Product review (5 stars): Best washer I've ever owned
I have read so many reviews about the Maytag Bravos series of washers. Many were good, but so many were bad. There are so many complaints about this machine that I was very hesitant to fork over the staggering price tag and purchase it.

I am pleased to say that I couldn't be happier with this machine! If you've never owned an HE machine with no agitator, be prepared to be puzzled. It uses such a small amount of water and it operates in a totally 'alien' fashion, compared to the washing machines that I have spent my life using, that you will just know it can't possibly clean effectively. Fear not. It does its job and it does it amazingly well.

My husband is a landscaper and his clothes get absolutely filthy. I used to have to wash some of his clothes twice in order to get them even close to clean, including soaking them. Not only does this machine eliminate that need, it gets his clothes cleaner than I would ever dream possible when using the 'whites' setting and 'heavy soil' choice. Plus, the jeans actually smell truly 'clean' when I'm finished. Most of us know how well-worn jeans seem to always retain a certain, faint 'smell', even when they are clean. Not so with this washer! Perhaps it's only when you have to wash truly 'dirty' clothes that you realize how effective this machine actually is. Also, the whites come out as close to new as I've ever experienced.

One key tip is to take your time loading the washer. Don't just throw everything into it. Layer your clothes and distribute the weight around the machine and leave the bottom plunger section exposed for best results. Doing this will eliminate the 'f1 error' problem that can occur with a heavy, bulky load. I've read and also heard, firsthand, about the washer ceasing operation because of uneven/bulky loads. I have yet to experience this and I believe it is solely because I take a few extra minutes loading and carefully distributing the weight and keeping the plunger unobstructed.

One of the chief complaint that I have read is that the clothes come out very wrinkled, especially with the 'max extract' spin. Yes, they do. So, you take a little extra time shaking them out and shaping/folding before tossing them in the dryer and all your clothes will come out just fine. Personally, I don't use the 'max extract', finding the medium spin more than sufficient.

The amount of customizable options on this machine are nearly endless and I am still exploring them all. Plus, the fact that you can add detergent, bleach, and fabric softener right at the start of the wash and forget it is an awesome feature.

The monster capacity of the machine saves so much time and work, but it operates quietly and very energy efficiently.

Bravo!, Maytag, on this wonderful Bravos machine.