My daughter lives in Abilene but I believe she has the latest/greatest HE style. I'll ask if she has any stores to recommend. When the washer that came with this house went out, I bought a second hand Maytag top loader and have been very happy with it. Paid $270 for it. Working well for about 3.5 years now.

@decoenthusiaste that would be lovely!! My younger sister is living there now but her husband already bought a house with units and so she isn't sure either lol she hates her units also haha we like 'wasting' energy I guess ;)

She says a Conns is coming to the area shortly, but otherwise her's came from one of the big box stores. Conns is an electric and appliance store; very old. They were in Houston in the '80s and are still going strong.They may be more likely to offer the kind of units you want.

I would be fine with used if I found worthwhile ones for sure. I don't know what their market is like second hand or will have time once we get there to wait. I'm not familiar with that Conn's store at all either. I think Maytag is also whirlpool? I know GE owns a few brands and they're essentially the same quality. I just can't recall if those are sister-brands or not. My husband will be there with us for 2 weeks roughly before he has to fly back to work in the Arctic for his 3/3 rotation (weeks). So I'll be trying to get units bought and running in the house by then hopefully.

The HE models work better now than they did when they first came out, so no need to worry about getting your clothes clean, but it does help to leave the door open a crack when they're empty so air circulates. You should also run it on a clean cycle once a month. The last couple machines I have owned were LG, and I really like them. The first one we got for half price as a floor sample at Lowe's. I was not happy to leave it behind when we moved. The problem now is that manufacturers are not able to keep up with demand because of shortages of chips and other parts, so you won't be able to be picky. You'll just have to see what they have available.

ALL washing machines are subject to mold/smutz accumulation if not used with proper habits. The problem is not unique to "HE" models ... other than they tend to be less forgiving of bad habits.

@kandrewspa thank you! Good to know. Not sure what year my siblings had issues with mold... They all leave theirs open to air too. But no clue on all the details. I'm just hoping to find one sooner than later if able. I had a time finding my new car last summer thanks to shortages lol my 14+ year old Nissan Sentra finally died for good on a road trip... Transmission cracked and everything!! Thankful for tripleA lol this year is going to be a lot of firsts I guessὢC

Consumer Reports has ratings of washers and dryers of all types (consumerreports.org/join - $10/month - digital). In general front-loaders are the best performers but CR's test include old-style top loaders with agitators as well. Read the user guides to see if the appliance has the features you're interested in and follow up with owners' reviews on such sites as Home Depot and Best Buy.

"Praying I can go with none h.e. /energy and water saving ones to avoid the issues with mold or poor wash quality..."

Modern washers are energy and water-saving. Some such as the LG WT7005CW allow "deep fill" but you should definitely try the standard settings -- with a high-quality detergent(!) -- before overriding.

I have regular sized front load washer and dryer and never had an issue with bedding front loaders can have a load crammed into them and still wash well. I do my horse balnkets in my washer no problem and my king size bedding I see no reason for an oversized washer and dryer Mine are Bosch if that helps.

I definitely follow up on consumer reports and try to read reviews once I know what to narrow it down to usually. I tend to like less fancy options... Basic stuff breaks less generally lol but that's becoming hard to find as made to last doesn't bring in buyers money often enough. Everything seems to be made to break and replace instead for consumerism sake. So I don't expect anything to be perfect or really long lasting the way I used to with appliances. I would be thrilled if things last 5 years or ten years with proper use and maintenance anyways. I try to read manuals and follow the guidance and maintain my things like that if I buy it new. Maybe newer models standard size/capacity is larger/more ample than it used to be? Standard capacity used to not be enough for more than thin sheets without overloading the unit. I'm not sure what capacity mine were in Alaska but they were BIG compared to most I was familiar with before anyways. All the ones at the laundromat that are smaller standard sized say no bedding allowed... So I use the large capacity ones and especially ones available with the extractor to get as much water out of it all before drying in the equally large capacity dryer. Those ones are the largest at our laundromat and I think are similar or same size as my ones I had in house in the past.  I'll have to look to see what the capacity info is on the different models next laundry trip.

I have these, Very large capacity. King sized bedding no problem. Microban so no mold and a cycle to dry the washer drum although i mostly keep mine opened a bit.

