fourgr8kids, it just didn't work out for me with the TL at all for the reasons you list. I had the Maytag Bravos and it presented a similar situation. My clothes were so wrinkled, so twisted, so shredded and pulled out of shape. Sometimes because they were so twisted and knotted they were not even exposed to water or washing at all and came out just as dirty as they went in. Forget about rinsing well, they always felt like soap residue was in them after drying, even with always using the extra rinse cycle.

I got fed up one day when something with a very easy stain didn't even look like it had been touched after waiting for over an hour for it to wash. It looked exactly like it did when it went in. It was gross thinking of drying dirt back into the clothes. I decided that day that I had had it with this expensive POS and sold both the washer and dryer at a great loss to me after only two years of using it. I bought a GE pair front loader that I really love. It was half the cost of the Bravos as I got that set when they were still very expensive. It was a very hard thing to do but I just couldn't take it another day. I believe the W/D you have is similar in mechanics to the Bravos if I am reading you right. Good luck, do yourself a favor and if you possibly can sell it and get something you can live with. I see people on here say how much they love theirs and it amazes me. But I think they have figured out how to put more water in the machine but that wouldn't have mattered to me as I was done with it. I hated how loud it was sounding like an airplane jet engine spooling up and really loud when filling with water. The tub sounded like a waterfall going into a steel pipe. I am so much happier with this new set but I am sad that I spent so much money on the first set and then ended up buying again.

Here are some things that helped me:

don't get the biggest tub you can find because it gets out of balance easier than a smaller tub. Mine is 3.5 instead of one of the bigger 4+ tub sizes. It's still a big tub and if they keep telling you to put less clothes in the bigger ones that are TL then the trade off is minimal if any at all.

the second thing is that you don't need to get the highest spin speed as this just contributes to the shredding and set wrinkles. The offset of drying time being less is not enough to be worth it or make that much difference.

Wishing you all the best. I know that many people really love their TL HE machines and I don't wish to offend anyone this is just my own experience and some others that I have seen post about their unhappiness with them. There are many happy owners but I just wasn't one of them : )

You can thank the friendly government energy preservation policies for your troubles. No manufacturer can build a washer like the old ones you like and comply with the regs. Unless you can find a way to defeat Samsungs settings and get more hot water into the machine Id say give up and try to find a decent 5 year old Speed Queen on Craigs list for a good price and sell the new brutes at a loss. No use looking ahead to years of aggravation.

nerdyshopper, it's easy to get more hot water into a Samsung!! I added a few extra hoses, two wyes, two faucets, and one one-way valve. I can get all the freaking hot water I want now. For cold washes, close off the hot-bleed faucet. For warm/hot washes, open up the hot-bleed (bleeds hot water into the COLD water inlet of the washer) and purge the water lines of cold standing water, by momentarily running the hot water into the drain system (takes about 10 seconds--my washer is close to the hot water heater). I have my heater set to roughly 145-150 degrees.

dave1812,
I still don't see how what you do puts more water in the machine. Could you please explain?

What dave is doing defeats the Automatic Temperature Control and fills the washer with hot, cold, or a mixture as he wants by manually adjusting the extra valves he has installed.

It doesn't put more total water in the machine, but it allows him to adjust the balance for warm to a higher percentage of hot water than the ATC would normally provide.

Or you could buy a Speed Queen washer. My SQ AWN542 has no ATC on the HOT water setting. It will admit straight "tap hot" water from your water heater supply line.

The government did require them to fill the tub with less water on the new models, but there's a water level adjustment screw behind the front panel that set the fill level back to pre-government regulation levels.

In other words the marketplace is a government-mandated obfuscation-riven crock in which the consumer is left adrift. Welcome, everybody.

I like my machine (1995 German-built Duet 9400) and have figured out how it works and how to make it do what I want after "pulling teeth" to get the information I wanted from the mfgr. IMHO it is totally unreasonable and a mandated travesty to expect the general/buying public to do this.

