The best machine I ever had was Frigidaire that had the agitator that jumped up and down. I had two before they stopped making them. The longest lasting was Whirlpool, I now have a Maytag. I buy washer and dryer to match. I will only buy top loaders. I have a super capacity and need a larger one for big quilts.
I would rather take a beating than go to a laundry mat.

I bought one last year. It's a top loader with the agitator. I can set it to auto fill or to fill to the level I want it. The salesman kept directing me to other ones without the agitator but they were all autofill and didn't want that. It's basically the bottom of the line cheapest washing machine, but it was available in Kenmore and GE. Besides, when mine went out after 27 years, I had just paid son's tuition and didn't have the extra money for a higher dollor machine. I like this one, it's close to what my old one was. Went back after tax refund got here and bought the matching dryer since my dryer was on it's last leg too. But heck, 27 years, I got my money's worth out of them.

And lots of features you'll never use, too boot!

We are on the same wavelength with regard to appliances. In most cases, the fewer bells and whistles, the fewer opportunities to break down.

We have a HE Top load Kenmore pair, washer & dryer. I hate the washer. I had a commercial washer that I loved, tornado took it. THe new one with no agitator does not clean as well, as soon as you close the lid it locks and you can't open the lid to peek at any time. It makes so many noises that we can't run it at night. You load it and cannot put anything over the center thingy dingy in the center. I know I am lucky to have a washer & dryer, just jonseing for the old one.

I agree with you quilt mom my new one uses twice as much of everything and takes twice as long as I have to run everything on super load or the machine does not fill with water then if I want a second rinse have to set it myself my old one had a small load and even a hand wash load but these energy saving ones uses twice the amount of everything wish the person building them would have to use them but then we will never have good stuff until they start making it in the U.S.

I surely hope they never do away with top loaders. Whirlpool is still a good product. I remember when my Father used to work for RCA/Whirlpool in the 50's.

I agree with those who have recommended Speed Queen. They are STILL built like tanks, right here in the USA. Any other brand is a shadow of its former quality and will not last. It's truly a shame that quality is so hard to come by anymore, but if I were in the market for a new washer or dryer, I would get a new Speed Queen, or check out used Maytag (pre 2005), GE (pre 1993 Filter Flo only!), Whirlpool, or Kenmore.

We bought a new washer about a year ago. We did not want the HE type or whatever that uses 4" of water (my husband is a farmer-get real. lol) so we bought a traditional Speed Queen top loader. LOVE LOVE LOVE. It's all mechanical so no motherboard or anything to break and it does a great job. We can use whatever temp of water we want, fill it as high as we want, open it during the cycle, and it's very basic, which is perfect for us. The only extra thing we sprung for was the model with the extra rinse button.

by the way, I read somewhere that they were going to quit making the traditional machines this year. I hope that's not true.