Product review (4 stars): Easy to Use
I was initially drawn to this machine by it's looks, but bought it for ease of use.  Samsung and LG consistently get high marks but in everyday use they drive me nuts.  For those not familiar with the Asian design aesthetic, it basically goes like this:  More buttons + more blinking lights + more beeping noises = more better.  Well, in the words of Stan Marsh, "I thought this was America!"  It is, Stan, and this one is actually made in America too.

The controls are simple, just go from left to right.  Set the mode, modify the default settings if you want, throw in some bonuses (like extra rinse), and press play.  I did not really need to read the instructions to figure it out, and the silly noises can be turned off.  Another nice feature is the design of the soap tray.  The whole tray gets rinsed, and that prevents old soap/bleach/softener from building up.

A major reason for the increased efficiency of front loaders is the faster spin cycle that extracts more water and shortens the drying time.  This one actually spins fast enough to completely dry some items like polyester.  While this washer is quiet I can hear it switching cycles, although it makes up for that by not whistling a tune every few minutes like some others.  The biggest knock I have is that there is no "quick wash" mode, the closest thing is the "small loads" mode that takes 44 mins.  Normal modes take a typical 1 to 2 hours, and the dryer is always left waiting.

If you are buying this as a set like I did, the features of the washer and dryer to not really match up.  Unlike the 6000 dryer, this washer DOES NOT have a steam cycle and interior light, you will need to step up to the 7000 for that (you also get more wash modes).  Also, unlike the dryer this washer DOES come with all of the required connectors (4' hot and cold water lines, and a drain line).