Speed Queen reliability?

[smalton]

Hello,

I’ve boiled my research for a new stacked FL washer and dryer down to the Speed Queen CTS97AWN.

http://www.speedqueen.com/home/products/cts97_cts99awn.asp
I’ve considered the Frigemore 3.5’s, Affinity, GE Adora, Kenmore HE2, Whirlpool Duet, etc. It just seems to me that these other machines won’t hold up very well. However, it seems Consumer Reports doesn’t like the SQ. They say that it doesn’t wash well and is somewhat noisy. There isn’t any repair data on it.

The SQ looks like it is built much better than other machines made today and will last much longer. SQ only builds one FL machine and puts a home use front panel on in place of the commercial one. I also think it will clean as well or better than my current TL even without a heater and considering that the wash portion of the cycle is relatively short. None of the other machines use a heater for anything but a sanitary cycle anyway. I don’t think I would ever use the sanitary cycle. It would be nice to have the heater maintain constant temps throughout the other cycles but I don’t think it exists in a machine in this price range.

I made a few phone calls and got widely varying responses. One repair tech in the area said to run away from SQ as fast as I can, saying they are unreliable and beat up clothes. One gentleman who fixes up older machines and sells them used with a one year warranty said he won’t work on SQ’s because he has to guarantee them for a year. A Sears salesman told me that SQ has the highest repair rate in the industry and should be avoided. I have also spoken with a few retail dealers who say SQ’s are built like tanks and will last 10 – 15 years no problem. However I can’t find one locally on a showroom floor to look at.

Speed Queen also has a very good warranty.

So my question is who’s right? Will the SQ be a long lasting, reliable machine or will it give me nightmares.

Thanks for your help.
Steve

http://www.speedqueen.com/home/products/cts97_cts99awn.asp

 

[frigilux]

You know what? Get whatever machine YOU want. If the SQ made the top of your list and you like it, get it. Life is too short to worry about it.

Since you're asking, though..... Having done a lot of looking lately, I'd opt for a Whirlpool Duet. Consumer Reports shows them to be the most reliable of the frontloaders, they have huge capacity and if you get the top-of-the-line machine, you get a built-in heater, 1,200 r.p.m. spin speed and its cleaning score is very good.

I currently have a 2003 Frigidaire FL laundry pair. They are fine machines and which have given me no trouble, but at nearly $1,100 for the new Affinity washer, I'd opt for the $1,300 top-of-the line Duet if I were to replace my present set.

Let us know what you purchase and have fun with it!

 

[sparkcymru]

I always say you should buy whatever you like the look of and feel happy with. I would always listen to engineers rather than retail stores advise.Its the repair guys who go out to these machines day in day out and if they say run from them then you have to bear in mind your lovely machine may need a bit of attention over the years but at least you chose it because you like the look and feel etc. Theres nothing worse than buying a machine that is the most reliable thing on the planet but bores the hell outta you and you have to sit there looking at it thinking i wish you'd break down so i can go buy that beautiful SQ instead.

Steve

 

[peterh770]

SQ toploaders and dryers are installed in thousands of laundromats, apartment building and dorms. They are extremely reliable and easily serviced. While the frontloaders are not seen nearly as frequently, they cut their teeth in the commercial market for at least 5 years before being (re)offered for domestic use.

People saying that SQ is unreliable or difficult to service are ignorant of the product. Call a commercial SQ distributor or talk to a coin laundry owner that has a SQ store and they will tell you different.

 

[rp2813]

I have a '97 Amana TL washer and matching gas dryer that are supposedly the same as SQ brand, made by Raytheon. They are junk. I realize TL and FL are different technologies, but I will never buy Amana or SQ ever again. This washer eats belts, it is loudly asking for its 4th one, it's noisy, and the dryer was full of squeaks and rattles from day one, and it overheats but every guy I've had out can find nothing wrong. I would not trust Amana/SQ even with a FL machine at this point, regardless of how many laundromats across the globe use them. I suspect half the machines in those laundromats are out of service at any given time.

I'm waiting for the day I can junk these, and am leaning towards Whirlpool Duet or Kenmore HE FL's to replace them. I'll be watching here to see the real story on the HE/Duet machines. I bought the Amana pair because they were top rated by Consumer Reports and the price was right at Sears. I have since canceled my subscription to that worthless and very unscientific rag.

Steve, if you like the SQ pair and you can make your own repairs, which I suspect you'll be having to do, then go for it, but they'll probably both keep you busy if my experience is any indication.

Ralph

 

[frigilux]

The range of opinions on and experiences with Speed Queen is typical of nearly every brand. Some people love their Whirlpool Duet, others say it is not a good machine. As with choosing a puppy, get the one that looks at you in just the right way.

 

[agiflow]

One major difference with Speed Queen though. Raytheon is not the maker any longer. Alliance laundry Systems is. Time will tell how the home models will stand up.

 

[mrb627]

Updates Coming.

I heard through a reliable resource that the SQFL was being redesigned. Items being addressed were the cycle options and the loader door. SQ also has a 100 year anniversary coming up. Wonder if that could be significant.

As for rp, to hate a machine that much and still have it after 10 years? What's up with that?

MRB

 

[smalton]

Hey thanks for the response.
I phoned a local commercial repair company today and spoke with the owner. He was very knowledgeable and has personally serviced every make but specializes in commercial including Speed Queen and it's relatives. We discussed the current state of residential as well as commercial grade washers and I found out quite a bit. He was very helpful and I believe the information is credible since he had no vested interest in selling or providing inaccurate information.

