Carol in Cal. Posted June 26, 2017 Share Posted June 26, 2017 I went in with a bias for mechanical controls. I ended up getting a mechanical washer, because I didn't think the electronic control machines' delayed start capability and 'status' capability were really worth giving up the repair simplicity of the mechanical controls. But for the dryer I liked having the option of setting up my favorite cycles and repeating them, and also the buzzer to let you know that the cycle was over, and also the moisture detection, and also the option of having the dryer continue to fluff your clothes once dry to prevent them from wrinkling, all of which are only possible with the electronic controls. So I got the better of the two electronically controlled models. One thing that I learned that surprised me was that the eco wash cycle is just pure cold tap water, regardless of what heat setting you use on the washer. That strikes me as fairly useless unless you're willing to premix your detergent in slightly warmed water and pour it into the machine when it's partly full of water. I LOVE the fact that the machines FILL UP WITH WATER. Funny story--the appliance store we visited was pretty big, with no less than 10 brands of washers. I was hunting through that section for Speed Queens when I overheard this woman say to her husband, "No, I want a reliable washer that will last and actually get stuff clean!" And I thought, bingo, that's got to be a SQ fan and headed over there, and sure enough, she was right in front of the SQs, turning down tempting features in all other brands. We totally bonded around this. It was really fun. 15 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carol in Cal. Posted June 26, 2017 Author Share Posted June 26, 2017 Dang, I sound like a 1950s housewife. This is so wrong. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barb_ Posted June 26, 2017 Share Posted June 26, 2017 I get you, Carol :lol: 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Night Elf Posted June 26, 2017 Share Posted June 26, 2017 There's nothing wrong with being happy about new appliances! I hope you like them! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TX Native Posted June 26, 2017 Share Posted June 26, 2017 (edited) I've had my SQ mechanical washer a week or two and LOVE it. The Eco wash cycle threw me off as well. I thought something was wrong until I looked it up online about how the Eco cycle functions. The rinse cycle in the eco setting is a spray rinse instead of a deep soak rinse which is another difference other than just using cold water. Guess I may use it for super light washing needs. I kept my ancient, yet working, dryer for now. Congrats on your purchase. It is a solid machine. I could move my old washer to the side with little effort if needed and I can't budge the SQ to the side in our tight laundry space so it's staying where the delivery man planted it. Edited June 26, 2017 by TX native 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jean in Newcastle Posted June 26, 2017 Share Posted June 26, 2017 Yay! Welcome to the Speed Queen club! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Forget-Me-Not Posted June 26, 2017 Share Posted June 26, 2017 (edited) Hooray! The salesman at the store told me the Ecowash was useless (it came with a free lecture about how the EPA is ruining everything and which Presidential candidate was the better choice 🙄). I haven't tried it, though I think my husband and maybe a guest have used that setting. Edited June 26, 2017 by Forget-me-not 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liz CA Posted June 26, 2017 Share Posted June 26, 2017 Dang, I sound like a 1950s housewife. This is so wrong. :lol: I didn't even know there were washers with delayed start options. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jean in Newcastle Posted June 26, 2017 Share Posted June 26, 2017 Hooray! The salesman at the store told me the Ecowash was useless (it came with a free lecture about how the EPA is ruining everything and which Presidential candidate was the better choice 🙄). I haven't tried it, though I think my husband and maybe a guest have used that setting. My SQ doesn't have an Ecowash setting. But mine is specifically marked as commercial and is over 6 years old so maybe that's a new thing? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Forget-Me-Not Posted June 26, 2017 Share Posted June 26, 2017 My SQ doesn't have an Ecowash setting. But mine is specifically marked as commercial and is over 6 years old so maybe that's a new thing? Yeah I think he said it was a feature that has been added within the last 2-3 years. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carol in Cal. Posted June 26, 2017 Author Share Posted June 26, 2017 Yay! Welcome to the Speed Queen club! We are the Borg! Seriously, thanks to all the forerunners on this one. I didn't even have this brand on my radar when I started looking. If it weren't for the Hive I would have gotten something unreliable, which is my idea of hell. I hate shopping for things, and I feel that appliances should last for 50 years, like my grandmother's Kitchen Aide dishwasher did. