IMHO, there's really only one: Speed Queen. About $830-$860. Essentially like the Maytags of 30 years ago but the tub is larger, agitates better, and handles off-balance loads better. Very well-built and the best warranty in the business. No color choice -- it's white. Agitation or spin will stop when lid is lifted but it does not lock.

Gripes: Comes from the factory with 70% fill-limit. Can be overridden by holding the knob over or making permanent adjustment with a 1/4" bolt behind the control panel. Easy either way. Also all rinses are tap-cold...no adjustment possible.

Thank you - just called Speed Queen, found dealer 20 miles from me, they have it in stock for $750 model 8WN412 and it is EXACTLY what I was looking for - top loader, manual water, lid does not lock. My husband is mechanic so he won't have a problem adjusting the bolt in back of machine as well. Thank You!!!!

Kanaut before buy the 412, go to the Speed Queen web site and compare the other models for a little more$$ you'll get more features. I'm glad I did.

Ditto beagle nc....I have the 542...and glad of it.

Youtube has several video about how to adjust that bolt -- takes minutes but apparently voids the warranty. I didn't care. I did it.

Keep in mind that adjusting the pressure switch raises all the levels equally ... so the lowest level will also be higher. Leaving the adjustment as-is and using Reset on the control to get a higher fill when desired gives more range of fill levels ... with the drawback that you'd have to watch for the rinse fill and do Reset again then.

I did see the 542 and that is the one the store is ordering for me.
It was only $100 more and had all the options. I've haven't been this excited to do a load of laundry since I got my Kenmore set in college 20 years ago. I learned the hard way - you need water to get clothes clean. Thanks for all the advice.

I think you'll really notice a difference with SQ.

We bought the Model 432 as we didn't need all the additional features.

It's so much better then the Crapio we had. I wouldn't buy anything else after getting the SQ. Not only do the clothes come cleaner then they did in the Whirlpool, but I don't have to peel them off the side of the tub. Best part is the sheets don't come out all twisted and in knots.

Have my speed queen washer a year this month and still washing great. The dryer works well as it should. The last real "HEAVY DUTY" machines.

Can you wash a king size comforter in the 3.3 size?

I don't believe a King would fit in a 3.3
But my king did not fit in my old Kenmore washer and it was huge. My comforter was the one item I still had to take to the laundry mat. My king comforter will fit in this whirlpool cabrio HE machine but I have to presoak it for an hour and then I wash 2x. I only wash my comforter every few months so I am more than happy to go to laundry mat in exchange for the speed queen

Queen is the largest that I have seen reliably wash in a SQ top load, but it comes down to the loft of your comfortable. A more bed spread version will have no problem with king size.

Safe bet, do it at a laundromat in bigger equipment, 30 or 40 lb load rated machine.

Laundryvet

With respect to everyone....

No matter what machine you get, there will ALWAYS be something you own that won't fit in it.

I have the Speed Queen TL...I like it...but King Size stuff is a bad match for the capacity of this machine. Certainly not KS comforters.

Previously had WP Duet which I liked a lot. Huge drum and no agitator. There was still stuff I couldn't fit in it. My sister's King Size mattress pad was in that category.

Be reasonable about this. Dirty Harry wasn't talking about washers but paraphrase of his quote applies. "...got to know your limitations."

It's just a machine. It does what it does and nothing other. It's not magic. If you overload it, it won't work right.

Hello all, I've been enjoying this thread as we too have the unfortunate experience of a latest and greatest dud of a washer. High efficiency is no cleaning and terrible efficiency when you have to wash everything 3 times and presoak just to get the clothes wet.
I do have one question, will bed pillows fit in the speedqueen? we have allergies in our house, and need to wash them fairly regularly. I just wish they made a larger size.
Thanks for any reply.

Someday I will have a speed queen, but no way do I want a new model, it has to be a older one. When I lift the lid I want the agaitor to be moving, I want a true fill up, and I want the option for warm rinse. This is just a few of the things I want in a speed queen.