Sorry state of affairs but that's where we are.

nerdy, it's really easy to adj the water level. remove two screws that hold the stainless top on. slide it aft, and off. looking at the unit from the front, you will notice a sensor at the right front corner that has a hose going to it. turn the screw (use the correct sized slotted head screwdriver) CLOCKWISE about 1/2 to 1 turn. DO NOT FOLLOW THE CRAZY VIDEOS ON YOUTUBE SUGGESTING YOU TURN IT SIX TURNS!!!!! Even 3 turns is too much. You don't want so much water that the clothes sit in a huge amount of water, because they won't wash properly. They need to be lifted by the fins on the drum. I know have a bit of "extra" water, besides what it takes to wet the clothes. Water level barely comes up to the bottom rim of the stainless drum. Don't go overboard!!

knot2fast is correct: by adding hot water to the cold inlet, I'm getting around the limitation imposed by Samsung's ATC, which, IMO, is a disservice to anyone who wants a hot wash. Without "cheating", even the Hot wash option will provide a wimpy, tepid wash temp. IMO, being the hot wash temp option being labeled "hot" is fraud.

Wow--I just reread my last post and it seems I must have not been paying a lot of attention to what I wrote! Let me rephrase the last two sentences: Not only is the Warm wash coolish, but the Hot wash temp is barely warm if one doesn't blend hot water into the cold inlet fitting. IMO, it is fraudulent for Samsung to label any of the wash temps "Hot", due to the "politically correctly" settings of their Automatic Temperature Control.

Ditto about the "hot", "warm", "cold" thing. With the HE machines -- not just Samsung -- these words now mean whatever the mfgr says they mean.....except they don't want to tell you even that.

FWIW, my 2005 model Duet thinks "hot" is between 100-105F....when I run the tap to full-hot (130F) before beginning the fill. If I want hotter than that bathtub temperature for my actual load in-use, I have to select a cycle that uses the heater. "Warm" is about 90-95F.

"ATC" on these machines is a joke. I agree with dave1812's use of the word "fraudulent".

Following up on my initial post re: Samsung top load washer: Another repairman came 3 weeks ago & discovered the hot & cold water lines were switched. He corrected that & said I shouldn't have anymore problems with wrinkling. I was getting only hot water in the rinse cycles whereas all rinse cycles are normally cold with the Samsung. I was excited to try the first load after the repair. Well.....nothing's changed! I've continued to put most loads on the 'low' spin cycle and even then it spins as if it's on 'high' speed. Another call to Samsung resulted in yet another repairman arriving yesterday. He did a trial run of the 'low' spin cycle & agreed that, indeed, way too many rpm's. Is now ordering a new computer for the washer. I'm ever hopeful, but I must say, I would prefer to send this thing back.

Send it back or sell it. See my previous post, lol. I was not going to have that top load Bravos which is similar to what you have one more day!!! We're mad as h3ll and not going to take it anymore!!! I really love my GE frontloader I switched to but if I had it to do over again I would probably gotten an upper model with the hot water heater onboard. I still love what I have and have plenty of options on the model but that is the only thing I would have done differently. I cannot even tell you how much I love not having to deal with that Bravos HE hateful machine.

It's now July 12, 2012, and nothing has changed with this Samsung set; I have only learned to tolerate it. Since I NEVER close the lid of the washer, I didn't think I would have to worry about the gasket smell. Was I wrong! Now I find myself having to run the 'pure' cycle, along with adding Afresh. Actually, this is the second time this week I have had to do this! Our laundry room is on the second floor, by our bedroom, & you can't stand to walk past the room without smelling the foul odor. I'm on the war path again!!!

OP, I am so sorry to hear of your bad experience.

It seems quite obvious to me that all HE TL's are not created equal (which is also true of FL's).

My Maytag Bravos HE TL is wonderful! It does everything I need it to do, very well. I wash for a big family, huge loads several times each week, and have never had a problem. Laundry comes clean, I almost always spin at high speed to reduce drying time, and I never have to iron anything.

So I do think it's very unfair when all HE TL's get a bad rap. Not saying you yourself have done this; you've had a terrible experience with yours.

Are the machines still under warranty? If so, can you get some help, or perhaps replacements?

My experience with an HE top loader was with the Kenmore Oasis and it was a nightmare, as such I wouldn't even look at them this time around and researched front loaders. The wrinkling/tangling we had with our kenmore. The smell issue we never had so I'm a little surprised you're dealing with that. Is there anyway you can return the machine and get a new washer? I didn't hate my HE TL from day one, it grew with each breakdown and every time the darn thing ruined clothes and caused headache after headache in poor cleaning, unbalancing (constantly), dealing with Sears...by the end I was ready to haul the washer outside myself and shoot it! So I understand your frustration.

