Maytag - 5.3 Cu. Ft. 11-Cycle Top-Loading Washer - White

Hi! I am in my late 40s and have owned and/or used many washing machines, over the years. I moved to a new home over four months ago. The dryer was fine, but there was no working washing machine. This one is by far my favorite of any washing machine I have had. It is very easy to set. I usually don't like an electronic keypad and prefer old-fashioned dials, but this keypad is so easy to use and hasn't caused me any problems at all, so far. Actually, there is ONE dial. :) It spins around loosely until you stop it where you want, and is actually fun to set. While setting the machine, there are pleasant musical tones. And, the settings are useful: delicate, cold-water wash, bedding, normal... I love that the machine automatically adds the right amount of water. And, the machine is QUIET. Of course, you can hear it running, but it is not noisy. I have it in a closet in my kitchen, and I guess the closed closet doors help mute the sound, too. When doing research online about washing machines, prior to my purchase, I found a group of people who prefer old fashioned washing machines and who can't stand the new kind. Well, this kind of washing machine is definitely a different kind of machine than the old-fashioned kind, but I have only seen improvement, nothing bad. Everything I wash comes out very clean, the same as with the old machines. I love that there is no middle bar (sorry, I forgot what it is called) for the clothes to get tangled around. The machine is huge and can fit any bedding you wish. I have washed a queen-sized puffy comforter blanket with plenty of room to spare in the machine. I have washed two or three pillows at once, but more could fit. You can also do loads as small as you like. It looks strange to have a tiny bit of clothes at the bottom of this big machine, but the machine automatically puts the correct amount of water, so I don't worry. When you put the clothes in the machine, it moves them around a little to balance the load. It is still a good idea to load the clothes the way I learned years ago, with heavier and bigger items at the bottom. Once I didn't do this and the machine shook a bit, but I moved around the clothes a little and the issue was easily resolved. That was the only time that happened, and I do maybe 5 loads a week. It would be ten, except that the inside of this machine is huge. And, other family members do another few loads. By the way, the outside just looks normal-sized. I have heard people complain that clothes get wrinkled with this type of machine. Well, you set the machine for how much water you want it to extract, by choosing a "spin speed." The highest speed is for items that absorb a lot of water, like blankets and towels. Delicate items that dry easily, don't need much spinning at all. If you choose a spin speed that is too high for your clothes, they could get wrinkled. If you choose a medium speed, the water will be extracted and your clothes won't get wrinkled. This machine is quite deep. If you have very short arms and/or are short, it probably will be difficult to reach items at the bottom. Maybe, you could stand on a step-stool, but don't fall in! I wonder if there is something you could put at the bottom of the machine to make the clothes higher up. Most of my loads fill the machine at the most halfway, maybe 3/4 of the way for a huge load. I am 5'4" and have long arms and can reach that last sock at the bottom, but sometimes I have to lean in or stand on my tippy toes. My daughter is 5'2", also with long arms, but has fibromyalgia and manages just fine. She has never complained about reaching into the machine. One more thing: When I first ordered from Best Buy, I chose a different machine. I guesstimated the right size, instead of measuring, like I knew I should. When the machine arrived and was installed, it stuck out too much and the closet door couldn't close. I was so upset. The delivery crew told me to call Best Buy and they could switch it. They were right! Oh, and they also told me to feel free to use the machine that didn't fit as much as I want while waiting to exchange it, which was such a relief, because I needed to get my laundry done! I called the store where I bought it and explained the situation. An employee suggested some other models that were shorter from front to back. He gave me some measurements to look for, and then I browsed the internet and did some research. I wanted a very reliable machine that fit. I decided on this one because the dryer I have is a Maytag Bravos, a match to this washing machine, so I thought they were probably the same size, meaning the closet would close. Best Buy set up a delivery date that was soon, and they sent a team to pick up the other machine and deliver my new choice. No questions asked, and they exchanged it at no extra charge, even though this machine cost a little more than the other one I had chosen. They said there was no extra charge because of my trouble. I was the one causing them all the trouble! Wow! Also, I almost forgot to mention that I was worried what would happen if this new machine didn't fit. I was told not to worry, because then they would exchange it AGAIN! Double wow! I will make sure I only buy from Best Buy. I already buy all my computers from them and always get Geek Squad service. Now, I will make sure I buy all my appliances from them. They were super-nice and super-professional about this exchange. It was actually a pleasant experience, from the delivery people to the people at the Davie, Florida store (The Tower Shoppes) and back. I didn't even mention that I was given the utmost of attention and help when choosing the original machine, at the store. So nice, friendly, helpful. Thank you, Best Buy! Highly recommend Best Buy AND this washing machine.

