What is the best washing machine for a family of six in 2015?

[midori]

I picked up a Speed Queen when my 20-year-old Kenmore choked on a baby sock and DH couldn’t get it back together again…

The only issues I have with it are related to government regs. I liked how I could open the lid on my old washer, and it would keep agitating. I could see how well the clothes were agitating around; nowadays, they’re toggled to stop as soon as the lid is opened, regardless of what it’s doing. Also, the “warm” setting is barely tepid, and “hot” is barely warm, due to EPA regulations. I’d seen YouTube videos on how to modify that with a screwdriver, but haven’t gotten around to it…

It did well for the last year’s worth of cloth diapers. Now that the youngest has gotten the hang of the potty, I try to do one or two loads a day.

 

[on_the_hill]

I was looking at a Speed Queen online today and it advertised that you can open the lid at any point.

 

[midori]

Sure. I think some washers have a locking lid, where you can’t open the machine mid-cycle (if you’ve forgotten to throw in a sock or a towel). You can open it-- but it will stop whatever it’s doing until you close it again, versus my old one, which I think would stop if it was spinning, but otherwise would ignore the open lid.