josmyth - make sure you read the user manual completely before you ever use the machine. Also you do have to clean the tub to remove what they call a polishing compound. I have read many complaints from people about that but if you read the manual you know it is there and needs to be removed. We used wet paper towels soaked with windex. It took a couple of cleanings but it did come out. But I guess I was so sick of the GE, I was happy to do that to have a machine that actually washed.

We all have our faves, I suppose. Top loaders never got my clothes clean. Well, I thought they were "clean" at the time because I had nothing else to compare with. When I bought my first front loader in 2000 - a Maytag Neptune - I was blown away by how clean everything came out. I had a years-old stain on a white shirt that was obliterated by the Neptune. When I moved to Seattle in 2002, I sold my Neptune pair to my aunt and bought an Asko set in Seattle. These were smaller units, but perfect for my townhouse. They cleaned amazingly well. I swapped those out in 2009 for my XXL Miele which continues to give me the clean clothes I've come to expect from a front loader. From the standpoint of twisting clothes, all of my front loaders did it to some degree. The Neptune and Miele have tilted drums, the Asko was a true h-axis design. They all twist clothes. The biggest factor in twisting, I've found, is the spin speed. Maximum speeds tend to exacerbate the problem by plastering the clothes against the drum, making them more difficult to remove even if mildly twisted. It's not a big deal, as everything comes out smooth and wrinkle-free from the dryer. Make sure any machine you buy will continue to tumble the clothes after the wash cycle is completed. That's one feature which is missing from my Miele and it annoys the heck out of me.

Noooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Keep the 19 year old...repair the 19 year old....hug the 19 year old every night before you go to bed. I had no idea how they (the government) messed up washing machines until I had to buy one last year. There are new water restrictions which manufactures must meet, which means new machines do not use enough water. Now, because of how front loaders work, they do better with less water, but I would never trade an old fashioned washing machine for a new front loader.

Thanks for all of the feedback and tips. I've been looking for something simple to use that isn't easily thrown out of balance and which won't be difficult to repair. It needs to be readily available at a local store, which significantly limits options. I would love to be able to purchase a reconditioned older washer (and just about all other appliances, too,) but that's not happening here. When we build our next (and last) house, I will look into reconditioned vintage appliances. The new Whirlpool I'm replacing is a pretty inexpensive one: WFW5620HW. As mentioned earlier, most of the time I do smaller loads. Two company CSRs and the service tech said that this machine is not designed to do less than full loads. I was advised to add clean items to any smaller load, which will shorten their lifespan due to getting washed far more often than needed. A set of king size bedding or two bath sheets plus hand towels, wash cloths and bath mats are apparently not sufficient. Baby clothes, washed with or without mesh bags, have never completed a cycle properly. I was told to ignore laundry tag instructions regarding anything delicate calling for low speeds and low heat. I've had to babysit the washer while in use due to frequent out of balance error codes. It also often fails to clean well, even in hot water, and rarely spins the clothes to a reasonable dampness, resulting in much longer drying times. In over four decades, I've never owned a washer that was so finicky. I can't simply wipe out the detergent dispenser as it still holds 2 - 3 tablespoons of water after a cycle. I have to remove it and dump the water out in the sink before drying. We're in a very humid location and I cannot risk mold. A Whirlpool rep said that "water droplets" are normal in this machine. Droplets would be okay but there are several tablespoons sitting in the bottom of the drum in addition to the water on and inside the gasket. I was concerned about others not thoroughly drying out the washer which I thought would take less time. Since I have chronic back problems I wanted a pedestal to reduce bending. Unfortunately, that resulted in my being unable to see into the dispenser. This is another reason why I'm getting a small top loader. It seems I've lost an inch of height in the past few years. I have to use unscented, allergen-free HE detergent which is often supplemented with Borax. At times I've used white vineger to rinse, too. The service tech lectured me on the amount of detergent to use (which I was already doing properly) as well as really loading up the machines. He said that laundry must press against the dryer's sensor beneath the door or the load would not dry, and that only a very full load could do that. I was also told that the dryer is designed to not dry laundry completely, no matter if the more dry setting is used, as it's better for clothing to be left slightly damp. Maybe that's okay in a dry climate but not here. I realize that some of my complaints are about things that might not bother other people. Perhaps this machine would be fine for a family of four or more who generate large wash loads. As much as I hate to buy another Whirlpool owned product, it looks like we'll be getting a basic Amana top loader. It will handle the routine laundry and a relative has offered to use of her washer for anything that won't fit in the Amana.