I bought a brand new Speed Queen also, purchased last month. Model is AWN432, with the regular control knobs, which is what I wanted. (My last washer, Kenmore with the cork screw agitator, caught fire one night. It went into the spin mode and the tub froze up but the motor kept running and smoke was pouring out of it. Needless to say I was done with it. Fire alarms were going off in the house. Washer was only about 6 years old.)
I LOVE THE NEW SPEED QUEEN. I agree with most of the comments above. I'm glad to be rid of the neutral drain though, my whites are incredibly white now. Stains that I had given up on are gone, and I don't use Tide. It washes fast. 3 loads are done in about 2 hours, taking the last load of clothes out of the dryer. Gusherb hit the nail on the head, it's an incredible machine. I wish though, it was a little quieter but when its running it sounds like it means business, and it does!!! But since the cycle times are quick, it doesn't last long. I think I can get a big load done in about 24 minutes or so, normal cycle short wash. Hot water is HOT. I do wish the water would fill as I'm loading it though, but that is minor that you have to keep the lid down. It rinses amazingly well, even without the 2nd rinse option, providing you don't dump a ton of soap in it. (Speed Queen recommends using HE detergents, but most detergents now come only in HE anyway so that's not an issue.) The 210 arc agitation is the best.
Again, I can't believe how clean my clothes look. Best washer our family has EVER had, HANDS DOWN.
I paid $919.04 with tax PLUS a delivery charge $79.56 in that I lived outside the delivery area. When they hauled off the Kenmore I did the Snoopy Happy Dance. I don't look at it as an expense, I see it as an investment. The salesman told me it would probably, in all likelihood, be the last machine I'll buy. Oh and the warranty is included in the price, and its very good.
We took a friend of ours with us when I bought it and she was so impressed with it she bought both the washer and dryer. So the independent dealer made quite a haul when we walked in.
I care for an elderly parent, so water usage and quick cycle times are very important to me. I don't have 2 hours per load for a front loader that uses 9 gallons total water for a cycle, sorry that isn't happening. I like to get done and have some, at least a little, free time at the end of the day, and I also work full time. The salesman said it uses the water, and HOW!!! He also said these were the last that they were manufacturing, and didn't plan on restocking anymore so I felt most lucky and fortunate that the Kenmore died when it did, no tears here.
All in all, the salesman said "its the Mercedes Benz of washers" and I believe it is. I'm SOLD.
Barry