GE with microban

@m riz thank you! I'll have to look them up!! Everything these days is so high tech lol I get overwhelmed walking around the home Depot appliance section as so much is 'smart' or something technological anymore. Which can be great but it's usually just a lot more than I need, want, use... And when it stops working right it's usually more expensive than it's worth from experience. It's all computerized really. Which is exactly what overwhelms me lol so this thread has been really good advice so far. A lot of new stuff to familiarize myself with before I truly go to buy anywhere. It all looks great on a sales floor haha

@beverlyFLADeziner if I can afford speedqueen and get my hands on one I'd have to do a happy dance! Not sure what the price comparison will come out to be yet... Or availability... But speedqueen definitely stands on top of the mountain for me. Those are pretty much the no fail go to in laundry. 
My husband's parents owned and ran a dry cleaning and self serve laundromat for awhile when he was growing up and he swears by speedqueen still lol 
Hoping we can afford something that at least makes the recommendation list. Can't always afford the best but we try to use our finances wisely.

We're in the process of selecting appliances for our new home, and have been working with an appliance shop that specializes in high end appliances. Miele, Fulgor, Asko, etc. For laundry, he's recommending Speed Queen, TR7003WN washer and DR7003WE dryer. $2600 for the set, which is spendy but not that much more than the higher end Samsung and LG models, which he called junk.

@tupi2020: "appliance shop that specializes in high end appliances...he called junk"

Is it a really a surprise that a salesman would trash popular and competitively-priced appliances he doesn't sell?

I'm just the messenger :). That aside, I have to say that the owner of the store was superb, he is an appliance geek and actually uses all the appliances he has in store on a daily basis to see what works and what doesn't. He has parts on display to showcase the change in Bosch dishwashers that made their motors and heaters worse than they were before, and steered us towards Miele. So he's far off from a "slick" salesman who knows which product they need to push that week.

So far, I checked on a number of his claims about some specifics, and every single one panned out.

BTW, you can see in this thread that Speed Queen is considered by many to be the king (queen?) of laundry machines, so again, I don't think he was just blowing smoke.

The nice thing about speed queens is the fact of the simple control panel. The most expensive parts to fix on many W/D are the control panel, ask me how i know $600 and up, and with the supply chain problems who knows if you can even get them. I do really like my GE W/D so far. Theres a cycle for all occasions. I also had an LG washer that ran great for over 10 years. Thats an accomplishment now a days.

All current Speed Queen toploaders and frontloaders are fully electronic controls. The rotary knobs on models that have them are selectors for the computer board that runs the machine.

Conns generally sells middle of the line to bottom of the line models. I cannot stand them. They've been in Texas for over 20 years.

We have the LG largest capacity 5.5 cu ft washer and companion dryer. Top load washer. I can fit a king comforter and the sheets in it without a problem. It has been a life saver. We purchased it last year and are very happy with it.

NO APPLIANCE is without faults. Some brands have a better track record than others. Some care about their customers others care about their customers money.

The two top residential brands are Miele and Speed Queen. You will pay more to acquire these brands. MOST people forget what they paid after the initial shock and just enjoy mostly trouble free machines.

The choice between the two comes down to a few simple questions:

1. Do you want a top loading washing machine?

If the answer is YES, then Speed Queen is the only option from those two brands.

2. Do you want a front loading machine?

If yes then either brand will work. The differences are listed below.

Miele

• Made in Germany. They own almost all of their parts fabrication machinery. They even have their own steel/iron refinery, forge, electronics manufacturing, etc.
• Built-in water heater. Maintains water temperatures and can provide a true sanitizing water temperature if desired.
• Compact size. The internal washing drum is smaller than speed queen. If you do laundry more frequently this is not usually an issue. If you save it all for one day then it can be an issue.
• Many cycles, features, technology. Automatic Soap Dispensing, WiFi, etc.

Speed Queen

• Made in Ripon, WI. Parts are made to their specification, but necessarily made BY THEM.
• No built-in water heater. The water will be as hot as your water heater supplies it. No automatic temperature control. Water will fill and then cool during the cycle. May not be important to you. Chemicals are needed to sanitize laundry (Chlorine Bleach)
• Full size units. The internal drum can hold more laundry per load.
• Fewer, simple cycles. Usually enough for most people. Can not usually wash delicate items such as wool, silk, cashmere. If you don't own or wear items made from these fabrics it may not matter.

ALWAYS ask who will service your appliance. Speed Queen relies independent shops to service their machines. Service isn't usually a problem. Call speed queen and see who the local servicers are BEFORE you buy. Then check google and other sites for reviews on those places. Some are great, some are terrible.