I had owned 2 large capacity, HE top loaders prior to purchasing this Bravos XL. The Maytag blows my previous machines away in both capacity and performance! My laundry facilities are on the bedroom level (2nd floor) of my home so I've been reluctant to buy a front loader due to the noisy spin cycles and leaky door seals. Although the Maytag is a bit noisier than both of my previous top loaders, it can handle loads twice the size of the maximum capacity of the GE Harmony washer it replaced. It is also much simpler to use than the touchscreen of the GE. The Maytag's dial selector and cycles are much more user friendly than the computerized LCD display on the GE. To those of you considering this Maytag, I have some advice about HE top loaders (I've been using them for 15+years). If you have never owned an HE, READ THE OWNER'S MANUAL from front to back! The operating behavior of an HE top loader is very different from the traditional agitator top loader. WATER LEVEL was a major concern for me until I understood how an HE wash system works. The plates in the bottom of the wash tub replace the old agitator. On many HE machines, it may appear that very little is happening during the wash cycle, but nothing could be further from the truth. Gravity and the weight of the wet clothes are the catalyst that pulls the soapy water through the fabric and holds the clothes against the bottom plate, which works much like an old fashioned washboard. Contrary to what many think, a higher water level has very little to do with how clean the clothes get with this system. The damp clothes themselves actually do a lot of the cleaning as they rub against each other. Too much water will reduce the cleaning action! Although it's hard to tell, the clothes will circulate down to the bottom plate as long as the wash tub is not overloaded. It happens more gradually than in a traditional washer. The spin cycle, however, works much like a traditional top loader. The centrifugal forces pull much of the dirty water and soap out of the clothes before the rinse cycle. Sorry for the long winded explanation, but it took me a long time to get my head around this concept. I hope it helps you make the right choice for you. I noticed that there are a lot of unfavorable reviews on this washer. I doubt many of these disgruntled buyers read the owner's manual before operating this washer. There are also a few external factors that will affect the performance of any washer in a negative way. Overloading, insufficient hot water temperature (should be at least 120 degrees F), water quality (hard water leaves mineral deposits on clothes), cheap or non-HE detergent, too much detergent (may cause suds lock) and lastly, clogged or insufficient plumbing (sewage may back up into the machine). These are issues that the manufacturer has no control over, but many buyers still prefer to complain and post bad reviews without taking all of the circumstances into consideration. I will now step down from my soapbox;) Seriously, this is an excellent HE toploader for the money!

