Washer/dryer settings

I have a SpeedQueen top loader.

Big family, so a large capacity.

I just use basic settings, really. Heavy wash, set on warm for most things. Single rinse usually.

I bought an old-fashioned top-load washer with an agitator as that's what I prefer. And the matching old-fashioned style dryer to go with it. I wash and dry most everything on just normal settings. Once in a blue moon, I'll use a delicate wash cycle and choose to tumble dry with no heat. That's about as fancy as it gets around here.

I've got a matched set of LG top load washer and dryer.

I have a gymnast so I use the "delicate" setting for her leotards and our leggings and sports bras.
I use the "bulky bedding" setting for washing sheets and blankets- I can put a king size quilt in it.

I use the extra rinse sometimes but it's not necessary
I use the delay start sometimes but also not necessary.

I know my washer can do WAY more than I use it for but the extra stuff isn't important to me and my laundry gets clean just fine.

I chose an old school agitator washer too and my clothes and towels come out so much cleaner.

I'm not sure what are upgrade features. My washer and dryer are about 15 years old. I use delicates sometimes and always the extra rinse. For the dryer, I use the wrinkle release at times. There aren't that many features available on my set.

Nobody cares, but I love my washer and dryer. They are Maytag with an agitator top loading plastic. It’s big, too.

I wash everything on cold and dry on delicate. My washer and dryer don't really have fancy settings so that works for me and it's energy efficient.

Why not just get a small step stool to stand on so you can reach the bottom? I can JUST BARELY reach the bottom of mine, otherwise I have a little plastic 6” high step thing that I could stand on if I couldn’t reach.


caangel we have a matched LG set we bought last year that has way more features than we’ll likely ever use, but DH got a deal on them because they were demo units that were being discontinued from a place he sometimes orders things from for clients. I use normal warm/cold for most loads but will wash DD’s sweaters on delicate, blankets and comforters on the bedding setting with extra water and an extra rinse because that stuff tends to get clumped up and the soap doesn’t seem to get rinsed out as well otherwise. Most stuff gets dried on the standard setting with more time because some of DD’s and DH’s heavier pants don’t get fully dry otherwise. The dryer has an auto shutoff sensing thing that sometimes turns off too soon and I don’t have anywhere I can put a bunch of damp clothes to finish air drying.

This actually makes it even harder to reach the clothes without actually putting my body into the machine.  It's REALLY deep and I have short arms. I'd say that 90% of the clothes are too deep for me to reach in a given load.  I'm 5'2" and the machines are really big!

New machines won't last 20 years. They are built to fail to buy new. That's my opinion. The fancy tech with touch screen will fail. The basic stuff to wash/ dry clothes has been lost with flashy tech.

If you use vinegar in any brand where it goes in the top of the washer, make sure it goes straight where it is supposed to. Ours leaked (it’s very possible we weren’t careful enough not realizing there was an opening there until too late) and ruined the inside of our washer. Other than that we loved it and had zero issues with our LG front load washer. Loved the sanitary setting for our kitchen towels and occasionally other linens. It’s been a couple years so I don’t remember what other specialty settings it’s had. Oh, a delayed start setting. Our current one also has that and I LOVE it.

Our LG dryer still works, purchased in 2008. However, I think the sensor is broken because on normal settings where it uses automatic sensor it shuts down very quickly. So we use the timed setting, has been about 6 months I think. I really love the wrinkle release, it’s works wonderfully well when we remember we have it! I also like adjusting the temperature and time. A feature I would love is one that can tell your phone when the load is done. Not necessary, but I like taking my clothes out immediately and hanging them to avoid wrinkles. If I’m upstairs I can probably hear it, but it doesn’t register with me.

I would avoid anything that has a lot of features and does not have an agitator. I learned that the hard way.

I now have a Speed Queen commerical washing machine. It has no bells and whistles. It does not play me a tune! LOL. That it does is get my laundry clean. Something my fancy LG without an agitator did NOT.

I have really dirty laundry that requires HOT water. My LG would not allow me to use straight hot water. It was a complete battle to get it to fill with hot water. Clothes came out DIRTY! I could see actual dirt/hay still on the clothes. I know I have way dirtier laundry that the average person - but that means nothing that is washed in those types of machines is really clean, IMO.

I would not trady my Speed Queen for any other washer.

The main fancy settings I use are the timer to do loads overnight after my shower, and the sanitize feature for my kitchen towels and cloths.