As far as I am aware Speed Queen is the closest you will find to a true traditional washer.

Have you considered repairing your washer? Machines that old are basically a DIY. and you will never find a new machine that operates like the old ones. What brand do you have?

If you haven't had a new machine in 20 years, you are going to find the energy efficient models offered today very different. Not all aspects good different IMO ;)

I've been a faithful Maytag user 40 years, am not as happy with my 4 yr old set. 'Normal' cycle is the one the gov't judges their energy efficient standard by and I rarely wash anything on new normal cycle....there's no water ;0) Bulky, Whites, and Hand Wash do have a little depth.

Mamapinky will join in here very shortly I'm sure, but on the laundry forum I'm seeing Whirlpool Duet, Electrolux, SpeedQueen discussed favorably.

What's your price point? Tired of his energy efficient top load Maytag only year older than my own, my BIL just bought GE Deep Fill machines for his home and weekend house both. I used the Deep Fill for the first time just last week, they'd gone on vacation and left some sheets, laundry. Loved it. It has a little button upper left where I could add three more gallons twice for a total of 6 additional gallons of water to the load, or - my favorite - hold the button for three seconds and override all the energy efficient settings completely and fill the washer all the way up. I washed a load of rags the housekeeper had used, added old towels DH had used washing their cars on Hot, full to tub capacity and it was wonderful. Lots of steamy hot water. It has an agitator. A stainless steel tub. And, it didn't take 80 minutes for the cycles to complete. Not an expensive machine, he doesn't expect them to last forever but is happy with their performance for now.

This is what you will find on the new top loaders

Reduced water..even when choosing extra large load the water won't cover the clothes.

Hot water is no longer hot tap its mixed with cold going into the machine so you get barely warm.

May not spin between wash and rinse, so it may drain but not spin before adding rinse water.

They all have locking lids.

This is just a few things that disturb me.

I have a top loader, GE, HE, low water... and HATE it! Now I really don't use that word often, but I truly hate it. Unfortunately I don't have the funds to replace it. It came with the house. I know now why.

It doesn't take enough water on, to fully get the laundry wet. Crap, how can things get clean, if they don't even get wet. The picture shows the max water it takes on, no matter the load!

Oh, I forgot about the rinse cycle! What a CRAPPY option!!! Water runs in, while the machine spins. With other words, it does NOT rinse anything!

As soon as I have the funds for it, I will get an old fashioned probably used washing machine.

Moni

PPS, I put three buckets of water in, for my clothes to get wet, and washed!

Wow, how they have changed! I have a Kenmore that is maybe 10 years old and there are none of those constraints on it. These are manufacturing laws now and not choices?

Mama, I have Speed Queen and the lids don't lock. Only a few years old.

But, I also recommend Speed Queen. It was recommended to us by aa repair man.

I hated my large HE front loaders.

I love being able to look it and add more detergent if needed. I also like seeing how much water per clothing I am cleaning.

Sjerin, these are neither manufacturer laws or consumer choices..these are regulations set in stone by the US Government.

Speed Queen has gotton around much of it by giving their top loader a choice. With these you can use the eco cycles or the traditional cycles. The Queen will fill full if that's what you want and will give true hot water. They do have a locking lid but a clothespin placed in the back, no you don't take the back off to do it and it literally takes 2 seconds to do.

Eld, I have no idea why your lid opens. You either have an older yet new model or someone in quality control messed up. Lol

Eld, tell me how you know when you need more detergent? By the suds?

Mamapinky, the knob control model (Speed Queen) does not have a lid lock.

By suds. Although the newer products don't really get sudsy and soapy looking, it's just a matter of becoming instinctive. I'm a laundry peeker, I always have been. Did I put in enough soap for muddy clothes, or too much where I want an additional rinse. My Maytag has a pause button where I can unlock the lid. I may have to wait a couple of minutes if its spinning, because we all know adults are not smart enough to not plunge their arm into a spinning washing machine so we are now locked out ;0) I did buy a washer with a tempered glass lid so I can see, I knew they lock now, know myself and I'm a lifelong laundry peeking person.