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carol in Cal. Posted June 26, 2017 Author Share Posted June 26, 2017 I've had my SQ mechanical washer a week or two and LOVE it. The Eco wash cycle threw me off as well. I thought something was wrong until I looked it up online about how the Eco cycle functions. The rinse cycle in the eco setting is a spray rinse instead of a deep soak rinse which is another difference other than just using cold water. Guess I may use it for super light washing needs. I kept my ancient, yet working, dryer for now. Congrats on your purchase. It is a solid machine. I could move my old washer to the side with little effort if needed and I can't budge the SQ to the side in our tight laundry space so it's staying where the delivery man planted it. I did not know about the spray rinse, so thanks for that! One more reason not to use it! For those who don't have the Eco wash, according to a special flyer at my store, it was added in 2015. I think that this was to fulfil the EPA standards for low energy use. Like so many other things, this means that we have to pay extra for something that doesn't work, but at least we get to have a machine that basically does work, which is *nice*. I am glad for the EPA generally, but the learning curve on the energy standards for household appliances has been too steep for the manufacturers to keep up with. I am sure they will all catch up eventually, just like the newer low flo toilets are so much more functional than the original ones. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alessandra Posted June 26, 2017 Share Posted June 26, 2017 Congratulations! I still remember how thrilled I was when I got my SQ. I kept looking at the washed clothes and marveling how clean they were. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carol in Cal. Posted June 26, 2017 Author Share Posted June 26, 2017 As for the dryer, if I didn't hate my dryer, I would not have gotten a new one, but since I do, I did. It, I kid you not, felts cotton. This is supposed to be impossible, but somehow it does this. It sets wrinkles in permanently. It tears things. I did not realize that a dryer could be incompetent, but this one is. It's only 3 years old, and it was very cheap. I'm going to keep it for garage rags and other stuff that we'd just as soon not put into our nice new dryer, since we have space for it, but at some point when we get rid of it we are going to throw a party. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carol in Cal. Posted July 8, 2017 Author Share Posted July 8, 2017 Woohoo, they came in yesterday and DH went and picked them up. He's going to do the installation himself. No more felted cottons! And in other news, the latest Consumer Reports lists Speed Queen as the most reliable of top loading wash machines. Score! (Why don't they evaluate SQs in general, is what I want to know.) 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alessandra Posted July 8, 2017 Share Posted July 8, 2017 Woohoo, they came in yesterday and DH went and picked them up. He's going to do the installation himself. No more felted cottons! And in other news, the latest Consumer Reports lists Speed Queen as the most reliable of top loading wash machines. Score! (Why don't they evaluate SQs in general, is what I want to know.) Maybe CR is reading WTM? Iirc, CR did not recognize SQ in past years. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted July 8, 2017 Share Posted July 8, 2017 (edited) Oh yay!! Let us know how you like them. I'm picking one or two up when we move since the rental has no washer or dryer. I haven't decided whether to do another brand of dryer though. Edited July 8, 2017 by Arctic Mama Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
klmama Posted July 8, 2017 Share Posted July 8, 2017 (edited) Our frontloader is dying, and I can't wait to replace it with a Speed Queen. Does anyone have the SQ with delayed start feature? Is that model mechanical, too, or digital? Edited July 8, 2017 by klmama Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carol in Cal. Posted July 8, 2017 Author Share Posted July 8, 2017 Our frontloader is dying, and I can't wait to replace it with a Speed Queen. Does anyone have the SQ with delayed start feature? Is that model mechanical, too, or digital? The delayed start feature is only available in one of the SQs with electronic controls. That's why I gave it up--while it would be a convenience, I thought that having a washer with mechanical controls that is easy to repair plus likely to be quite reliable was more important. YMMV. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
