The New SQ TL Washers

[Chetlaham]

"For most cycles, you still get a full tub of water for wash and rinse and the temperature you select for washing is still hot or warm or cold and not blended"

Wait, is my leg being pulled here? Because that is to good to be true. If that is true my respect for SQ just went up in that they could have ditched that all together. Glad to see an effort to give customers what they want.

 

[user 3941]

F&P TopLoader

I got mine this past Saturday and I have to say it's a very good machine, aside from the fabric softener dispenser, which will dump the FS in the spray rinse, regardless if you select the FS option (which adds a deep rinse in addition to a spray rinse). That is extremely frustrating and all I can gather is that in the manual they discourage the use of liquid "conditioner", so my guess is it's intentional to reduce scrud build up...still, I'm not happy BUT...

Rollover is excellent...yes it's a straight vane but it has very vigorous agitation and it does rollover well, as long as water level is proper. It does have an auto level, which I discovered works good for smaller loads. Larger ones it actually estimates very well, but it's just not enough to get good rollover. But nice thing is you can over ride it easily after.

It's extremely quiet as well. So for the most part I'm very happy with it...just that dang FS option! haha I may try a Downy Ball to see if that works better.

 

[brucelucenta]

joeypete

So did you get the new 2018 model? If it has a straight vane agitator, it sounds like you did. Does the entire tub move back and forth to wash?

 

[frigilux]

I think joeypete bought a Fisher & Paykel, not a Speed Queen.

 

[gusherb]

I considered one of those F&P machines in lieu of the SQ TL. Ultimately I had my heart set on the SQ, which actually ended up costing less than the F&P. Still curious to use one and see how it performs compared to the SQ though, I believe those machines can use a ton of water with the right settings. 

 

[mark_wpduet]

Confused -

You said it now has a "proper" neutral drain as if it's a good thing they no longer do spin drains? I thought all the washer fanatics loved spin drains? I remember my Grandma's Frigidaire would spin a tub full of water out in no time, and I always hated the fact that our Lady Kenmore didn't do that. I think spin drains are better unless there's something I'm missing.

 

[appnut]

SQ was the last to have two major things

And old-fashioned agitator washer and a solid tub washer with overflow rinsing. 

 

[user 3941]

Yes i did buy the FP. It's probably comparable to the SQ. Very user friendly and you are able to adjust things to your desire. I liked it for the larger capacity, and considering I just barely fit all my towels in it's 3.9 cu ft tub, I'm glad I bought it over the SQ.

It's kind of like when I switched from Windows to Mac...a little weird but I learned to love it immensely. I'm sure it will be the same for the FP.

Yesss it's uses a shit ton water. LOL. But it's temp efficient with the Eco Active re-circulation spray. I'm not in a drought area so I'm happy.

 

[rapunzel]

The SQ still uses a shit ton of water, especially if one selects the three deep rinses over the eco rinse option. That's the whole point, isn't it? Having that choice to either go with the water saver option or not to.

The same applies to Fisher and Paykel. Depending on the model most of them give the option of an auto sense fill or manual water level select. The default, to my understanding, is the intuitive eco option that comes on every time the machine is turned on. This option is supposed to only fill the washer through auto sense and with only as much water as is absolutely necessary for the load size and fabric mix to be washed. In the manuals it is described as using almost as little water as a front loader would do for the same size and type of load. The load is fully saturated, but not to the point that it is fully suspended in the water. Combined with the eco rinse it is meant to be almost equivalent to a front loader wash in water consumption and wash action. However, if intuitive eco is deselected, the washer fills and operates like a regular top loader. Both the straight vane agitator and low profile wash plate are designed to allow for such low water volume and still thoroughly agitate clothes without excessive wear and tear.

F&P also offers five different water temperatures, which the machine will mix and sense. With hot being tap hot, hot/warm equal to 40C (104F), warm 30C (86F), warm/cold 20C (68F) and cold being tap cold.

Now, getting back to the 2018 SQ model using the agitub system. A picture of the agitator for the new model was posted earlier. It really dosen't look like that much. One would think that with an agitub they ought to incorporate structures in the spin tub that cause more water turbulence when the tub is spun to create agitation. Will the clothes still move through the water as vigorously and in the same toroidal movement with the new system?

The service tech response mentioned further regulatory compliance making desing changes necessary. However, many markets that SQ sells to do not apply American regulations. Thus, one would assume that SQ may still manufacture regular, belt driven agitator washers for overseas consumers. At least I would hope so. By making such a fundamental change to their top loaders, I feel that they are dumbing down their design. [this post was last edited: 11/8/2017-04:03]

 

[user 3941]

Yes, that's what I like about the FP is that the agitator model (at least in the US), is not an HE machine. The auto level works decent actually, though I discovered that while washing bedding it's best to select the water level manually.

Best thing I like is that the water temp isn't dumbed down, unless you want it to be. I selected warm and it felt almost hot to me...haha. Nice! I turned controlled cold on instead of tap cold because out tap water gets pretty chilly in NH this time of year.

It's a very cool machine.

 

[agiflow2]

Joeypete, how does the F&P compare to your Maytag Bravos ?