It's now 1/9/13 and nothing has changed with the washer/dryer, mostly the washer. As my husband & I sit upstairs in our loft on the second floor and the washer is running, we are vibrating in our seats, and the washer is on 'low' spin!!! It's been just a year now since we moved and had our Samsung top loader washer & front loader dryer delivered. How excited we were then and how sad we are now. Still dealing with the wrinkled & twisted clothes. I guess you could say we have accepted the fact that nothing will ever be done about the problem on Samsung's end and we have become numb to that fact. To have spent so much $$ and not get what we paid for is a very sad state of affairs. I would expect sometime in the very near future we will swap this set with my son, who we gave our old, but much better set of Magtag washer & dryer, when we moved. There's a lot to be said for the 'tried & true'.

Hmmm...

It sounds as if you just got a bad set.

We have the Samsung WA456 TL. Fam of 4 with lots of clothing. No shredding, no twisting, and no vibration. We love our washer and dryer so far.

If you don't mind me asking, do you simply put the clothing into the machine or on small loose mounds around the impeller? Small mounds around the impeller is the correct way to load. Also, if the washer is up on the second floor, it must be on tile. Wooden floors may cause a bounce.

I would try re leveling and do a recalibration as well. The booklet will talk you through this process.

Now I do know that top speed in your 5471 is 1100 rpm. My unit is only 1000. Maybe that's a diffrence.

Sorry to hear about your issues with the Samsung.

No, she didn't just get a bad set, these HE TL machines are horrid. A terrible investment. Designed by a sadistic person. Sell it or donate it and get a real washer not just one that is impersonating one.,

Gr8day...

I just don't see that my set us "horrid". So far what we have is great. I am sure a speed queen is a great product if old technology at a high price is what you want.

From what I keep reading, people expect to see the new HE TL washers workjust like old school models. When folks don't see a tub full of water they complain. I knew the difference. It does notbother me. We see better results with this set than our old GE that blew up.

As for noise an such...we simply don't have any of that. We read the manual. This is another thing people just don't do. Folks keep applying old process to a new game and get terrible results.

With that being said...sure there are lemons in every bunch, but to label these horrid because they work differently...well I don't know about that.

$830 for a sq, for a small tub, old technology is counter intuitive. We paid less than 700 and have a bigger tub, less loads, less water use and use less electricity and our clothes are clean.

Lemons...some got them and it stinks. Some do not follow directions and complain when things do not work right. Most of the Samsung's are rated high when you see reviews from average Joes. It makes it hard to believe all of the negative rants.

I am a realist though. If I am wrong...and my set explodes I will man up to it.

This Samsung 5471 is my second HE TL. The other one was an Oasis. I hated the Oasis, and I am just tolerating the Samsung.

Problems are as others have described: too little water on 'normal'. I combat by either adding a second rinse or using the 'towel' cycle, which seems to use more water.

Fleece comes out with patches of lint, a problem since all of our blankets are fleece.

Pants always twist up. I combat this by only adding 2 pair at the most.

Loads typically unbalance during spin cycle: I combat by trying to only wash a max of 2 bath towels, reducing spin, and never using the bedding cycle (that unbalances 9 times out of 10. Super aggravating!)

I would not buy another HE TL.

Current problem is that the fabric softener dispenser area seems to be accumulating water for some reason. I open it to add detergent (the dispensers are next to each other) and water comes flying out. I have googled it and haven't found anything yet.

I have already decided that when this machine breaks (warranty ending soon) I will replace with a new washer. I'm too old to suffer this much over a dumb washing machine.

My Samsung 5471 is RUSTING after only three years. Google it; this is a common problem.

I have the same problem. Most of the clothes comes out wrinkled and in a knot. I shake them out and put in dryer but it doesn't matter, its wrinkled. Then I spend an hour ironing. Also mine is rusting. The rust gets all over the white clothes. So then, I have to get the rust stain out and launder it a SECOND time. So frustrated.

Where's the rust at? In the tub?

