Thursday, October 27, 2022

Welcome, Betty

When we first moved into our new (to us) home nearly two years ago, the one frustrating thing was all the modern appliances we had to deal with. I'm pretty sure the entire suite of appliances that came with the house (washer, dryer, dishwasher, range, refrigerator) were a "Costco special," since they all have the same modern steel appearance.

But just because they looked shiny and modern didn't mean they worked better than the mishmash of basic appliances we'd left behind at our old place. The refrigerator had a water and ice dispenser that promptly started leaking, so we disconnected it. The dishwasher (which I've never used) also leaked (as we recently discovered), so we removed it. The range works fine, but since it has an electronic ignition, it means only the stove top (not the oven) can be used during a power outage.

But the washing machine – a massive and modern Maytag – was just plain annoying. As I wrote about 18 months ago, "The washing machine works great ... until it doesn't. Loads of laundry can take up to two hours (!!) to wash. And I've never seen a washer that gives so many error messages. Whenever there's an error, it holds the laundry hostage (because the door locks), which then requires a frantic scrambling through the user's manual (which usually reveals nothing), then a massive pushing and shoving to get the washer far enough away from the wall to unplug it (to reset it), and then we have to jiggle the controls again until the washer deigns to unlock itself (usually by running it on spin cycle or something). I did a load of whites last week that, I kid you not, took a total of about twelve hours to get finished."

The usual heavy-duty cold cycle I used on this machine took 1 hour and 50 minutes to complete, and frankly I was never convinced it did a good job cleaning the clothes. Why? Because it uses so little water that sometimes I would remove socks or other garments that were bone dry. Grrr.

As for the dryer – also a massive and modern Maytag – I've literally never used it (I use clothes racks to dry our laundry). Now that Older Daughter is living with us, she uses it once a week.

We've come to an uneasy truce with the washing machine, but we planned to replace it (and the dryer) at the earliest opportunity. In fact, so many of you dear readers recommended a Speed Queen as a replacement washing machine that we've kept an eye out ever since. Nothing came up.

Until Monday. 

Don keeps casual tabs on the local Facebook buy-and-sell marketplace. Late on Monday evening, he saw an ad for someone selling a Speed Queen washer/dryer set for the incredible price of $175 (for both!). The sellers had upgraded to a stackable unit to save space, and didn't need the stand-alones any longer.

Don instantly messaged them to express our interest. We heard back right away and made arrangements to go look at them on Tuesday, when we had to be in town for errands anyway. When we saw them, we were thrilled – they were in perfect condition. We paid immediately and promised to come back the next day with the trailer to pick them up. The sellers mentioned how fortunate we were to jump on them when we did, since he'd had four other inquiries after we'd paid for them.

We picked up the appliances the following day during a rainstorm, so we tarped and strapped them in the trailer. Then we drove home, chortling with glee. Speed Queen!

Using the hand truck, we pulled the appliances onto the back porch.

We moved the ponderous and very heavy Maytags out of the washroom, leaving behind the usual debris. I took the opportunity to sweep and mop.

We'll clean the Maytags up, then sell them to someone who prefers massive and modern appliances rather than simple ones. Hey, it takes all kinds.

We moved the (much less heavy) Speed Queen appliances indoors and hooked them up. Look at the controls on the washer! Nice and simple!


Immediately I did a celebratory load of laundry.

The entire wash cycle (heavy-duty cold) took a dazzling thirty minutes (compared to nearly two hours for the Maytag), and the clothes emerged squeaky clean.

"I like you," Don said with a big grin, patting the washing machine with affection. "I'm going to name you ... Betty."

Betty it is. Welcome, Betty.

24 comments:

  1. I have an older Whirlpool with identical knob set up, I purchased mine as a refurbished washer, have had it about 8+ years, still works like a champ. I also hate gizmo type appliances. My dryer is also simple but of course it almost never gets used except for fluffing with just air. Drying racks indoors or my killer, made by a Mennonite, outdoors clothesline (that I love) for good weather.

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  2. I read somewhere that here in Germany, machines are supposed to heat the water to lower temperatures, meaning that if you choose 40 degrees celsius as your water temperature, the machine will heat the water to 30-35 degrees. To get the clothes clean in spite of lower water temperature, they will have longer wash cycles, that's why it takes so long.
    Please don't ask me what mad scheme of energy saving is served by heating the water less but having a ginormous length of the wash cycle instead.

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  3. Speed Queen is my choice of washing machine! I have heard such good things about them. That is an unheard of price! Lucky you! I had a machine removed that used about six inches of water and found one that filled the tub when I wanted to do a load.

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  4. Ours wasn’t a Maytag, but we had the same problems. It did everything but get your clothes clean. How much water does it really save if you have to wash and rinse two or three times to get your clothes clean.. Once I tried to add water to it with a water hose but being so much of an efficient water saver, it automatically pumped the excess out! Switched to Speed Queen and never looked back

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  5. I've been through two sets of washing machines and have the same complaints as you, within about a 4 year time span. The washer I have now has fewer bells and whistles, but still too many. One of the wash choices actually does fill with water and wash clothes so it's about all I use. That and the drain and spin cycle.
    Don't laugh, but it's about as easy to do all my laundry in a big tub outside and they get cleaner. The whole secret is they get soaked a long time and dirt releases very easily. Presoak is inadequate with the machine and clothes aren't rinsed very well.
    Then drain and spin in the washer. Everything gets air dried but towels and t-shirts get finished off 10-15 minutes in the dryer.
    I'm pretty sick of most modern technology. It's all about sales gimmicks.

