Speed Queen Washer and Dryer

[nmassman44]

Hey everyone I thought I would post a few pics of friends of ours brand new machines. here is the washer. A basic Speed Queen washer. 1 speed machine.

 

[nmassman44]

close up of panel

 

[nmassman44]

inside shot. Notice that there is detergent at the bottom. My friend was getting it ready for another load.

 

[nmassman44]

The dryer

not so basic dryer. Very fast drying times with this.

 

[nmassman44]

Inside shot

 

[nmassman44]

the door

 

[nmassman44]

washer washing a load

wash

 

[toploader1984]

awesome set!! in fact i am getting the same set in a year or so! can u post some videos? that would be great! there arent many vids on youtube of the speed queen.

 

[nmassman44]

So far very impressed with the cleaning ability and water extraction with this washer. Rinsing is very thorough. No need for a 2nd deep rinse with this washer. The water comes into the washer as a waterfall. Right after the washer drains the wash water and before the washer revs up to full spin, the washer adds a 45 second waterfall of water to knock the suds down. Then it will rev up to pull the water thru the load. The deep rinse is clear. I wouldnt have believed it if I had not seen it myself. The washer is very quiet. The dryer equally quiet and very fast. The auto cycles surprises me at how effective it is and thats with just a thermostat...no electronic sensor.

 

[andrewinorlando]

Does the washer fill to the top using the highest water level setting? Or have they reduced the highest fill level?

 

[appnut]

One thing I don't like about the latest models, even the TOL, there's no warm rinse option at all, all cold rinses.

 

[queeny77]

did you buy the extra colored knobs?

 

[jeffg]

>One thing I don't like about the latest models, even the TOL, there's no warm rinse option at all, all cold rinses. <

It's nothing a bit of extra plumbing can't fix.

 

[nmassman44]

Nope they didnt buy the colored knobs. I did mention it to them though. The max water level is below the top row of holes. I showed them how to add water by using the reset on the water level selector.
That agitator does a fantastic job at rollover. I forgot at just how well it does. No need for a dual action corkscrew here. To me its a hybrid of a Whirlpool Surgilator and a Maytag Powerfin. The curved vanes move the clothes to the bottom while the flex vanes push water thru the clothes. Very impressive.

 

[jeffg]

In case anyone is interested, the last TOL Speed Queen top-loader that has a warm water rinse is the AWS75NW. I wish our AWS76NW had one, but since we never use cold water for either washing or rinsing, we installed two Y-adapters (one at the hot water tap, and the other at the cold water inlet) and one extra hose segment.

The SQ top loaders do not have any kind of automatic temperature control (yay!), so it will give you whatever you give it for both hot and cold water.

 

[roto204]

Woo-hoo!

Jeff, you answered the $64,000 question for me--after using a DD Whirlpool that dumbs-down the hot temp (and realizing that I can defeat that by turning off the cold), I'm thrilled to hear that the SQ doesn't do that (and I loved the Amana I had in Missouri--well, at least until the brake was shot and the basket started to index all over the place ;-) ). I love a true, hot-water wash. (I'm not too depressed about the lack of warm rinses; I almost never use anything but cold, anyway, but then again, in California, that's not such an issue.)

With the Whirlpool, though, the trade-off was the few times I'd come in and notice the washer still sitting at the rinse, humming, because I'd forgotten to turn the cold water back on... :-

 

[mrb627]

Energy Guide Label

I noticed that on the Energy Label, this machine is listed about mid-range. Wonder who the worst offender is?

MRB

 

[jeffg]

> the trade-off was the few times I'd come in and notice the washer still sitting at the rinse, humming, because I'd forgotten to turn the cold water back on... :- <

Nate, we had a similar issue with the SQ. Before adding the splitters, we always had to wait until the first spin was done, then manually turn the dial to refill the tub with a wash cycle (being used as a rinse cycle, to force a warm water rinse). This was a royal pain, half the time we wouldn't catch it in time and the damned loads wound up being rinsed in cold water anyway. Finally we installed the extra plumbling and we haven't touched it since.

I understand some people prefer to save energy by using cold water, but cottons really do rinse much more thoroughly (and wrinkle much less) with warm water. Things like cotton dress shirts, dockers etc are ready to wear right out of the dryer.