klmama Posted July 8, 2017 Share Posted July 8, 2017 Thanks. That's what I figured, but wanted to be sure. I've hated our front-loader ever since we got it, and I can't wait to go back to something more reliable! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carol in Cal. Posted July 9, 2017 Author Share Posted July 9, 2017 :lol: I didn't even know there were washers with delayed start options. It's a nice feature, if, say, you want it to start when you're gone or after the house has cooled off late in the day, or first thing in the morning in the manner of a subtle alarm clock, all of which are scenarios that I can imagine being helpful. But I didn't think it was really worth it in this particular case. What was a bit challenging is turning aside from all the features in the newer washers. For example, some have washer drawers for tiny loads or hand washables. There are steam clean settings on some. But I think that reliability trumps all of that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carol in Cal. Posted July 9, 2017 Author Share Posted July 9, 2017 Thanks. That's what I figured, but wanted to be sure. I've hated our front-loader ever since we got it, and I can't wait to go back to something more reliable! Rumor has it that the SQ washers are supposed to change for the worse within the next year or so due to environmental regs. I bought mine sooner than I otherwise would have because of this. I don't know for sure whether it's true, but I noticed that the SQ site had evasiveish answers to questions about it in their Q and A area so SOMETHING is up I think. I'm really glad not to be stuck with the POJ (Piece Of Junk) lower end 2014 Maytag much longer, though. I hate it so much. It doesn't fill; clothes don't necessarily get wet, let alone clean, the first time you wash them, and it wrinkles things like crazy. I thought it would just be a noisy, stripped down, but decent machine. Um, not so much. However! I envision using it for dyeing. It's awesome to be able to envision having a dedicated machine for that--it's basically every fiber person's dream--and you don't use the whole cycle for that so the deficiencies won't be so annoying. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jean in Newcastle Posted July 9, 2017 Share Posted July 9, 2017 Maybe CR is reading WTM? Iirc, CR did not recognize SQ in past years. I think that they didn't review them in the past because SQ was really considered commercial in the past. In fact my older SQ is marked "commercial" on the front plate. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bagel270 Posted July 9, 2017 Share Posted July 9, 2017 :hurray: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted July 9, 2017 Share Posted July 9, 2017 Rumor has it that the SQ washers are supposed to change for the worse within the next year or so due to environmental regs. I bought mine sooner than I otherwise would have because of this. I don't know for sure whether it's true, but I noticed that the SQ site had evasiveish answers to questions about it in their Q and A area so SOMETHING is up I think. I'm really glad not to be stuck with the POJ (Piece Of Junk) lower end 2014 Maytag much longer, though. I hate it so much. It doesn't fill; clothes don't necessarily get wet, let alone clean, the first time you wash them, and it wrinkles things like crazy. I thought it would just be a noisy, stripped down, but decent machine. Um, not so much. However! I envision using it for dyeing. It's awesome to be able to envision having a dedicated machine for that--it's basically every fiber person's dream--and you don't use the whole cycle for that so the deficiencies won't be so annoying. !!!! Glad I'm buying one soon then. I HATE the energy efficiency that sacrifices efficacy. I've had to run loads three times in my front loader. That is NOT cheaper or better for the environment than using another gallon of water. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carol in Cal. Posted July 9, 2017 Author Share Posted July 9, 2017 !!!! Glad I'm buying one soon then. I HATE the energy efficiency that sacrifices efficacy. I've had to run loads three times in my front loader. That is NOT cheaper or better for the environment than using another gallon of water. Kind of like the early low flow toilets that you had to flush repeatedly. Ugh. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted July 9, 2017 Share Posted July 9, 2017 Kind of like the early low flow toilets that you had to flush repeatedly. Ugh. Yes. We hate those so much. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
klmama Posted July 9, 2017 Share Posted July 9, 2017 Those of you with newer Speed Queens with mechanical controls, would you please share the model number of your washer? This thread got me looking at my local stores' online options, and all of washers listed had electronic controls. :glare: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carol in Cal. Posted July 9, 2017 Author Share Posted July 9, 2017 Those of you with newer Speed Queens with mechanical controls, would you please share the model number of your washer? This thread got me looking at my local stores' online options, and all of washers listed had electronic controls. :glare: This is what we got for the washer. We bought a dryer with electronic controls, but this same store had a model with mechanical ones, too. https://www.airportappliance.com/washers-dryers/washers/top-load-washers/AWN432SP113TW04/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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