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Speed Queen laundry machines are sort of legendary for their reliability. They use standard parts. A 18" box can probably hold spare parts for a dozen speed queens. They are a known quantity which ultimately is what you want in Antarctica, even if the cost is 10% more. You can plan around eventualities with a device like that. vs buying a random machine off the floor at best buy on discount.

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Commercial coin laundromat front loading washers also match all those criteria.

I think it's more that this is an American base and people in the United States seem to use antediluvian top loaders a lot, possibly because of a historical surfeit of space, and possibly never prevalence of shared machine rooms in apartment blocks.

Europeans visiting the United States are often bemused by the antiquated looking, advanced electronics-free top loading washing machines everywhere. I'm sure somebody has written a good article on why this remains the case largely in the United States.

If you want a really reliable, modern front loading washing machine, you buy German. Miele, Bosch really are the gold standard and are built to last 20-years rather than the planned obsolescence of most washing machines.

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