Did you mean Speed Queen Top Load versus Electrolux F/L?

The Speed Queen washers do not have onboard heaters. That is a non-starter for me, regardless of whether a front load or top load, as I want to be able to get the water as hot as possible.

My SQ gets hot water within seconds of starting up. I believe that’s determined by water heater setting and it’s proximity to the appliance. The appliance is 4 years old and I love it; fast and efficient, and with a 7 year warranty by SQ with service by the store from which it was purchased.

@Anne Duke, frontloaders take in a much smaller quantity of water than toploaders so much of the heat of incoming hot water is absorbed into the mass of the machine's tub/drum and the clothes. Water temperature in the tub can immediately drop by 15°F, and more through the course of the wash period. An onboard water heater boosts and maintains the temperature. There's also a concept called "profile wash" which is ideal for treating a range of stains and soils. It starts at a lower tepid or warm temperature to avoid setting-in heat-sensitive stains, then ramps up the temp through the wash period to treat stains and soils that shift better at higher temperatures. A machine without a water heater can't do that. A water heater also provides for a steam function, a sanitize (via heat) cycle, and an Allergen cycle that is required by certification protocols to reach a specific target temperature.

Can you reach the clothes in the top loader? I am 5’1” and can not reach the clothes-obviously a deal breaker for me as I don’t want to stand on a stool every time.

"Can you reach the clothes in the top loader?"

The top of the LG WT7005CW (for example) is 44-1/2" from the ground. Subtract 6" for the control panel. The top of the washer is about 38" high.

I am 5’2” and I can’t reach the bottom of the tub on top load washer. I have Electrolux front load washer and dryer that was purchased in 2007. I love them…washer has no mold or mildew issues because I leave the door open after using it. It also notifies me when to use the clean tub cycle.

I'm 5'3, have a top load Speed Queen and can wash a load of clothes in less than a half hour. I wouldn't trade my SQ for three front loads. My daughter had a fancy front load washer. I watched it one day and was not impressed. It finally broke and they bought a top load.

I have an LG front load. I think it's great. It's about 3 years old, has not had any problems, and I can't think of anything I'd improve on it. It does have the internal heater which once you have that, you can't go back to one that doesn't have it. If you live in a northern climate like me where the water pipes get very cold even just from the water heater to the washer, you really need that extra boost of heat.

I looked at the Miele thinking I wanted a top-of-the-line. The Miele is a great machine, but too small for us and the price was more than we wanted to spend. I recommend the LG - look over the features carefully, some of the machines come with extra gewgaws that you don't need. The two features I need are the sanitary cycle which means it has a water heater, and the turbo cycle for when you want the wash done quick.

Doing laundry for 14 people in our house in Miele front loaders. Capacity is not an issue.

There are cycles that are done in 30 minutes and cycles that take almost three hours. If your clothes are dirty they are not coming clean in 30 minutes no matter what anyone tells you. 50-60 minutes for a lightly soild load.

Underwear that has soiling stains (kids and menstrating females), diapers, etc. Anything with serious stains will require time, a good detergent, heat and maybe some oxygen bleach. Chlorine bleach is never used in this houses laundry.

Water heaters set at temps above 120F run a very real risk of scalding. It takes only seconds at 130-140F to cause serious burns. A washer with an internal heater is much safer, especially if there are kids.

The vast majority of homes do NOT need a washer with a huge drum. When clothes are properly sorted into colors, fabric types, etc. the load sizes are almost always below 8-9kg.

I bet most people throw everyting in at once, wash on cold and set the dial to express. Is there any wonder people want detergents with strong fragrances?

@luna123456 - I respectfully disagree with some of what you wrote. We do not throw everything in at once. We went to a Miele showroom and brought 2 sets of sheets, 4 towels, all were white, and they barely fit in the drum, we had to really push and squeeze. Then push the door closed with more force than would make me comfortable with the durability of the door over the long term from doing that constantly. The showroom person said they'd fit once they got wet, but we did not want to be confined to that size of load. While all our sheets and towels are white, we frequently have family stay over, and there will be more whites than what we tried in the showroom. I understand your experience has been different, but please understand our experience.

We only use fragrance-free detergents.

Water heaters in my state have a required top limit temperature, so even if we wanted to go higher - and that would have the risk of scalding as you pointed out - we could not.

I still have my Miele brochures and catalogs for when I was buying my first front load washer. These are from 2000; they compared themselves to the Neptune, without specifically naming Maytag, in terms of their tub being horizontal when the Maytag's was slanted (as had been the famed Westinghouse). Their description of capacity was quite deceptive. They discussed that Miele can hold a lot of towels, and then went on to say "There are times when extra capacity is desired, such as when washing table linens after a dinner party or a king sized comforter." This was in a section touting Miele's versatility. Of course, they did not state that a Miele could wash a king sized comforter, but I bet a lot of first time users assumed it could and were left with wet but not cleaned bedding. Several times a year my MIL brings the things she can't get into her Miele to me that I can get into our SQ and use the water level control to fill the tub to the top. Our water heater that services the LR is set very hot, so I am pleased with the results. If Miele offered a machine that could handle a king sized comforter or a dozen towels with ease and not at the price of the Little Giants, it would definitely be on my short list in the future.

Front load, front load, front load. Better cleaning, more efficient, saves money. I don't know Miele specifically, but I've loved my LG front loaders I've had in 3 different homes.

I will never have another front loader. Love my Speed Queen top loader.

linda918,

In answer to your original question of whether a Speed Queen FL or an Electrolux FL, I would choose a SQ FL in a second. The reason being I had 2 different Fridgidaire FL washers over the span of 12 years. Fridgidaire is owned and made by Electrolux. The first of the two was forever in break down mode. The amount of $$ I spent at laundromats could have gotten us 3/4 of the way to a new washer. It would 6-8 weeks from a call for repair to having a poorly, barely functioning washing machine again. Fridgidaire would rather rebuild the whole darn washer seven times than issue a lemon refund or a replacement. 2nd Fridgidaire FL washer was more reliable. Lasted 8 years, but we never once had clean and fresh laundry with either washer. Our clothes stunk. Our towels stunk. Our sheets stunk and my formerly always pristine and fresh cleaning rags and napkins were filthy, looking and smelling. I only washed on hot or warm, using extra rinses and highest soil settings with top shelf detergent. Pieces of garbage.

If I had to go FL washer today (I have a Speed Queen TL washer for several years now), I would choose Speed Queen or Miele. Both will cost you dearly, but your cleaning results will be good. LG makes good FL washers too but I have space restrictions that most do not. If you do choose LG, get a model that has an internal heater (not all do) so you can have the higher temps needed to do sanitize cycles for sheets, towels, socks and underwear.

Good luck with your decision!