Still having problems. Some the same old, some new. Here's a new one: lately I have removed clothes from the washer only to find pieces of black mildew/mold on them. This started just a few weeks ago. It was quite interesting when this first happened after doing a load of lights. Had to use stain remover and brush to remove it. Then totally clean out the drum, by hand, of all scrum that had accumulated, and there was plenty. Then run the washer, empty, with white vinegar. Then do the load again. Let's remember this when we're told the HE saves money.

I use the Pure cycle at least once a month and NEVER leave the lid down when not in use, and I have been doing this since purchase. I already had heard about the mildew problem after purchase, unfortunately, or I would never have bought the washer or dryer.

Three days ago, faced with the same problem. This time, though, there was so much that I had to clean it out several times. Finally, I used Lestoil, followed by a run with vinegar. Seemed to clean it out. I took pictures and will post them soon.

Bless you heart!!! That's the last straw!! I hope you can find a way to get those awful machines out of your house. I know how you feel because one day after church I was so upset about the washer and the money I wasted on it that I drove over to Home Depot and bought another washer and dryer. It was an evil machine, and I hated the dryer just as much. All that hype about steam is a joke as well. I`t was worth my sanity to get them out of the house once and for all. They had the replacement pair on a super duper special sale with 12 months same as cash. I was so happy to be rid of that pair that when the delivery man turned the dryer on and it was purring so quietly I almost started crying. My laundry room is right off my kitchen which is right off the great room, one of those big open plan floor plans so you could hear the thing all over the house and magnified by high ceilings. That was the other thing, the dryer was so loud and the washer made so much noise with the water dropping down into that gigantic tub and also the way it would spool up like an airplane engine only to go out of balance and spend hours trying to balance itself. I would leave to go to the grocery, go for a run and come home and find it still trying to "right itself" back into balance. What a nightmare. I never had any issues with mold but that really would have been the last straw long before. Doing laundry shouldn't be this complicated and you are right, there is no savings with an HE washer if you have to keep rewashing everything. The long wash times which take extra electricity seem to negate any savings of water or electricity. I don't think these top load HE machines are ready for prime time and were foisted onto the unsuspecting public before they were truly functioning as intended. Good luck!

@fourgr8kids - Seems like it's time to put the washer/dryer on Craigs list or donate it to Habitat and take a tax deduction. Staying with it and expecting an improvement isn't really going to solve the problem.

Then get yourself a Bosch Axxis or Electrolux front loader compact set with the condenser dryer. For what you described you need a front loader that will give better results and make things easier. I had the Bosch stacked in a closet in my kitchen in our apartment. It made everything very easy. Since getting a front loader I would never go back to top loader with that wringer. FLs are much easier on the clothes and the spin gets water out so they spent less time in the dryer.

I too hate this washer and dryer. Impossible to get another set as this pair cost almost $1800.00. Wish I had gone with the Fridgadare since my old one lasted almost 15 yrs and I never had a service call or issue with it. No matter how small the load or the settings my items come out so twisted it is almost impossible to get the wrinkles out. Sheets, towels, jeans, shirts or what ever comes out looking like ropes, I use the delegate cycle on almost all loads and the low spin cycle- no matter or no difference. Terrible design and I get no intelegent help from the manufacture,

I've got the Wa5471.

Nylon Washer Bags are an option for delicate laundry.
Use several bags to separate the trouble items from non.

I've had to replace the: fill switch, main PCB and door lock.
Currently it's stuck in hiccups of 8E.

The complexity of electronics should have been complemented with diagnostics that weren't vague. The unfortunate truth about complex machines- more expensive to fix. In ways I miss my old machines for the fix-ability.

However, Samsung's washer- minus the knots, minus the DC error, minus the poor tec support, minus sears (not their fault completely)...

It's still the best washer ever owned, ever. (when a load goes through).

-always clean smelling- no mold smells when it sits
-truly energy conscious - water miser
-great user interface - clear, simple for the kids to follow directions
-see through lid
-great color!
-Lighter than my old maytags
-Dryer options are great! (replaced one heating coil myself-easy)

Tip: most machines are subjected to negligence. Dont assume the vents are clear, instead- get them cleaned by a professional if unsure. Some people find surprises- vents under house (dryer air is toxic to breath)... broken lines, clogged lines, broken or missing louvers.

Once you know the vent line is clean, maintain it by running dryer empty on High Heat for 30 minutes once a month- especially if you have a long vent run. This drys the lint and pushes it on out.

