With white goods like washing machine, the one fact you need to understand is that in the old days, they last long. Even if one bearing konk they still wash albeit the sound they make. Just replace the bearing. Even the program timers in washers are mechanical albeit operating by electricity.

The newer generation contains more electronics. But over here there's one constant element the washing machine faces: humidity. And very high at that all year round. Most electronics have an operating parameter for the humidity range they operate in. Exceed that range, the electronics tend to go "sot-sot-tei" (Cantonese for haywire). Hence mechanical washing machines are less likely to fail although humidity tends to accelerate rusting and wear and tear of the bearings. Two things that humidity affects - heat dissipation of electronic components and tendency to short circuit. The first is the reason why in a broken lift with no fan, people tend to feel faint because it's humid. If a human being can faint from that condition, what more an electrinc component failiing because heat cannot dissipate efficiently. That's why computer rooms are kept "dry" (lower humidity) so that heat can dissipate with less risk of frying electronics. The second is with high humidity levels, as the temperature drops, dew point (kabus or embun) is reached. Imagine temperature in washing machine approaching dew point (long after a high temperature wash 60-90deg, as the high temperature drops back to room) on a PCB board. You now have an insight as to why electronics tend to fail at a relatively higher rate in higher humidity zones.

After picking the criteria from the features. Yes the LG does look attractive, but if you live in condos, water metering is also a factor since bulk metering will tend to cost more than individual metering. Hence those who use front load at the same frequency of wash will use less water and pay less compared to a top loader.

So if all newer washers/dryers contain more electronics and our weather is humid all year round, the question now becomes which brand has:
1. an aftersales and services presence acceptably near you
2. is easier to get parts
3. faster in service turnaround
4. parts are cheaper to replace?

Do the homework by asking the sales guys and from there pick and choose.

I have a 6 year old Malaysian assembled brand using European parts that had 2 failures after the 4th year. One was due to overloading by a maid. The other was due to lightning strike to the back of the home. The first hadn't had much damage but the serviceman came within half-a-day, looked at it and told us to balance the washing. No parts to replace but problem resolved. Field service cost RM70. The other was a fried condenser filter (prevents electromagnetic interference (EMI) from affecting any electronics like radio while washing machine in spinning cycle). The other part that fried was the door lock mechanism. Cost Rm120 plus RM70 labour. But the washer is mostly mechanical. Back then it was considered a bargain when most 6kg washers cost RM2000 on average but of course now the price has dropped. Due to local appliance company no longer in this line of business, if the next problem arises most likely will have to buy a new one. But the criteria above could be something along the line in deciding but our comfort zone/risk attractiveness factor may vary.