Speed Queen Rated Most Reliable Top-Loader by Consumer Reports

Automatic Washer - The world's coolest Washing Machines, Dryers and Dishwashers

Help Support :

frigilux

Well-known member
Platinum Member
Joined
Mar 3, 2007
Messages
12,661
Location
The Minnesota Prairie
Just received the new issue of CR and they have enough data on Speed Queen top-loaders to add the brand to their list. SQ takes the checkered flag! TOP-LOADERS Speed Queen: 6% needed repair Maytag/Whirlpool: 9% Kenmore: 10% GE: 12% FRONT-LOADERS LG: 6% needed repair Samsung: 8% Kenmore: 10% Whirlpool: 11% Electrolux: 12% Maytag: 13% Frigidaire and GE: 15%

[this post was last edited: 7/9/2014-21:03]
 
Your attention please

In honor of this well deserved award, I hereby announce that you are all invited to my Youtube Channel to witness this finely crafted machine in action in various washing situations.

As far as a round of membership goes.............well let's just say the check is in the mail. Or I gave at the office.

My question is, what was the range of years this survey covered and what was the sample rate for each machine?
 
Actually Frig

I will celebrate in the following manner:

1. Go give the SQ a well deserved hug.
2. Run a load through, just for kicks and grins.
 
Eh what do they know, they are just a "philosophically left-leaning product testing organization with an anti-business slant" that are a shadow of what they used to be :-)

It is good news though. But a darned shame that we don't see their front load models represented in the results.

It would be interesting to see the sample sizes though, there were far fewer SQ machines in the sample. Of course that could skew the results in either direction though.
 
Ben--  I meant buy a round of drinks for everyone at AW,  not purchase a membership for everyone at AW!  I don't drink anymore, so you can make mine a Coke with a wedge of lemon...no, wait...LIME.  I feel reckless.

 

As for the CR-related questions:  I believe their survey covers 5 years of ownership.  Have no idea what the sample rate for each machine is.  They once explained the formula they use to determine reliability, but I don't remember what it is.  Maybe I'll send them an e-mail and ask that question.  I'll also ask why they still haven't tested Wisk Deep Clean pods!

 

Phil--  It would be interesting to see where a SQ front-loader would be placed on their reliability list.  I'm sure the sample size for those is still far too small.  It took this long for SQ top-loaders to make the cut.  By the way, very interesting thread you have about rating the wattage of a microwave!

 

 
 
Ah ok Frig

A round of drinks is certainly in order here however, everything has a price.

I could do this IF the next wash in involved classic SQ and Frigidaire TL machines, not just on display but in actual use. And I want to bring some laundry to run through!

OF course I couldn't afford to buy at a bar but I could somehow bring enough beverages for all those attending.
 
Did anyone notice their review on the SQ AWN542 on the website? They gave it a 29, with poor marks on water, noise, and energy, and only good on performance. Take a look at the user reviews though! The COMPLETE OPPOSITE! 4.7/5 on 135 reviews, and there are numerous reviews telling CR to reevaluate their score.
 
I got as far as the "good" ratings for washing performance and energy efficiency. Apparently taking 35 minutes to do the job instead of 80 or 90 means nothing to CR.
 
A "Good" rating for cleaning performance is completely understandable.  There's no way a SQ, with its 14-minute wash agitation can compete with an HE machine's 40 to 60-minute wash, especially since there's less water in the HE tub, concentrating the detergent.  CR's test is a tough one, full of those heavily-stained swatches.

 

A 10 to 14-minute wash is fine for a load that isn't full of heavy stains, or if those stains have been pretreated with Resolve Spray 'n' Wash or a similar product.

 

Cleaning performance on very tough stains is improved quite a bit by letting the machine agitate a few minutes, stopping it for a 30 to 45-minute soak, then letting it complete the cycle.  No extra water, detergent or energy required; no excessive wear to fabrics from extra agitation time.  Of course it pushes the total cycle time into HE territory.  But again, the soak isn't needed for most loads.
 
"There's no way a SQ, with its 14-minute wash agitation can compete with an HE machine's 40 to 60-minute wash"

It not only can but does, millions of times every day.

"A 10 to 14-minute wash is fine for a load that isn't full of heavy stains, or if those stains have been pretreated with Resolve Spray 'n' Wash or a similar product."

We use LCB and either add it during the final five minutes of washing or, in the case of extremely soiled loads, a separate rinse cycle. It still amounts to 35-45 minutes compared to double that on many HEs. I just wish CR gave more weight to time efficiency in their ratings. Or please explain the discrepancy between these ratings and owner reviews.
 
I have to disagree with ya Frig

Millions of TL machines had roughly the same cycle time and for years, Maytag was CR's top dog in the TL domain consistently. How did these old fashioned water guzzlers get laundry clean?

Fact is, dirt is dirt. It is no more dirtier or harder to remove than in those thrilling days of lead in gas, phosphates, sugar in soda pop. BO is BO. Skid marks are same as they were in the days of top hats and coat tails.

What has changed is A. Phosphates being removed and B. Less water being used in the so-called HE machines. Both combined to give either lousy results and/or excessive cycle times.

I find it utterly bewildering that CR just loves these HE machines but I read one review after another about mold complaints, piss poor reliability, long cycle times, and the need to run special cleaning cycles. Does CR take the cleaning cycle into consideration when evaluating "efficiency"? I think not. What about the so-called "carbon footprint"? That one must purchase, at extra cost, a cleaner and run the machine with NO laundry in it to clean the darn thing must have gone over their heads.

Yes, the SQ guzzles water. That's they way I like it. Once again, there is NO water shortage on this planet. We're not all about to turn back into dust because we cannot quench our thirst. And by the time the world pop hits 10-12 billion or so, we'll either be dead or technology will figure out a way to get the salt out of the oceans thus ensuring future generations the ability to swim, fish, flush toilets, do laundry etc. Heck, they might even still allow you to water your yard.

Until then, I toast SQ and its water usage because it DOES clean my laundry and that, friends, is the rest of the story.
 
Jeff-- CR tests in warm water without chlorine bleach.  LCB can be used for loads of, say, kitchen whites, but not in a load of colored shirts, etc.

 

There's absolutely no denying that CR doesn't give the SQ a single point for time efficiency.  I'm used to the longer cycles on my front-loader (most cycles are between 45-65 minutes; Sanitize is 95) so it doesn't bother me.  I understand that time efficiency can be a more important factor for others.

 

A load spun at 1300 rpm in the front-loader spends substantially less time in the dryer, so at least part of the time in the washer is made up there.  Naturally, it saves a lot of time on a big load of bath towels, but far less on a load of dress shirts, which you're probably not going to spin at 1300, unless you like to iron.

 

Ben-- A vintage Maytag or Kenmore would probably not score a whole lot better than the SQ against today's front-loaders, or even a few HE top-loaders (however, I'm no fan of impeller machines, myself). 

It would be interesting to see the results if CR would test a few vintage machines amongst the HE.  

 

How did vintage SQs fare in cleaning performance compared to Maytag, Kenmore, and Frigidaire?  I'll have to check out the archived issues of CR.  I know the Westy and Bendix front-loaders did not do as well as the top-loaders back then.
 
Reminds me of this

A new whiz bang car comes out made from post consumer recycled plastic, gets 70 MPG, uses re-manufactured tires, and uses special gas that costs 10 bucks a gallon.

Sounds great right?

Only you can't go over 30 MPH. You can only drive it on M-W-F. You're not allowed to let it idle and max speed in reverse is 2 MPH. And when it rains all the exterior lights come on.

That's what comes to my mind with 1 hour + cycles in HE machines.
 
Back
Top