FOR ALL DRYERS- biggest mistake- clean lint trap EVERY LOAD. Most people blame the machine. 90% of all airplane accidents are pilot error.

WASHER: once a month 1 cup vinegar, 1/2 baking soda. run cold quick wash. This clean the pumps and lines, preventing buildup of gunk.

Hope this was of some help. Stay Clean America.

I have a niece who has a top loading he washer, lg I think. She first said how she loves it, I do not hear anymore love. I watched a load washing and the clothes never circulated in the drum. Just a drum filled with clothes and water doing nothing. They need to stop making such rubbish. Front load washers are the best there is, with some care to keep clean and fresh.

It was hard to find this site since I had originally posted on Garden Web. It is now 11/26/16. For those of you who gave me advice, I appreciate that. But now that Samsung has recalled many of their top loaders as of 11/4/16, mine being one of them, I can live with the fact that I was not crazy after all!!!!!

Unfortunately, what they are offering is a mere pittance. Since my washer is almost 5 years old, I might get about $84, if that, to put toward a new washer. Oh....$150 more if I buy another Samsung. Seriously? Why would I?! Or, I can opt to have it repaired. Seems the spin cycle has been so fast that some washers have actually exploded and people have been injured! Luckily, I always spin on LOW cycle only because any faster speed was tearing my laundry into shreds.

Not sure just yet what I will do. What I do know is that no other issues have ever been addressed by Samsung, such as: mildew, rusting, twisting of laundry, etc. They have only done this recall because people were injured. It took that for them to actually move forward. So sad. I do hear that Samsung's customer service department is very lacking and that some owners have had to call 20-30 times to get through. Service calls set up by Samsung turned out to not happen after customers sat home all day waiting. Only those who purchased a recalled washer in the last 30 days will receive a full refund. I only found out about this recall because someone posted it on Facebook! Samsung never notified anyone voluntarily!

I hope in posting this last entry it might help anyone who did not already know about the recall. Good Luck!

Have them repair it as long as its free! Then sell the washer outright, craigs list, newspaper, etc. you would at least get more money to put toward a new machine. IMHO theu should be at least reimbursing 80% of the retail cost. And I wouldn't be looking at Sammy again. Just too many issues with there products.

Thank you, rpsinfoman. We'll see how it goes. I'll let everyone know.

Funny thing is, I bought one a little over 3yrs. ago. Came home an looked on Lowe's website, measurement with lid open, was too tall for my space. So went back and cancelled the sale. Thank God I did! Anyway yesterday I received a lot of info about the washer, the usual, no water proof articles, use only bedding or bulky cycles, blah, blah. And these seemed to be stickers that you attach to the washer. Didn't waste time reading all the info. threw it in the trash. Which, from what I've heard is where Sammy belongs. LOL.

Similar thing happened to me. Ordered front loader and it wouldn't fit in the pan set in tile, therefore, top loader!

My samsung top loader is out of the house for a week now, replaced with a Speed Queen. I am SO HAPPY. I feel like I have my life back -- well, at least a couple hours a week, lol. I washed and dried TWO LOADS of laundry in two hours, start to finish. I'll be getting about $345 back from Samsung because my model was one of their newest. I kept the samsung dryer, it's okay.

I'm contacting them tomorrow. Just did a load of sheets. Again, came out with specks of mildew which never can be totally removed. And after being in the dryer, the mildew dries onto the fabric!

I am happy that you were able to resolve your washer problem. Normal Speed Queen washer is the way to go, so I hear.

I'm on the fence as what to do. I might be selling my house soon (my husband passed away last year) and I would hate to have a mismatched set in the laundry room. Will keep all posted.

A couple of years ago I suggested Speed Queen to my mom because she just wanted dials...no buttons, lights, gizmos. She bought the Speed Queen and sent it back in two weeks :o She said it was sooo rough on her clothes and the amt of lint she got out of the dryer was ridiculous. I've thought about replacing my washer, when the time comes, with a Speed Queen. Anyone else have complaints with Speed Queen?

I have the samsung top load also and It is awful. My scrubs that I wear to work come out of the washer very wrinkled and i do not put them into the dryer i hang dry them. Now after hang drying them i have to put them in the dryer to get the wrinkles out then I have been having white residue on my clothes straight out of the washer. I have been washing the same clothes twice.

