Product review (4 stars): Good to great washer.
We purchased this washer in a set in 2004 and it still works great, for an 9 year old machine. It is still in one piece with no cracks, chunks of plastic falling off, no leaks, no stoppages, etc. For those of you worried about energy usage, watch your meter and compare the before usage against the running usage; you may surprised. Most washers are rated to last between 5 and 10 years and that rating still depends on machine care and treatment. When the time comes we'll be searching for another Bosch.

Pros:
1) It uses less water
2) It does an excellent of removing water from your clothes, which makes your drying time shorter.
3) It gets your clothes much cleaner.
4) It uses less detergent, softener, and bleach.
4) It is quieter.

Cons:
1) Balance. (this is mostly user error; loading done by my kids.) Sometimes the offset weight in the tub is loud for a few seconds when in a spin cycle. But, to be fair, that happens with most washers. (I've seen top load washers shake and jitter 2 feet away from its original spot.)

Bottom line: This machine is does as advertised. Treated with respect, care and general maintenance, this machine and any other will outlast the warranty.