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Does the Speed Queen TR5 clean clothes well enough??

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May 24, 2026, 08:20 AM
Black92LX
Does the Speed Queen TR5 clean clothes well enough??
Does the Speed Queen TR5 clean well enough. I would like the TR5 over the TC5 because how how much quieter it runs.
Our laundry room is smack between 2 of the boy's bedrooms so quiet is a good thing.

However, I have 3 boys and I work on vehicles a lot. So we are on the dirty side of clothing.

Just wanting to make sure the TR5 is up for the job. Most of the reviews say the TR5 does not do nearly as well as the TC when it comes to getting clothes clean.
Others say there is no real loss of cleaning power with the TR.


The old Whirlpool front loader I just spent hours on my birthday repairing a couple months back has done it again. Completely dead and I have narrowed it down to the board. I don't feel like tearing this thing down again and spending that much money to fix it.
So never buying a front loader again and really just need to pony up for a Speed Queen.


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The world's not perfect, but it's not that bad.
If we got each other, and that's all we have.
I will be your brother, and I'll hold your hand.
You should know I'll be there for you!
May 24, 2026, 08:45 AM
ltz400
I have the TC5/DC5 combo due to the nature of my previous employment (Navy) and I can say that it will easily handle any kind of dirt you can throw at it. I didn't buy the TR series due to cost and it has more "tech" in it. The TC5 sits on the opposite side of the living room wall and we rarely hear it if the door is closed. I have had the set for about 6 years now and they have not skipped a beat. Bottom line the wife is happy with it.
May 24, 2026, 10:05 AM
jimmy123x
Can't comment on SQ. But Appliance Brad recommended Whirlpool Cabrio top loader for me. I work on yachts and dirty stuff, the Cabrio did a very good job at cleaning and much larger capacity than SQ. It also did TONS of loads of laundry. After a yacht trip that thing saw 10-14 loads from the yacht, almost monthly (on top of my personal loads) and lasted 11 years.

I went to Whirlpool front loaders about 2 years ago and have already had a major repair on the washer.
May 24, 2026, 10:22 AM
Black92LX
^^^^^^^^^^
We're about 10 years deep in a Whirlpool Brad suggested then. It is a front loader (wish we would have not gotten a front loader.

I had to replace the shock things for the tub about 5 years ago and just replaced the door to tub boot seal a little over a month ago. Both were gigantic pains in the tail because you essentially have to take the whole freaking thing apart.

quote:
Originally posted by ltz400:
I have the TC5/DC5 combo due to the nature of my previous employment (Navy) and I can say that it will easily handle any kind of dirt you can throw at it. I didn't buy the TR series due to cost and it has more "tech" in it. The TC5 sits on the opposite side of the living room wall and we rarely hear it if the door is closed. I have had the set for about 6 years now and they have not skipped a beat. Bottom line the wife is happy with it.


Interesting now the TR is cheaper than the TC line.

I would love to do a Speed Queen but not finding any on sale. There are some pretty good Memorial Day sales on Maytag and Whirlpools. Pretty much half the cost of Speed Queen. I know Speed Queen is King just hard to pay the cost right now since we just replaced the fridge a month or so back!


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The world's not perfect, but it's not that bad.
If we got each other, and that's all we have.
I will be your brother, and I'll hold your hand.
You should know I'll be there for you!
May 24, 2026, 01:22 PM
architect
I'm not sure what model our SQ washer is, says "Commercial Heavy-Duty" on the panel, but it has been a real work horse for over 15 years without a single repair needed. It is not at all noisy, and cleans very well.

Probably uses "too much" water for the greenies, but that doesn't bother me nearly as much as poorly-laundered clothing would.
May 24, 2026, 07:11 PM
BB61
Both dealers we went to told us the TC5 will do a better job than the TR5. They also thought the TC5 was a little more reliable. Interestingly, the TC5 was also cheaper when we got ours.


