Maytag : MVWB700VQ 4.7 cu. ft. Washer – White Review


Maytag Bravos Top Loading Automatic Washer – MVWB700VQ

When our old Maytag top-loading washer died, we bought this Bravos MVWB700VQ.

Here’s a review of the Bravos from my wife, who does all the laundry in our house:

After some research on the internet, I decided to purchase a top-loading washer versus a front loading model. Consumer Reports ratings said this machine was quieter and didn’t vibrate nearly as much as a front loader. Plus, I like to fold up my laundry on top of the washer/dryer set. A drawer accessory on the bottom allows you to comfortably load/unload a front loader, but then the top is too high to use the machine as a table.

My old Maytag washer was very loud and vibrated so much, it sometimes moved across the floor. I expected washing machines would be a lot better than the last one I bought in 1994, but was pleasantly surprised at how well my new Bravos works.

Pros

The Spin Cycle (especially on “max extract”) gets most of the water out of the clothes. Our dryer has a broken dry sensor switch – so I time dry all laundry. With my old Maytag washer, an average laundry load took 50 minutes to dry. With the Bravos, clothes are dry after only 35 minutes. It also makes doing laundry easier because the dryer is now done before the next load is washed.

Quiet. My old Maytag was so loud, I had to keep the door to the laundry room closed to contain the noise. The Bravos is so quiet that for the first few weeks I would keep returning to the laundry room to make sure it was still on!

Dispensers. There are three built-in dispenser cups, for detergent, softener, and bleach. Wash water is automatically diverted through each cup, which keeps them spotless.

Clear Top. I like being able to see what the machine is doing. E.g., you can watch the water being routed through each dispenser, or see when a load is seriously out-of-balance. The clear area is 19″ wide and 14″ deep. However, the top is polycarbonate, not glass, so it will scratch. Be careful sliding laundry baskets across it for example.

No Agitator “post”. The Bravos couldn’t be easier to load or unload since there is no agitator post to get in the way. Instead, there is a small agitator on the bottom of the drum, with some raised areas on it to help move the clothes around.

Super Size Drum. It is amazing how much laundry I can do in one washer load. The drum is 22″ in diameter and 19″ deep, and it’s perforated stainless steel. The drum opening is 17″ in diameter with no obstructions. I’ve read about other Bravos owners having trouble with bulky or uneven loads. I do take care to make sure the laundry is pretty well balanced around the drum – but I don’t spend more than a couple of extra seconds doing that and have not experienced any problems.

Clean Clothes. Of course, the main issue for a washer is how well it performs. When watching through the glass top, you wonder how clothes get clean at all with the small amount of water the washer uses. During the wash cycle, the drum makes a full rotation clockwise and immediately reverses (counter-clockwise) a full rotation to swish the clothes around; both rotations take under a second. It endlessly repeats this agitation during the wash cycle and it works, because the clothes come out super clean. I do a lot of gardening, which for me means getting down in the dirt and grinding it in my pants legs, socks, and everywhere else. I throw these grimy clothes in the washer without any pre-treating of any kind and they all come out clean and bright.

Energy Savings. The Bravos is an Energy Star appliance due its reduced use of electricity and water. But it also saves energy with your dryer due to reduced drying time. I save more energy by using cold water in both the wash and rinse cycles. That’s not what Maytag recommends – in fact the machine provides dozens of combinations using hot, warm, and cold water in the various wash and rinse cycles. But I find that with today’s modern detergents and the impressive washing ability of the Bravos, that cold water is all I need to get perfectly clean clothes. My preference for cold water washing also affected the model Bravos I purchased; i.e., the 800 model has a steam clean option, but it’s an extra hundred bucks.

Easy to Read Display. We decided to look at this model in person before ordering it. At one store, we saw a Whirlpool Cabrio, Sears Elite, and several versions of Maytag Bravos; all of which appeared virtually identical except for the control panel. (Which isn’t surprising, since they are made by Whirlpool Corp.) The Bravos panel is the easiest to read, as controls are logically arranged, have good contrast, and are well lighted. The Sears Elite control panel was difficult to read since the selections were printed in dark blue on a lighter blue background.

Cons

I like to throw clothes in the washer as they accumulate instead of tossing them in the laundry sink. So after dinner I collect the dirty tea towels and place mats and take them to the laundry room at the same time I take the trash out. The only thing I don’t like about the Bravos is that whenever you lift the lid of the washer, the machine turns on – the control panel lights up and the little signal bell dings a few notes; when you press cancel, it dings again. Not a big deal, but it is irritating.

