So waaaaaayyyyyyy of topic here. But our 6 year old washer dryer set has just washed down my laundry room floor. The dryer still has temperature issues after every sensor has been swapped, and I am done with this unit.
The set was consumer reports’ Highest rated model at the time so my faith in using their recommendation for the replacement is non existent.
i know it isn’t a motor vehicle, but this group knows quality mechanicals.... so......
TL/DR
what does the hive hive recommend for a reliable stacking washer dryer set?
Not sure if this help since you said "stacking," but here's what I know. Our dryer stopped drying last night, so we had a service call today. Our local guy has been super-helpful before.
Turns out it was just a blown fuse, but he says that our dryer is showing its age. While it's a high-end KitchenAid, it's also 20+ years old. The heating element is looking old and brittle, and he says it an expensive part. When that part goes, he says, just replace the entire dryer.
Anyway, his recommendation: a Whirlpool, Maytag, Roper, Estate or Amana model that has the lint trap door on the top. They're all the same inside, he says, with just different features and extras.
For the washer, he recommends a 3.5 tub size model with agitator. Again, from the above list. He said there's a $430 model that he really likes.
I haven't done research based on these claims as it's been a busy day, but those are my notes. Not sure if this help you, though.
In reply to David S. Wallens :
I really wish we could go with a side by side configuration. Unfortunately the room they are in won’t accommodate that.
In reply to itsarebuild :
We bought LG about 5 years ago. They are stackable. My wife has a cleaning fetish and it's rare when the washer and dryer aren't in use daily. that's with just the two of us.
beds get made with clean fresh sheets every 2 or three days. Not unusual for her to demand I give her the clothes off my back midday. And she's even done it three times a day.
not one single issue in that whole period.
When i get home, ill see what our stacker is. I bought it about 5 years ago at Thanksgiving at lowes. Been flawless.
I was planning a Speed Queen Top Loader based on good that I have read here on GRM. Then when we really shopped I ran across this guy who says the new Speed Queens are not the same quality of the old.
His review and video of new SQ
https://lorainfurniture.com/appliances/watch-buy-speed-queen-washer-review-new-2018-speed-queen-washer-tr3000wn-tr5000wn-tr7000wn/
With SQ not being an option for him, he does recommend the Maytag COMMERCIAL so that is what we bought. Happy.
https://lorainfurniture.com/appliances/maytag-commercial-top-load-washer-mvwp575gw-this-is-the-closest-thing-to-an-old-school-washer-i-have-ever-seen/
This guy's reviews are amazing through and detailed.
We've had nothing but problems with every single digital washer or dryer we've ever purchased, regardless of the brand. Our current top-of-the-line Samsungs sketch out every few months. Do yourself a favor and skip the pricey stuff and stick to entry-level appliances.
I would have recommended ApplianceSmart in Vinings, but it looks like they're closed now. The Sears outlets in the area are a dud. There's a Habitat for Humanity Restore off Memorial Dr. that often has terrific deals on both new and used appliances, but their selection is a total crap shoot. That said, if you've never been there it's worth going just to check out.
John Welsh said:
I was planning a Speed Queen Top Loader based on good that I have read here on GRM. Then when we really shopped I ran across this guy who says the new Speed Queens are not the same quality of the old.
His review and video of new SQ
https://lorainfurniture.com/appliances/watch-buy-speed-queen-washer-review-new-2018-speed-queen-washer-tr3000wn-tr5000wn-tr7000wn/
With SQ not being an option for him, he does recommend the Maytag COMMERCIAL so that is what we bought. Happy.
https://lorainfurniture.com/appliances/maytag-commercial-top-load-washer-mvwp575gw-this-is-the-closest-thing-to-an-old-school-washer-i-have-ever-seen/
This guy's reviews are amazing through and detailed.
Was coming in to recommend Speed Queen, but this is good info.
You can spend a lot of money and hope it's going to last, but I'd recommend you buy whatever is cheap and in stock at say, your local Costco, and buy that. When it E36 M3s the bed in three or four years, throw it in the trash and buy another one.
Wife wanted blood red fancy stack able
i said no
I have no problem spending money when it looks good and is necessary. No one goes in our laundry room. I just need functional
lg inverter direct driver washer
cheapest Amana dryer
works excellent
I live in USA highest water per gallon area. We turn on washer once a week. Dryer foes on after 8 Pm only. As electric is cheapest 8pm-8am
In reply to John Welsh :
As usual, you're a wealth of information. Thanks for sharing these links.
