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LG / Speed Queen / Reviewed
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Credit:
LG / Speed Queen / Reviewed
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With a 5.5 cu. ft. capacity and an Allergiene cycle, the LG WT7900HBA is great for those with families and pets alike. Read More
Speed Queen, used by commercial laundromats, makes washers for home use too. This one ensures fast and effective cleaning—just don't expect it to be gentle on fabrics. Read More
Top-loading washing machines have been, and remain, more popular in the U.S. than front-loaders for many years. We’ve tested and reviewed many of the best top-loaders you can buy. In this match-up, we’re pitting two very different top-load washers against each other: the high-tech LG WT7900HBA and the old-school Speed Queen TC5003WN. The LG is a modern impeller washer loaded with advanced features. The Speed Queen TC5 is a traditional pole agitator washer built for durability and simplicity. We’ll show how these washers stack up in cleaning performance, capacity, how well they handle delicates, reliability, and more. By the end, you’ll know the strengths of each and which one best suits your family’s needs.
Steam cycles
Allergiene cycle
5.5 cu. ft. capacity
None that we could find
Simple operation
Effective cleaning
Harsh on fabrics
Smaller capacity than most competitors
When it comes to pure stain removal power, the Speed Queen has the edge. Its pole agitator provides vigorous mechanical action (a.k.a. rotating back and forth). Speed Queen describes it as a “transmission-driven wash action and an aggressive 210-degree stroke”. Dirt and stains will lift under those forces. However, the TC5 uses plenty of water and electrical energy to get those results. It’s not an efficient machine, certainly not by modern standards.
The LG WT7900HBA, by contrast, relies on a gentler impeller mechanism and advanced fluid dynamics to lift stains, as well as a steam option. Unfortunately, we found it didn’t always translate into significantly cleaner laundry. Even among impeller washers, LG’s stain removal performance was only around average.
That said, there’s more to laundry care than simply removing stains. You also want your clothes to last. LG’s impeller is gentler on fabrics than an agitator. That’s particularly important for delicate loads, but it applies to all loads and cycles.
Put another way, if I wore Dickies and was coming home with serious grime most days, I’d buy a Speed Queen. If I were sporting clothes from Shein or Old Navy and the worst stains were some coffee splashes and a ring around the collar, I’d opt for the gentler LG.
In terms of features and options, the LG WT7900HBA handily outshines the Speed Queen. The LG is loaded with virtually every modern feature you could want in a washer: 14 wash programs, plus about 15 additional options (e.g., Steam, Extra Rinse, TurboWash, etc.). Specialty cycles like Allergiene (steam allergen removal) and Bright Whites cater to specific customer needs. There’s even a downloadable cycle feature, via the ThinkQ smartphone app, for even more customization. ThinkQ also allows for remote start and cycle monitoring—both fairly handy from time to time. Other features include an internal water heater (for true hot washes and sanitizing) and ColdWash mode for energy savings. From top to bottom—including the soft-close glass lid—it’s a feature-rich product. You probably won’t use half of them, but the half you do use becomes part of the overall value prop, and you’ll soon wonder how you lived without them.
The Speed Queen TC5, on the other hand, is dead simple: 6 basic cycles and a handful of selectable options. You won’t find any apps or digital interfaces here, just knobs and switches. It’s a choice, not a deficiency or absence. The features it does have are intentionally geared towards freedom of use, almost scornful of safety and efficiency norms. The “no lid lock” means you can open the lid during a wash cycle—typically not a feature extended to consumers for child safety reasons. The Unlimited Deep Fill setting allows you to add more water to the basin than the machine normally would. I’ll editorialize here for a moment to point out that adding excess water only serves to dilute the detergent, making it less effective. And then there’s the Classic Clean setting, which cranks up the agitation and just beats the hell out of your clothes until they’re crying for mercy.
If you want lots of high-tech features, the LG is the clear winner. It simply offers far more functionality. If you’re specifically avoiding these types of features because they overcomplicate the process, it’s Speed Queen for you.
When it comes to everyday usability and user-friendliness, the Speed Queen TC5003WN is clearly the winner due to its simple, straightforward design. It’s as far from a touchscreen as you can imagine.
The LG WT7900HBA, by contrast, has a modern interface that manages not to lean too far into Minority Report-levels of high-tech fanciness. There’s still a real knob to select your cycle, as well as physical buttons. But there’s also an LED display. While it looks sleek and offers more information (like cycle time, chosen options, etc.), we found the controls less responsive than we would have liked—occasionally there was some lag—but the overall experience is intuitive. That’s no small feat, considering the bevvy of options.
You might expect a product called the Speed Queen to be the fastest washing machine, but in this match-up, the LG WT7900HBA actually bests it in some ways.
Both of these washers are known for speedy cycle times. In Normal cycles, the LG and Speed Queen are just about tied at approximately 30 minutes. However, the LG is loaded with sensors that can adjust cycle times on the fly.
Where LG excels is the Speed Wash cycle, which shortens the run time to around 15-20 minutes for a light load—exceptionally convenient for anyone who’s gotten ready for work or school in the morning only to find that they have no clean clothes.
The Speed Queen’s strength is in a speedy Heavy Duty cycle. With no particular regard for energy conservation, the machine blitzes through the load with an amount of water and agitation that high-efficiency, Energy Star-rated appliances like the LG do not.
It’s also worth noting that the LG has a final spin cycle that can max out at 950 RPM, versus the Speed Queen’s 710 RPM. The less moisture your clothes have when they come out of the washer, the faster they’ll be done in the dryer. The LG’s more powerful spin cycle means a faster total (i.e., washer + dryer) cycle time.
