Need large TL suggestions

12 years ago

I've given up on my Kenmore Elite Oasis Canyon Capacity Top Loader (4.7 cu.ft, $950 in 2006) after years of issues (rocking, unbalanced load messages, impotent customer service and pointless control board replacements.

But it was great when it worked. We loved the absence of a central spindle, the quiet hum and the ease of washing any size comforters. Now, it is merely a huge, horrendously noisy, rocking bucket within a steel enclosure!!! :(

While the bells and whistles are neat in the modern HE washers of today, I'd give them up in a heartbeat in exchange for a solid reliable LARGE capacity top load washer.

I saw some bad stories about the Bravos and the LGs and I never want to ever see a Sears (May it die a graceful death) product again. What do I do? Should I blink twice, tap my feet and revisit the above three brands?

I read positive recommendations elsewhere in GW about the Speed Queen but as far as I can gather, the largest capacity available in SQ is 3.3cf. I'd love something larger.

Any suggestions for something really good and larger than that? I don't mind spending a bundle for a quality product where it is unlikely that I ever have to call the store/manufacturer ever again after the purchase!

Though we have an electric dryer, we air dry our clothes, if that is a criteria that might influence your suggestion.

And since once you top load, it is difficult to ever go back, I'd rather not review FrontLoader suggestions unless there is something really way outstanding that it must merit consideration.

Thank you.

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Comments (4)

gwarstong
12 years ago
Speed Queen has a lot of fans here but, I agree with you, the tub is smaller than the new HE/TL's. If tub-size and no agitator are your hot-buttons, HE models are the only TL's that come that way. At least it cuts down on your considerations.

Do have opinion that FL versions are superior, though. Seems to me the HE/TL's are busting their picks trying to provide equivalent results with low-water use and, frankly, they can't do it. You say "...difficult to go back..." and I don't quite get that. Dryers have been FL forever and nobody seems to mind. What's the big deal about loading/unloading washer the same way?

Anyway, that's just me. Good luck....and tell us what you decide in the end.
ariom
Original Author
12 years ago
Thank you for your reply, Gwarstong.

1. Given that absence of the agitator spindle and large tub-size (Oasis was 4.6cf) are indeed my primary considerations, I assume the Speed Queen 3.3cf models are my best reliable TL choice. Are there non-Bravo/LG/Kenmore choices out there that are considered good choices? Any European models perhaps?

2. I've been researching TL only because the wife has an antipathy to bending, which is required for FL washers. Perhaps there is a pedestal option with some of these? Would you recommend any large, non-agitator FL model? I'm open to splurging if the quality is evident. I might consider a dryer too since ours is 20+ years old, so I'm going to also look at w/d combinations.

3. While we try to be environmentally super-conscious in many different ways, for the purposes of soliciting suggestions on this topic, I would not look to the quantity of water consumption as an issue in washer selection. Thus, for this purpose, HE is not a requirement.

I hope to review all the related threads here in GW this weekend and share a shortlist of three candidates with the forum by then!

Any input welcome! :)
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gwarstong
12 years ago
There is a pedestal option for ALL of them. And if you don't like what's offered, they can be built. If the level of FL door is the only thing preventing consideration, I'd advise re-consideration. My FL bias was confessed earlier. I shall refrain from adding more here.

No FL has an agitator. Agitation is by lifting/dropping clothes during rotation of the drum.

For largest tub-size, though, you're still talking HE. Speed Queen does make front-loaders that use more water than others of similar size. Like their TL's, their FL's lack some bells and whistles but have a terrific reputation for reliability.

There are youtube videos available for almost any machine you can think of.

I would also give some consideration to service availability at your location.
whirlpool_trainee
12 years ago
All Sears branded top loaders are either LG (the ones with the all-stainless drum) or Whirlpool (the ones with the plastic base in the drum). Maytag is Whirlpool.

The nice thing about Speed Queen is that a load takes about 30 minutes to wash, so you can wash about 6.6 cu.ft. of laundry in the time it would take to run one load through an HE top loader. Of course, if you really wnat that large capacity, the Speed Queen won't fit the bill.

Can't really recommend the new HE top loaders. Water rarely seems to get above warm (Samsung even states that a hot Heavy Duty wash will be "acceptable bath water temperature") and some of these washers are rough on clothes like like this LG.

I'll link a recent discussion on HE top loader purchase below.

Alex

Here is a link that might be useful: POLL: TL HE Washer Purchase