How I test them:

The grading scale

The review:

Performance:

Cost

Build Quality

Longevity

Personal Opinion

After the post-Speed Queen apocalypse, (read more about that HERE ), I found myself unable to sell ANY new washers to my customers. Thankfully I had the sense to stock up on 2017 model Speed Queens so I had some time to figure out a replacement. (sorry, all the 2017’s are sold) I found this washer and (most) of my prayers were answered. 

How I test them:

I physically buy these machines, hook them up in my store and run them at least 10 times until I get a feel for how they work.  I do my own laundry in these machines to give a true “real world” test. 

The grading scale

My grading scale is 1-100, based on the following factors:   1. performance (20pts) 2. cost    (20pts) 3. build quality (repair-ability) (20pts) 4. how long I think it will last. (20pts) 5. My general feelings towards the machine (20pts)   Just for the record, I don’t believe any appliance will ever, ever get a score of 100.  I don’t even think there will be any in the 90’s, but I guess we’ll see.   

The review:

This washer blew me away when I first tested it. In the vast sea of crap washing machines, this little gem really shines.   Never have I ever thought I would find a new washer that performs almost as well as my coveted vintage washers.  

Performance:

Maytag finally made something that is worthy of their name.  Let me be up front: There are a lot of crap Maytag washers out there, but this one is not crap.  In fact, its one of the best I have ever tested.  It fills up all the way with water, it circulates the clothes properly, it rinses well.  The Maytag Commercial actually cleans clothes… Imagine that.  

Cost

This washer has a MSRP of around $879, but most are selling in the $799 range.  Pretty good value based on the performance it delivers.

Build Quality

This part is going to be a bit tricky.  This washer is relatively new, so there is not really enough data to come to a conclusion.  It looks really well built, the panels feel stiff, like real metal kind of stiff.  It doesnt look real fancy, although I find it to be very attractive. I guess its in the eye of the beholder.  

Basically every part looks like one of their basic residential parts, just beefier.  

Longevity

The Maytag does come with a 5 YEAR parts and Labor warranty.  This warranty comes directly from Maytag. Ive heard of a few reports of some washers being delivered “dead on arrival” but not really enough to make me feel concerned. At this time, I cant really say if it will be a reliable machine with 100% certainty, but I think it going to be a winner.

Personal Opinion

I was so pleased with how this washer performs that I started selling it in my store.  This washer is not a huge capacity, nor is it particularly energy efficient.  At 3.5 cubic feet, you can comfortably wash 6 full size bath towels with some room to spare.  The Maytag will actually clean them, which is something of a rarity these days with washers.  It will also do it in less than 3 hours.  A typical cycle on the MT is about 40 minutes.  

If you are at your wit’s end with washers that have poor performance, stink, leak, break down, and shake all over the place, Take a look at this Maytag.  Im not saying “take a look at Maytag”, Im saying “take a look at THIS Maytag”.  This particular model #MVWP575G is unlike all the rest of the Maytags. 

Watch all the videos on this washer HERE

The LG dryer that I tested was the DLE1501W.  I had it mated with the WT1501CW. The review for that washer is HERE.  This LG dryer is a near EXACT copy of the word famous (amongst us service guys) Whirlpool 27″ D.O.T.T. dryer.  Tried and true performance, easy to service.  LG spiced it up with some electronic gizmos to really bring it in to the 21’st century.  The very clever engineers at LG likely thought ” if it is’nt broke, why fix it?”

How I test them:

I physically buy these machines, take them home, and use them for at least 60 days, all the way up to 6+ months.  I have children, and they get EVERYTHING dirty. Needless to say I have a never ending supply of dirty laundry.

The grading scale

Cost

MSRP of $799, but you can typically find them for around $550 or so. It’s neither expensive nor inexpensive.

Build Quality

LG is totally respectable when it comes to quality.  They basically copied an old Whirlpool dryer that was proven, and made it a bit better with electronics and such.  The result is a more precise drying experience.

Longevity

It’s almost comical that I can basically tell my customers in advance when their LG dryer is going to break.  Weak points on LG (as with most dryers) are belt, heating element, drum supports.  You should expect to get 7 or so years before its first breakdown, and about another 7 years after that.  The key to making a dryer last a long time is to regularly clean the lint trap and the exhaust ducting.

Personal Opinion

I consider myself to be a kind of all Americn type of person.  I shop local, mostly a small businesses, and I like to buy american made products.  The only thing that is more important to me is buying a QUALITY product.  LG makes a great product and quite simply, the american companies are just playing catch up.  I would much rather buy an all American product, but until we make something better than LG, LG will continue to gain market share.

