Well my grandmother has the Bravos MTW6600TQ washer and loves hers! It washes and rinses clothes thoroughly and holds a huge amount of clothes along with big items such as pillows and large comforters when you use the bulky cycle.

Even thought the 6600 model did get a few negative reviews when the Bravos first came out, the newer 6700 model seems to have been better received, so apparently they worked out the kinks of the 6600 model (even though my grandma has had no issues w/hers).

As for the newer models, the just hit stores so it's too soon to tell how well received they are.

And there are definitely some great FL models out there to consider as well. Whirlpool Duet and Bosch Nexxt seem to be very well received and have a feature list that I like. If your washer is on the 2nd floor then the Samsung VRT models are definitely worth a look as many bloggers here seem to love theirs. The new Electrolux machines look very intriuiging as well......albeit pricey.

But if I were buying today, I would buy the non steam Bravos dryer you listed above, but would skip over the Bravos MVWB400VQ washer and go right to the Bravos MVWB800VQ washer with the built-in heater.

But back to the dryer for a sec, I also do not iron and usually throw my wrinkled stuff in the dryer to dewrinkle. Sometimes the item(s) get tossed in with a damp washcloth. Either way it usually does the trick. So I personally don't see the need for the steam feature and see your pt. about something else to repair in the future. But the built-in heater in the washer is something I would MUCH rather have. Just my 2 cents. Hope this info helps and good luck. Let us know what you decide to buy! :o)

Do you have to have a water source for the steam feature? Another thought to consider.

Personally, I have no interest in the steam features. I think it's essentially a gimmick but that said, if I were to consider it, I'd do some research on the steam features. I had a little handheld steamer for taking wrinkles out of my suits and such. It worked, I'll say that. But a hair dryer worked just as well and didn't have the item damp afterward. And the problem I ran into with the handheld steamer is that in the fine print it said you need to use distilled water or the minerals in the water would build up, spit out and plug it up. I would be very concerned about having water destroy an expensive appliance that would force me back to using a hair dryer to remove the wrinkles! Again, I have no knowledge on it, but I would research that carefully if I considered steam.

Another unsolicited comment: I'd also forego the steam in favor of the heater. I think that could be more functional. Again, I'd research what cycles it works on and what temperatures it gets, but it could be helpful occasionally and if the price isn't excessive I'd definitely consider it.

DH was at HD and they are clearancing out the floor models. With the coupons we have we can get them for $650 each. I know the new model has the internal heater but do you think we should pass on these because they don't have the internal heater?

Sounds like a good price on the washer. Well technically on the set. I don't know what kinds of loads you do whether you'd need a heater or not. You've gone this long without one. Some think the world will end if you don't have a heater but the reality is, the heater isn't used all that much. If you've been happy with your results so far, you'll probably be very happy with a machine without a heater.

Does the dryer have any special features? Do you need the set to match? Otherwise you might get a better deal on a different dryer. IIRC the Bravos dryer is 7 cu. ft. The 7.4-7.5 cf Whirlpool dryers are often under $500 and may be a better option if you don't need them to match.

But that could throw another monkey wrench into things... you could save money on the dryer and put it toward a washer with a heater if you feel you have need for it and it would serve your needs. Or skip it and save the money.

Yeah, it can make your head spin at times!

ACK! Cynic if I knew the answers I'd have a new W/D years ago. LOL! I'm not sure if I need the heater either. I am more of a warm/cold washer and use hot for linens and rarely for other things. The salesperson thought the heater was needed if you live in cold climates but I thought that made little sense. She did say that we were not buying the floor models but rather new ones in boxes which I liked and then we could also utilize the delivery and take away the old units system. I think I might go over and buy them and delay delivery while I ponder.

As I said, we can get the set for under $1400 and I do think I want them to be matchy matchy.

A heater definitely matters on any kind of high-efficiency machine. Even if the heater just "maintains" the temperature on most cycles rather than "boosting" it, it's better than no heater at all. High-efficiency means less water; less water means it cools off faster during the wash cycle.

Also, once you have a sanitary cycle available, you might find it useful. One of the first things I did with my LG was a sanitary wash on some stained, smelly dish towels that my wife had given up on. They came out looking almost new, and smelling clean. No bleach or additives, just detergent.

OTOH, I can see one potential advantage to last year's model vs. the current one. Maybe last year's model allows a hot wash to fill exclusively with hot water, while the current one "dumbs down" the hot water by mixing it with cold. Or maybe they both allow a true hot wash, or maybe they're both dumbed down. It's hard to get reliable info on this small but important spec.

The typical consumer/customer doesn't understand the need for water heating in relation to the small amounts of water these HE machines use, and the typical salesperson doesn't either.

Yeah, and since no one's taking up that cause on THS right now, I figure I'll chime in occasionally. But come to think of it, if a washer's ATC defines "warm" as 75degF and "hot" as 90degF, then the water will cool slower because it isn't starting out hot, so a heater is less important for maintaining temperature. Maybe this is a bigger issue than heaters, and it gets even less mention.

Well I am certainly the typical consumer and honestly I have no idea. Now I'm not sure about my purchase or if I should just get the new model and forget about the older one. I do appreciate your input.

... but since FL use only about 5 gallons per fill, there may be that amount of ambient water in the pipes between the washer and the water heater.

Don't know if this will help you or not, but I bought the Maytag Bravos MTW6700 washer and MED6400 dryer in May and I am extremely happy with both. The newer BB models look great, too.

Thanks Mara. Do you find your clothes get clean even without the ability to keep the water hot/warm?

hedygs, my laundry room is right off the kitchen. So when I wash a load of laundry in hot water, I run the kitchen faucet for a few seconds until that water is good and hot (our water heater is set at 140 degrees). So far, I haven't had any problem with wash water not being hot enough.

Bumping to say that a flyer came in the mail today from HD. They're offering 10% off all Maytag appliances from 10/16 (today) through 10/22. They have the newest Bravos models. The washer is 4.7 cu ft and the dryer is 7.3 cu ft.