Our old washer died, it lived a good life. It handled a family of 6 for over 10 years. Fast forward to this washer. The dreaded replacement. First I have to say this. Best Buy is great. Their delivery and installation were great. This review is about the product, not Best Buy. Ok, the good. It looks nice. It seems durable, not like the old one, but decent enough. Basic enough controls as well. Now, the bad. It's supposed to be an energy efficient washer. Well this thing can never balance so it runs forever trying to balance. So the idea of saving energy went right down the drain. Our latest issue was when we tried to wash a mattress cover. Yes, a simple twin sized mattress cover. We actually let it run as long as we could to see how long it would adjust. After 2 HOURS, we pulled the thing out and let it dry in a sink. Then the same thing happened with another item. Next, It's really noisy. I mean you can hear this thing clear across the house with loud kids. That's a good thing when you need to hear when it is done, but it stinks when you are trying to go to bed and the balance warning keeps going off. Yes, you can turn off the sound, but once in a while you will forget and when you do, it will remind you how loud it is. Chrome: Okay, this will sound silly, but chrome on a washer, really? A washer gets dirty. It is well used. Fingerprints everywhere. Not a function issue, but still funny. Washers are not fashion statements. They are machines that need to work and work well. (And yes, we should have noticed that but we ordered these online. Never again. Into the store we go for the next round, which I am expecting will be sooner then later.) Cleaning ability: Not the greatest. Enough said on that. Double washing may be needed on super dirty items. Last thing, no quick wash cycle available. Our last unit had a quick wash that said 23 minutes and you could bet your life on that thing that it would be done in 23 minutes. This new washer says 54 minutes for a normal wash. Not one single load has ended in under an hour. So, back to the energy savings idea? Where is it? I have yet to see how this thing will save money and energy. SO, all this said, if we could return it, we would. We cannot, so now we are stuck with it. We cannot wait until it breaks. Once it does. Asta la vista baby!

I have had this washer for about 6 months now. I am still waiting for it to get better. I bought this because of the size and the customer reviews . There is no short cycle. You cant use pods with small loads they don’t dissolve. Today was the final straw for me writing a review. I washed a sheet that my dog had an accident on late last night. I got as much as I could off and today I washed it with 2 lap blanket. The soiled was all over the sheet and the blankets. I used the bedding setting and unlesss you wash everything in deep water wash forget about you clothes coming out semi clean, the lint will be stuck to all your clothes and if you do wash bedding in there your better off going to a laundry mat. They will be much cleaner. My towels don’t come out clean. I have to rewash everything twice. I have tried to use all the settings and the only way one i seem to go back to is the deep water setting only because that is the only way to get your clothes wet and not damp. So where is the savings between extra soap, water and electricity? This washer was such a disappointment on so many levels I would move on. I bought Maytag because it was also a good strong product and my mother still has hers after 30 years. The only plus side I can see is that it does ring your clothes out nice so your dryer doesn’t have to work as hard. I can’t wait to get rid of this washer. I’m tired of doing everything twice.

I'm comparing this purchase with my previous washer which was a front-loader. I like the high capacity. It's the best thing about this product. It could have two wash settings and I'd still buy due to the huge drum. I read all about top-loaders before purchasing, because I still read people complaining that they don't feel their clothes come out as clean without true agitator. This model has an agitator of sorts. At the base of the drum, there's a small area with ridges that stick up maybe 2 inches, and it rotates independently of the main drum. This combined with the motion of the drum itself acts as the agitation mechanism. There really is a good bit more motion going on in this machine than I really expected. You'd think this huge drum wastes a lot of water as well, however, when it's "full" clothes don't seem to be any more wet than they would be in my old front-loader. It seems to do a decent job at sensing the right amount of water to use. All this being said, I was using a very old top-loader with a smaller drum and a traditional agitator in a rental house for about 6 months prior to this purchase, and I do feel that the older machine without all the fancy electronics did a better job at getting clothes clean. I have had a few items make it through and still appear to have food on them in the Maytag... It's not frequent, and what I did to compensate was put in slightly smaller laundry loads, and that seemed to do the trick. There is still a "soak" setting, if you feel you really need it. This machine only takes about 55 minutes on an average normal load compared to my old front loader which took about 25 minutes longer with a much smaller load. The control knob is great. Nothing more to say about that. The button panel uses some sort of touch sensing, and that's okay for the most part, but having to hold my finger on the power or start button for 3 seconds to get any response seems counterintuitive, though I can see a use case in preventing a curious toddler from causing havoc. I have one of those too... All in all a pretty good machine, and best capacity per dollar I could find.