Maytag : MVWB700VQ 4.7 cu. ft. Washer – White Feature

  • Maytag Commercial Technology
  • Energy Star Qualified with a CEE Tier III rating
  • SuperSize Capacity Plus
  • Commercial-Capacity Direct Drive Motor
  • 13 Cycles/4 Temperatures

Maytag : MVWB700VQ 4.7 cu. ft. Washer – White Overview

Maytag Bravos Series MVWB700VQ White Top Load Washer – MVWB700VWH. 4.7 Cu. Ft. SuperSize Capacity Plus. Maytag Commercial Technology. Smooth Balance Suspension System With Superior Vibration Control. Sensi-Care Wash System. QuietSeries 300 Sound Package. Sensi-Care Wash System. Commercial Grade Glass Lid. ENERGY STAR Qualified. White Finish

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Customer Reviews

Love my Maytag Bravo – Lois Urbanek – Altoona, PA
I purchased this washer in July 2009 after looking for a year to make sure I got what I needed and wanted for the best price. I was going to get a front loader but after reading reviews I changed my mind and started looking at HE top loaders. After researching this model I made the purchase at Home Depot while it was on sale and have to say that I LOVE it. It does take a little getting used to because of the small amount of water used and you have to wonder how it can get the clothes clean. My husband is a mechanic and gets his work clothes filthy with all kinds of grease and oils, using the super wash they have never been cleaner. The white cycle is amazing on how white the clothes are when done. I never liked using clorine bleace before because the smell never left in my old washer. I can now use bleach and there is no left over smell and his socks are white again. The capacity is hugh I can do one load compared to two in my old washer. I still am getting used to all the settings to find what works best for me. Would highly recommend this washer for your next purchase.

Im happy to do my laundry now – Maurice P – Kansas City,Missouri
I purchased this machine in June 2009.Ive never seen a washer quite like this.It conserves water,uses a little more energy,gets the whitest whites Ive ever seen,and is extremely quiet. I take care to load this machine per the instructions in the manual and have gotten one error code since purchasing. That code came up as I was washing a huge King sized comforter which is oversized and very heavy.After repositioning the comforter, It rinsed clean and came out looking brand new.Im hooked!!!!

Best washer I’ve ever owned – Ragdoll – KY USA
I have read so many reviews about the Maytag Bravos series of washers. Many were good, but so many were bad. There are so many complaints about this machine that I was very hesitant to fork over the staggering price tag and purchase it.

I am pleased to say that I couldn’t be happier with this machine! If you’ve never owned an HE machine with no agitator, be prepared to be puzzled. It uses such a small amount of water and it operates in a totally ‘alien’ fashion, compared to the washing machines that I have spent my life using, that you will just know it can’t possibly clean effectively. Fear not. It does its job and it does it amazingly well.

My husband is a landscaper and his clothes get absolutely filthy. I used to have to wash some of his clothes twice in order to get them even close to clean, including soaking them. Not only does this machine eliminate that need, it gets his clothes cleaner than I would ever dream possible when using the ‘whites’ setting and ‘heavy soil’ choice. Plus, the jeans actually smell truly ‘clean’ when I’m finished. Most of us know how well-worn jeans seem to always retain a certain, faint ‘smell’, even when they are clean. Not so with this washer! Perhaps it’s only when you have to wash truly ‘dirty’ clothes that you realize how effective this machine actually is. Also, the whites come out as close to new as I’ve ever experienced.

One key tip is to take your time loading the washer. Don’t just throw everything into it. Layer your clothes and distribute the weight around the machine and leave the bottom plunger section exposed for best results. Doing this will eliminate the ‘f1 error’ problem that can occur with a heavy, bulky load. I’ve read and also heard, firsthand, about the washer ceasing operation because of uneven/bulky loads. I have yet to experience this and I believe it is solely because I take a few extra minutes loading and carefully distributing the weight and keeping the plunger unobstructed.

One of the chief complaint that I have read is that the clothes come out very wrinkled, especially with the ‘max extract’ spin. Yes, they do. So, you take a little extra time shaking them out and shaping/folding before tossing them in the dryer and all your clothes will come out just fine. Personally, I don’t use the ‘max extract’, finding the medium spin more than sufficient.

The amount of customizable options on this machine are nearly endless and I am still exploring them all. Plus, the fact that you can add detergent, bleach, and fabric softener right at the start of the wash and forget it is an awesome feature.

The monster capacity of the machine saves so much time and work, but it operates quietly and very energy efficiently.

Bravo!, Maytag, on this wonderful Bravos machine.
*** Product Information and Prices Stored: Mar 23, 2010 11:42:06