Miele has both in house technicians and partners. if you have a Miele in house tech in your area, then you are way ahead. These techs have to go to school on the appliances they repair. They have a laptop with special software to help diagnose and troubleshoot problems. If you do NOT have a Miele tech nearby and need to use a partner, do the same research as above. Call the service partner and ask if they have people experienced fixing Miele appliances. Some are great, others are terrible,

@luna123456: "The two top residential brands are Miele and Speed Queen."

1. Definition of "top brand"?
2. Data source?

The top-brand isn't always the best or desired choice for every person or situation. I would never have a Speed Queen toploader (frontloader, maybe) or a Miele.

I always like to read the blog from Yale Appliance. They sell and service appliances in the greater Boston area. They gather data and show the results.

Home Appliance Blog | Yale Appliance

I’ve been relocated 12 times for work in 15 years and every time I purchased a new W/D set as clean and damage-free laundry is important to me. I’ve used existing machines left by the previous homeowner while waiting for the new ones to arrive. I’ve always purchased Samsung machines, many different models and can attest to how they’ve changed functionality over the years. I’ve never had any issues and love Samsung (I prefer front loading machines by far). I’ve been raised with front loaders only and have no issues maintaining them. I would highly recommend pedestals to make loading and unloading easier. I have to say the difference between the Samsung and those machines left in the home (typically they were Maytag, LG or GE) is very noticeable (of course date of manufacture plays into it too). But sometimes it’s the quality. My mom had the same front loader from 1980 until she moved in 2019 and that washer was indestructible. It’s still being used by the new owners and will probably last another 30 years lol but they don’t make them like that anymore.

*I would never have a Speed Queen toploader (frontloader, maybe) or a Miele"

We're thinking of a speed queen top loader, so I'm curious as to the reason behind your comment. Thanks.

I should have clarified that I would for sure not buy the TC5 toploader. It has no water level control, all cycles fill to either 1/2 to approximately 2/3 as the default depending which cycle, or 3 to 4.5 gals more with the Deep Fill option selected. That's too restrictive on choice and too much water for small loads. I may consider the TR line, but probably not being that a frontloader would be my choice, of some brand or other.

"...but they don’t make them like that anymore."

Very true and important to keep in mind for just about every brand of washers and dryers (and kitchen appliances in general). The quality of years ago is long gone. My advice is to shop for features that fit your needs best instead of any certain brand.

As the present owner of an older SQ TL (2017), I would agree with dadoes about not considering a current SQ TL. I would strongly consider a SQ FL washer if I was in the market. As long as it gives me true Tap hot water I am satisfied with that. Going on 4.5 years with ours and nary a problem. Hoping for at least 10 more years unless I get restless and want to replace it for the sake of having something different. I am a miser, so may not happen before the washer's natural expiration date.

@chloebud: "...but they don’t make them like that anymore."

"Very true and important to keep in mind for just about everything. The quality of years ago is long gone."

When was the last time you saw a car with its hood up stopped on the side of the road?

"When was the last time you saw a car with its hood up stopped on the side of the road?"

Actually, the day before yesterday on the freeway. My just about everything was referring to brands of washers and dryers since that was the topic. Will edit to clarify.

A ton of great information from all, thank you!
I am not incredibly used to front load washers other than the ones I sometimes use at the laundromat. I grew up with top loading only; I'm not even 5ft tall so the front loading can be nice lol all the top loading washers require a step stool or me practically climbing in to reach everything haha I don't particularly have any preferences as far as the cycles go rather than options of hot, warm, cold washes. I have never had anything beyond that and never a machine with its own water heater. I didn't even know that was a thing. I typically do large loads frequently as I have allergies and we have 3 cats. I'm allergic to wool and I don't own any silk or cashmere clothes. I'm pretty basic I guess! I just prefer to know if there's issues with any of them being more reliable or not. Especially as I figured most are more computerized than old basic knobs. I usually will pick whatever has the least plastic parts and as little computerized things to go wrong or break since it gets expensive and we are in shortage of all those things currently. I have never heard of the Miele brand until on here and so that's one I would have to really read up on. I don't know what the options will be where we are going. I did find that they have a local speed queen sales floor though.

