Whirlpool 3.6 cu. ft. High-Efficiency Top-Load Washer

I bought this washer in May 2011 to replace my old one (a 10-12 lb Kenmore) traditional agitator washer which I have had for 8 years.I went with the new technology, as it conserves water and energy compared to my old one. However, there has been a learning curve. Pros:1. Clothes come out clean.2. Saves energy, water, and time (overall because of its 20 lb capacity). 3. Quiet Spin technology does not disturb neighbors.4. Durable.Cons:1. Clothes often have a hard time staying "balanced," although I try to load them balanced. I usually wash mixed loads (i.e. jeans, shirts, socks) and separate colors and whites. 2. Over-sudsing issues. In some instances, the "compressed," mixed load does not seem to have enough "surface area" to hold enough water to wring out the soap, so I end up resorting the clothes to loosen them before the spin cycle begins (and add more water manually in the process), (occurs most often when a lot of socks/boxers get "mangled" between pairs of jeans).I use H-E Detergent (regular, not 2x concentrated). In addition, I'm not a fan of its "self-balancing" technology, as it adds a lot more water and time to the wash cycle. (and I question its effectiveness). So I pause the cycle and balance the load manually.The "Regular" cycles come with a spray rinse, which I feel does not cut it. So I always opt for the extra rinse option. Each load takes about 1 hour as a result.Lastly, the Downy ball does not always work effectively. Since there is no center agitator, the clothes sometimes do not allow the ball to drop to the bottom of the wash load to release the softener after the spin cycle.These things being said, I highly recommend not buying a "higher trim" of this washer. You are better off by buying a nice front loader if you can spend more money. But this washer, after passing its learning curve, is a good washer to have overall.

Do Not Buy This Washer! I had mine for approximately 13 months. The technician said it was the transmission. I paid $439.20 before tax. It was a model that had been returned and repaired. "Remanufactured" so I thought all the bugs would have been worked out. Now I have the estimate of $340.21 to get it fixed from the appliance repair dept. that Whirpool Co. sent to my home.