Much better than the reviews

I purchased this washer four years ago, and it's never had a problem or repair in that time. The only dissappointment I have had is that the price has came down since then, meaning I paid almost $300 more than it costs now.

This is my first front-loading machine. I had heard that there were alot of things that you need to do differently with a front load versus a top load. I found that not to be true. I wash the same kind and size load I always did, however, I do use less detergent and fabric softener. I still use powdered detergent, and have no problems.

From a features standpoint, this machine has it all. Cotton, perma press, delicate, and hand wash cycles with each one of these divided into heavy, normal, light, and quick options. The "Max Extract" option is great for heavy items as it spins faster and longer to more effectively dry the clothes. The pre-soak and stain cleaner cycles seem to do their job on really dirty things.

Overall, this has worked out very well for me. I have had none of the problems with mine that I have read about here on epinions. Not that I am saying everyone else is wrong, but I do feel that in reading the many opinions on this product that I have learned two things.......

1. Nothing is made as well now as it used to be, including Maytag. Years ago a washer and dryer would last 15 or 20 years. They were made well, designed well, and built with heavy duty, quality materials. This is no longer the case. ALL brands (and I certainly mean ALL BRANDS) are made with much less quality than they were years ago. Just because your grandmother had a Kenmore (or Maytag, or Whirlpool) that lasted 27 years does'nt mean that a new one would perform the same. On todays market I would feel lucky to get over 10 years out of ANY brand washing machine.

2. Customer satisfaction with repair service is only as good as the technician who comes out to do the job. The vast majority of the time, when the Maytag service man comes out, he is not an employee of Maytag, but an employee of an independant factory-authorized repair company. That being so, the customer experience lies more with the integrity and knowledge of the independant servicer than with the manufacturer of the product. This is the way it is with most brands.

The Maytag of yesterday is not the Maytag of today. Now that Whirlpool owns it, it will be just another Whirlpool branded machine with a higher price tag for the "Matyag" name. From my personal experience ,if you are thinking of purchasing a front load washing machine, I would definately reccommend this model.