This is what I found out.

Practically all FL washers made today including SQ have a pump that is made of plastic. Some are better than others but metal pumps are a thing of the past for better or worse. They are usually easy to replace though.

Many consumers are sold on having a machine with all of the bells and whistles. Most machines aren't sold because they have excellent seals or bearings. New machines of today are made with very sensitive electronic parts that are a weak link and don't do well in a hot, humid laundry room. He has seen many problems with electronics and prefers mechanical controls whenever possible.

He said Frigidaire FL's have a plastic wash tub. You can see this when you remove the cover. He said he has seen many problems with them because they tend to leak over time.

In general, he said Whirlpool was reliable and Maytag has made some nice improvements. No info on LG.

He also thought Speed Queen is an excellent choice. They are reliable and well built, except for the plastic pump which is average. They are simple yet relatively expensive because of using heavy duty parts. It is also an easy machine to work on if necessary.

He wasn't too enthused with Consumer Reports. He suggested that they really don't test each machine. Scores are based on features and responses from surveys but he didn't know for sure. He really doesn't follow what's going on with CR though.

Regarding SQ's short wash of 9 minutes of a normal 35 minute cycle. I forgot to mention that the Sears salesman said that 9 minutes is long enough because the detergent loses its effectiveness after 7 minutes.

Regarding the updates that are coming for the new SQ FL's, I called Alliance Laundry and spoke with one of their reps. He said that the size of the door is going to be enlarged. I specifically asked him about the cycle times and he said that they were not changing.

The other thing I like about the SQ is that both washer and dryer door are hinged on the right. That makes it nice for a stacked unit in a closet. I also spoke with Frigidaire and they said that their Affinity washer could be special ordered with the hinges on the right for no additional charge.

So that's what I found out. Thanks to all who responded so far.

 

[frigilux]

Some responses to the information in your last post:

1) The man you spoke to may be confusing Consumer Reports (a non-profit mag that accepts no advertisements) with Consumer Digest, which is a for-profit mag that does accept advertising. Consumer Reports does, indeed, test all it's rated models. It's ratings are not based on surveys or manufacturers lists of features. Only the reliability data is collected through surveys. Having said all that, CR isn't invincible. It took them almost two years, for instance, to finally report that the highly-rated wash-plate based Calypso (Sears and Whirlpool) had serious linting and tangling problems.

2) Detergent doesn't begin to lose its effectiveness for at least 20 minutes. Interesting a Sears salesman would tell you detergent only has a 7-minute window of effectiveness when every other machine on his salesfloor has a wash time nearly double that of the SQ frontloader.

3) Frankly, I think you'd want a pump made of plastic. The metal pump in our old Kenmore washer was its weak point and had to be replaced numerous times over the life of the machine. Of course, it was made of pot metal, so rust and corrosion was an issue with it. Do any machines today have metal pumps?

4) You're absolutely right when it comes to the build-quality of Speed Queen. They certainly have heavy-duty parts when compared to nearly any other brand.

 

[rp2813]

Well MRB, unless the machines take a major dump I can't justify replacing them. What I find amusing is that across the panel are the words "commercial quality" and I can't see how either machine would hold up in a truly commercial application. My time is too valuable or I'd replace the belts on the washer myself. It's not the simple job that it was on my early 70's Maytag, that is for sure. So I'm just being a chump and paying Sears to renew my maintenance contract every year. I call them at least once a year and usually with just one service call I've recovered the cost of my contract. If I had money to burn (some would say I do if I renew my service contract every year) I'd unload these two clunkers and replace them with a nice Duet or HE pair but can't justify that expense yet. Lowe's recently had a great deal on a Duet pair, cheapest I've ever seen them, and they were throwing in the pedestals for free. That was very tempting.

As for Consumer Reports, they may put machines through their paces and rate them, but the reliability info is only as good as what their subscribers tell them, and not all subscribers participate in those surveys. I don't see how they can top rate a particular brand if there's no repair history for them to go on. They need to re-think that. I would not have ended up with Amanas if CR had stated they didn't know how the machines would hold up due to lack of repair history. I'd have bought a Kenmore or Whirlpool pair and am fairly certain I wouldn't have the complaints or the expense of a service contract going on 10 years later.

 

[mrb627]

Sorry.

I've just never thought changing belts on the Amana/SQ's was that big of a deal. In fact, the last time I changed one, it was less than 20 minutes. FWIW, The Duet's need belt changings as well. Belts are a consumable item, like the tires on a car. I used to change the belt on my Grandma's washer at least once a year as part of a tune up. Even though the belt didn't squeak or squeal, you'd be surprised how much they do wear down in a short time.

MRB

 

[DADoES]

RJ's circa 1985/1986 Whirlpool belt-drive toploader still has the original belt! And far as I know the dryer does as well.

 

[rp2813]

Yeah, it's been my experience with other brands that maybe once in 20+ years on a well made machine did I ever need to change a belt. It was a major job on my mom's '75 Kenmore with "quiet pack" silencing but I only needed to do it once. If the Duet needs a new belt as often as my Amana does, then I think I'll reconsider. I used to do a lot of mechanical repairs myself but just don't have the time anymore and need to have machines that don't require a lot of maintenance. I don't remember any machine I've owned previously or that my mom had while I was growing up that needed as much attention as my Amana.

 

[agiflow]

Once again..not an Alliance made washer...just a thought.