Laundry is one of those jobs that never disappears, but how we’ve tackled it has changed massively. Speed Queen has been there from the start, transforming the drudgery of washday into something faster, easier, and far more reliable.
In 1908, Joe Barlow and John Seelig, two hardware store owners in Ripon, Wisconsin, bought the rights to a hand-powered washer. They improved the design, making it sturdier and easier to use, and began building machines under the Barlow & Seelig Manufacturing Company. This was the seed that would eventually grow into Speed Queen.
Only a few years later, Barlow & Seelig released one of the world’s first electric-powered washers. A small motor took over the back-breaking work, giving families hours back every week and making the process far less punishing on clothes (and people).
Durability became the focus. Barlow & Seelig introduced nickel-copper wash tubs, which resisted rust and damage far better than porcelain or galvanized tubs. This leap forward set the company apart and built the foundation for its reputation for long-lasting machines.
By the mid-1920s, Barlow & Seelig had refined the electric wringer washer. The motor-driven tub did the washing, while the wringer on top squeezed out water. Customers still had to feed garments through the rollers (mind your fingers), but laundry day was no longer an all-day slog. These models bridged the gap between early electrics and true automation.
Barlow & Seelig officially rebranded their machines as Speed Queen — a bold, modern name that captured the promise of faster, better laundry. From this point on, Speed Queen became the banner for every innovation to follow.
In 1939, Speed Queen unveiled the first stainless-steel tubs. They didn’t chip, crack, or rust — and they set a new standard for laundry durability that still holds today.
By the 1960s, laundromats were booming. Speed Queen machines lined up in cheerful pastels, fitted with coin slots, and became part of neighbourhood life. Laundry wasn’t hidden away anymore, it was a weekly ritual where you caught up with friends while the spin cycle did its thing.
The Supertwin portable washer & dryer was Speed Queen’s answer for tight spaces in apartments and mobile homes. Roll it in, hook it up, get the job done, and roll it back. A clever solution long before “tiny living” was trendy, washers and dryers became increasingly more affordable, and shared laundromats/laundries really hit their stride.
Modern Speed Queen machines still use stainless tubs and heavy-duty suspensions, but now add digital precision and cloud connectivity. Through Speed Queen Insights, owners can:
The bottom line: From hand-cranked tubs to cloud-connected systems, Speed Queen has always built for one thing - making laundry simpler, faster, and built to last.