag brochure and they look pretty much the same, with perhaps the door being slighlty different and hinged on the right, where as the Maytag version is hinged on the left.
Basically all Samsung has to do for the American market is switch the electric's over to 120v 15amp power, it may be interesting to see how this is done. On the Danby front loaders, there is actually a transformer in the washer, so maybe the imported MaySungs will have the same.
We will know more when Maytag repair people start chiming in after coming back from courses armed with training on how to repair these units.
Globalization is the name of the game and it is here to stay. Even more so for big ticket items like major appliances that require huge R&D and factroy investment to produce.
As for Asko, IIRC at one time Asko was part of GE, or at least that is what I remember reading. Which explains much about the problems that seemed to infest every appliance Asko made. The only worst front loader around at that time was Creda.
For Maytag's sake, one hopes they get this one right. It is so hard watching yet another former mighty appliance giant fall. IMHO Maytag simply got too big for their pants and took their eye off the ball. Maytag "Dependable Care" washing machines were for years the gold standard of washing machines, but now look at them.
If Maytag were smart they'd stop chasing every appliance fad that comes out,and go back to producing quality appliances.
Launderess