I've had my LG 5001CW for about 3 months. There are some reviews on the web from owners who want hotter water. I'm OK with it (haven't measured the temperature) The manual indicates (page 22) that there is a "built-in water heater booster" but machine never seems to get hot, even on the hot cycle. Since I usually wash with cold water, this is not an issue for me. I don't have trouble with getting stains out by presoaking in warm water with Oxyclean. We've turned our water heater temp down to what we can stand in the sink/shower. The dishwasher has a water heater and uses much less water than a washer, so this is a good solution for us.

The "Wave Force" feature works with loads of 8 pounds or larger (page 14) so it's worthwhile to save up the laundry and wash all at once. Wave Force is something to see. It pulls the water through the load by centrifugal force using a high speed spin and then it sprays that water from above as the water rises and fills the outer tub during the spinning. Like a circumferential shower.

Regarding capacity, we are empty nesters and I initially thought the huge capacity would be overkill. But even without kids at home I still wash towels, bathroom rugs, comforters and other other bulky items. Glad I bought the big capacity machine. Your kids will come home from college with piles of laundry and you won't be sorry about the larger capacity.

Another consideration: FP has the highest repair frequency of any reported in Consumer Reports while LG has a 10 year warranty on the motor.

I only bought the washer. My trusty Maytag gas dryer is going strong after 13 years.

Thanks cross stitch. It is nice to hear from someone that actually has the washer. I will look into those repair reports. I would like something reliable.
Anyone have thoughts on the Miele "wild card" option?

I'm more of a Front Loader guy. Don't think the TL's get clothes as clean and you have to be wary of how much you put in there. With a FL it's load and go. You can load it up to the top or anywhere in between. The "new" TL's seem to be a Frankenstein machine that has a lot that can go wrong. And I'm one that prefers electronic controls to dials and knobs (electronics have proven to be more reliable if designed right).

That being said, if you can get the Miele for $1800 for both I'd go that route. We paid a little less than that for our Kenmore set and that's a great deal since the Miele W4802 is $1800 alone. Just make sure you can get the full warranty and it may be worth it to get an extended warranty as well.

I have the LG waveforce 5101 with the heater, it works great! No worries about loading it, just load and go. I have a whole list of reviews on this site. Do a search for LG wave force and you will find all you need to know

Ooops. Houston we may have a problem...Something I did not notice before is that the height of the LG may present a problem. I forgot to mention that I stand a mere 60 inches tall. I better take a closer look at that aspect before I purchase.