New Speed Queen AWN542 owner here

[washman]

My trusty GE profile gave up the ghost after 14 uneventful years. Found out the bearing from the tub was leaking and water got into the trans which meant a costly repair. Given the fact the inner and outer tub were made from GE plastic, I did not think it would be wise to fix it. So out it went.

After some research, I excluded the modern front loaders after seeing and reading horrible reviews. Ditto for the so called HE top loaders.

I was almost ready to go used when I googled Speed Queen. I was familiar with their laundromat equipment and after some research, I made my bank account lighter by $829.00.
I really do dig this machine. I love the water guzzling old school agitation. And the warranty really sold me. Shows that SQ has confidence in their products.

I am old school. I do not believe in global warming, climate change man made or otherwise. I do not accept the force feeding the media gives us about so-called droughts and water shortages. I went to Canada even to find a 3.5 gallon flush toilet for my parents when they redid a house in Florida. I want phosphates back in my detergent. I want the government OUT of my bathroom and my laundry room. I want to use as much water as I see fit to clean whatever it is I am cleaning.

The only caveat on this machine is the water level. There are two ways to fix: adjust the screw under the control panel or hold down the water fill selector to reset and it will continue to pump in more water. A bit of a pain, but at least I, not the know-all government, controls my washing! Link below to youtube vid showing the washing action.

 

[DirectDriveDave]

I wish I could like your post more than once! 

 

[washman]

thanks

I am very happy so far. The tub does index quite a bit, in fact, it makes a total 360 circle rather quickly. I was told that the brake pads need to break in, then it will index normally.

 

[DirectDriveDave]

Tub Indexing

That is correct. After you use it for a while, the indexing will stop. 

 

[washman]

Cool good to know

My dad's stopped after a while too, not sure how long it took though. Bottom line, this washer is a tank and really does a fine job on cleaing despite what CR says.

 

[DirectDriveDave]

Yeah, I haven't listened to much of what CR has said for quite a while now. 

 

[nmassman44]

The indexing on my AWN311 took about a month or so to stop indexing and when it did index it wasnt all the time. I noticed it more with heavy loads than with lighter ones. You might want to adjust your water level up because it really is too low for Ex Large fill, that way you can take full advantage of the space in your washer. That FlexVane agitator is a hybrid of a Maytag PowerFin and a Whirlpool Surgilator and it handles anything thrown at it and it will clean well. I too question where CU rates things and how they basically put this washer down at the bottom of the ratings.

 

[washman]

CR is more of a joke these days

They drooled over the HE washers, neglecting the basic fact that most of our clothing is imported from the Orient, made with cheap, thin cotton, and stiched no better than Frank Burn's surgeries during M*A*S*H. That being said, I see no way clothes can become clean without sufficient water. Period!
Nor will they last.
Simple question: Why are bathroom towels made from cotton, either Ginza or Supima?
Answer: Because they abosrb water, that's why!

If you wash a mostly cotton load, you will have water absorbtion regardless of machine. The advantage of the old school SQ is you HAVE plenty of water to move the clothes. That is how laundry gets clean. It does not get clean being "sprayed" with water. It does not get clean merely being "soaked" with a piss amount of water. Amazing how the ancient Egyptigans and Greeks knew this!

Sadly this country has turned over common sense and basic thinking skills to the gov't and this is the result........a plethora of poorly performing machines that barely last beyond the warranty.

BTW, my water guzzler uses 31.6 gallons of water per wash! Yea! Take that Algore!

 

[mrb627]

Welcome

To the Speed Queen club. You're in good company!

Malcolm

 

[pumice]

AWN542 is the model I plan on getting . Unledd it is easier to hack the electronic panel of this SQ top loader.

http://www.speedqueen.com/multihousing/en-us/products/products-results/am11-0402-manual-push-to-start-top-load-washer-rear-control-.aspx

 

[washer111]

Lucky!

Your Speed-Queen Top-Load is the last of the SQ machines that I would consider, unfortunately.
The move to solid-state controls has seriously removed a lot of the control and "advtages" these machines had over other electronic machines. The newer controls are also not capable of Warm rinses by default, but are still the same machine inside (mechanically)

I'm glad you were able to get the last of the "good" machines before the dumbing down of the controls began. Use it in good health, and I wish you the best of luck with your purchase.

I would also suggest resetting the "Maximum" water level so that you get a full tub of water for the heavy loads you might do in some instances.

 

[chris74]

Don't want to offend, but...

...as I've watched your video I am again fully conscious why Europeans don't make use of a wash system like that. The clothes are just stirred, I wouldn't dare to call this "washing". The agitator imitates human hands in a poor way. I don't see any chance of getting a sturdy piece of clothing like a pair of jeans, for example, clean with that kind of a machine. But it is pointless, even if they now call them HE...

 

[washer111]

Nor do I want to Offend:

Problem is, they actually do clean clothes, and quite well. How could such a design last the better part of a century if it didn't clean one's clothing?

 

[chris74]

Unsolved mystery to me

Probably because of additional detergents like bleach or other boosters. I disbelieve that you get good results with a V-axis toploader when it comes to cleaning really dirty laundry, I'm sorry to say so.

 

[foraloysius]

Chris

Is your opinion based on experience or on assumption?

I have used toploaders on my trips to the USA and Canada and experienced that you can get clean laundry with V-axis toploaders without using additives. A detergent with built in oxygen bleach got my whites sparkling white.

BTW, congratulations on your new washer, Washman!

 

[chris74]

I assume this because of...

...the loads of videos I've seen with that technique.

 

[jeffg]

Chris, I've never heard that opinion before. If you think simply tumbling clothes in a drum (as in front loaders) washes them more thoroughly than wringing them through an agitator, all I can say is that you don't have much experience with top loaders.

 

[mtn1584]

Welcome to the Speed Queen club.............

I have converted my whole family!!! As far as top load washers stirring clothes...you have the wrong idea...the idea of an agitator is to 'beat clothes' at the bottom of the tub where the wash action takes place. turnover is essential for this to happen...while the top may seem like it is stirring the clothes, they are...when properly loaded, rolling over..top to bottom....where the wash action takes place.
Mike

 

[washman]

Until the eco-nazis influenced policy

the USA was almost entirely top loader. If they did not clean well, someone would have come up with a better design.
Not saying all front loaders are bad. If they are configured to use sufficient water during the wash, then I believe they can clean very well.

Fact is this, I use no detergent boosters or other concoctions to clean my laundry. Just Arm & Hammer liquid mountain fresh detergent from Target.