Maytag MVW7230HW Washing Machine Review

When it comes to overall aesthetics, the MVW7230HW has a decidedly more modern look compared to other Maytag washers. Its back panel features a rounded design, and its cycle selection knob is paired with a touchscreen for inputting cycle customization options.

Opening up its slow-close glass lid, you'll find a traditional pole agitator at the bottom of the drum in lieu of an impeller. Towards the back of the interior, above the drum, is where you'll find both the internal faucet and the detergent dispenser.

About the Maytag MVW7230HW washer

• Dimensions: 43.88” x 27.25” x 27.88” (H x W x D)
• Capacity: 5.2 cubic feet
• Finishes: White, metallic slate ($100 extra)
• Cycles: Normal/Regular, Quick Wash, Heavy Duty, Delicates, Whites, Wrinkle Control, Sanitize w/ Oxi, Colors, Towels, Drain & Spin, Bulky Items, Clean Washer, and Custom
• Cycle options: Deep Fill, three spin speeds, five soil and temp levels, extra rinse
• Matching dryer: Maytag MED7230HW
• User manual: Maytag MVW7230HW manual
• Warranty: Maytag MVW7230HW warranty info

What we like

The internal faucet makes pre-treating quick and easy

If you find yourself with lots of heavily-stained laundry, a built-in faucet can be a game-changer. The MVW7230HW has one. You can rinse off loose soils and pre-treat stubborn stains, while it simultaneously filling up the tub to let you soak your soiled clothes before you start a wash cycle.

This is an increasingly common feature on modern washers, and it’s one we love. It makes the process of pre-treating much simpler to do by keeping all your laundry needs all in one place, which makes you more likely to actually do it.

This feature may not be useful for everyone all the time, but you’ll be glad to have it when you really need it. It's also especially helpful and time-saving for families with a newborn, because you never know when one of their meals might wind up on your best shirt.

The Deep Fill feature can help wash out heavily-soiled laundry

We tend to be skeptical of Deep Fill features because, in most cases, using more water to clean your clothes actually results in them getting less clean, despite what online user reviews commonly assert. The extra water actually dilutes the detergent, resulting in a minor reduction to cleaning efficacy: about 4%.

However, if you work a job where your clothes are getting heavily soiled—we're talking caked with mud, here—then using more water does make sense to help wash everything away. And in those cases, a Deep Fill feature can be very helpful at saving time and labor, as it means you won't have to hose off your clothes outside before giving them a proper wash.

What we don’t like

The washer offers subpar cleaning for its price

If you're able to find the Maytag MVW7230HW at a half-off sale, its slightly-below-average cleaning capabilities wouldn't feel as out of place.

In our testing, the MVW7230HW lagged from 1% to 4% behind the average washer in terms of stain-fighting power, on its Normal/Regular, Quick Wash, Heavy Duty, and Delicates cycles. This model, like the MHW6630HC, has a prominent Extra Power button on its cycle selection dial, but enabling this feature did not result in a noticeable change in cleaning quality. We also tested its Sanitize w/ Oxi setting, substituting the suggested OxiClean for our standard detergent, but even that only cleaned about as well as the Heavy Duty cycle.

These results put this washer squarely in the middle of the pack, which, coupled with its internal faucet and warranty, would make it a decent pick—if it also had a middle-of-the-pack price. Unfortunately, as it's available for close to its $1,000 MSRP at most retailers at the moment, it's in the same price bracket as the best washer we've tested to date. This does not make for a flattering comparison.

If you’re loyal to the Maytag brand, we recommend checking out the MVWB865GC or MVW7232HW instead, both of which have comparable prices and features, and much better performance.

Update: This model is now available at a much lower price, which is appropriate for the level of performance it provides.

The spin cycle leaves laundry soggy

The MVW7230HW's spin cycles are inconsistent, but it always left behind more water than we would expect from a washer in this price range.

Credit where it's due, the Normal/Regular and Delicates cycles are able to each get laundry about 2% dryer than the average washer. Again, this isn't bad, but we'd expect more from a washer this expensive.

The Quick and Heavy Duty cycles, however, finished with 7% and 12% more water than average, respectively.

The reason why this is a problem is because spinning out water from your laundry is significantly more energy efficient than trying to evaporate that water in your dryer later on. So, while it may seem trivial, this extra work is both more expensive and will make your dryer work harder, potentially lowering its lifespan over time.

Wash cycles are not gentle on clothes

This result surprised us. Most of the time, top-loaders with pole agitators fall into two camps: the old-school style, which is tough on clothes and stains, or the more modern take, which is gentler on clothes but doesn't clean as well. In this case, the MVW7230HW gets a watered-down version of both worst-case scenarios, with below-average cleaning power that's still harsh on your clothes.

On its Normal/Regular cycle, the MVW7230HW is about 20% less gentle than the average washer and the Delicates cycle is a whopping 60% more harsh than average. Again, this sort of performance was once the norm for washers with pole agitators, as the agitator can twist and pull the fabric in a way that weakens its integrity without necessarily scrubbing out stains.

As with its lower cleaning performance, this additional wear and tear isn't necessarily terrible, but it is below average. And unfortunately, that's where the MVW7230HW's price comes back to haunt it: Nobody wants a below-average washer for a premium price.

What owners are saying

Owners are generally pretty happy with the MVW7230HW washer, awarding it an average of 4.5 stars out of 5. Praise often centers around the product’s intuitive interface, deep fill feature, and that it gets laundry clean quickly and quietly.

The negative reviews stay pretty close to what we saw with our testing. Many users complain it is too harsh on their clothes, others don't think it gets their laundry particularly clean, and a very common conclusion is that it doesn't feel worth its purchase price.

Warranty

Maytag offers a 1-year warranty for parts and labor and a 10-year limited parts warranty on the drive motor and stainless steel wash basket. This is one of the better warranties in this product category—most manufacturers stop coverage after the initial year. Chances are, if you’re buying the MVW7230HW, this warranty is your main reason for doing so.

Only a few manufacturers offer guarantees this robust—if you’re really looking for peace of mind, however, Speed Queen offers a lifetime guarantee on their washers.

Should you buy the Maytag MVW7230HW washer?

No—unless you can find it for about $500.

Update: Since publication, this washer's price has dropped considerably. While it's still not the best value, it's current cost is much more in keeping with the level of performance it provides.

The MVW7230HW, like an increasing number of washers in the Maytag catalog, falls squarely into the awkward category of “average and over-priced.” Simply put, you can get a much better washer for this kind of money.

This is not to say it's a bad washer. While many of its test results give it a solid C grade, those results don't make it a wholly unattractive option. Maytag does offer a great warranty, its faucet feature shines, and its mediocre cleaning performance is all you need if you're not getting your clothes absolutely filthy.

If you do like Maytag's warranty, the well-known brand offers better washers. The MVWC465HW is the budget option we wish the MVW7230HW could be, offering similar cleaning performance at a much lower price.

If you've just got a grand burning a hole in your pocket, and you're looking to get the best you can for that price, first research the LG WT7305CV, which costs about as much as the MVW7230HW, but had such excellent performance it's currently our top-rated top-loader with a pole agitator. If you're willing to try out a front-loader, the best washer we've tested thus far, the Electrolux EFLS627UTT is also available at this price point and offers much more cleaning power.