SQ and CR 2021 Buying Guide

[supersurgilator]

Hey was just checking out the CR buying guide for 2021 and here is what I found. They tested a total of 17 agitator topload washers. The TR7 came in 3rd while the TC5 came in 5th. A much greater improvement than in recent years.

The TR7 scored a total of 63. It earned excellent in predicted reliability, owner satisfaction and vibration. It earned very good in gentleness, noise and energy efficiency. Good for water efficiency and fair for washing performance.

The TC5 scored a total of 62. It also scored excellent in predicted reliability, owner satisfaction and vibration. It got a very good in washing performance, a good for water efficiency and gentleness. Only receiving a fair score for energy efficiency and noise.

I know a lot of you don't care for these reports but I think they are fascinating. One thing I've noticed in recent years is it seems they go into much less depth than they used to.

 

[ea56]

I used to love Consumers Reports.  Their reviews were in depth and detailed back in the 70’s up to the early 90’s, using actual testing info from CR.  Then it seemed to me that the reviews began to lack the detail of old.  It almost appeared that many of the ratings were based mostly upon the survey info they received from CR subscribers.  I used to be a subscriber and when the detailed reviews stopped I didn’t renew my subscription.  

 

I remember that one of my aunts subscribed to CR in the 50’s and 60’s and I used to read her issues cover to cover when I was visiting her home.  Now those reviews were very detailed, lots of pictures of the CR testing process.  Then  you could really rely on a CR review when making a purchase, now not so much.

 

Eddie

 

[kenwashesmonday]

I'm curious what CR's #1 top loader is.

 

[lakewebsterkid]

#1 TL in CR with an agitator?

Should be the LG WT7305

 

[panasonicvac]

What about the matching SQ dryers? And what about the FF7 front loader, what score did that one get?

 

[petek]

I don't get why a washer TR7 with a washing performance 2 out 5 stars gets a higher rating than the TC5 with a washing performance 4 out of 5 stars. Yes there's some other difference but washing performance is sort of key I think.

The magazine version of CR is pretty much useless nowadays with its lack of detail for appliance ratings and reviews. You need the online version to get all the details.

 

[maytag85]

CR isn’t consistent or detailed for that matter anymore. The TR Series of 2018 Speed Queen washers were terrible compared to the 2017 and earlier models and could barley get anything cleaned without using a insane amount of water if it were to fill the darned thing with 5 tub fulls of water (pre wash, main wash, rinse, second rinse, third rinse) and still wouldn’t be as good as a 2017 Speed Queen washer in terms of washing and rinsing performance.

 

[keith]

My 2018 TR5 get my mechanic clothes, my wife’s hairdressing clothes and my daughters farm clothes clean. Didn’t get as good results on the CR test as our previous washer (Kenmore FL) but does just as good when properly loaded in our ‘real life’ tests. CR uses ‘normal’ mode for everything. If I used normal mode on my TR it doesn’t do very good, because we’re not washing normal clothes, heavy duty is what we leave ours on. No second rinse.

From what I’ve heard The problem with CR testing is that some manufacturers will ‘teach to the test’. Basically making the machine so it will pass their tests even at the sacrifice of everyday use.

 

[lakewebsterkid]

Keith

I couldn’t agree with you more!
I feel like the new Electrolux and Whirlpool built machines avoid the interim spin between the rinses you save time and water consumption. No interim spin means you need less water in the final rinse to reach an ideal water level. Plus, no rinse interim spin will not make all that profound of a difference in cleaning after only one cycle in CRs testing. After multiple cycles, I would imagine it would! No to mention that one would have dingy and stiff clothes. Most consumers wouldn’t know either way though!
Not to mention how a machine would perform in CR testing if a true 100°F wash was legal. Whew.

 

[appnut]

If I had one of the current Whirlpools, I'd determine which "what to wash/how to wash" combination(s) would always have interim spins between rinses. Most people, unless they are "enlightened", simply pick normal cycle. That's the last cycle I pick.

 

[petek]

CR has to use the "normal" cycle for their testing and results because that is the setting upon which the manufacturers energy star ratings are based on. Even though it may not be the ideal setting for a particular owners situation it still gives everyone a valid comparison of how well each make/model performs against another make model on their respective "normal" settings.

In real life, not AW org members lives, it's likely 90% of people out there are 90% of the time just going to just toss their clothes in, add detergent, turn their machine on,press the start button and walk away.

I wouldn't buy a washer that only garnered a fair or good rating when I know that there are machines out there that get very good or excellent washing performance ratings