3 Washing Machine Models You Should Steer Clear Of

We may receive a commission on purchases made from links.

As our ranking of washing machines from worst to best proves, not every model on the showroom floor is worth your money. As with any appliance, there are a handful of clunkers waiting to entrap buyers that haven't done their homework, some of which come from trusted major brands (worth noting, however, that our pick for most trusted washing machine brand doesn't make an appearance). Based on professional lab testing, independent analysis of real world service data, and recalls, these models stand out for the wrong reasons.

A washing machine is not a small investment, so a little research can go a long way to sparring you from a costly purchase you regret. Consider performance (particularly a machine's ability to remove stains and other difficult blemishes), reliability, and most importantly, safety before committing your hard-earned money. The last thing you want is to spend thousands on a machine that doesn't do the one thing you bought it for, or, worse, catches fire in your laundry room (we're looking at you, SuperSpeed).

Let's start with the aforementioned firestarter. Samsung top-load washers with the SuperSpeed wash cycle were part of a December 2022 recall that covered a massive 663,000 units. The reason: according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, there were multiple reports of machines smoking, melting, overheating, or catching fire outright, some causing property damage and even injuries related to smoke-inhalation.

Beyond the recall, independent service-data analyses frequently flag Samsung washers for high failure rates and difficult repairs (particularly top loaders, though the best front-load washing machine brand also isn't Samsung). Some repair shops refuse to service them at all, due to limited parts availability and their sealed-drum design, which makes damaged components difficult to access. If you're looking at a used Samsung top-loader with SuperSpeed, be sure to check the model against the CPSC recall notice, or just skip Samsung altogether if long-term reliability is a priority.

While Whirlpool's WTW8127LC top-loader is widely available at major retailers, in this instance popularity doesn't equate to quality. It doesn't hold up as well in professional testing and also shows some weakness in long-term reliability.

One key problem area is performance. In reviews that measure stain removal and gentleness, Whirlpool's mid-range top-loaders are consistently behind top brands, despite their feature sets looking competitive on paper. Service-call analysis also places Whirlpool behind LG and Speed Queen for the frequency of long-term failures, and owner satisfaction is mixed, with numerous complaints about early breakdowns as well as control issues.

While Whirlpool offers fairly competitive service coverage, independent reliability tracking shows a higher five-year repair incidence than most other leading brands, especially in HE top-load configurations. For a machine that should easily endure beyond five years, the mix of middling performance results and high repair risk makes the WTW8127LC a risky option.

Amana's entry‑level top‑loaders, particularly the NTW4519JW and NTW4516FW, show a clear pattern of post‑warranty failures and performance complaints in user reviews. Over at the Lowe's product page for the NTW4519JW, users blast it for "frequent control board failures, inadequate water fill levels, excessive vibration and noise, and damage to clothing."

A Walmart reviewer who bought the NTW4519JW in September 2023 reports that it completely stopped working just 18 months later, right after the warranty window expired, noting that it seems to be a common issue with the NTW4519JW. Another owner also reported that their Amana lasted for less than a year before the drain got stuck open and the washer wasn't able to complete cycles. 

Over at ConsumerAffairs, owners scorch Amana's top‑load washers for "poor manufacturing" and a defective spin cycle that "spins out of control." Many of them note that frequent repairs were required, and also call out the company's poor customer service. 

We built this list from professional, test-driven sources as well as user reviews and large user surveys. We reviewed lab-based evaluations from reputable professional outlets that measure metrics like stain removal, gentleness, and cycle efficiency across multiple loads.

We also looked at independent service-call analysis, as well as repair tech surveys, that track five-year failure rates and common component breakdowns, with an eye towards models with elevated repair incidence, and considered CPSC recall notices, particularly for safety issues.