I bought my first Kenmore washing machine 30 years ago. I'm on my second. I don't think I would go with any other brand. It's an old-fashioned top load machine. Simple and does the job. I've read way too much negative reviews on front load washers, I think I'll stick with the old.

Sammy are you referring to the Speed Queen AWN432 with the manual dials? They don't have locking lids, true, but all action stops when the lid is opened.

A good way to test if you've addef enough detergent is feel the water, if its slippery you've added enough. Clothing that's heavily soiled will not get cleaner by adding too much detergent. If you have a muddy or other heavy soils that's dirty enough to turn the water dirty looking than do a cool prewash. Otherwise what happens is the fibers of the textiles will close up holding in the soiled water.

My GE washer quit 2 yrs ago, and I replaced it with a Whirlpool top loader. Oh how I wish I had my GE set back (in working order of course). I hate the locking lid. I hate that it never fills with enough water, and it takes forever to wash a load of clothes, and they are not as clean as my GE used to get them. I also hate the dryer, and wish I had kept my old GE as it was still working. The Whirlpool has the lint filter on the top of the machine, and when you go to take the lint off, residue falls all over the top of the dryer, and it is a constant clean up to keep it looking decent. Ge had it in the door, and it never made any mess. My whirl pool does have an agitator, but, it is a bit different than the old GE, in the way it works.

I've had an LG top loader for five years with no problems. I'm not super particular about laundry......we're not auto mechanics or farmers.....but next time around I may look at a no frills Speed Queen. I don't use or need all the bells and whistles, but we got a good deal on a close out model. The only thing I don't like about mine is you can't let things soak overnight.....you can only soak for about an hour or so.

We have a 10-year-old, bottom of the line Frigidaire front load at home and a 16-year-old Maytag top load washer/dryer combo at the condo, where I am now. They both 'do the job', but I prefer the front load. We are just two adults using the Frigidaire. Our vacation rental guests and our cleaners also use the Maytag.

I see more wear on my clothes here; it's the agitator. The agitator creates prison-escape ropes out of my king sheets. Drying takes longer here; the top load doesn't spin as much water out.

I can add clothes/detergent/final rinse vinegar to both. The old top load completes a cycle in a third of the time for the front load, but it uses more water and detergent to do it.

What is the purpose of a stainless interior tub in a washer? Seems like something the marketing people dreamed up to me. The enamel in my old Maytag tub is good as new.

Cat, I bet we have the same Whirlpool. The things I dislike are the locking lid, the low water, the length of the cycle and that my clothes are tangled after the load is done. I also have to rinse dark items twice or I see streaks of detergent on them. I'm now using hotter water to try to "melt" the detergent. I use liquid HE Tide. I also hate that there are no dials, everything is a button with a light. I also want my old machine! I looked at Speed Queen but theya re much more expensive. This one is not the end of the world, but I don't understand why everything changed.

My 20+-year old Kenmore dryer quit Just before Christmas 2016. I only wash once a week. I work full time and decided to just wash at home, then head to the laundromat to dry until I had time to make a decision as to which dryer I wanted to buy. LOL, my washing machine quit the following week. I just bit the bullet and went shopping for both. It was an eye opening experience. All the new washers I saw looked like they were missing something - an impeller/agitater. I had a hard time believing that you could get clothing clean without one. But, the reviews for the Whirlpool W10783951A were awesome, so I bought it and the Whirlpool dryer as well. I have been very pleased with them both. Occasionally DH does the laundry and often I would find a bra or the leg opening of a pair of underwear had been thrown into the washer over the impeller and ended up all stretched out. Not anymore. And the washer does spin after it drains the first time, as well as after the rinse. I can choose to do a second rinse, too. I wash very few delicates and use cool water for nearly all of the loads, so I set it once only. DH isn't overwhelmed with choices (he has bad eyesight). He drops in a pod, tosses in the clothes, and pushes "the big gray button". That's it! And I can't see or smell anything that tells me the clothing is any less clean than with my old Kenmore. I would definitely recommend this set.

