Speed Queen AWN412 vs AWN542

[carly1]

I am interested in purchasing a Speed Queen top loader to replace the 36-year old Maytag A106 that I have been using. The Speed Queen dealership in my town only sells two models, the AWN412 and AWN542. I'm having trouble deciding between these two models. I have a few questions that I hope someone on here can answer for me.

The salesman claims that the only differences between the 412 and 542 is that the 542 has an extra rinse switch and a fabric selector control that offers a few more choices for agitation and spin speeds. The 36-year old washer that I have been using for most of my life did not have any of these these features so I really wonder if these extra features would ever be used and if the 542 is worth $100 more in price. If I never needed an extra rinse or to change agitation and spin speeds while using my old Maytag A106, why would I need these extra features when using the Speed Queen? Does the Speed Queen agitate or spin more strongly than my Maytag A106? I am also concerned that the the extra features might make this model less reliable in the long run. Does anyone know if there is any differences in reliability between these two models?

 

[frigilux]

I have the 542 and really appreciate the four agitate/spin speed combinations. Worth the extra money, especially since you are obviously going to keep the machine for the long haul. I use the slow agitation/fast spin (called Knits) quite often, especially with small-to-medium sized loads.

 

[washman]

Well Carly since Frigilux

appointed me Patronus Absolutus of all things Speed Queen, permit me to help you with your decision. FYI my certificate is on hold as Frig could not find his online certification but I will act as an Ambassador Emeritus in this capacity.

Frig correctly pointed out the differences. Under the hood, so to speak, everything is the same save for the timer and the fabric selector switch and the extra rinse switch.
I use the extra rise about 50-60% of the time, especially when I use a high sudsing detergent or like a doofus, overdose the load. My former GE also had this and I find it to be very convenient.

The mechanicals of both models are the same. Same motor, same trans, same tub etc. Same agitator also.

Regardless of which one you choose, you will be well served by this fine machine. It is the last, and I do mean last, of the old school TL machines that puts YOU in control of how you handle your laundry. It will use plenty of water. It does a spin drain. Having not seen your Maytag in action, I cannot comment on the agitation "strength" vis a vis the Speed Queen.

SQ site lists the agitation stroke of 210 degrees but some on this forum, myself included, have found it to be somewhat less. I think a more accurate measure of the "strength" is the number of strokes per minute. Speed Queen checks in at 68. The spin speeds are 710 normal, 473 RPM for delicate.

For models purchased in 2014, in addition to an industry leading warranty, you now get 15 years on the transmission. What a testament to the quality SQ puts in their machines to offer such a long warranty!

Quirks? Yes there are a couple. First, "warm" is just plain borderline cool. This is due to meddlesome government regulation that puts the fill bias way towards cold with a teeny bit of hot. I put a post on here that describes the flow rate of hot and cold. Naturally the way to work around that for a true warm wash is to start hot then switch to warm depending on how warm you want it to be.

Second, even on "max fill" the water will fill about 1-2 inches below the top row of holes in the inner tub. This is fixable and there is a youtube vid that clearly shows how it is done. Or you could hold the fill to "reset" until it fills to your liking. Me, I did the permanent fix so I could fill and go and post stuff about Speed Queen on here!

Finally and this is purely subjective, is the appearance. Some find it a throwback to 1970's designs. Others find it attractively homely. For me, I could care less what it looks like as I never have regarded a washing machine as a piece of decoration or something I look at when I visits friend's homes. Some go ga-ga over colors like colbalt blue, hot pink, flame red, burnt orange and the like but I always had plain jane white appliances and have no ill effects of not having color matched my new machine to my existing furniture.

Unlike the picky FL machines and the joke of a washer HE TL machines, you can use whatever detergent you like in this machine. In other words use what you used in your Maytag.

I attached a vid link of my very machine in operation. Notice the rollover washing small cleaning rags in TAP hot water! Not dumbed down eco sanctioned hot, but hot, they way I like it. I have other vids too with various loads that you can watch to get a feel for how the agitation.