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May 24, 2026, 09:30 PM
Bentonville
Speed Queen is the best trouble free washer I’ve ever owned! I got the most expensive model. I don’t know the model number, and my wife has used it every day for about three years now . It never gets out of balance and functions perfectly every time it’s used. Clothes come out clean and my wife has no complaints. If there was something amiss, I’d know about it instantly.
May 25, 2026, 07:54 AM
SpinZone
I can't speak to the TR5 vs TC5 but we have the TR5 and my wife is very happy with it. She says it cleans much better then the HE whirlpool it replaced.



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May 25, 2026, 08:45 AM
MaSigchist
We have the TR5. It cleans as well as the 40 yr old Kenmore it replaced. It is definitely quieter. If there is a tradeoff on cleaning it hasn't been apparent but it definitely doesn't beat up the clothes as much and it washes sheets and blankets better because they don't get as tangled up as the old one. The lid-lock can be a little annoying if you are accustomed to adding clothes after startup.

You also have to read the manual to understand that the "eco cycles" will only give you cold water. You have to use the other cycles (HD) to get a good warm and hot wash. Cycles definitely take longer.


-Scott

-NRA Pistol Instructor
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May 25, 2026, 10:38 AM
snwghst
I've always seen the recommendations are to stay with the classic TC series or front loaders for best performance

I have a SQ front loader set and its great, only washer my wife has been unable to break


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Live today as if it may be your last and learn today as if you will live forever
May 25, 2026, 01:41 PM
RogueJSK
I'm a big fan of my TC5's reliability and performance, but yes it's noticeably louder than other washers I've owned.

Luckily my laundry is in the mudroom that is adjacent to the garage and away from the main living areas, so it wasn't an issue for me.

quote:
Originally posted by BB61:
Interestingly, the TC5 was also cheaper when we got ours.


Same here. But the TC5 has nearly doubled in price since 2020. It seems that its price increases have outstripped the ones for the TR5.
May 25, 2026, 01:51 PM
Gustofer
quote:
Originally posted by RogueJSK:
But the TC5 has nearly doubled in price since 2020.

Ain't that the truth. My W/D set was around $1200 a little over ten years ago. Now you can't get one of them for that much.


________________________________________________________
It is long past time for a Convention of States. The Founding Fathers gave us this tool to fix an out of control government and we need to use it.
May 25, 2026, 07:52 PM
Appliance Brad
If a dealer is a servicing dealer, they likely will steer you towards a TC. I do. The agitation is the same on both, just using diffeerent methods to acheive it. It's likely that we are just more familiar with the tried and true Classic design.

Supply and demand govern the prices. Right now, we are 90 days out on new orders. My distributor had inventory on the TR7000 and nothing else. So we always have product on order. To that, you likely are not goig to find any discounts on Classics. And darn few on the TR line.


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Writing the next chapter that I've been looking forward to.
May 27, 2026, 07:51 PM
Black92LX
With the Memorial Day sales on Maytag I just could not bring myself to spend the $500 more for the Speed Queen.

We got a nicer Maytag with the 5.2 Cubic ft capacity which is huge.
Also got a 5 year warranty.

3 boys means lots of clothes and lots of bedding so the larger capacity will be welcome.

*knock on wood* we have a Maytag range and microwave that have been going strong for a long time.


————————————————
The world's not perfect, but it's not that bad.
If we got each other, and that's all we have.
I will be your brother, and I'll hold your hand.
You should know I'll be there for you!
May 28, 2026, 11:17 AM
KevH
I had two Maytag front loaders that both gave up the ghost in the last ten years. Fool me once...

I looked at Speed Queen based on the reviews here and other places. Ultimately, I could not bring myself to spend that kind of money on something that wasn't big enough to wash our bedding.

I ended up finding a 2001 production Kenmore-branded Whirlpool direct drive top loader for $100 on FB Marketplace that the elderly lady bought new and barely ever used.

I have to say, it has been the best washer I have ever used and everything on it is serviceable. My wife was worried about our water bill going up, but it's been negligible.

Based on ours and our friends experiences with appliances recently I'm of the strong opinion that the best appliances were made in the late 1990's and early 2000's before government regulation and computer complications went crazy.


Proverbs 28:1