I have two sets of Maytags, one set upstairs and one down. The one upstairs is a little better one, but I like them equally. They are both top loaders and I would not want a front loading machine, simply because for me it is harder to unload, like the dryer is. I have no problems with the newer machines. Whites get washed in hot and the rest in warm or cold. I think the interior of the washers will determine how well your clothes spin the water out. I know my oldest daughter had some kind of interior that she hated as it did not let the water spin out well. She used to work in the Lowe's appliance department and knew all about the different ones.

Sue

Speed Queen all the way! When my old Maytag quit I knew exactly what I wanted. Speed Queen top loader with dials. I don't want a ton of digital bells and whistles that are $$$ to fix. They have the longest warranty by fair and you never hear a bad thing about them. Another plus-a full load is done in about 40 minutes, not 2 hours like some front loaders. I've also hear-many kinds of new model machines won't let you soak things-the machine drains, No problem with my machine that I named Pearl. Speed Queens are not at chain stores, only local appliance places Well worth the search. The delivery guy remarked that they are so well made that they weigh 3 times more than other machines-not a lot of plastic parts.

Basic Speed Queen!

Another Speed Queen fan here. Best money I ever spent. My set is about 3 years old and the lid does not lock.

dedtired, it sounds very much like they could be the same. I have tangling of clothes too. I have also had the detergent marks, so have to do another rinse. I use the extra large cycle, even for a medium sized load, and that helps with the detergent marks. Years ago, I had a speed queen washer, and it was a real workhorse. Unfortunately, my budget wasnt big enough this time, to buy a Speed Queen.

When I said the lid doesn't lock I ment when you open the lid everything stops.

Biggest cause of undisolved detergent is washing in cold water.

We purchased a Speed Queen Top Loader 2 years ago and love it. It FILLS with water and our clothes are clean. A vast improvement over the Amana and Whirlpool we had prior.

Speed Queen here too. Love it.

Here's my Speed Queen story...I was always a top loader fan, and for years dreamed of having a Speed Queen finially it happened...I bought a brand new shiney Speed Queen washer (AWN432)and matching dryer..I was in heaven until it developed problems several months later. Now yes SQ offers a great warrenty, a warrenty that would put other manufactures bankrupt...but the warrenty is only as good as the service tech doing the repairs, and I'll tell you now folks this is a basic machine that does not require and engineers degree to repair...well weeks and weeks later my SQ washer had 8 different parts installed, one at a time...still my Queen didn't work only now it had different problems. I finially threw my hands in the air, took a deep breath, ate a fudge bar, ok , it was 2...and than I called Speed Queen directly. They were flabbergasted that 8 parts were installed, they stepped in and sent a new replacement washer to my dealer to be delivered asap to me....it was...and delivery hooked it up and left. I started my first load...and whatcha think happened..clank clank clank....it made a clanking noise each time the agitator moved..than I stood back and really looked at my brand new washer. There was a huge deep scratch down the front that had been touched up...ended up that my dealer kept the new replacement SQ sent them for me and delivered a different one to me...I called my dealer and within several days I was given a check for the full cost I payed for the washer and they removed it from my home....moral of my story...make sure before you buy a Queen that the dealer has a good rep and find out who will service it if need be. I do not blame Speed Queen for my issues I blame the service tech and the dealer. Basically SQ is a good washer with a good rep. Its the best out there in todays market if you want a traditional top loader, probably the only real old skool left.

This happend less than a year ago.

A few years ago, I bought a GE top loader, large capacity.

Nothing fancy: Standard spin dry tub; Has choice of second rinse if desired.

