We had a Sears Kenmore top loader mechanical agitator washer for 15 years, I can't remember what it was called but it was one down from the top of the line when we bought it in 2004. It was fantastic and when it died, I was so sad, spent days looking and finally settled on a LG top loader with no agitator. I was really skeptical about it but the clothes are coming out super clean, workout clothes are nearly spun completely dry, no issues with sheets or quilts and our water bill has dropped quite a bit (water is our second most expensive utility here, just under electricity.) There was such a difference in our laundry that I think the older washer was starting to die long before we noticed. A wash cycle is usually around an hour depending on load size and the dryer is less than half an hour, super happy with it! There is an option to add extra water to a cycle, I don't bother most of the time.
I miss the old dishwashers, my parents had one when I was in high school that sounded like a muffled lawnmower, probably used a ton of water but you put filthy dishes in and in an hour you had hot, clean, and *dry* dishes! Our dishwasher gets them clean but it takes nearly 3 hours for a basic cycle and half of it is wet so we have to let it dry in the machine or in the dish drainer.