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  6. When we bought a new washing machine I fell for the " energy efficient, water saving" front loading type. Yes, it takes at least twice as long to wash a load of clothes. No, I cannot choose the water level. I dislike that, since I do think "some" water is required, especially for heavy items. In fact, one cannot see any water through the glass door when it is running. (My previous front loader did have enough water used to show a level about 2 inches up on the glass. Thus, I feel it is necessary to always use the second rinse option, extending the length of the wash cycle. I also dislike electronics in most appliances - they are far more vulnerable to glitches and "frying" if the electric current fluctuates. I too have a gas stove that relies on a thermal plug to light the oven, which means it cannot be lighted manually. I bought that gas stove with no apparent electronics, not even a clock or presets for "bake" etc. I did not know about thermal plugs at that time. I'm happy you found your appliances. I am frustrated sometimes by the "modern advances" computerization has brought to our lives. How in the world did clothes get clean, dishes get washed, cars transport us, and milk stay cold without mother boards and microchips? Reliably, that's how!

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  7. We live on farm also, and I can't wait to get rid of my front-load washer. It never gets the clothes clean.

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  8. I sure miss my Speed Queen washer and dryer! I lost it as part of the purchase when we moved. Hate the newer washer and dryer...😠😠😭😭

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  9. "I will call you Betty, and Betty when you call me, you can call me Al..........." :)

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  10. When we purchased our last washer and dryer, I looked for a plain 'Betty'. The salesman added an aside, "They have the least problems and easiest maintenance".

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  11. We had a GE pair and they were bad. We went to a Speed Queen dealer 50 miles away, the closest we could find and purchased a new set. It came, at the time, with a 10 year extended warranty! They think it is that good and we do as well!

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  12. i bought my Speed Queen washer almost 4 years ago, the matching dryer followed two years ago. I too had gone through two sets of 'smart' machines in under 4 years for both pairs! I love being smarter then the machine!! My controls look just like yours!! I hope Betty does her job well for years to come.

    Cheers, SJ now from California.

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  13. I wish you better luck with your speed queen dryer than we have had. I love my speed queen washer, but the dryer had problems from day one, customer service and finding maintenance shops was another disappointment.

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  14. Avoid the front loading washers. Difficult to maintain (you have to dry the gaskets after each use, you have to keep up with the mold etc) I have a plain and simple Maytag washer and dryer, still going fine after 12 years.

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  15. I have heard that when Obama was in office, he instituted new green energy rules that extended the time on appliances. Our Boshe dishwasher took 4 hours to run a load of dishes.

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  16. Our Speed Queen dealer had a drive shaft on display with the washer. Looked like it could double as the PTO shaft on the tractor. Sold!

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  17. After having been forced to use front-load washers when living in Europe in the 1980s, I knew to avoid them forever after. I was reasonably happy with my top loading LG with an impeller - could fit large loads and comforters but took longer than I would have liked. When it died I replaced it with a top-loading GE with an agitator. We are moving soon to a recently purchased rural property and bought - from the sellers - their one year old set of Speed Queen washer and dryer with the 10 year warranty. Hope I give out before they do.

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  18. I have already commented above, but have to say, good machines mostly passed away while Obama was in office. Of course, being President has it's perks, and not having to do laundry is certainly one of them. All of this green stuff and energy efficient stuff, and technology improvements seem to be coming (IMHO), from a younger generation who hasn't had to deal with many real life issues yet.
    Landlines are supposed to be discontinued in 2025. Gosh. I'm such a dinosaur. I can't wash clothes without water. Live somewhere with spotty cell service so I love my landline. Don't speak any language but English which makes dealing with many customer service people difficult, and the list goes on.
    So my next washer will be a speed queen too, if we can afford electricity.

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  19. The green-tards (mostly snot-nosed, egotistical urbos) have done a "magnificent" job of screwing things up, with one of their better examples being the "lo-flo" toilets that you have to flush 3 to 5 times (wasting more water in the process than the old standards) so one doesn't have to resort to the plunger. The "new" washing machines and dryers have been adulterated the same way with all sorts of special "sensors" (that cost a fortune to replace IF your repair shop can get them from China), one of which that seems to be bedevilling Patrice is a "out of balance" detector...... The others of course are water level sensors, temperature sensors, and on and on, none of which manage to get your clothes clean unless one reads the instructions and learns the "work-arounds" to defeat the green stupidity that is built into the machines. Of course, I'd ALWAYS recommend a top-loader for a washer regardless of it being a lo-tech Speed Queen or the hi-tech things.

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    Replies
    1. If it goes out of balance it's about to break. You can rearrange those wet clothes a dozen times, but I think they're made to break if the clothes are wet.

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    2. No, actually the LG units have a built-in shut-down switch, so it thumps a few times, emits a warning buzzer, and the stops running. The laundry slave then arrives on the scene and re-arranges the wet lumps and restarts the thing. If it isn't re-arranged properly, it shuts down again. If you did it correctly, the machine happily continues to semiclean your laundry. ;-)

      m

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  20. My husband and I did the same! We were given both the larger units from my sister in law when she moved to California. She did not want to haul these bulky, heavy things. So we got them, trouble and all! As you said “error messages galore!” Bought a regular set for less money(“no one wants the old style anymore”. Never had any messages either! Love them too.


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  21. My understanding is that if you don't use a dishwasher often enough, the seals dry out and ruin, then it leaks. Maybe that is what happened.

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  22. May want to check the water lines to the back of the washer... (likely on the washer side) there will be a small 'thimble shaped' object that is the 'aerator/filter' and it generally gets clogged and restricts water flow and set off all kinds of error codes for us as well... (check all your faucets as well... we thought we had well pump problems), due to all the filters being clogged about the same after how many years of use...

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