"Built better" is subjective. What you consider to be "built better" is also why they're energy inefficient, and frankly not that good at washing either. To draw an analogy, a Unimog is built for longevity, but I think I'd rather drive my kids to soccer practice in Volvo XC90.

I hope I am not jinxing myself here, but I have had pretty good luck so far with brands that people advise against on this sub. The key, I think, is to keep up on maintenance. Clean the filters, check it every so often for balance, investigate weird sounds before they turn into bigger problems (e.g., easier to replace a failing bearing before it burns out the drive motor), and don't run stupid loads (e.g., a load full of shoes). And most importantly, set realistic expectations: a typical Costco washer and dryer set will cost less than half of an equivalent Speed Queen set (not to mention the energy savings. If I end up putting $1500 of repairs into my set before year 10, I'm still coming out ahead compared to a Speed Queen.