For washing, the tub oscillates back and forth and the center turret has a one-way clutch in it to cause it to turn one way to stir the load. It is not powered. Each time the tub turns to the right, the turret turn to the right and stops as the tub returns to the left.

It works well.

I love my Speed Queen top loader. Stainless steel tub, manual controls.

My new SQ (November) electronic controls, has locked lid. Love it.

Mamapinky- Why would you want the machine to keep agitating once you've opened the lid? I guess I'm not following that logic.

Because I am a laundry nerd. I like to check in and watch the action. Not everyone loads and goes. Lol

let me clue you almost all the machines are made by 1 company, whirlpool. and NOT in mi anymore...(including Kenmore, but on the cheap) if you're a member of Costco? they deliver and install...(just got a new dw from them) and you're wasting detergent trying to get suds...

At both my last washer, and this piece of carp, I use a magnet to be able to look inside. With this crappy piece, I have to have the lid open, to add more water via a bucket. That magnet makes the machine think, the lids is closed. ;)

Moni

In December, I retired my 33+-year-old Kenmore (Whirlpool) washer and dryer. They were still working, but having "issues". I researched thoroughly--I wanted a top loader washer, and a dryer with a hamper door (comes down, rather than swings to the side). Because the previous set was so good, I decided to stay with Whirlpool. I got Whirlpool Model WTW5000DW and the matching dryer. They were on sale at Home Depot for $399 each, with free delivery.

I absolutely love them! I can wash a king-size comforter--which I could never do with the old washer. I got a 5-year maintenance agreement on both of them, for only $150--that was an offer I couldn't refuse.

I have a 30yr old Whirlpool that has been problem free. When
I need a new one, I’ll consider a Speed Queen with knobs.

BTW, the Whirlpool continues to
agitate with the lid up unless it is in spin.

Susan not all washers are made by Whirlpool.

I had a Whirlpool top loader, not sure of model, but it was from Sam's Club, one of the lower priced models, and it worked well for about 20 years. It was beginning to have some issues about 3 years ago, so I decided to replace both it and the dryer (which was really limping along). After quite a bit of both online and in-store shopping, I bought a matching set of Whirlpool Cabrios. The washer is a top loading HE machine, no agitator, and very low water usage. The top does lock, but it is glass, so I can watch it do its thing if I want to. It self adjusts the amount of water depending on the size of the load, but it also has a number of settings so the amount of water can be adjusted. It handles some pretty good sized loads very well. I live alone, so I don't have a whole lot of laundry, nor do I have any really dirty laundry as I did when I had a hard working husband and a house full of boys. I am very pleased with both the washer and the dryer, it was the right choice for me, both in what it can do and budget wise. And budget is definitely a serious consideration for me. There are a few not-so-good reviews online about the Cabrio, but I honestly think they were written either by someone who got a lemon, or didn't follow instructions about loading, selecting cycles, etc.

Oh, and I noticed a significant decrease in my water bill, too! Another plus!

Rusty

My renter has a Whirlpool Cabrios. They have a 1 yo & a 3yo. They say it's fantastic!

I tried a GE, stainless steel tub, no agitator model....it did NOT get our construction worker clothes clean and twisted my sheets. On the other hand, my renters love it. :0)

I just heard a report on a home improvement radio show yesterday, stating that Speed Queen is the best machine manufacturer. The machines are made in the USA and normally last 20+ years. Here's a link that may help you:

http://americansworking.com/listing-category/washing-machines-made-in-the-usa/

"Reduced water..even when choosing extra large load the water won't cover the clothes.

Hot water is no longer hot tap its mixed with cold going into the machine so you get barely warm.

May not spin between wash and rinse, so it may drain but not spin before adding rinse water."

With all due respect, Mamapinky, I beg to differ with you on your above comments. While those statements may be true of some brands, they are not true of all brands.

