This washer promises the deep-fill tub and mechanical simplicity of old Maytag, but the control boards die within six to sixteen months and the suspension shakes hard enough that owners post warnings. One buyer replaced the machine twice in two years. When it runs, it cleans well and spins dry, but reliability was the one thing Maytag used to mean, and this model doesn't deliver it. Skip this and either buy a used '90s Maytag or pay the premium for Speed Queen.
Big capacity and quiet operation can't save a washer that dies young. The WA50 handles heavy loads well and runs whisper-quiet when it works, but control boards fail within three years with alarming regularity: the machine clicks but won't power on, sometimes for hours, sometimes permanently, and door locks quit without warning or error codes. Appliance techs call the internal parts flimsy, and a $400 main board replacement is a real risk on a machine that should last a decade. If you need 5+ cubic feet, spend the same money on an LG or basic Speed Queen that'll outlast this by years.