Product review (5 stars): The workhorse that gets clothes clean the first time!
<div id="video-block-R2H3H3ZUC3GXLI" class="a-section a-spacing-small a-spacing-top-mini video-block"></div><input type="hidden" name="" value="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/A1z-bkagmkS.mp4" class="video-url"><input type="hidden" name="" value="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/81lo12bSL3S.png" class="video-slate-img-url">&nbsp;Like many others I did a lot of research before purchasing a new washer. I have a spouse who works in construction and comes home covered in concrete, ground in dirt, dust, a variety of other soils, ground in sweat, etc. Often his pants require a rinse at the hose outside and even changing in the garage before he can come in the house (we have an inside laundry room). I also have a pre-teen boy who is active and comes in quite filthy as well. I wanted a washer that could handle the level of "dirty" clothes for our home. I did not want a machine that swishes clothes in tiny bucket of water that only removes some of the funk and has to be rewashed again.
I have used the HE front loaders in Europe and the extended wash time made laundry an all day affair and often left the armpits of clothing still smelling like sweat even with laundry pretreatments. If you have lightly soiled laundry then an HE machine may work for you. I had also read many reviews on the new HE machines where it was more costly to repair the electronics than to just buy new again in just a few years. I had also talked to my local appliance repairman and he indicated a high rate of customer unhappiness with the new HE machines and a many of his service calls were for the new HE machines for new electronic boards, busted mounts, error codes and smelly machines.
I did not want a consumable washing machine! I just wanted a washing machine that would get my clothes clean the first time. The SQ is simple and fucntional and does exactly what it is supposed to do clean clothes the first time around. No it is not pretty and does not play tunes at the end of a cycle. I just wanted a machine that does what it was supposed to do clean clothes not lightly steam them in a gallon of water, I could do that in my microwave. I understand energy conservation and water conservation and embrace it in my home however having to rewash clothes in a new HE machine is not energy or water effcient IMHO, nor is the consumable nature of the new HE machines piling up in land fills.

I also have a relative who owns a TL that is not an HE machine that does not allow you to slect a load size. It weighs the items in the washer and then fills the washer based on weight. The machine is about five years old and the weight sensor has been replaced twice. Once it goes out the washer will not longer fill with water. The labor, parts and service calls alone equal half the price of a new SQ. The SQ has no weight sensor you select the load size and the washer fills based on your selection, need to add more then just move the selector another notch. You can also open the door after it is running to add the lost sock.

The SQ handles a full set of king sheets with ease and washes several pairs of filthy heavy work jeans with out issue and they come out clean the first time. The SQ does not have fancy led lights just rotary dials for selections, simple and functional. The SQ is labeled as a Commercial Laundry Appliance and it even states that clearly on the washer label. The SQ did come with rubber hoses for the hot/cold lines but I had all ready purchased steel braided lines for homeowners insurance purposes. Rubber lines deteriorate over time and are prone to bursting and damage is often not covered by homeowners insurance policies when rubber hoses fail.

I was wary about ordering an appliance online. The Amazon shipping estimate does not coincide with LTL freight delivery time lines and the shipper HCCost was up front about that. I did not mind the wait I ordered it on Nov 12 and it was delivered on Nov 26th. The day the washer was delivered it was pouring rain and the box was open at the top and soaking wet and beat up. However, the washer was not damaged or even scratched.

Do follow the shipper guidelines when taking receipt of the item. Inspect the item first before you sign anything! The delivery man wanted me to immediately sign before the washer was even unloaded from the truck. I stated that the guidance from the shipper mandated inspection before accepting and I did annotate on the paperwork that the box was wet and damaged just in case.

Do wipe the drum of the machine out before washing clothes. I sprayed a bit of degreaser on a cloth and wiped the tub several times to remove the machine oil from the stainless steel tub. Do prime the machine as per instructions by filling with water from a bucket before you first turn it on so that you do not burn up the pump. This only has to be done once since the machine maintains a small amount of water in it for future washing. I did do a load of rags for the first load to remove any other machine oil that I may have missed. I then did a load of whites which came out sparkling clean as my other washer was on it's last legs. We did take the time to level the machine according to instructions and have had no problems with unbalanced loads.

Note: when leveling the machine you have to lift the front of the machine up (we used a piece of 2x4 on it's side) be sure that once you set it down that you lift the back of the machine up to reset the self leveling back legs before you put the level back on the machine.

Lastly, I would like to say that I was looking for an American Made product and SQ (Alliance Laundry Systems) fit the bill. I am very happy with my new machine and it performs as advertised. I hope that by the time this machine is ready for replacement the new HE machines will be better at getting clothes clean for working families with spouses in the trades. I will follow up in few months to update my review as I have only had the machine a few days now.