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How old is my Speed Queen appliance?

Type the serial number from the Speed Queen label to see when it was built. Speed Queen units are built by Alliance Laundry Systems, so the serials follow that company's format.

Example

1112098778
  • 11Year: 11 = 2011
  • 12Month: 12 = December
  • 098778Running number

Built December 2011

14 years, 10 months old

In replacement window. Inside the usual 5 to 15 year lifespan, so replacement could come any time. Worth budgeting for it.

What to do now

  • Before paying for a big repair, compare it with the price of a new unit. A repair over half the replacement cost is rarely worth it on an older appliance.
  • Newer models often use much less energy. ENERGY STAR lists the yearly running cost for current models.
  • Most appliances carry a 1-year full warranty, with longer coverage on some parts like compressors or motors. The build date is a good guide when the receipt is missing.
How this was read
  1. The first two digits, 11, are the year: 2011.
  2. The next two digits, 12, are the month: December.
  3. The rest is a running number.

Format: Speed Queen year and month. Sources: Everet’s blog: Speed Queen and Huebsch manufacturing dates, Sears PartsDirect: Speed Queen dryer parts listed through serial 1912999999.

Reading a Speed Queen serial number

Recent Speed Queen serials start with the year and the month. 1112098778 means December 2011.

Older machines may use a different code. Alliance does not publish its residential code.

About Speed Queen

  • Raytheon owned Speed Queen until May 1998, when Bain Capital and management bought the laundry business and formed Alliance Laundry Systems.
  • Alliance left the US home laundry market under a non-compete deal and brought Speed Queen back to it in October 2004.
  • Speed Queen top-load washers, front-load washers and dryers are built in Ripon, Wisconsin.
  • Alliance Laundry Holdings went public on the New York Stock Exchange as ALH in October 2025.

Sources: Alliance Laundry Systems LLC Form 10-K for fiscal 2008, Alliance Laundry Announces Pricing of Upsized Initial Public Offering

Speed Queen year and month

Used about 2000 to today. Example: 1112098778

On recent Speed Queen and other Alliance Laundry units, the 10-digit serial starts with the year (2 digits) and the month (2 digits). 1912 means December 2019. Older machines may use a different code.

Worked example: 1112098778 was built December 2011, so it is 14 years, 10 months old as of October 2026.

Sources: Everet’s blog: Speed Queen and Huebsch manufacturing dates, Sears PartsDirect: Speed Queen dryer parts listed through serial 1912999999