1. The water level in my Cabrio can be set to completely cover the clothes.

2. There are a number of water temperature settings, and the hot water setting is HOT! Directly from the water heater, no cold added.

3. It does spin between wash & rinse. It spins each time it drains.

Rusty

We just got a new matching set W/D ( my first matched set ) We got a very inexpensive Roper that is top loading and had varying water settings. It a long time to do a load, but it washes laundry CLEAN !! My last washer was a Maytag, but I could only do half loads or it would leak water all over. It lasted 19 years, and I had an old 40+ year old Kenmore Dryer that Tobey fixed for me twice. So, when the washer failed, he just got me the matched set at Lowes So at, so good. He wanted to get me one of those fancy schmancy sets that look soooo nice, and are pricey, but I don't care if it' cheap and does the wash and won't outlive me. If these die before me, then either I go to the creek, or get another set. LOL

Rusty I was referring to modern day traditional top loaders. Isnt a Cabrio a top load HE washer?

I think the new Cabrio's are 5.3c.f. tub size and uses 22 gallons tops per load, I believe that 22 gallons is split between wash and the rinse. I think this info is correct as I remember reading about it somewhere probably on AW.

Now Rusty your Cabrio may be a older model using more water than the 2017 year models.

Forgot....I thought the Cabrio used ATC...the last time I checked Whirlpools listed temps for it were.

Hot-101-115 F

Warm-80-85F

Cool-65-75

???

These temps would change if the Cabrio has an onboard heater and a cycle enabling the heater was used.

If I understand correctly, new regulations took effect in 2009 to limit the average amount of water a washer uses. Manufacturers call it "high efficiency." Don't be fooled -- it is NOT aimed to save YOU any time, trouble, or money. It's designed to use less water per load cycle ... not per "clean" load. How I hated my new Samsung top loader. Large tub, no agitator -- but took literally over two hours to wash a load. Clothes came out twisted, and looking like they were covered with lint (they were). Weird particles clung to the tub. And to my sheets. Yuck.

I rejoiced when this stupid machine was recalled, and I got most all my money back. Now I have a new Speed Queen. Smaller tub, but I can *totally complete* a load of laundry within a hour, from putting it in the washer, to taking it out of the dryer. Markedly less lint in my dryer screen. I can easily fit in two or three loads in one evening, which is highly efficient for ME, not some darn machine. GE has a new back-to-basics model out, a bit cheaper than a SQ. My sister has one, she likes it so far.

Laundry forum is a good resource for you -- just keep in mind you need to ask different questions than pre-2009, like "how long does a load take to complete", "how high does the wash water go", "how high does the rinse water go", and "how hot is hot".

Oh dear. Several members of my family had trouble with their new HE machines but I had no idea that things were this bad. I have an older Whirlpool heavy duty that is a real workhorse. Top loading with an agitator and it does a great job. If it ( heaven forbid ) died tomorrow I would buy another one just like it, if possible. I am of the school of thought that if it "ain't broke, don't fix it". Fingers crossed.

My apologies, Mamapinky. I misunderstood your post, thought you were referring to the HE top loaders. So my replies to your comments don't apply at all.

Yes, my Cabrio is a HE machine. I bought it in the fall of 2013, don't know if that qualifies it as an 'older' machine or not. But I do stand by my comments that it is a very good 'fit' for me. There was quite a "learning curve" in learning to use it, (I still have to refer to the owners manual occasionally). Yes, the "HE" does stand for efficiency of water and electricity, why would anyone think otherwise? Yes, it does take longer to wash a load than my old machine did, but that doesn't bother me at all. And my clothes do come out cleaner. I have never had any detergent marks or any of the other problems others have mentioned with these machines. The tangling of sheets, etc., isn't a whole lot worse than it was in any of my old agitator machines. And, because I live where drought and water rationing is often a way of life, I really REALLY appreciate the small amount of water it uses!

Rusty