 

[kenmore81]

Very Nice, I love the SS wash tub and dryer drum.If I do get a TL when my FL kicks it I think it will be a Speed Queen, If I had known they were still made for consumers to purchse in 2004I would have got a Fl SQ.My Kenmore is still under warranty untill 2011, I renewed the service, it has already paid for itslfe as I had the board fail and I broke the lock to get my clothes out. I can't help myself but to say Please have them change that vent hose,They are awful fire starters,They are actually made more of plastic than aluminum.The have a more riggid aluminum flex at the Depot for about 6 bucks. Sorry I said I couldnt help myself lol.

 

[rpm]

Just wondering.
If the washer is a one speed, how can it have a delicate and hand wash cycle?

 

[kenmore81]

Like my old Maytag, It just has like a 4-6 min wash instead of slowing/switching to low speed it just cuts off wash time.
To me the tag did well because it was kida gentle to the clothes but a 1 speed Shreddmore look out for grandmas sweater lol.

 

[nmassman44]

The delicate cycle is like Maytag Fabric Matics were like. The manual says to use a full washbasket of water and that way there is minimal contact with the agitator. It will agitate for a short time and then soak the do it again til the time is up on the wash phase.
I agree on the dryer vent. What was there was the semi rigid hose that I got for them at Lowes. The guys installing the machines took the vent hose and put this one on it . When I saw that I told my friends that its a hazard and that I will change it back for them. But on top of that the installers never left the manual packets for the washer and dryer. I wish they had called me so I could be there to make sure it was done right. I only found out after the fact they were delivered.

 

[kenmore81]

Id be right on the phone if I were them lol. Although it is pretty easy to get the mauals online,but still the point of new machines is having thier literature ;~)

 

[mrb627]

Dryer Drum

Glad to see that the dryer drum is stainless steel instead of the galvanized steel they had before. Much better looking.

MRB

 

[appnut]

Mike, is this a neutral drain or spin drain?

 

[angus]

Bob - Mine is the AWS75N and I couldn't be happier. Yes, it is a spin drain and i don't think that has changed in the past few years.

 

[nmassman44]

Its a spin drain. And its super effective too. When the water is mostly drained away the washer will cascade clean fresh water onto the load as its slowly spins. Then after the water is applied after about a minute it will rev up after the water shuts off. This effect alone drives the clear water thru the load. I couldnt believe that it was doing that. Then apply a 710 rpm spin and it really pulled the soapy water out of the clothes. The deep rinse was clear. No need for a 2nd deep rinse. Very effective rinsing. I double rinse everything and in a front loader have the extra rinse set. With this washer there is no need for a 2nd rinse. When my POS Maytag/Samsung Neppies kick I will be getting a set like this. I also like how fast the cycle times are on the washer. 35 mins for the Regular cycle. Not 2 hours I have to wait for the Maytag to get it over with. Plus it cleans better than a front loader I think.

 

[jeffg]

I wonder if any washer manufacturers have tested whether there's a difference between idle drains or spin drains, in the amount of wrinking and detergent residue left in clothing.

At least from my limited experience with both types, I still prefer an idle drain. I can't explain why, but it seems to leave clothes less wrinkled and better rinsed than spin drains, even with the same or similar spin speeds. I'm comparing e.g. a circa-1970 Lady Kenmore Series 80 (idle drain at 500RPM, if I remember correctly) vs. our current Speed Queen on slow speed (spin drain at 473RPM). The Sears washer produces less wrinkling.

 

[nmassman44]

I notice when I use a high spin in my front loaders that the clothes are very wrinkled. Not so much in a top loader and with the Speed Queen clothes come out well extracted but not wrinkled. Its not an issue I think if one uses a dryer. Line drying its more noticeable
After seeing this washer in action I prefer a spin drain. My Maytag 613 does a good job rinsing. My Whirlpool not so much. To me a neutral drain just strains the dirt back thru the clothes. Even though it is supposed to let the dirt and suds free flow out the basket I would rather have the water in motion so that it take with it the dirt and suds.

 

[yogitunes]

there was always something about a Speed Queen, whether a 1970 solid tub or the new ones, after a spin it just would not wrinkle anything, the clothes seemed to puff back up nice and fluffy, an lighly damp, unlike my mothers GE, it would spin those puppies tight to the wal of the tub, you need a crow bar to unpack them....