@wdccruise I see cars break down all the time. But I don't assume it has to do specifically with the make and model first hand. There are an awful lot of factors that go into reliability of any item. This thread is dedicated to washer and dryer units of current kinds for anyone looking now. It is always nice to hear from people who actually own and use things and what they think of their purchases. 
As an overall though--- in most any current industry of manufacturing things are typically not made to last very long as they make more money repairing and selling brand new items to consumers. It's just how business is in a consumer industry. No one brand is wholly perfect by any means but sometimes there are a few that stand out as being better or worse in the current market. If I can afford to buy something that will last me longer than another similar item and thus recoups my money into it that would be nice vs buying cheap and finding out it maybe needs replacing every few years and costing more in the long run. By the time I need to purchase again things could be entirely different in what folks recommend. So I appreciate all the input from those helping out with personal experiences and information they know of... It eases the worry of feeling unprepared.

"I'm not even 5ft tall so the front loading can be nice lol all the top loading washers require a step stool or me practically climbing in to reach everything..."

Allison, that's a good point. Our top loader is quite deep. I'm almost 5' 10" and even I have to reach a bit occasionally.

Just wanted to add that Speed Queen seems to get more positive feedback than some other brands. I did look at SQ when I was shopping for a new w/d. The choices were very limited, and I didn't find anything that appealed to me. I will check SQ again when the time comes for another new washer. Hope it's longer than the 4 1/2 years we got from a Whirlpool washer.

@chloebud yes; speed queen models are not all that varying for selection. Probably partly why they are well liked; with few models and ones that have been in manufacturing some time yet they best have all the kinks worked out by now lol I am not all for the latest and greatest of anything. I like simpler options on things and in most cases tried and true is what I want even if it's not the coolest latest thing with all the bells and whistles on it. I try to spend the least amount I have to on these things because so often I do not see the true quality that is supposed to come with the price tag. I certainly don't pay for name alone and I don't care about the appearance of a washer and dryer lol I do hope that whatever I get will last us at least 5 years. I never know the average of things anymore since people typically don't talk about it or they just replace things for the sake of wanting something different sooner than necessary. I'm more of the if it isn't broken, why replace it? I love home decor but I'm a frugal person and will research a things bones to the umpteenth before I pay anything for it lol grew up pretty poor and rural in ak where you are thankful for whatever you can get in the first place. I know the selection is just overwhelming usually and rash decisions are my least favorite kind!

"...because so often I do not see the true quality that is supposed to come with the price tag."

Allison, you're so right about that! When I was shopping for a washer I had 3 salespeople tell me to expect 5-10 years from a new one. One guy told me to cross my fingers and toes after 5 years. Not exactly the quality you used to get. Both my siblings have Maytags that are over 32 years old. That ship has long sailed.

BTW, I ended up choosing an LG w/d. It had nothing at all to do with LG. They were just a good fit for me. That was almost 6 years ago and all is well. However, you know what my fingers/toes are doing. ;-)

Two years ago I moved house and had to leave my SQ frontloaders behind. Much wailing and gnashing of teeth ensued. But. I now have the top end Maytag front loader with the onboard water heater. Nothing gets past that machine. Very pleased. I have had no issues with mold, and I would know. I am allergic to everything they can test for save one kind of mold and alder trees. 🙄 I do run a cleaning cycle every 60-90 days, and I stuck two tiny, clear Command hooks to it, mounted sideways. I leave the door fully open while the load runs through the dryer — fastest, gentlest dryer I have ever owned. After that, I have a rubber band on the hooks that pulls the washer door almost-but-not-quite closed. No issues with Cal-King comforters or even pillows. I highly recommend these machines.

I have Electrolux front loaders for 11 yrs. Incredible machines, washer has steam feature as does the dryer. I use it often.

We have king size beds, down comforters. The machines handle them easily.

When they go, I'm hoping to replace with the same.

Good luck shopping!

Jane

Hi MizLizzie: hope your new home has been satisfying. I have a soft spot for Maytag; but my disappointment in KitchenAid and Whirlpool taints what I think of when I think of Maytag now. I expect my SQ set to last for years, and have already decided if we choose to move, the SQ set goes with us. I would love to be able to consider Maytag again in the future. I hope the next few years your set stays solid and we continue to get glowing reports from you. It will make myself and SEA SEA at least mull over the information.

armjim, SQ is the bomb, definitely keep them no matter what. Unfortunately, here the laundry is tucked under a staircase and my set was unitized, whih which was great in my old house . . . but a no-go here due to height constraints.