You’d be surprised at the stuff renters do! @BunsenBurner is exactly right – they don’t care as much about maintenance as owners do since they’re not paying the repair bills. Washers are a little harder to abuse, but failing to clean lint screens and dryer vents, not cleaning out dishwasher filters and letting ovens and burner trays get filthy are just a sample. My point was that those Kenmore appliances held up so well, even with 25-30 years of repairs before they gave up the ghost.
We have ancient 30+ year old Maytag Washer & Dryer (back when they were made well). We have had it service from time to time and each time, the appliance repair guy confirms they just don’t make them as well any more.
Ours is top loading with an electronic control panel. The control panel has always been just fine.
My daughter used to overload our washer until I told her that it causes more wear to her clothes and also isn’t good for the washer.
As to where to buy Speed Queen, do a search for appliance stores that carry the brand in your area. Also find out if there are repair people who service SQ in your area.
Good idea to check on local SQ servicers as well a sellers. We had an excellent appliance store/service that I think recently went out of business…. sad about that.
We have independent repair person who repairs various brands of appliances. He says it’s very challenging to get LG and Sam Sung parts, so he recommends against those brands.
So far, haven’t been tempted to buy brands that are hard to get parts for.
I heard the same from my appliance repair person. We went with Speed Queen with an agitator. I like that the water level can be adjusted. I did have to have the lid replaced as it rusted in one corner, it was warranty item but I was disappointed as SQ is all about quality.
My daughter has a top loader with no agitator. It’s pretty deep to reach into. She had a really hard time getting to the clothes when she was late in her pregnancy.
I think perhaps conmama was referencing the broad brush stroke of “all renters are like X” (careless, etc.). There are many types of people in the world and many thoughtful, respectful renters (like folks here) - as well as those who are more careless.
Challenges either way (being a landlord or renter) it seems…
We got a LG washer and dryer from Costco. My advice is be sure to check the reviews from people who own the models you are considering. Our LG dryer is great if you like your clothes to come out damp even on most-dry setting for the sensor. Maybe it’s just our model number and not every LG dryer model, but when I posted a review on Costco I saw other people had said the same thing.
The agitator in our old Maytag lifted off its base, and we had to buy a new washer. When we told the salesman what happened, he directed us to impeller washers. We ended up buying an LG impeller washer.
I’ve heard that here on CC and elsewhere. Seems crazy. Originally I assumed there were Covid supply chain problems, but seems more than that. Maybe the companies hope you will just buy a new washer (from them) ? (Not me - I’d be too annoyed to give them more business).
I have LG top loader , no agitator- works great. While I’m 5’9”, I agree it can be hard to reach things sometimes in this deep machine. I do like being able to wash king size comforters.
You know, I was going to write “This is not a suggestion,” but I thought that people who are buying nice major appliances would by able to abide by the rules. Sadly, I was mistaken., so I had to delete more posts after my last post.
Our old Maytag is a standard top load and “normal “ agitator. It has never been particularly difficult to get all the clothes out of the washer. I don’t ever recall having had that issue, even when I was pregnant with our kids and used the washer dryer at the apartment we rented that was also top load (can’t recall the brand).
My friend swears that clothes get cleaner with front load and wants to buy one next time she needs a new washer.
I’m unfamiliar with anything new in washers since the 1980s when we made our purchase.
We went and looked today. I really did like the look of the LG. I am not tall, but I had no issue reaching to the bottom? But, the comments about hard-to-get parts are giving me pause.
No Speed Queens at Lowe’s, but I can get them at the local appliance store where we will be ordering. Again, thinking if someone local could repair is an issue I wouldn’t have thought of!
Like so many other things on CC, there is never a definitive answer. And who’d a thunk a thread on something as innocuous as W/Ds could result in controversy!? Gotta love this space. It’s why I have been here, probably 13 years.
