Product review (5 stars): I've owned the Speed Queen front-loader for about six months and it's a lot better than the Whirlpool top-loader it replaced
I wanted to wait a few months before reviewing this.  I've owned the Speed Queen front-loader for about six months and it's a lot better than the Whirlpool top-loader it replaced.  I installed it myself (with some help getting it into the house -- it's 250 pounds heavy!) and was careful to follow all the installation instructions.

I love the mechanical design of this washer:  the clean out or coin catcher is very easy to access behind the bottom kick-plate, and the electronic control board is likewise easy to get to and replace without moving the washer away from the wall.  The shipping brackets and bolts are impressive.

Pluses:
+ quieter than our top-load
+ easy to clean rubber seal; effective at catching hair
+ low water consumption (we live in a desert so this is a priority for us)
+ lots of cleaning options, easy and straightforward to set
+ ships with a plastic drain hose:  no leaks, no attachment necessary
+ washer hoses ship with screens to reduce solids:  transfer these to your braided hoses
+ incredible warranty

Minuses:
- smaller tub than I'd like:  big enough for a full-size comforter, but our queen-sized comforter will need to go to the cleaners
- I don't like the plastic soap tray:  it feels flimsy, although it's help up well and looks brand new after six months of use
- can't get out the worst ground-in dirt:  my chamois towels used on the car or marble tile floor retain grey dirt after washing
- can't adjust the sound level on the alarm:  it's on or it's off
- need to solidly close the door; compared to a GE or Maytag front-loader, this one requires more force to close
- ships with rubber hoses:  make sure you buy metal braided washer hoses before installation

I'm hoping to get a couple decades of use out of this washer.