Best Choice
The best choice, of course, for each of us is not necessarily the best choice for you. The best choice for you is the one that meets your primary criteria. Some people base their choice primarily on the time period of manufacture, some on the brand, some of particular performance feature and/or innovation. Some on ease of repair.....ad infinitum.
What you get from us is our opinions based on our criteria (and our biases).
My top three personal favorites are:
GE Filter-Flo extra large capacity model with ramped agitator and warm rinse option and extra rinse option--fantastic lint removal, spin drain, good desudsing, I can pack the tub absolutely to the top and I still get great turnover and good washing performance. Very easy to do the most common repairs. Has nice long spray rinse...with warm spray yet!
Frigidaire 1-18 Jet Action--What a fun machine! From the moment you turn it on it's unique with the 360 degree circular spray fill. The up and down action agitator is cool and gives great turnover..if (and a big if) it's not overloaded. Depending on what you are washing you may have to load well below capacity to get good turnover. If you fill it with heavy blue jeans, for example, they will just bob up and down--zer turnover. A great rinser like the GE FF with nice long, and warm spray rinse, knocks down heavy suds FAST. Lint removal is only so so, but that's just a minor issue. Too bad General Motors got out of the appliance business.
Westinghouse Laundromat Front Loader and White-Westinghouse front loaders using Westinghouse's original design--pull up a chair and watch it work. More fun than color TV. Unbelievably simple chassis-- basically a motor, pump, solenoid and belts/pulleys. No transmission. A solenoid kicks in (LOUDLY) to tighten the spin belt against the pulley and WHAM, instant spin. No slow ramp up or periods of trying to balance the load like today's front loaders. Imbalances are damped out by simple rubber snubbers on metal plates. Easy to do most needed repairs. However, when it kicks into spin it doesn't care if the load is balanced or not, it just goes for it. So beware when it gets out of balance you will know it. Also a slower spin speed that the GE or Frigidaire so your clothes may take a bit longer to dry.
(Never had a Westinghouse Top Loader, would kill to have one like the one in the picture.)
These are my personal favorites..
Others on this site will have their own favorites and opinions. Sadly some will try to build their ego by denigrating your opinions and your favorites because they don't agree with theirs. That's not right. We should be positive and enjoy the diversity of each others opinions on this site, not attack others for it. Sharing our thoughts and opinions is enjoyable and how we learn!
Listening to our opinions might help you make your initial choice(s), but nothing beats actually finding vintage washers at Thrift Stores, garage sales, Craiglist, and even on the curb. Cleaning, fixing them up and performance testing them (to the ability you have the time, space and money.) gets addictive. You will eventually find the ones you like keep those as your treasures and sell or give away the ones you don't want. In time you will find what is "best" for you.
I will you well in finding the washer that is your dream machine!!
