Product review (5 stars): Finally a machine that works.
Technologically, going into the past is seldom a good thing. This is one of those occasion where it is a very good thing. This machine is solidly built (made in USA), has mechanical controls (no expensive electronic circuit boards to replace as soon as the warranty expires), and lets you control the water level.  It is wonderful to watch a washtub fill with water and actually have the clothes circulate through the water rather than sit there in a wet pile of slop in the tub of a "high efficiency" machine.

We were unable to load our less than two year old GE to the manufacturer's maximum load level and have the clothes come out clean (or even wet sometimes). We ended up dividing the load into two loads;how is that high efficiency?

We could immediately tell a difference in the texture and smell of the clothes after using the Speed Queen, finally a machine that works. This machine is heavier than most, the inner tub is stainless and the outer tub is galvanized steel as opposed to plastic with most other machines. This weight along with a very good balancing system keeps the machine solidly planted during the spin cycles. The noise during all cycles is much lower that other machines I have owned. The transmission is composed of stainless steel gears with very few moving parts. In my opinion all you have to do is look at the warranty: 3 year parts and labor on the whole machine (most are only 1 year), 5 yr on the motor and cabinet and 10 yr on the transmission (the salesman told me the transmission warranty has been upped to 15 yrs as of March 2014).

I have read many reviews regarding the bad appearance of this machine and I just don't see it. It's not full of sparkly lights or flashing displays but by no means is it ugly.

The only tweak I made was adjusting the water level. Seems the government can't stay out of anything so due to regulations, when the max full level is selected, the washtub fills only about 75% full. This is easily solved by turning an adjustment screw behind the panel, a 10 minute job. Now the tub fills completely and what a difference when compared to a typical high efficiency machine.

Time is money and a typical full wash cycle takes only 25-30 minutes with the SPEED QUEEN, about a third of the time of a "high efficiency" machine. The high efficiencies should try using more water.

Now I am able to wash large loads, actually have them come out extremely clean and be done in less than 1/2 hour. You tell me which is the high efficiency machine.