Update: I started this thread years ago. I knew something was not right with my top loader. All of us having issues with our washers are not crazy. Many of Samsung top loaders have been RECALLED!!!!! I just found this out in Dec 2016! Go to the Samsung site and it lists 34 model numbers. See if yours is listed. Mine was. Or google 'Samsung top loader recall' and you will find plenty of information.

Samsung will either give you a rebate or a recall fix. The rebate is a joke - mine was $54 for my $999 machine. The fix is not a fix, just a cover up. There is now a class action suit and I plan to be a part of that.

Go to an official recall site, not Samsung's, and you will not believe what you read. Tops have flown off the washers because of the spin speed and people have been injured! Samsung DOES NOT care!

Yep, I had one of those washers too. No notification from Samsung that it was recalled....happened to stumble upon it somehow online. The rebate IS a joke. Mine was $45 and my washer cost $1100. The funny thing is, they will give you $150 if you buy another Samsung washer.....um no thank you. I need to find info about this class action lawsuit you are talking about.

This recall is about users selecting the wrong cycle (Normal or Heavy Duty) when washing bulky or waterproof/resistant items such as bedding (comforters, mattress pads, bedspreads), shower curtains, sleeping bags, parkas, and the like. Every video I've seen on YouTube or news feeds covering an exploded washer that still has the load in it, the item(s) are as such.

The explosion happens when the machine balances for spin, revs up to maximum 1,000 RPM (or whatever it may be), and the balance condition shifts due to sudden release of a pocket of retained water from the item.

The manufacturer is cited as being at fault for not designing a safety system to stop the spin. Seriously ... there's NO WAY to INSTANTLY stop the mass of the washer drum and clothes load from spinning at 1,000 RPM (or higher in some cases). The electronics and sensors did their job for balancing the load at the start of spin. There's no way to anticipate that the balance conditions would change.

The recall involves adding a security bracket to further secure the machine top, AND stickers that 1) relabel the cycles such that the Delicate cycle is designated for Bulky/Bedding, 2) warn that catastrophic damage may occur if the wrong cycle is used for such items, and 3) that waterproof items are not to be washed. Delicate runs a slower spin speed which serves to avoid the high g-forces and catastrophic explosion if balance conditions change after-the-fact at higher spin speeds.

Dadoes, do you know if the manuals of these washers mentioned about not washing water proof items or other such things that could csuse these risks?

Dadoes, that scenario seemingly could happen in any high-RPM washer. But reports are disproportionately focused on only some of them.

I don't have a Samsung but when I got my FL I donated my asthmatics mattress cover. It was some sort of plastic on one side and quilted on the other.

Oh my goodness! I have found my people! I had a Speed Queen set for 23 years and loved them! They were tired so instead of repairing we did the eco friendly thing and bought a new set. I researched and read reviews... Everyone lovexloved the TL Samsungs. Waited for a sale then bam! I had my new shiny set. Ohhhh ahhhh. And that's where the good vibes ended. Six years later and I am still using it and hating it. It turns my jeans inside out and ties them in knots! How?! How on earth can it do that... Oh and doesn't get any spots out. We can't afford to buy another set but some days I pray it will just die.

Thank you all for making me feel a little less crazy!

Mine ties everything in knots. The clothes knot before they all get wet. Leaves softener residue also. i just don’t get why it does that. I’m so disappointed. It has ruined many things.

It is the same for me. My Samsung washer and dryer leaves clothing and bedding wrinkled. Doing laundry is a nightmare and too time consuming. These machines were not cheap.

Sad, isn't it?

I finally replaced mine 3 years ago with a Speed Queen when it wouldn't drain. Still have the Samsung drier.

It was just too costly to replace both. Original cost of the set was almost $2000 and I didn't even have the bottom support with drawer!

Make yourself happy and replace that washer, if you can afford it. Good Luck!

I too hate my Samsung Top Loader. We purchased in 2014 and the top has rusted, around the clorox has rusted and when I wash my sheets by themselves, all kinds of stains are appearing. I have ruined 3 sets so far with this washer. I am so tired of calling customer service for help. They do not know anything. I wish I have my old white washer and dryer back. I never had this problem.