I don’t mind not having a detergent dispenser. I would like a soak that just sat there and soaked but in truth I wouldn’t use it that often.
I was recently on vacation in two different rental houses. One had a more modern machine where the regular cycle was 56 minutes long! The other one, I can’t remember, but it was one that really twisted your clothes together even though there was no agitator. Made me miss my Speed Queen! Simple and so efficient.
The long cycle has that pre-soak function built into the cycle. On my washer, I can select a short cycle, 30 min complete, or the 60 min one that tumbles the clothes periodically with soapy water before the actual wash.
My Speed Queen has a soak (pre-wash) cycle. The soap drains out afterward however-- it doesn’t lead to a wash cycle. I’ve never needed or used it.
However you could always soak by filling the tub on the heavy duty/permanent press cycle, pulling out the knob to stop the cycle and when you are ready, pushing it back in to continue the wash cycle.
I’ve never had a washer with a detergent dispenser so I don’t miss it. And every washer I’ve had has been white!
Someone told me there are top loading washing machines now that can handle bulky items like a comforter without getting unbalanced during the spin cycle. Does anyone here own one of those?
We have a Kenmore front loading, and I don’t think I’ll ever get another HE front loader due to mildew and the sense that the clothes are just not as clean as when I used a top loader.
I have a Speed Queen. When I want items to soak, I just add the detergent to the water, let it agitate for a minute, add the clothing, close the lid and then pull the knob to stop the cycle. Super easy/simple to do. I do exactly what CTmom described.
Glad to know I can make my own soak option on the Speed Queen. The machine at our rental does not have a soak, and if you pull out the knob, or leave the top opened, the machine drains. I learned this when trying to sanitize the machine from the previous tenant; I ended up washing empty cycles with vinegar or bleach and then scrubbing the machine. Spent 2.5 hours cleaning before I could get the mildew smell to go away, and it now needs it again 4 months later.
I still think I want a top load, but can not decide it I do or don’t want an agitator. My machine at the house did not have the agitator, and it cleaned well enough. The only load I think I notice a difference on is my husband’s gym clothes; I think the machine at the apartment with the agitator might work better as I don’t notice as much of an odor after they are cleaned. I though at the house it was just the gym clothes were old and the odor was embedded in his shirts, but I have not noticed that here with the basic machine we have. This make me wonder if the agitator really does clean better.
I need to just make a decision and go with it, but I can’t!! Well, I have to do it by Labor Day weekend when everyone is having a sale 
What agitators do is wear out the clothes more rapidly. It is like pounding your clothes with stones instead of gently rubbing them. Europeans dont use agitator machines and don’t look any dirtier than Americans. 
You need to get your husband a few t shirts from Lululemon as a holiday gift. One for each day of Hanukkah. Lulu’ Silverescent stuff never stinks. A sweat-soaked tee can be hung to dry and then worn again without any stench. well worth the money.
@BunsenBurner That would be a great idea, except if it doesn’t come from Costco, he won’t wear it, at least for gym wear! The problem I have is he goes to the gym before work, and then rolls his gym clothes up in his wet smelly sweat towel, and wet bath towel. They stay rolled up for 12 hours before making it home and hung to dry 
Oh, and all this wetness is shoved into his gym bag, which smells just as delightful 
If he wouldn’t roll it all up, I think it would be better, but I have not been able to get him to change.
I do think we will replace his shirts before the move and begin with a fresh start!
My 2 non-agitator top-loading washers twisted my clothes, towels and sheets badly-- being twisted isn’t especially good for fabric either. I like the way my clothes come out now with my Speed Queen, and have not noticed rapid wearing out of clothes.
