Product review (1 stars): I was assured by the salesperson at Lowes that I ...
I was assured by the salesperson at Lowes that I was getting a machine with NO sensors and none of the nonsensical "save the planet" features found on most other models, but that was not the case. Yes, you can open the lid to add an additional article of clothing, fabric softener, bleach or additional detergent, but if you forget to "pause" the machine first by pulling out the switch, it will dump whatever water it contains and restart the cycle from the beginning. Also, there is no spin after the wash cycle; just an emptying of the tub, BUT not all of the wash water is emptied, which is intentional as confirmed by a Hot Point CS person.  They said that the machine "retains some of the wash water to assist in the rinse", which of course, is nonsense, as the function of the rinse is to dilute and expel the wash water. Once into the "rinse" cycle (such as it is), the agitation only lasts 2.5 minutes (also verified by Hot Point).  The wash fill is adequate, as it rises a few inches above the load, so Hot Point seems to have chosen to compromise at the rinse cycle to comply with Federal DOE regulations; at least the clothes are relatively clean and you have to mainly contend with soap and fabric softener residue along with only minor amounts of dirt and grease.  Regardless of the brand of washer you choose, my advice is to accept the fact that many people who demand clean clothes from a fully functional washing machine are now a new criminal class, as they will find a way to over-ride the fill sensor for both the wash and Rinse cycle, depending on the brand of machine.