tcake, You pose an interesting question. Are you referring to Fisher & Paykel's new Aquasmart impeller washer? I assume that you are, because the impeller version of the Cabrio is actually quite a bit different from the agitator based F&P washer. Unfortunately, I don't know nearly as much about the Aquasmart as I do about F&P's agitiator washers, but I will try to compare the two products based on what I do know. The biggest difference between the Aquasmart and the Cabrio is the drum capacity. Whirlpool claims 4.5 cubic feet IEC drum capacity, whereas F&P currently claims 3.7 cubic feet IEC drum capacity for their washers, which is actually cheating on their part, because the "IEC' capacity rating was originally intended for washers without agitators, and until now F&P's washers have all had agitators. They justify this by claiming that their washers are HE rated, and so the rating applies to them as well, but they are wrong. The rating only refers to usable wash capacity, not energy efficiency, or water consumption. Anyway, the "true" capacity of these washers is 3.9 cubic feet for the Cabrio, and 3.0 cubic feet for the F&P. This is for F&P's agitator washers, so the Aquasmart with impeller will have more than this, probably something close to 3.1 cubic feet, which means that the Cabrio has a 0.8 cubic feet drum capacity advantage over the Aquasmart, or 26% more usable capacity. This is a lot. Cabrio obviously has the clear advantage in this regard. Unfortunately however for Cabrio, this capacity advantage requires a larger size washer. The Cabrio is 27 inches square, while the Aquasmart is 25 inches square. This means that the Aquasmart will fit into a lot more laundry closets, a clear advantage for Aquasmart. The Cabrio has a porcelain top with a tempered glass lid, while the Aquasmart uses plastic for both the top and the lid. This is definitely an advantage for Cabrio, because plastic tops and lids are not nearly as durable, and will probably start to look scratched and dingy after just a few years of use. The Cabrio has a rotary dial cycle selector, while the Aquasmart has an LCD display. This is probably more of a personal preference thing, but I'm inclined to favor the Cabrio rotary dial for more ease of use. The Aquasmart probably uses spray rinses, while the Cabrio doesn't. This will result in significant water savings for Aquasmart over Cabrio, but it requires the user to specifically select a deep fill rinse if they want to use fabric softener. In my view however, this is the better compromise, because water savings are important. However, it's important to remember that spray rinses will not be as effective as a deep fill rinse for particulate soils and pet hair. I think the Aquasmart lets the user choose a deep fill wash, while this choice isn't directly available to Cabrio users. It is possible to cheat a little however, because there are some Cabrio cycles that use more water than others. These are the major differences. Other than these the machines are probably quite similar. As far as which machine is best, if you have the space, and want the extra capacity, then the Cabrio is a good choice. If not, then the Aquasmart is probably a pretty good choice as well.

Thanks Alex. I was thinking about getting a new top loader, perhaps the Whirlpool AGI or one of the top loader HE models. I currently have a Bosch Nexxt HE FL that I haven't been thrilled with (not mechanically, but as far as wash perfomrance and care of clothing). But, after spending time on this forum, I've realized that I haven't played enough with the various cycles on my machine, so will try different combinations to see if I can get it to meet my expectations. My machine can reach 155 degrees on "sanitary" cycle, which is a feature I like. If I decide someday to get a new top loader, it will be one of the models with an internal heater. But, right now I'll stick with my machine, the models with the internal heater run over $1,000, and I'm not ready to commit to that. Thanks again. Barbara

If Lowes sold the Oasis, I'd have one in my home right now. I don't like the looks of the Cabrio or that lint thing on the top. It's ... ugly to me compared to the Oasis, and would be right near our kitchen totally visible. It's ludicrous for Sears to charge $450 for it's 5 yr warr for the 2 items while Lowes charges $199. I would never pay 25% of the cost of the machines in ext warr nor would I buy these machines without a warranty. Total catch 22. We need a TL due to room size constrictions and should really buy the F&P but probably won't. In the end, the canyon size Cabrio would work better for us and the porcelain top would wear better from what it looks like. I just don't know what to do. Steve R

DSW713, if you used to hang dry your clothes you really don't have to use the highest spin speed. The high spin is good for cutting the drying time so you'll save some energy on that. Hang drying doesn't cost anything and a slower spin should match that of your old TL. I have used European washers with more than 1200 rpm spins and I haven't had to iron anything but blouses, some dresses and things like that. Most of the time the dryer left the clothes just slightly damp and I hung them up or folded them right away. That eliminated most of the wrinkles. jcrowley99, every washer that is not leveled correctly or that causes vibration of your floor will be much louder than a washer that works correctly. It is not fair to say that the Bosch was so extremely loud. I understand that you had vibration issues and it didn't work out for you. Generally it is a very quiet washer though.