New Washer Delima

[pulltostart]

Hello, my name is Lawrence and I am a fan of top loading washers.

 

I am in the process of selling my current home and moving to another house.  The buyers of my house requested that all appliances remain, which includes my 2010 Speed Queen pair.  I agreed to this condition, so now I will need a new pair for the new house.

 

I am willing to agree that quality-wise Speed Queen is the best.  They advertise a lifetime of 25 years and I see no reason to challenge that.  In the current market the TC5 pair retails for $1399 each.  With sales tax here (Mobile County) that pair will exceed $3,000.  I don't question the price as much as I question the logic of investing in products with a 25-year lifespan when I'm already 73.  Do I really need to invest in a laundry pair that should last until I'm 98?

 

So I've been looking around and found 3 possible alternates, each at a different price point, and with differing levels of quality.  While quality is definitely a consideration, size is also a factor.  I am a household of one (1), I do 2-3 loads of laundry per week.  I don't need a washer with a 4.5 cu ft capacity.  The Speed Queen claims 3.2 cu ft and rarely does my current washer have a "full" load.  I'd like to hear opinions on said alternates....

 

First up is a Maytag "Commercial" pair for just over $1,000 each.  It claims 3.5 cu ft capacity, has a 10/5 limited warranty and enough options for me including the dual action agitator.  Dryer has end of cycle signal and drum light (drum light will help as the laundry will be in the garage).

 

Next up is a GE pair (washer is GTW485ASWWB)  that is currently retailing for $578 each.  4.5 cu ft capacity, lots of options, dual action agitator, 10 year limited warranty; matching dryer has an adjustable signal and drum light.

 

Lastly is another Maytag pair (washer is MVW400), for $538 each.  Obviously a clone of many other Whirlpool offerings but with the Maytag badge.  3.8 cu ft capacity, dual action agitator; the nicest thing about this pair is the dryer; it has signal, drum light, and hamper door (with laundry in the garage, the hamper door would definitely help with keeping the clothes off the floor).

 

So these are listed in descending order of quality (presumably) and price.  If you have experienced any of these products - speak up.  Life is full of compromises, this might be one.

 

lawrence

 

 

 

[agiflow]

You could also try Whirlpool commercial non vended washer It only has 2 knobs. One for the cycles and one for water temperature. It has Normal,Casual,Bulky Heavy Duty,Delicate.

Bulky is the deepest fill with an roughly 9-10 minute wash cycle

Heavy Duty and Casuals are a little bit lower but still fine.

Heavy Duty has the longest wash at 12 minutes

Delicate is about 8-9 minut s and also fills up to about where Casuals and Heavy Duty do.

I've got plenty of videos on that machine when I had it.

I've got plenty of videos on that machine when I had it. It is a great basic washer and sounds like it would fill your needs.

Model # is CAE2795FQ.

Go to YouTube and type in Agiflow and you will see videos of it.

 

[agiflow]

I meant to say on the normal cycle it uses a low water level and the rinse level is even lower. I would use that for small loads

 

[agiflow]

 

[ea56]

Hi Lawrence,
I’ve had my Roper RTW4516FW2 since June 2019, almost 6 years now and it has been completely trouble free! I don’t believe that the Roper is still being sold, at least now at Lowes where I bought it. But the Amana NTW4516FW2 is identical to my Roper and my sister also owns this machine. These are Whirlpool based machines and are just about the least expensive washer that money can buy. My sister loves her Amana and much as I love my Roper equivalent. I do 3-4 loads a week. It has a 3.5 cu ft capacity and will handle Kingsized bedding with ease. The only washer that I’ve owned out of the 23 that I’ve owned since 1972 that I was a pleased with was my 1987 White-Westinghouse FL that I bought new and used for 7 trouble free years and the sold with our condo in ‘94 when we moved.

If my Roper gave up the ghost I’d replace it in a hot second with the Amana NTW4516FW2. These machines can be used with Auto Sense fill to conserve water or on Deep Water Wash and it will fill right to the top.

Hope this helps my friend!
Eddie

https://www.lowes.com/pd/Amana-3-5-cu-ft-Top-Load-Washer-with-Dual-Action-Agitator-White/1003201568

 

[mark_wpduet]

that whirlpool video.. I didn't even know those existed....I was like, what is this??? LOL

too bad it can't do extra rinse... at least I didn't see it on the panel.. but I watched it at 5x speed and the rollover was great

 

[agiflow]

It will do 4 spray rinses when it detects a suds lock. There is one video I have where it actually did 2 deep rinses and 4 spray rinses. Never seen it do that again.

There is also a rinse and spin and a drain and spin cycles.

I would consider it again.

 

[repairguy]

Hi Lawrence!

 

[mark_wpduet]

This is just a guess...but with such deep fills for rinse and so much dilution there may be no need for extra rinse like in front loaders. I don't know.. I remember growing up none of the washers had extra rinse... I didn't even know that was a thing until I got a whirlpool top load in 2002 that had extra rinse.

I like the way it takes off during spin... It doesn't mess around.

 

[agiflow]

This was the only VMW that was the most like the older machines. No farting around. It just the got the job done.

 

[gelaundry4ever]

to agiflow

Are they still making these?

 

[agiflow]

Well since they're making the BMW platform still I think they are. I got mine through PC. Richard and son up here in New Jersey.. I actually like that machine so much. I may get one again. Warm wash was more on the side of hot for every cycle except normal and you got hot washes with everything other than normal of course not including rinse and spin

 

[agiflow]

Vmw

 

[pulltostart]

Hey Melvin!  Thanks for the greeting.

 

lawrence

 

[gelaundry4ever]

GE!

What about the GE commercial washers? Has anybody considered those? What about their build quality? They claim to have a 1/2 horsepower motor and steel drive transmission. That reminds me of the GE post filter-flo washers as far as their advertisement goes.[this post was last edited: 3/12/2025-12:04]

 

[combo52]

Best new top load washer and dryer

The TC five Speed Queen pair is certainly the best pair over all you’re going to get, but I understand it may be overkill and it’s a little bit expensive, the next best pair would be the commercial Maytag pair, the only thing I don’t like is top load washers with lid locks.

But really the best pair would be to get any whirlpool or Maytag dryer and match it with the TC5 washer that would be your best pair for the money and most convenient to use if they don’t have to match.

The cheaper whirlpool pairs will get the job done and are actually pretty reliable. You may get tired of the Teaney sound that the washers make.

I would avoid it all cost the GE pair GE dryers are just horrible hateful things when you have to work on them. It’s unbelievably how cheap they’ve been able to build those dryers the washer may or may not be OK but whirlpool has a lot more experience with these new generation top load washers so I would stick with one of those if you want to buy a cheap top loader.

John L

 

[agiflow]

At this point why not just consider a Midea or a Haier ? There is no real GE anymore.

 

[gelaundry4ever]

GE commercial washer

What about the GE commercial washer? What's wrong with them? They act like their residential models as far as wash action goes.

 

[agiflow]

I think GE makes a commercial model now with only two knobs on it. Typical. With each iteration they'll keep taking stuff away