I hope this was helpful to you.

http://https//www.youtube.com/watch?v=WabEONEKhyU&list=PLVpngWITH6pJo28Wg06CYC0UuAvdCTSC9

 

[washman]

The knits/delicate cycle

 

[jeffg]

"Naturally the way to work around that for a true warm wash is to start hot then switch to warm depending on how warm you want it to be."

That would require several minutes of manual intervention for most (or maybe every) load.

The preferred fix is to drill out the flow restrictor on the hot water inlet in the washer valve. It's a quick procedure and more than one set of directions/photos can be found here on AW. Although probably more work for most people, an alternative is to find and install an older valve that isn't flow restricted.

As for the speed dial, as with many other features, if your old washer didn't have one you likely wouldn't miss it on a new washer. But once you learn how to use the speed selections it's hard to imagine not having them.

 

[rp2813]

Carly, the tub on a Speed Queen will seem downright cavernous compared to the little one on your Maytag.  Considering this, the maximum fill level won't seem skimpy to you. 

 

I'm not a Maytag expert, but I suspect that even if your 106 can be fixed, it would be an involved process that would perhaps require hunting down parts, and it sounds like you can't afford to be without a washer for very long.

 

Unlike your Maytag, Speed Queens can wear out their belts.  That's probably the only repair you would have to anticipate over the life of the machine, and if you or someone you know is handy, it's supposedly a DIY repair.

 

I vote for the extra rinse option.  The Speed Queen does a short spray rinse early in the spin cycle -- not nearly as long as the spray rinse your Maytag provides.  You may end up wishing you had the extra rinse option.   It's strange that your dealer doesn't carry the 432, which offers the extra rinse.  Could they order one for you?

 

 

[DigAPony]

Speed Queen agitate or spin more strongly

The A106 spins at 618 rpm, the Speed Queen tops out at 710 rpm, about a 15% increase over the Maytag, but whose counting..

I like Speed Queen, but seriously doubt it will challenge the 36 years of service the Maytag provided.

 

[carly1]

Thanks

Thanks everyone for the advice. I think the 432 model would serve me well but I'm not willing to wait 3 weeks for my dealer to get more in. If the Speed Queen has a shorter rinse in the spin cycle than my old Maytag, I think I will go with the 532 just so I can get this extra rinse feature. Does anyone know how much extra time a full load takes when using the extra rinse feature? Since I'm on septic, I'm also curious to know if the machine uses significantly more water when extra rinse is selected.

 

[frigilux]

The Extra Rinse feature on the Speed Queen provides a second deep rinse, so the tub would fill with water again. Using the Extra Rinse option will add another 21 gallons of water use to a cycle.

A regular cycle does this: Wash, Spin, Deep Rinse, Final Spin. (Just like your Maytag)
A regular cycle plus an Extra Rinse does this: Wash, Spin, Deep Rinse, Spin, Deep Rinse, Final Spin.

The Extra Rinse feature is nice to have if you ever feel like a load needs a 2nd deep rinse, but a regular cycle washes and rinses clothes just like your Maytag did.

As you noted, if you never needed to add an extra rinse with your Maytag, you won't need to with the Speed Queen. I bought the AWN542 for the flexibility of agitation/spin speeds. I don't recall ever using the Extra Rinse option.

 

[rp2813]

SQ vs. Maytag 106 Spray Rinse

Eugene, with all due respect, I must disagree with the statement that "a regular cycle washes and rinses clothes just like your Maytag did."  Generally speaking it does, but . . .

 

The spray rinse on the SQ is much shorter than the one on the Maytag.  A deep rinse is a deep rinse, but IMO that short spray on the SQ isn't enough to extract as much detergent residue as the longer Maytag spray.  In addition, the SQ spray rinse can often begin before the tub is at full spin speed, so its effect is diminished.  The Maytag allows more time for the tub to reach full speed and really force the spray through the load.

 

We owned an Amana for several years.  It was a Speed Queen clone.  After we replaced it with a Duet, we had overly sudsy loads due to the detergent residue still in the clothes that had been processed through the Amana, even though I very often used the extra rinse option with that machine.  After seeing a modern day SQ in action, it doesn't appear that anything has changed with the spray rinse.