Speed Queen completely redesigned their top load washer for 2018. It is really different fom the previous generation. Really, really different.

Applicable models:

TR3000WN, TR5000WN, TR7000WN, AWNE9RSN115TW01

How I test them:

I physically buy these machines, take them home, and use them for anywhere between 60 days, and all the way up to 6+ months.  I have children, and they get EVERYTHING dirty. Needless to say, I have a never-ending supply of dirty laundry. After my wife threatened me with divorce, I just started bringing my laundry to my shop for testing.  That is how I tested this Speed Queen.

The grading scale

The review:

At first, I was very optomistic about the new design.  The new washer does not agitate like a traditional top loader.  The new Queen uses an “Agi-Tub” design, meaning that the agitator is physically bolted to the wash tub.  During agitation, the spin basket and the agitator move as one single unit. This method has been tried many times in the past. Frigidaire came out with something back in the late 70’s, and again around 2012.  Both of them failed miserably.  The TR7 is a slightly different version of the same thing.  It certainly performs better than the first two “Agi-Tubs”, but that is just about where it ends.

With small loads and flexible fabrics, this washer does OK.  Not great, but OK. Its when you start doing full loads and stiffer fabrics that this machine basically falls flat on it’s face.  I tried washing 5 pair of my fleece lined work pants, and I got zero “turnover” (clothes circulation), and worse, I wound up with soap stains on my pants after the load was complete.  Thinking I made a mistake loading, or perhaps I tried the wrong cycle, I retried this same test 4 more times.  My results were pretty consistent.  I washed a variety of different loads, including whites (underwear and undershirts), shirts, pants, a queen set of sheets, a queen comforter, a load of hand towels, and more. 90% of the loads I tried were flat out unacceptable.

The bottom line…. This washer does not perform very well.

Cost

At around $1100, this washer is more expensive than the previous generation, and also more expensive than better performing models by other manufacturers.

Build Quality

I have nothing but praise here.  This washer is the best built washer I have ever seen.  It has very few moving parts, rock solid electronics, and a lot of heavy steel components.

Longevity

I truly think this washer can last every bit of 15 years before needing any kind of service.  Looking at the guts of this machine, I really can’t see any weak spot in the build.  Im sure that SQ left no stone unturned here.  Every part is over built, and nothing in this washer feels “cheap”.  Time will tell.

Personal Opinion

Several months ago I started publishing full wash videos on my YouTube account.  A lot of people wanted to actually see how the machine performs during a real wash cycle.  I also started doing a type of “VLOG” review on machines I tested.  After running many loads on the TR7, I decided that this was not a washer that I wanted to sell to my customers.  Its really expensive, and it just couldn’t  perform on the normal day-to-day cycles that I put it through.  After publishing my video review on YouTube, I got a call from my distributor, who had recieved a call from the VP of marketing at Speed Queen.  They did not like my less than glowing review of their new model, and they pulled my license to sell Speed Queen appliances. Within days, I was removed from their website, and I no longer had access to anything. I asked my distributor to have them call me directly, but to no avail. Thats it… with no reasoning or direct conversation from SQ.

Back to the washer. The bottom line is this: The washer costs $1100.  For that kind of money it should perform well on a variety of different loads (all loads, if you ask me).  This washer doesn’t. Yes, it will last a very, very long time. In fact, I would bet you will get rid of it long before it ever breaks.  What good is a reliable washer if it doesn’t clean your clothes?  I tested a $300 washer that cleaned way better.  If you wash a few items at a time, and use plenty of soap with extra rinse, you may have decent results with this machine.  For normal people (like me) who just need to put some laundry in and have it come out clean, this washer wont deliver.

I recently had the LG WT1501CW  in my home for about 90 days.  My first impression on this machine was “what a turd”.  As with all HE top load washers, the LG struggles to remove lint, or even clean for that matter.  Sure, it has a huge basket -4.5 cubic feet, but whats the point if it can’t clean anything?  Another small issue, my wife is 5, 7″, and she stuggled to reach the bottom of the wash basket.  I really liked the up front controls, but found it to be not super user friendly.

How I test them:

I physically buy these machines, take them home, and use them for at least 60 days, all the way up to 6+ months.  I have children, and they get EVERYTHING dirty. Needless to say I have a never ending supply of dirty laundry.

The grading scale