All front loaders are not equal. We had a wonderful Kenmore front loader (circa 2006) that never stank and cleaned the clothes really well. This house came with a Bosch that I have come to loathe. I don’t know if it’s because the previous owners had it in the basement and didn’t treat it properly (for example, you’re supposed to keep the door open when it’s not in use and they didn’t do this) or because it’s a bad model, but I find it just doesn’t smell as fresh as it should. The spin cycle doesn’t get the clothes as wrung out when using the fast wash mode, and it gets out of balance with heavy loads. It also beeps annoyingly at the end of each cycle, and there’s no way to disable this helpful parental “feature.” My old Kenmore did none of these things.
I appreciate all the tips about the Speed Queen. I’ve never owned one of those, but as soon as this Bosch dies, if not before, I will look into that brand.
Thanks to the Speed Queen Fan Gurls on this thread.
We were having trouble with the drain pump on our old Kenmore front loader, and after getting the drain pump cleared and working again, it was making an unholy noise on the spin cycle. With H’s encouragement, I went to the local appliance store and got an “old-fashioned” top-loading Speed Queen.
The store manager, who handled the sale, praised my choice, as well as the delivery men when they hauled it into our basement.
I’ve only done one load thus far, but I’ve got a great feeling about this purchase.
Speed Queen makes front loaders, too.
@Midwest67 - I’m surprised your delivery guys praised your choice of washing machine. I think they must hate it when they have to deliver a Speed Queen because they are so gosh darn heavy!!! They are the heaviest washing machine out there because it actually has metal parts (which is why they last so long - no plastic).
That said, I’m a Speed Queen convert and likely will remain one for life (well, let’s hope the company isn’t bought out by someone who believes in plastic!!
My 9 yr old Miele is very heavy and is full of metal. I remember delivery folks struggling with it. Too bad the company decided not to make any full size washers (that fit a king comforter) anymore… because the cheap Korean crap has taken over the penny-saver dollar-foolish US market. So when my Miele dies, I will be looking into Speed Queen front loader. Or a commercial grade Miele!
Well, now that you mention it, it was the lead delivery man/installer who was raving about the machine, not the 2 men on the crew who did the actual grunt work of hauling the old one out and hauling the new one in.
The manager/salesman at the store did note the weight of the machine.
@BunsenBurner Every time I read your post mentioning Miele, I’m reminded I need to take our Miele vacuum cleaner in for service! It needs a new cord.
@Midwest67 - LOL. I did feel bad for the delivery guys when they delivered our machine. Lucky for them, it was replacing a Kenmore which was much, much lighter.
Just moved my D into her dorm and noticed that all the laundry machines in the dorm are Speed Queen. They had front loaded ones too - maybe they are just commercially available? The local store only showed me top loader, which is fine because that is what I want - easier to load and unload for me.
^^Speed Queen makes a full size front loader for household use; it also comes in a stacked version with dryer on the top.
Speed Queen and Miele are the major players in commercial laundry machines here and in Europe, respectively. No wonder their stuff lasts.
I am driving myself nuts trying to decide between the Maytag and the Speed Queen. The Maytag has all the things I want, reviews are great, or horrible; depends where you look I am so anal, I have been to several independent stores to get their opinion, and of course, their opinions also differ. Any store that sells Speed Queen will recommend them, but they say this particular Maytag is good.
If I mention the word washer to my husband one more time, he is going to throw me out of the house
@snowball- I was the same way. Having never had a front loader I didn’t know if I should go with one due to the fact that they are supposed to be gentler on clothes. Speed Queen does make a residential front loader. They are expensive and I don’t know if you avoid any of the concerns people have with front loaders and mildew. I narrowed it down to the top loading Speed Queen and a Maytag front loader. In the end after reading this thread and other washer threads over the years went with the Speed Queen. My laundry room while very large didn’t lay out well for a front loader which in the end also made my easier.
From the appliance store I heard that Speed Queen will undergo some changes in 2018 due to federal law. I don’t know if it will change the performance. I’m assuming it will be water saving changes.
Also we have multi family rentals and we use Speed Queen in our laundry rooms. I think they are basically the same machine with the added coin box. They do last.