Maytag Bravos Series White Top Load Washer

Product Description

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

Customer Reviews

Best washer I've ever owned
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.

My wife loves this machine!
Maytag Bravos Top Loading Automatic Washer - MVWB700VQ

Our 15 year old Maytag top-loading washer finally bit the dust. Here's a review of our Bravos MVWB700VQ from my wife, who does all the laundry in our house:


After doing some research on the internet, I decided to purchase a top-loading washer vs. front loading model. Reviews, such as Consumer Reports, said top loaders were quieter and didn't vibrate nearly as much and I like to fold up my laundry on top of the washer/dryer. That folding isn't practical on a front-loaders - i.e., with the drawer accessory on the bottom you don't have to lean over to load/unload, but then the top is too high to use the machine as a table. My old Maytag washer was very loud and could practically walk itself across the floor it vibrated so much. I expected washing machines would be a lot different from the one I bought in 1994 - when front loaders hadn't even been invented - but am amazed at how my new Bravos works.

Pros

The Spin Cycle (especially on "max extract") leaves clothes almost dry. Our 15-year old dryer has a broken dry sensor switch - so I have to 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 35 minutes. It also makes doing laundry easier because the wash time and dry time are almost the same. That way on the second load of wash I don't have to wait an addtional 15 minutes after the wash cycle is finished before I can put the second load in the dryer. Speeds up the whole production line process.

Glass Top I always liked going to appliance stores where they had demo washing machines with glass windows so you could see what was happening. So, I certainly wanted a glass top in my own machine. After the first few washes - the thrill wore off for me - but my husband still likes knowing what the machine is doing. The glass area is 19" wide and 14" deep.

Quiet My old Maytag was so loud, I had to keep the door to the laundry room closed or you couldn't hear anything else on the whole first floor of the house. My new washer is so quiet - for the first few weeks I would keep returning to the laundry room to make sure it was on!

Dispensers There are three dispenser cups, for detergent, softener, and bleach. The wash water is diverted through each cup, which keeps them super clean.

No Agitator The Bravos is super easy to load since there is no agitator to get in the way. The drum opening is 17" in diameter. I've read about other folks 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.

Super Size Drum It is amazing to me how much laundry I can do in one washer load. The drum size is 22" in diameter and 19" deep, and it's stainless steel.

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, whose exteriors appeared to be virtually identical except for the control panel. The Bravos panel is the easiest to read, as controls are logically arranged, have good contrast, and are well lighted. By contrast, the Sears Elite control panel was very difficult to read because the selections were printed in dark blue on a light blue background - not enough contrast.

Clean Clothes Of course, the main issue for a washer is how well it performs. I don't understand how the Maytag Bravos does it - when watching through the glass top, you wonder how clothes can get clean at all with the small amount of water the washer uses, plus there's no "agitation" (only spinning at different speeds) - but 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 doing 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. Also, I save energy by only using cold water in both the wash and rinse cycles. That's not what Maytag recommends - in fact the machine has an infinite number 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 fantastic 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.

Cons

The only thing I don't like about the Bravos is that whenever you lift the lid of the washer, the machine comes to life - the control panel lights up and the little signal bell dings. I like to throw clothes in the washer as they accumulate on the first floor of my house instead of housing 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. Now there's the extra step of pressing the off button after lifting the lid. Not a big deal, but it's irritating.

Warning!

Check the pockets for any loose change, paperclips, etc. According to other reviews I've read, a loose coin can get down in the pump mechanism and necessitate a repair call!