Where did you get the information that the two machines you are evaluating can be stacked? I couldn't find that online.

MRB

The person at the only local dealer that sells Speed Queen told me that those two models could be stacked.

AFAIK, the jury is still out on longevity of virtually every brand of washer.

I wouldn't say that the jury is still out on virtually every brand of washer....some brands are more reliable than others.

Speed Queen washers are made by Alliance Laundry Products. This company has YEARS of experience in the laundry business. They know how to make a machine last. Speed Queen machines are built like tanks. Very little plastic is used internally where most other brands have a lot of plastic in them. You will also see a lot of Speed Queen washers in coin ops. There has to be a reason for this. Plus they have the best warranty in the industry.
I'd say go for the Speed Queen. Basic machine that will last for years and years to come.

I say the jury is still out because some washer models are so new, it will be a number of years before we have any concrete evidence of longevity one way or the other.

Speed Queen gets some good reviews, some not so good. For some reason they have chosen not to be competitive when it comes to washer capacity, cycle choices, etc. I needed a much-larger washer than SQ makes.

Other brands/companies also have many years of experience designing and manufacturing laundry machines. Corporate mergers aside ... GE, Whirlpool, Maytag, Frigidaire and others have had machines on the market since the 1940s.

According to Consumer Reports;
"Consumer Reports Magazine says Kenmore and Whirlpool appliances, admittedly not the sexiest, along with some pricey European brands, such as Bosch, tend to last longer."

Here is a link that might be useful: Appliance longevity

Kenmore has no manufacturing facilities - essentially a variety of manufacturers build products from the same parts they build their own product and put a Kenmore badge on them. Not sure how quality control would be different but maybe it is - perhaps once LG builds a Kenmore washer it goes through a more rigorous evaluation than their own product - it's possible. The Kenmore product have slight differences but it's parts from the same suppliers, the same manufacturing facilities and the same staff that make the Kenmore's also make the manufacturers own product. How different could the product really be?

As to Consumer's reliability info it tends to be a great snapshot (they are using 2005-2009 data in the current Kitchen issue) of what was not what is. Because of the way they collect data they were slow to capture the decline in Maytag quality and may not now be capturing the improvements since Whirlpool acquired Maytag. This could be the same for numerous manufacturers whose current quality or lack isn't captured in their data.

IM not sure if the quaulity standards are higher for kenmore or not, I just know in the past with whirlpool washers, badged Kenmore, they had more features on them, or the kenmore name was the first to get those features. Now that LG makes kenmmore washers, the majority of them, the extra features are on both the LG version and Kenmore, and in some cases like the LG wave touch washer, the LG has a higher spin speed then the kenmore version of it. Also, it seems like there are less satisfied customers with the Kenmore version of the Waveforce washer, why I do not know.

After researching several issues (e.g. reliablity, longevity, quality components, availability of parts, service support, washing performance and size) with front loading machines, I put my money down on Speed Queen. While other manufactures cater to the fashion market with multiple colors, front panel curb appeal and fancy LCD control panels, Speed Queen uses the KISS (keep it simple stupid) principle. How many washing cycles are necessary to wash clothing and how long does the cycle take? Our Speed Queen FL and dryer perform better than our previous Kitchenaid TL and dryer.

The FL's stainless steel outer and inner drums are quality components. I have not heard of a Speed Queen product with mold/mildew problems. The machines are designed for easy service access if you ever need it. I would recommend installing the FL on a firm floor to reduce vibration.

Yes, Speed Queen sells stackable FLs and dryers.

I say the jury is still out because some washer models are so new, it will be a number of years before we have any concrete evidence of longevity one way or the other.

versus

AFAIK, the jury is still out on longevity of virtually every brand of washer.

Which is it? Brand or model (pick one).

It seems like many new machines have problems and people jump on it to claim it'll never be good. Doesn't matter if the bugs are worked out, it's still remembered that I heard somewhere that someone, somewhere, sometime had something go wrong with the Binford 6100a model so I'd never buy it...

I agree with Mara, well said. Even the oft-worshipped Miele is getting a lot of bad press of late from owners being dissatisfied, and when one considers the price point, they have a reason to expect a lot more. Is Miele a good unit overall? Sure. Are there other good units out there too? Of course.

That said, I do think Speed Queen's units have a pretty well proven track record. They, unlike many others don't make a lot of changes to a working unit, just for the sake of changing. I like the lack of 50 different cycles. Few people use them all. If the capacity works for you, I think it'd be a good selection.

And that birdcage liner quote is so showing of the lack of credibility of Consumer Reports. They still don't realize that Kenmore is not an appliance manufacturer! LOL The first 3 letters of that rag's name says it all.

Check out the following link - scroll down for reviews:

http://www.allbrandservicenaperville.com/products-washer.html

I have a 2 yr old Samsung ( it is a 337 I believe). I can say that they seem to sell machines that are half-baked. The soap dispenser is not designed well. There is a slide that is raised to dispense solid detergents and lowered when using liquid.
When I put liquid into it, it leaks under the slide. No way to fix this unless the dispenser is re-engineered. Other than that they grossly overstated the capacity of mine in their ads. I think they are innovative in designing, but their business requires them to get product to market ready or not.

Hi mamalinda,

As an actual owner of Speed Queen front loader and washer, I thought I'd better offer my two cents. We also had the Maytag Neptunes, first generation. Loved them, despite the well-known mildew issue. When the washer started making bad sounds in 2008, at 9 plus years, we knew repairs would be costly. We also wanted longevity.

We considered both Miele and Speed Queen. Cost of Miele was too too much. We also liked the warranty for SQ.

Then, after using washer for 6 times, repair was needed. Repair shop couldn't get what they needed from SQ. One other reason we chose SQ is that they are made in the US. We assumed getting parts would not be a problem. They shipped the first replacement stainless spin basket in a flimsy cardboard box. Then, after 30 days of no washer, it took a letter to the CEO for any action. SQ offered to junk our washer and refund our money or replace the washer. Regretfully, we took the replacement washer.

Also, when we had problems, there is no toll-free number to call for help. Engineers answered calls. No one would step up.

As for longevity, I think the machines will last a long time. We don't plan on moving any time soon, but if we ever do, the one thing we will leave behind is the washer and dryer. Our clothes, towels and linens wear like never before. This did not happen with the Neptunes.

I mostly use cold water and hangs things to dry when I can. Just like at the laundromat, the dryer has no moisture sensor. I must use a timer to catch things before they fry. Our bath towels pucker from the intense heat and I use the lowest setting possible. Yadda, yadda, yadda.

At the time, Consumer Reports was not thrilled with SQ, but we didn't put much faith in their assessment, as they never liked Subzero refrigerators. And, our Subzero fridge has been bulletproof.

I would not own another product from Speed Queen. I wish I had heard from actual SQ owners with their experience. Hope this helps.