 

[user 3941]

It's a completely different machine honestly. The Maytag, while able to be filled completely, was still an HE machine at heart. The FP is not an HE machine, it fills traditionally and has more control over options, which I liked better.

The Maytag is probably a better cleaner, though it did take longer, but would clean anything. The FP has done a good job so far but it's cycles are timed more like a regular washer. I'll probably notice the biggest difference on my whites. The Maytag cleaned them spotless, with little to no pretreatment. My other stuff doesn't get that dirty so I won't be able to see a difference. But like I said, I like the more traditional setup of the FP.

 

[agiflow2]

Cool. Hope you get years of good service.

 

[DADoES]

 
To clarify on Rapunzel/Olav's F&P detail for agitator models ... only the initial Eco Active pretreatment is at the low-water saturation level, at the selected temperature.  The Eco Active solution is not drained, a traditional agitated wash follows at either an auto-sensed or a manually-selected water level, with the fill being at controlled-cold (Regular, Heavy, Delicate, Quick cycles).

Only the Regular & Heavy cycles default to an eco/shower rinse (like SQ's Normal Eco cycle but designed differently and IMO more effective).  Softener option changes it to an agitated rinse.

WashSmart's Allergy cycle fills to the selected level fully at the selected temperature, no controlled-cold is involved (and it does two deep agitated rinses).  JoeyPete has confirmed that Allergy defaults to Hot but any temp can be selected.  Can also fill it on Allergy, then change the cycle (manually select the same water level) and it'll happily run along with Hot water (or whatever temp) on whichever cycle.

Software revisions vary the temperatures across the range of models, production years, market areas, etc.
Target temps on my 2004 IWL12 Intuitive Eco (per Diagnostic Mode).  A submenu provides adjustment (in °C) of -6, -4, -2, 0, +2, +4, +6.
- Hot = 69°C (156.2°F, equivalent to tap hot)
- Warm/Hot = 51°C (123.8°F, also equivalent to tap hot for most households per typical water heater settings)
- Warm = 46°C (114.8°F)
- Warm/Cold = 34°C (93.2°F)
- Cold+ (Controlled Cold) = 16°C (60.8°F)
- Cold = tap

Perm Press or Easy Iron or Creasables, as the cycle is variously called, is usually designed as a traditional wash without Eco Active.  The Creasables option on my IWL12 does run Eco Active, raises the auto-sensed water level one level higher (not higher than High, of course) after sensing is done, and has two agitated rinses.

 

[gelaundry4ever]

new speed queen

I believe speed queen tweeked their wash action to be more aggressive with slightly less strokes. I also believe they call their wash system the perfectwash.

 

[gelaundry4ever]

speed queen washing shirts

Here's a video of the new speed queen washing shirts.

 

[combo52]

SQ TR Models Reply # 163 &164 Tests

Just Pathetic , An hour to wash 15 shirts that are not even dirty, and over an hour to wash a small load of small shop towels, they should have compared the results to also doing the same loads in a SQ TC 5000 and a SQ FL washer.

 

There should have been a comparison of total water, total hot water and time, and a comparison of actual before and after results to a TC5000.

 

Speed Queen knows these washers do not excel in performance, this is the reason the old machine is still in production for commercial use and the TC5000 is now the best selling TL washer for home use.

 

[Chetlaham]

Will they ever bring back mech timers?

 

[gelaundry4ever]

mech timers

I highly doubt it.

 

[gelaundry4ever]

speed queen

At least speed queen is offering more choices. At least we can get their front loader, their classic series and the perfect wash series.

 

[gelaundry4ever]

another speed queen

Here's the latest perfect wash video of the latest iteration.

 

[gelaundry4ever]

speed queen dirt test

Here's the dirt test.

 

[gelaundry4ever]

second iteration

Here's the second iteration

 

[combo52]

Only 5 Jeans in a 22 pound capacity washer

Such BS, they are more wet than dirty, he should go get 10 pairs of dirty jeans from the local auto body shop and wash them in this washer and as a control run an identical load through a SQ TC5000.

 

The amount of time, hot and cold water and electricity used and weight of the clothing at the end of the cycle then compare the results.

 

The new TR machine will win on electrical consumption and on water extraction, you will save about 1 cent in power consumption to run the washer and 5 cents to 14 cents when drying the clothing depending on whether a gas or electric dryer, but you will have ten pairs of jeans that are very noticeable dirtier with the TR, we have done multiple very dirty load tests at our shop.

 

A super capacity DD WP-KM will beat the tc a little in overall cleaning but be a little worse in water extraction than the TC.

 

John L.

 

[maytag85]

Old thread

I am still not too thrilled about Speed Queen’s 2018 design since the wash action is lethargic, and uses a absurd amount of water compared to the models that preceded them. Admittedly, they have worked out a few bugs but still don’t wash or rinse as well compared to 2017 and older models.

Pretty much my folks wanted a Speed Queen set when we were supposed to move to Idaho (plans changed and haven’t moved yet) but since the design changed in 2018, I told them not to get it since it had poor washing and rinsing performance and was more expensive than the models that preceded them as well.

Speed Queen may have went back to the drawing board and brought back the old design but still doesn’t seem quite the same and am not too fond of the first slow spin since it doesn’t spin out enough of the soapy water and detergent resulting in suds in the rinse water.