If I could give a negative rating, I would. We purchased this washing machine and paid for the installation at the time of purchase from Best Buy. Unfortunately, had we known what was to come from the delivery and installation, we would have picked up the washing machine and installed it ourselves. When the delivery men were switching out the old washing machine for our new one, they obviously didn't know what they were doing because: 1) The man removing the water hoses from the wall forgot to shut the water off before we reminded him that he had to. 2) When he did finally shut off the water line and removed the hose from the cold water line, he busted the pipe of the cold water line inside and water was spilling everywhere. Water went all over the floor, and honestly the only thing this man did that seemed helpful was clean it up. The man then proceeded to say our pipe had been broken and he was unable to connect the washing machine for that reason, as if no one was there to witness him causing the damage. His partner who walked in on the incident then went on to say, "Oh we have to go, there's nothing more we can do here", and the two left. Now, we do not have any running water in our house to meet our basic hygienic needs because we had to shut off all the water going through the house. We have called Best Buy to make this complaint with there department that handles these claims, but the case manager handling our claim is moving so sloth like, it seems there's no urgency with our situation. We tried following up with him to get a claim number so we can get running water in our house and try to move forward with our claim, but it seems like the case manager is trying to avoid us and our situation. This is really an unbelievable and horrendous experience. All anyone can say is, "I understand your frustration..." No, these employees don't because no one understands that we can't use the restroom, wash our hands, shower... The worse delivery experience ever Best Buy!

My wife and I read all of the negative comments and thought to ourselves, these must just be complainers and went ahead and bought this machine anyway. It is a Maytag, they are supposed to be one of the best out there. The first load was a king size comforter. We loaded it in evenly and eventually had to hand wring all of the water out of it after 3 hours of the machine continuing to refill in order to balance the load. The lack of an agitator seemed like a great idea in that it gave us so much more room, but the agitator is what keeps your loads balanced. Luckily the dryer that we bought with this set was outstanding and able to handle drying the soaking wet comforter. Every load that we did thereafter was small in order to not unbalance the machine. Unfortunately the water monitor that prevent excess water from being used, never actually allowed the water to cover all of the clothes. We noticed after every wash, that the Unstoppable sprinkles would fall all over the floor when we would transfer the load to the dryer. We called Amber at Best Buy the day after it was delivered and she ordered us a new LG Front Loader set to replace this set. This concept of no agitator in order to make more room is a great idea, however the technology is not there to ensure your load remains balanced throughout the wash. This in turn makes the machine refill over and over again to try and balance the load for the spin cycle. Just get a front loader and do the monthly wipe-down of the seals with a White Vinegar and Water solution to prevent mold. Also, keep the door open when not in use, and this will prevent water from remaining in the crevasses of the door and machine.

We only had this about a week and I put it to the true test as we have had a front load machine for 20+ years and loved them. We only decided to go this route as technology has changed and felt with the big tub size without the agitator maybe it was time to go this route. The size of this thing is huge and greatly appreciated for washing big items like comforters and pillows/blankets. However, as I am only 5’ it I did have to use a step stool. That didn’t bother me, I’m used to it but for some might be bothersome. I had issues with it leaving white residue on my dark items if I used the Oxy option. I use liquid detergent so assume I would have had a bigger issue if I would have used powder detergent. It just didn’t seem to agitate enough to get the soap spread throughout. Not saying this is this model’s fault, just an issue I believe may be because of the way these style machines work. I also found a lot of lint on my washed items, which I never had issues with in a front load machine. It did a great job spinning out the excess water and felt did an okay job with cleaning but did find some odors still present using the same amount of product I used in a front loader washer. I am partial to the size capacity of the front loader and cleaning capability and so may be biase a bit. I have always washed all my blankets, comforters etc. in my front loader with no issues so size capability has always been important, in which this washer didn’t disappoint in size, but larger loads felt didn’t get as clean and ended up rewashing some loads. Uses a lot more water and just isn’t as efficient as a front loader so we exchanged for a Maytag front loader in the end.