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Commercial washing machine

68-500

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Tired of junky normal washing machines they’re all just flashy gimmicks with cheap internals. Im looking for a simple commercial front load. Obviously Dexter, Speedqueen take the cake what about Maytag and Whirlpool commercial? Im sure you get what you pay for applies here. I haven’t got a quote in the Dexter and Maytag yet. The SQ is $2,200, the WP $1,700. I imagine the Dexter and SQ will last my lifetime and possibly my childrens in a household environment. Will the cheaper WP be my last washer?
 
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I can only attest to the Speedqueen's washer and dryer. We have had them at the meat plant to wash our frocks and towels etc. 22 years old used 3-4 times a week and they are just now starting to show their age.
 
I have done most of the laundry in our family for the last 15 years or so. My wife was putting in too much powder and conditioner, and it messed up the machine faster. When I complained about that , it was a real "Do it yourself" moment.

I don't mind it....it means I get to do stuff how I want it done. Being a Virgo, apparently perfection is a key attribute. :lol: No complaints from family about the quality of the clothes now...always clean, and I do about 8 loads a week - between towels, darks, whites.....and dirty work clothes get done separately also.

Besides, it's me who has to strip the machine down every few years to de-scuzz it. I switched to liquid detergent about 8 years ago and never used the powder since. Most of it doesn't dissolve completely, and that builds up over time. Fabric conditioner is the worst as it builds up a film over time and creates a slimy coating known as "Scrud" - which needs to be cleaned regularly to prevent mould build-up.

Running a HOT wash every week helps but doesn't fix the build-up like the manufacturers say it does.

Drum before.....

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Drum after cleaning.....

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Speedqueen is superior. Dryer will last about 40 years. The washer will last about 20, and go another 20 with a tub seal replacement (not easy or cheap). Speedqueen does not allow their dealers to sell extended warranty on their products.
 
BTW ....many years ago I worked for a company that serviced Laundromats...... those machines were disgusting inside. :eek:

People take the filthiest things to those shops for cleaning.
 
I bought a Speed Queen commercial top loader about 4 years ago, couldn’t be happier. 10 year warranty, high capacity. Cost about $1200 at that time. I wired around the safety switch so it would fill with the lid open. Also bought a matching drier at the same time. Got tired of the junk sold nowadays as brand name appliances. Looked at commercial Maytags at the same time, they would be my 2nd choice.
 
I bought a house in 1993. The seller of the home told me he's leaving the speedqueen washer and dryer. They were about 15 years when I moved in. They worked so well I decided to move them with me from San Jose to Tucson. The washer tub seal failed in 2003 with a slight leak. The repair man said the washer was approaching 25 years old and could be a gamble spending $500 to replace the tub seal.

So, I bought a new speedqueen washer. That was 22 years ago and it's working just fine. The dryer is now FORTY YEARS OLD. I replaced the belt and idler arm two years ago. I'm amazed it still works!
 
Consumer products are built with obsolescence in mind..... parts won't be available after several years, and the newer machines will be cheaper than repairing an old one. That is the mentality of modern consumerism.

Why would manufacturers build machines that don't fail???? They would never sell you another one after that.

Think back about that toaster you bought..... most of them fail just after the standard warranty expires. :rolleyes:
 
Companies used to enjoy a profitable parts and service and keep customers loyal. Somewhere in time it was decided to remove as much quality as possible and sell junk instead.

It's wasteful. Packing landfills with three year old appliances is bad for everyone except a few guys on Wall Street.

BTW my toaster was made in 1949. A new AC cord restored it's functionality.

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Parents had a GE commercial that was about 1957-1960. Forgot the exact manufactured date. Lasted to about 2005. Was getting hard to find parts. replaced motor, clutch shoes, water valves over the years. The Cissel coin op had issues. Relay switches were way obsolete.

GE commercial dryer lasted 45 years
 
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This is probably not a typical example but in 1982, when I was 12, we bought the cheapest machine we could get from JC Penny’s. I’m probably cursing myself but it still works fine and has never been repaired, there were periods of heavy usage but now that I live alone it has an easier life. Unfortunately it has cosmetic damage from someone standing on it when they broke into my laundry room decades ago.
 
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