Are Speed Queen Washers Worth It ?

[Randy Rooster]

We are finally biting the bullet and buying a new washing machine. One without bells and whistles but want one that is going to last. I priced the speed queen top loader and it is about $850 with tax. A comparable GE is about $ 300 less. Speed Queen comes with a 3 year warranty -the GE with only one. SWMBO wants to go with the cheaper one. I say you get what you pay for. Wondering what you alls experience is and wht you think?

[plowhand]

My cousin sells them to hotels at Myrtle Beach and says they'll hold up about 5 years at that level of use.......Imagine the difference between home and hotel use........

[Harry Chickpea]

You can get aftermarket warranties on appliances. I would get the cheaper one, a 3 year extended warranty, and invest the $300 elsewhere. Buying "names" in appliances no longer has the meaning it did in the 1960s and earlier.

[SouthGAMan]

We have a large household (6 kids) and had a speedqueen last for 7 years before we had any issues with it. I was quite satisfied.

[Ozarks Tom]

We bought a GE 4.1 cf with all the bells and whistles. Little bitty agitator going up and down caused very little movement in clothes. Wouldn't get whites clean. Tub would only fill up 1/2 way, so why have a big tub? We got rid of it after 9 months.

Bought a Speed Queen, probably the one you're looking at. Full agitator moves clothes, gets everything clean. No electronics to go out, all mechanical switches. Made in the USA. Take the back off (easy) and turn a screw 1/4 turn to increase the water level in the tub (EPA limits what the tubs should hold). We're very satisfied with the machine.

[Jokarva]

Bought our Speed Queens 3 years ago when we moved down to NC (didn't pay that much for them though...maybe $600 each), I wanted something well built and reliable that didn't have any electronics. Only two of us so we don't do tons of laundry, but they've been trouble free, the washer gets clothes clean using very little detergent and spins them nearly dry...I like them - and they are made in America!

[Helena]

Some name brands are made from the same company so a name doesn't mean much to me. Buy what you can afford and get an extended warranty too. Have a front loading Whirlpool for the last 4 years. Had their repairman out twice for the seal in front was leaking Nothing I could not have fixed myself if no warranty. My "backup" is my 50 year old wringer washer that I use during the summer months outside. Good Luck with your decision...

[copperkid3]

Check the Consumer's Report ratings on the various models;
if you're not a subscriber, most public libraries have it available
and will save you money in the long haul by comparing what 1000's
of other folks have already experienced.

[BigHenTinyBrain]

We went through 3 washers in 5 years- Whirlpool, GE and some older one, may have also been a Whirlpool. 2 of those were purchased brand new. Farm clothes, construction clothes and 2 young boys... all the washers eventually stopped agitating or spinning, and one had multiple repairs.
Speed Queen on year 2+, still does the job without a squeak or thump. Gets everything clean, has a minimal amount of useless options, holds a big load. I'm not usually willing to spend more on an appliance, since they all seem to fall apart anyways, but I'm convinced about this brand.

[Kasota]

I have Whirlpool that I bought used about 8 years ago for 100.00 off Craig's List and she was several years old at the time. I'm her third owner. She's still running along as well as she ever did and for 100.00 she sure doesn't owe me anything. Looks like brand new, too. Not so much as a scratch. My dryer is maybe 25 years old. I would like to replace it but it still runs well enough.