We bought a silly expensive Fisher & Paykel matching pair several years ago and have had repeated issues. As of this week, the washing machine is putting water on the floor as fast as it puts it in the drum. I'm done with them and am now beginning to research replacements.
mr2s2000elise said:
Wife wanted blood red fancy stack able
i said no
I have no problem spending money when it looks good and is necessary. No one goes in our laundry room. I just need functional
lg inverter direct driver washer
cheapest Amana dryer
works excellent
I live in USA highest water per gallon area. We turn on washer once a week. Dryer foes on after 8 Pm only. As electric is cheapest 8pm-8am
Look an aquarium... 
Yeah, basic & cheeep...You folks buying washer & dryer every 4-5 years must have like 16 kids...I've had 2 of each in 25+ years. I guess I'm a lucky bastage...
Search for a shop that repairs them and see what they have in used inventory. I got my Maytag Commercial 4000 frontload washer and gas dryer as a matching set for less than a grand two years ago and haven't had any trouble.
Anything's stackable with enough 2 x 4s. :)
Seriously, I have the same cheapie Whirlpool-with-the-lint-trap-on-top model David mentioned. It's approaching 20 years in service, although a couple years ago I had to take it apart to swap out some of the bearings (about a half hour and $30 or so in parts). Its companion lowest spec Whirlpool washer lasted about 12 years before leaking and was replaced with another one that was identical except for the brand name.
While sometimes cheap means they cut corners in quality, with washers and driers it seems to mean they've mostly cut out things that break.
In reply to MadScientistMatt :
Agreed. We have the matching washer & dryer, although they're tagged with different manufacture's names & we didn't get them at the same time. One I bought around 2003 from a used appliance shop when I moved, the other was in the house we have now when we bought it 5-years ago. I've had to replace the lint trap 2x, but I bought a cheap one last time. I think I paid $25 for this one.
We bought a decent stackable set when we remodeled our last place. One of the wash cycles never worked correctly, but it wasn't one we really needed or ever used & when I had them out to look at it they couldn't figure out what the problem was. After 4-1/2 years they were definitely showing their age.
SWMBO really wants to replace these older ones we have now, but I've told here there's absolutely no way we're buying a replacement unless we want to spend the $$& for Speed Queen, which really doesn't offer any more features than we have now.
What I have found is nothing works even the expensive stuff, maybe even especially the expensive stuff. Asked a repair man friend of mine and he said SpeedQueen, period. Not sure if there are specific models or not but that's the direction I am going if I can't ungunk our front loader (had it half apart once, need to full-apart).
In reply to Pete Gossett (Forum Supporter) :
We bought a house in 2011 and it came w/ a super high end GE Profile, old school washer from 1994. We gave away our "nothing special" old unit and were happy to get this unit. This 1994 unit worked great, but.. The house came w/ a 12 month, home buyer warranty, in the 11th month the machine got loud. The warranty service said, "its either the motor or the trans but given it's age, we'll just replace it."
I figured they would send me crap but what they offered me was a high end LG top load unit with a mini agitator and lots of bells and whistles. It had really good reviews.
It never broke but after 5 years of really not cleaning well, my wife was so frustrated (and we had some money) that we agreed to go to SQ which as posted above lead to Maytag Commercial.
Net result, I spent a lot of money ($699 w/ free standard delivery) to get back to the quality and functionality/simplicity of the 1994 machine.
Edit: Dam! No longer $699 but $949
Paul_VR6 (Forum Supporter) said:
What I have found is nothing works even the expensive stuff, maybe even especially the expensive stuff. Asked a repair man friend of mine and he said SpeedQueen, period. Not sure if there are specific models or not but that's the direction I am going if I can't ungunk our front loader (had it half apart once, need to full-apart).
But only the right Speed Queen since they cheapened the new offerings and why I went with Maytag COMMERCIAL.
Like the review I linked says, it's not that the SQs don't break but when they do, it is fixable. Further more the SQ and my Maytag specifically come with 5 year, parts AND LABOR warranty.
We bought a set of mid grade LG from Lowe's. Love the appliances, will never give that company a penny again.
One thing to note: my clothes get a LOT cleaner in a front-loading washer than they ever did in a top-loader. I don't know whether it's just because the washer's newer, but it's immediately visible.
My only issue with the front lod now is that all our clothes are getting dirty from E36 M3 trapped inside that won't drain out. Had the whole front seal out and cleaned, cleaned the water feed tubes and no better. I would have to disassemble the whole thing as I think its in the basin and the design just isn't conducive to draining.
When we bought in 2016 they told us quality was all basically the same but only one had US based customer service.
Our dryer was on borrowed time so went to Lowes and got a Whirlpool front loader. No screens, just a couple basic dials and a buzzers. Works pretty well for a basic unit at the price point (under $600).
My wife bought this Samsung set from Best Buy. Can't tell you how they work yet, as I am still remodeling the laundry room. 
We got new GE washer and dryer about two years ago. So far so good as far as I know. My wife won't let me touch them. Said I don't know how to do laundry. Who is going to argue with that?
