Is hands down the best FLW for home use ever in North America, it is like comparing a KDS-17 KA DW to all other US DWs in the 70s. 

SQ is based completely on a real commercial machine, there are no differences what so ever, SQ engineers tell they can easily last 25,000 loads, and we have had 3 that we know of that have gone over 45,000 and they have been retired to some of our customers and are still in everyday use, none of these three have had bearings replaced.

I guess the runner-up would be the Maytag Neptunes as they were even built and used in commercial settings .

The original German built WP Duets were also pretty rugged in the bearing and spider areas but fell in electronics area and cheap plastic fasteners everywhere.

I don't have enough experiences with LG to make a judgment, I do know that SS and FD just can not be considered great FL machines for overall reliability and repairability.

John L.

The only upgrades I would make to the Neptune FL system would be 1) Twice as many rotations between reversing directions during tumbling/agitation, 2) Larger capacity, and 3) An on-board heater.

After seeing the video of a SQ FL full cycle in a recent thread, I was disappointed with its multiple attempts at balancing, but I don't think there's a modern FL out there that can beat a Neptune in that regard.

Do Not have any balancing issues,

I do not know what you are seeing Ralph, My SQ FL washer has never failed to balance and spin a load, which cannot be said about A Neptune FL washer, balancing issues were quite common on NT FL washers because they can tie loads into a ball and then can not balance and spin them.

John L.

John, please re-read my post.  I did not say that SQ FL machines fail to spin.  I have no basis for making such a statement.  I said that based on the video (see link), they appear to have similar trouble balancing to that of other modern FL machines.

Furthermore, my Neptune has never failed to spin and it has never spent a prolonged period attempting to balance prior to spin (unlike its Affinity predecessor -- and yes, before you go there, I do understand that a SQ does not equal a Frigidaire).

But go ahead, have fun.  Knock yourself out shooting holes into others' posts.

MAH3300 for 14 years loved it ! Super cleaner, always spun but never had a window, its only fault.

Ran my SQ's 17 years and 9 years , in the rental in 17 years only had to replace a boot.

I hear the new SQ balance system is the balls!! Im dying to try it ! 

It would be interesting to talk to the original Neptune design team.  I've always wondered why they didn't include a window in the door...was it purely a cost-saving measure or were there other considerations?

One of the notable things about the Neptune is the very loud fluid-filled balancing ring.  It gives the impression that there's far more water splashing about inside than there really is.  With no window, the secret is safe.

Thanks...I wondered if the door was hollow, but that is not so. 

Like everything else, I found a YouTube video.  Jump to 4:00 to see the dampening assembly.

Hi Ralph, I watched the video of the roughly 10 YO 1st generation SQ Washer we are talking about.

As is often is the case you do not know what you are talking about, the SQ was not trying to find its sweet spot and balance the load but rather it was going through a timed sequence where it spins up to wring out water as it cycles the drain pump to reduce suds locking of the pump. 

This machine does the exact same sequence ever time it is run whether it has a small or huge load or even nothing in the machine, there is no agony watching a SQ FL washer and wondering  whether it will balance or not unlike a Neptune with its three balance switches that all have to be happy in order for the machine to ever go into full spin speed before the controls time out and just quit trying to spin.

John L.

Some members with lousy communication skills must always have the diffidently authoritarian last word. 

I'll let the check-rates stand as a testament.

Agreed Dan.  Yours is the best advice in this whole thread and I intend to follow it.  The stress level this week is off the charts, the negative cosmic influences are at their worst, and I don't need to manufacture more of it for myself or others.   My new Lemon Haze cartridge will be put to good use shortly.

I would agree that the MLG is probably the best compact FL washer and I was going to mention the full sized Miele as a very built machine but you can only find used ones now, also the 27" Bosch FL washers were pretty good, but the 27" Bosch dryers left a lot to be desired.

John L.

Don't know much about the Miele little giant. Can anyone fill me in?

And Yes, I know that people here know that the Neptunes were discontinued. Simply saying that while plentiful now, my longing for them being made new will only increase as time goes on. My apologies for the way I worded it.   

Some SQ FL washers were sold with the Amana name on them 15-18 years ago, These machines had NOTHING to do with Amana, they were completely designed and built in SQs factory in Wisconsin and passed completely on the commercial FLers that SQ was building and selling.

When Raytheon sold SQ the commercial end became Alliance laundry Systems and ALSs was not allowed to compete in the residential market for 10 years.  

Meanwhile ALSs continued their core job of building and improving their products and after the 10 year moratorium on selling directly to consumers expired Speed Queen became a household laundry line again and it was better in quality than it ever was in the past.

During this 10 year moratorium Amana wanted a FL washer to try marketing and ALS sold a non-commercial version to Amana, but Amana had almost no hand in designing or building these washers.

John L.

SQ has built models for sale in the US with a heater, My brother Jeff, Greg in Omaha, Jon in Massachusetts, Bob in Cleveland and mine all have heaters, My partner Jason even added one to his SQ, problem is they did not sell well in the US so it was dropped.

Of all our customers with higher end FL washers with heaters when I ask them about it only about1 in 10 say they ever use it.

I only use mine when I wash blankets from the play room as they get covered in lube, otherwise for towels and sheets etc I just use LCB as it is much faster disinfects  and whitens better than 150F washing does.

John L.

Thanks for the info regarding those Little Giants. I will read up on them.

I never knew that regarding Amana. Thank you again John! My all time favorite is when Amana was building for GE, for once a GE washer that looked like what a GE washer ought to look like IMO.

Regarding those blankets in your latest post- awesome!

We have three sets of white sheets, two cotton percale and one cotton flannel.  I love white sheets.  Back when I was a kid thats all most people had, colored and patterned sheets were for rich people according to Mom. We also didn’t have fitted bottom sheets until the mid 60’s. Making a bed with flat bottom sheets is an art, and even if you do it well they always seemed to come untucked, so daily bed making used to take longer too.

Eddie

How do you have that much laundry Thomas? Thats a lot! Wish i was there lol.