Product review (5 stars): Great Washer Compared to the Newer Washers
A few weeks ago I bought a HE washer in which the manual noted you cannot wash water resistant or waterproof items.  Most of the items I wash are sports gear.  After reading the reviews for this Speed Queen, I bought this one to have as a second washer so I can wash my fleece, windbreakers, waterproof jackets, towels, etc... without getting an unbalanced error.  I love this machine!  It does not have all the bells and whistles the new HE machines do, but it never gets unbalanced so I don't have to sit and babysit my wash anymore!  It also actually cleans my clothes and they smell like they were actually washed!  It is built like a battleship.  Sometimes older systems are better than the new ones.  It works so well I stopped using my new HE washer I bought a few weeks prior.