There’s no contest here. The LG WT7900HBA offers dramatically more capacity than the Speed Queen. Its 5.5 cubic foot, “mega capacity” drum is among the largest in class. LG even markets it as the largest capacity top-loader with a 27″ width footprint. In practical terms, you can wash a king-size comforter or up to about 20–22 pounds of laundry—ideal for large families.
The Speed Queen TC5003WN, on the other hand, has a 3.2 cubic foot tub. This was the norm for traditional top-loaders of the past, but in the “mega capacity” era feels lackluster. You can wash a decent load of clothes (for example, a set of queen sheets and some towels, or a week’s worth of clothing for 1-2 people), but it simply can’t hold as much as the LG. A large blanket or comforter will likely max out the Speed Queen’s tub.
Capacity isn’t everything, but in a head-to-head, the LG wins by several cubic feet.
The Speed Queen is a bit more compact than the LG. It measures 25-5/8" x 42-3/4" x 28" (W x H x D).
The LG measures 27" x 44 1/2" x 28 3/8" (W x H x D).
It stands to reason that if the LG has all the extra load capacity in the tub, its outer dimensions might be larger. But while more compact, it’s worth noting that the Speed Queen, at ~196 lbs, is much heavier than the LG’s 134 lbs. Once installed, weight doesn’t matter much, but getting it up and down stairs for delivery or moving it around for service calls are things to consider..
In most match-ups for laundry appliances, LG would come out as the winner for brand reliability, which it has earned over many years of satisfied customers. However, the reputation of Speed Queen is legendary and perhaps its greatest asset. Speed Queen’s washers may be heavy, loud, comparatively small, lacking in features, and far from Energy Star-certified, but they last a long time.
Out of the box, the Speed Queen TC5 comes with a 5-year comprehensive warranty covering all parts and in-home labor. It’s the best warranty you can find in laundry appliances. Why is the company so confident? It’s because the washing machines are so simple, at least compared to modern washers, which are seemingly half-washer and half-computer. With its mechanical controls, simple circuit boards, and mostly commercial components, repairs are simple, and longevity is almost assured.
The LG WT7900HBA, while a quality appliance from a reputable brand, doesn’t match those levels of guaranteed support. LG offers a standard 1-year warranty on parts and labor for the washer, as well as a 10-year warranty on the Direct Drive motor and a 3-year warranty on the stainless drum. In terms of reliability, LG’s modern washers are generally good but incorporate a lot of electronics and sensors that could potentially fail over time. It’s part of the risk/reward tradeoffs inherent in all modern high-efficiency appliances.
Choosing an overall winner between these two very different washers was a tough call, but ultimately, the LG WT7900HBA comes out on top for most consumers. The LG strikes a better balance of performance, capacity, and modern conveniences that will appeal to a wider audience. It offers far greater capacity—important for large households–and a variety of features and cycle options that make laundry day more flexible and efficient. It also runs fast cycles and is relatively gentle on clothing (not as gentle as typical front-load washers, but far more gentle than the Speed Queen), which helps extend the life of your wardrobe.
That said, the Speed Queen TC5 has a number of winning qualities. If we were judging purely on build quality and longevity, the Speed Queen would win hands down. The cleaning performance is also excellent for tough jobs, and its simplicity is a welcome relief to anyone who’s frustrated with overcomplicated, modern machines. If those are your priorities, we can comfortably recommend Speed Queen. However, the trade-offs are significant: a much smaller tub, limited cycle options, higher water and energy usage (which add to the lifetime cost of the machine), and a lack of convenience features.
Overall, the LG WT7900HBA offers a more complete package for the average user.
| LG WT7900HBA | Speed Queen TC5003WN (TC5) | |
| Dimensions (H × W × D) | 44.5″ H × 27″ W × 28.4″ | 42.8″ H × 25.6″ W × 28″ D |
| Capacity | 5.5 cu. ft. | 3.2 cu. ft. |
| Cycles | 14 wash programs (+ many options); TurboWash3D spray; Allergiene steam cycle; Wi-Fi enabled | 6 preset cycles; Classic Clean agitator ; Deep Fill & Extra Rinse options; no lid lock design |
| Special Features | 6Motion wash technology; SmartThinQ app control; AAFA-certified Allergiene cycle | Commercial-grade build (25-year lifespan); automatic balancing; traditional mechanical controls |
| Warranty | 1-year parts & labor; 10-year motor; 3-year drum | 5-year parts & labor (entire machine) |
| Read More | Reviewed's Best Top-Load Washers | Reviewed's Best Top-Load Washers |
The Best Top-Load Washing Machines: This is our complete roundup of all the top-performing top-load washing machines, including GE, Whirlpool, Maytag, LG, Speed Queen, and more.
The Best Top-Loading Agitator Washing Machines We've Tested: If you specifically want a top-load washer with an agitator pole, this list covers those exclusively.
Front-load vs. top-load washer: What's best for you?: This feature takes into consideration all sorts of laundry needs, from space considerations to cleaning performance, in pitting these two washer categories against each other.
The Best Front-Load Washers We’ve Tested: Whether you’re shopping for a standalone front-loader, a stackable pair, or a full laundry center, this roundup identifies the top-performing front-load washing machines for every setup.
The Best Laundry Centers We've Tested: Step beyond a standard stacked washer and dryer with these integrated laundry towers—coordinated systems that combine both appliances into one streamlined unit with shared controls for seamless performance.
David Kender oversees content at Reviewed as the Editor in Chief. He served as managing editor and editor in chief of Reviewed's ancestor, CamcorderInfo.com, helping to grow the company from a tiny staff to one of the most influential online review resources. In his time at Reviewed, David has helped to launch over 100 product categories and written too many articles to count.
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