Product review (5 stars): Speed Queen - reliable, effective, and better for the environment.
We are so glad we found Speed Queen, a manufacturer that refused the government incentives and stuck to making high quality, effective, and reliable washing machines. We have been limping along with a 30 year old Maytag, because we know so many people who have wasted thousands of dollars and been angered by their ineffective high efficiency washers that break down or have significant issues after only 1-2 years. I am frustrated by the "political" environmental movement, which rarely looks at the big picture. A washing machine that uses more water, but lasts 20+ years may be better for the environment than washing machines that need to be replaced every 2 years. The energy, water, metals, fossil fuels, and chemicals used to manufacture, paint, package, and transport a new washer and recycle/dispose of the old one need to be considered.