An acquaintance of my husbands has a vintage automatic and a wringer washer for me, however I have no idea what brand they are. I inly know they work, and they've been kept indoors, I'm so excited and hoping its my speed queen. Lol

mamapinky0

I don't think an older SQ will meet your requirements. I have a 542, the agitator stops when the lid opens, we do get a true fill after adjusting the sensor and we only get a cold rinse. I would go to the website http://speedqueen.com/ and look at the specs to see if any of their machines would meet your requirements.

Is the "HE does not work" only an issue with top loaders? It seems like the front loaders work better with less water, just that they have issues with mold if one is not careful.

I'm glad I found this discussion. I was almost settled on a samsung HE top loader, but now I will reconsider. There is only one thing keeping me from the SQ top loader. I have an older model in my rental apartment which has been rock solid reliable for the 12 years I have lived here, but it seems to have trouble cleaning my clothes. It sounds like a top loader HE would be even worse, so I'm inclined to go with a front loader.

Before I bought my Speed Queen on 3/31, I watched every video I could find on Youtube. I highly recommend anyone thinking of SQ do the same.

Hi Smith, I think there are older automatic speed queens that don't shut off when the lid is opened, I'm not well knowledgeable about them so I don't know the specific years I do know in the mid 80' there were some however I'm sure the spin will stop. I'm also looking into old maytags and whirlpools. Course truth be told I'd like almost any vintage automatic washer. I like standard top loaders and the new ones put out in the past 10 years just arnt as good as the old reliable ones. Who was it on here that said they would love to have their old Maytag back?? I think some of us that are older and remember the performance and reliability of the vintage top loaders miss them

I am the one who would take my old Maytag back in a heartbeat. I put the clothes and detergent in, turned the machine on, and walked away. Totally reliable and dependable. As for being able to open the lid while the SQ is agitating, I'm not sure about the electronic ones but the AWN432 that I have you can after my husband did the clothespin trick. Mine was built in 2015. Someone in this forum has the electronic. Maybe they will see this and respond.

Hi all,

I, too am looking for a new washer with all those requirements AND will continue to agitate when the lid is open.

I have an old Kenmore that does just that!! Yes, I am spoiled. Is so good for dyeing clothes!

I can open the lid and it will stay agitating, BUT it will NOT spin when lid is open. And that is OK!! It continues to agitate and STOPS before draining!!

There just has to be a washer out there that will do this!!

* No locking lid

* Will agitate when lid is open, will stop before draining and will not spin until lid is closed again.

Please help find this for me.....PLEASE!!! Thank you! :)

Roni, on the Speed Queen washer I just bought, I clipped a clothespin to the lid shut off button on the rear and I can now open the lid during any phase of any cycle (found that trick on the internet). Certainly not a reason to buy the SQ but it at least makes it easy to be able to open the lid during a cycle and see what is happening.

WOW!!!!! AWESOME!!!! THANK YOU!!!!

What model do you have?

And (I hope this isn't a hassle) could you find that website with this clothespin trick??

I could not get my post to work properly. The previous link I posted should take you to a discussion which includes a picture that I referenced. The model # I have is the manual control-model # AWN432SP. I chose that because I wanted to have the ability to control the water level as I want. I paired it with the TOL electronic (rear control) dryer.

Clothespin trick is on YouTube I believe.

Thank you!!!!

Hi Roni,

It's probably too late, but my 1990 Roper top loading washer meets all of your requirements. It is 2021, and it is still going strong.

@cynthialee3, Roper is a Whirlpool brand. Whirlpool discontinued the mechanical design of your Roper for home washers in 2010 (it was produced since 1981). They continued it for coin-ops until 2012. Only source for those nowadays is the used market.

(5) Lid Switch Hack - Speed Queen Bypass - YouTube

My son-in-law went behind my 2011 Speed Queen with a clothes pin and 30 seconds later, I could open the lid and watch my clothes wash! Youtube has a few videos to show you how. He didn't have to take it apart and like I said, 30 seconds!

Me too. And one like my previous Kenmore that lets me be in charge.