Also, after growing up with a top-loader, and having a front-loader at my current apartment, I'm amazed at how much water is used and wasted by a top-loader. It's like filling a damn bathtub.
By law, though, as GP mentioned? That surprises me, given my recent purchase...
> You should double check that there's not something wrong with it.
I'm 10000000% sure that the thing isn't designed to lock.
> When that thing spins to drain all of the water out, it moves dangerously fast.
Sure. We don't have any kids or pets, and it's in the basement where visitors have no reason to be. NBD, for us.
> I'm amazed at how much water is used and wasted by a top-loader
I'll definitely keep this in mind if I ever move to a water-poor region or a city with bad infrastructure debt.
On an HE model if it braked that fast I think the whole washer body would spin around.
For example, this model spins at 710 RPM
http://www.aaxon.com/blog/194-speed-queen-top-load-washer-vs...
However someone else pointed out that if they don't lock the lid, they might engage a brake and stop the drum's spinning if the lid is opened. This achieves a similar goal.
It's also an utter piece of crap. No wonder the former owners of the home elected to take their fridge but not their washer/dryer. Do NOT buy a top-load High Efficiency washer. IMO, without an agitator (it just has a nipple-shaped thing at the bottom that serves only to twist drawstrings into knots that absolutely ruin the garment) and without adequate water, a top-loader cannot clean clothes properly.
My front-loader at my old place was vastly superior in every way. Probably used less water, too.