 

My advice to Carly would be to use less detergent in order to possibly get away with just a single deep rinse if the septic system is a concern.  Also, the SQ tub is much larger, so full loads are going to use a lot more water than the Maytag did.  Even with a single rinse you're going to be using more water  per cycle than you did with the Maytag, but you should be doing fewer loads as a result of having the extra capacity, so overall your septic system could end up processing less, and an occasional extra rinse wouldn't tax it.

 

[jeffg]

I second Ralph's comments about the SQ spray rinse. One spray just isn't enough, and the difference in rinsing performance between one and two (or, like the old Lady K's, three) is so dramatic, I'm at a loss to understand Alliance's decision. Many years ago a repairman (who otherwise seemed entirely sane) told us nobody other than Sears/Kenmore was allowed to have more than one spray rinse because of patent issues. I've heard stranger stories but who knows.

 

[mrb627]

Spin Spray?

What is everybody's problem with the spin spray rinse?
Whirlpool all but did away with the spin spray on their machines years ago.

When I switched from a traditional top loader to a front loader, I never had any residual
sudsing from detergent left behind by my old washer's alleged poor rinsing.

Malcolm

 

[washman]

I tend to agree Malcolm

The spray rinse is sort of moot when you have a deep rinse in most any TL machine.

 

[yogitunes]

detergents from the 70/80's were high sudssing and left a lot of residue...extra rinsing always seemed a must for loads like towels...

todays detergents are all heading for HE, and can be used in conventional machines, the added benefit is low to no suds, making rinsing a lot easier for any machine....

almost any septic service company will insist on getting that washer piped somewhere else rather than dumping it into the tank, not everyone can do this, but gray water tanks are common for this type of output, and some just let it go onto the ground...

I am puzzled why gray water tanks aren't a standard with a septic system.....the exact guys who installed and service ours, insisted we get the washer off of that line....you would think that both tanks are put into place at the same time.....

a gray water tank is nothing more than a 50 to 100 gallon tank, surrounded by a lot of stone, along the same lines as the regular septic....nothing that can't be done on your own....

 

[combo52]

New SQ Washer

Hi Carly, the very best SQ washer choice you can make is the SQ Front Load machine, especially if you are concerned about total water usage on your septic system. Not only will the SQ FL washer do a far better job of washing-rinsing-spinning your laundry that either your old MT or even a new SQ TL washer.

That said the SQ FL washer is very expensive however it will easily pay for itself several times over compared to the cost of running another regular TL washer [ the life expediency of a SQ FL washer is approximately twice the expected life of their TL washers, you are going from 20-25 years, to close to 50 years with the FL machine.

If purchasing the SQ TL washer I would just get the AWN-412, as a SQ dealer we sell the 412 almost 10 to 1 compared to the 542. The speed selector switch on the 542s is a weak spot and the extra rinse feature is just plain wasteful, and in addition to all the extra water and electricity it wastes it causes the washer about 50% more wear every time you do a load and use this setting.

 

[jeffg]

"and the extra rinse feature is just plain wasteful"

also

"The spray rinse is sort of moot when you have a deep rinse in most any TL machine."

Guys this amounts to outright disinformation. If this or any feature is "just plain wasteful" it would not survive over a half century.[this post was last edited: 4/10/2014-12:18]

 

[mtn1584]

Combo....

I don't understand your logic that the fabric selector/speed switch is a weak spot.
Mike

 

[frigilux]

Our intentions are always so good...but I sometimes wonder if our attention to detail leaves drop-by's like Carly more confused than when they arrived.

And on top of that, Carly, we'd love for you to drop by this thread and let us know which machine you wind up purchasing.

Hope we've helped more than we've obfuscated, LOL!

 

[kenmoreguy89]

The fact of SQ front loader washing, rinsing and spinning better than a top loader is relative, you may have people saying just the opposite...at least for what concerns washing and rinsing.
My suggestion will be simple, just go for what has more features, there always will be those times when they'll become handy, but whenever to wait or not, this is up to you...just think about the features and potential use you may do of them, sure if you are corcened about rinsing, better having a machine that does double rinses...then you may even easily be happy with the regular rinse only, but more features sooner or later always pays off during time, at least, so is for me...