You need to be careful about HE. They in general do not put a lot of water in the machine.

There are so many choices in laundry appliances that you will need to be more specific on what functions are "must haves" and what are not required. For example, will the set be used to wash heavy work clothes or camping gear, large quilts or just clothes for a retired couple?

What do you mean by "top-down" washer? Do you mean the laundry is loaded into the machine from the top as opposed to the front of the machine? That would be top loader versus front loader. Most traditional washers in the US have been top loaders. Best top loaders currently available are made by Speed Queen. I believe their models will meet your width requirements. All washers sold in the US must conform to the federal regulations regarding water usage, i.e. all rinses are cold and the normal cycle will use much less water than an old traditional top load washer. The newer so called "he" top loaders which do not have an agitator don't do a very good job of cleaning the clothes. See other threads in this forum. There are other choices with front load washers which are not difficult to run. Some of the compact front loaders e.g. Electrolux are only 24" wide. Most dryers offer a choice of where the lint is collected either on the top or in the door. Do you want a dryer door that swings either to the left or the right or a hamper style door that drops open from the top? Are you looking for a conventional vented dryer or the newer condensation dryers? If it is a vented dryer consider the length of the run to the outside. The long lengths of flexible pipe used in years past are no longer permitted due to safety hazards. Do you want to consider a stacked laundry set? It will save space but might be a problem for very elderly people with reach issues. There are models with both front loaders and top loaders and a matching stacked dryer. What is your budget?

A bit more information might help us give you better suggestions.

Clothes for a retired couple and a working person basically is what the machine would mostly be used for.

By "top-down" I do mean "the laundry is loaded into the machine from the top as opposed to the front of the machine". The front of the machine would require bending, and this would be too much for some people in my family.

I want the lint to be collected from the door, NOT the top.
I probably want a dryer door that swings to the left or right. A top loader dryer would be fine ONLY IF lint can be collected from toward the bottom of the dryer where the lint remover would be if the dryer door was swinging left or right (I think.)
My family would have trouble with cleaning lint from the top.

I do NOT want a stacked laundry set. I could deal with stacked, but it would get in the way of my cabinets anyway and my family could not deal with stacked.

After my own research, a seller told me that only Samsung currently sells the pre-wash addition to their washers. Samsung, Kenmore, and Speed Queen all seem to be worth considering the most from what I have found below.

http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/news/2014/09/the-pros-and-cons-of-high-efficiency-washers/index.htm
Cons of HE
-bending down
-washing waterproof items

http://applianceassistant.com/New-Appliances/Most-Reliable-Washing-Machines.php?PageSpeed=noscript
Samsung looks good and Kenmore too for durability

https://www.reddit.com/r/BuyItForLife/comments/1xkuws/what_is_a_good_washerdryer_combo/
Speed Queen possibly

http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/2013/04/find-the-best-washing-machines/index.htm
Samsung, Kenmore, LG, Maytag

My budget is probably about $2000, but I don't want to spend the limit if I don't need to.

Thank you!

A washer will require bending unless you get a front-loader with the risers. Top-loaders require bending your entire back and reaching down into the machine. I skipped getting the risers with my current FL because I didn't store anything in them with my last set. While I need the exercise (!), I've found that just rotating the tub of the FL allows me to get that last washcloth without too much strain. Buttons, dials or digital can both be confusing on new machines. If the primary launderer has vision problems then a combination button/dial/digital display may be their best option. As long as the print is clear and the lighting is good, both inside and outside the machine, the learning curve should be short. The newer machines can do everything but back-flips. I'm extremely hard-of-hearing and I simply don't hear the chimes, end of cycle or anything except the rushing of the water into the washer. This is another issue you may want to consider for the primary launderer if they're drying prone-to-wrinkle items and nobody wants to iron. I don't hear my coffee maker, the timers on the stove, the doorbell, etc, so I rely on lights and my watch.

Thank you Moroseaz. The primary washer seems to have debilitating skills when it comes to anything digital, so that is pretty much out of the question unfortunately. Also, the primary washholder does understand that there would be bending down to get the clothes inside the machine, and that does not bug her. There is no room for me to put a stand in to consider raising a front loader either. Thank you for your help :)

I have an Electrolux, washer and dryer both on a pedestals. I use those pedestal drawers for all my soaps and dryer sheets. These pedestals raise the machines so high, there is no bending at all...straight on. Reminds me of an SUV. You just reach in and out. No stooping at all except to get the detergent out of the pedestal drawer.

Makes life so easy. I don't know the measurements but can measure tomorrow.

Jane

Be sure you try reaching into an HE Top Loader before buying because most of them now are really deep. I looked in a Kenmore recently and was very surprised how deep it was. Have a friend with a Samsung and it doesn't half clean and she uses Heavy Duty cycle all the time.

The Electrolux is deep, but because it is waste height, it doesn't require stooping. Its in front of you. Much easier to deal with.

Jane

I have an electrolux washer and really like it. It has an electronic interface but it seems quite user friendly to me. The types of washes that you can select are listed in the manual too. I recommend that the primary user read the manual fir the macines yoy are contemplating begore you buy them. They are available online, as are the installation instructions which shoukd also be read before purchasing. In your original post you note that the machine cannot be larger than 35 inches in width. My interior doors are not 30 inches wide. You need to check all of the doors through which your machine must pass before you buy.