Ok, I gotta chime in on this one since I spent 5.5 years working in the appliance industry as an engineer on washers. I worked for a brand at the time which no longer exists. Someone mentioned Maytag. Yes, you can buy Maytag brand washers and dryers, but they are not Maytag. They are re-branded Whirlpool units. Kenmore laundry appliances means Whirlpool since Sears makes nothing but contracts the Kenmore production out to various manufacturers. For laundry, that typically means Whirlpool.
My introduction to Samsung units was while I was at Maytag. Corporate leadership contracted with Samsung to design and build a smaller set of front loading units for us to sell under the Maytag brand. These units were beyond flaming POS's. The test units I had in my home were removed after I told the test leaders they could come pick them up or I would place them at the curb. So if Samsung is working now, it's because they learned everything from us because their units were so bad. I am still badly scarred from my Samsung experience. So much that even avoid everything with the Samsung label.
You need to decide if you want to stay top-loading or go front loading.
Top loading:
- Easy on back, no bending to load/unload
- Everyone grew up with top-load units
- Cheap, easy to repair
- more mechanical, less electronics
- Harshest on clothes since uses mechanical action to remove soil, meaning rubs on the clothes
Front Loading:
- Higher spin rate removes more water - more energy efficient for drying
- Harder on back due to bending to load and unload
- prone to mold if door kept closed
- Most energy efficient
- Uses least amount of water
- easiest on clothing longevity, uses more chemical and soaking action to clean vs. mechanical for top-loads
- highly recommended to use the HE detergent which adds a few $
- more complex, more expensive to repair
I run an old Maytag Neptune front-loading washer. You can't buy them anymore. But solid unit and really made the front loading home use market. But I'll stop since it's no longer valid and you can't buy Maytag laundry appliances anymore. You can buy one with a Maytag badge...
Truth is, they are all quite similar in features and quality unless you go higher end like a Bosch or Miele. And in essence, it still is crap-shoot like buying anything. You could end up with the one that has a defect. The big box retailers own the market and so they dictate the prices. Front loaders have WAY more margin in the pricing than top-loaders. That is why they push the front loaders so much. But the cost to make the top price units vs. the lower priced units is not that much but the sales floor price points are much greater. So keep that in mind.
Lets see, if you consider Made in USA, then Whirlpool top-loaders and GE are made in the US. Last I paid attention, Whirlpool front-loaders where shipped in from overseas. Haier is shipped in from China, I can't remember where Electrolux makes theirs. But on the other hand, all of them contain parts made all over the world so Made in USA is more like assembled in the USA.
Now that I have carried on with useless drivel, essentially, figure out who does the most laundry in your household. Let them make the decision. Balance features, cost, and reliability. Then find the best deal you can.
