Best washing machines

[Mark-DuCo]

Well my old Kenmore washer is finally starting to give out, so I am in the market for a new washer. I honestly don't really know what makes a good washer these days, so I'm hoping some people here will. Mainly looking to see if any brand is better quality than others.

I want to stick to a top load washer, and I like the clear lid option to be able to make sure its working right without opening the lid. I noticed a lot of them either have a very small agitator or non at all, which seems like they wouldn't clean as well, but I could be wrong. It is just me and my son at the house so I don't need a big one.

 

[Bugzilla]

The ex wasn’t as good as the current Mrs. Bugz!

We got new Samsung‘s a little over a year ago and have been happy. Mainly because of the high ratings. Cant open the lid on the washer once the cycle starts. Guess too many people were trying to get in. Stupid safety device.

They don’t make them to last more than 5 years it seems.

 

[Bill2905]

It seems to be hit or miss on appliances these days. I'm not convinced that Consumer Reports is a reliable indicator either.

On the advice of an appliance repairman who was visiting my house too frequently, we bought a commercial heavy duty Speed Queen toploader. I don't have the model in my memory banks but it is old school with electromechanical controls and no circuit boards. It is noisy but it has been a very good machine for 5 years or so. I recall that it was manufactured in Wisconsin. I don't know if they are still available like this or if they gone the way of modern electronics.

 

[PapaScout]

New washers suck. Spend $6-700 and be prepared to toss it in five years.

 

[Thegeek]

The cheapest and simplest are the best. The new HE washers with no central agitator are crap.

 

[Lpherr]

We got the LG. It's been good for over four years now.
It has the clear lid, and it can be opened if the cycle is stopped.
It also doesn't have the agitator (like the old styles), it has the agitator in the bottom.
We were reluctant to get that style, but it does much better than we expected. It uses much less detergent also, being HE.
It has the self balancing drum, and it's pretty quiet.

 

[eldirector]

My BIL is an appliance repairman. He would agree with PapaScout.

Buy a name brand with the features you want, and be happy if you get 5 years before the motor or control board cooks. Having an extended warranty only matters a small amount, as the parts will simply not be available much beyond that.

 

[Zeb]

We buy Roper brand that we get from Lowe's. The first one we had lasted almost 20 years and that's doing laundry for 6 kids. We are now into our 4th year on our second one and it's going strong. They are a bare bones, basic machine that have served us well for years.

 

[Shadow01]

Speed queen. They don’t have a glass lid, but they make their residential machines the same way they make their commercial laundromat machines. 7 years in on our set and so far no issues.

 

[jerrob]

I have the same Maytag set I bought in '06. They've never required any service, just get an annual, once over cleaning. I do not expect to ever duplicate such reliability as the opinions already stated are, IMHO, spot on. Appliances aren't made like they used to, keep em clean and serviced as needed and you can stretch out their service life as much as possible.

 

[ancjr]

I've never lived in a house that didn't have Maytags in it. Never wore one out. I leave them when I move.

 

[indyblue]

I have Whirlpool. The dryer is still going after 21+ years and I just replaced the washer 2 years ago because no replacement part was available anymore. I always repair my own appliances when possible.

Whirlpool dishwasher is going on 15 after replacing the wash pump a couple months ago for $180. Super simple to fix, the hardest part was getting it out from under the counter and disconnecting water & power. About 90 minutes total.

 

[firecadet613]

I have the same Maytag set I bought in '06. They've never required any service, just get an annual, once over cleaning. I do not expect to ever duplicate such reliability as the opinions already stated are, IMHO, spot on. Appliances aren't made like they used to, keep em clean and serviced as needed and you can stretch out their service life as much as possible.

Maytags from '04 here. They are still going strong!

I've had to replace a leaky pump in the washer and the heating element in the dryer. Keeping it simple with these would be wise.

My kid brother bought the latest and greatest Samsung a few years ago and has already had to replace them...

 

[oze]

I can give a hearty Do Not Buy recommendation on the Maytag front-loading Neptune series. Unless things have drastically changed for the better in the last 9 years.

 

[Brandon]

I'd run away from samsung as fast as yoh possibly can. Not what they were 20 years ago.

 

[SAILORGOLF46]

Whirlpool here last 16 yrs, washer no issues, replaced heating element in dryer $60 and 20 min job. These units have been ran alot. My wife thinks 5 peices of clothing is a load. Parts are available for Whirlpool and believe they are still made in Louisville Ky.

 

[Pepi]

I think 'most' washers are made by Whirlpool nowadays. Whirlpool is known to make JUNK. I can make a dryer last for years but a washer .... Nope

I've got a double-stack Maytag system bought before Whirlpool started making them. I'm going on 22 years but the washer is getting very noisy.

 

[Butch627]

Before I bought by last machine about 5 years ago I did some research and found a forum where people were talking washing machines. Speed queen was the overwhelming favorite and they had a bunch of tricks and trips about modding them. One I used was a clothes pin to lock out the lid so you can open it without shutting the machine off. Happy with My Speed Queen.

 

[dieselrealtor]

NOT SAMSUNG, every single samsung appliance I have purchased has failed miserably.

My SIL bought the Speed Queen old school top loading washer several years ago, still working fine. We would have bought the same but needed a front loader due to not wanting to stress an old septic system with a lot of water. Bought a GE front loader about 3-4 years ago & it is still fine.

 

[ditcherman]

-1 on the Samsung as well, sporadic leaks and low quality.
Have an LG direct drive, no impeller and it gets things perfectly clean, and if I don’t come home covered in mud or oil I must not have left.
One of my favorite things about it is that once you start it, it fills, instead of shutting on and off. The last couple were hard on my constant pressure well system, dribbling water in on and off. The other favorite is the water plus feature, fills it up, gets it clean.