Ok, comments about LG and Samsung, along with front load economics in
general...

If you want to buy a machine that nobody knows how to fix, where the
manufacturer has made no effort to educate US servicers in general,
where parts are difficult to identify and locate, then LG and Samsung
are your best choice. Also, you might want to choose Fisher and
Paykel. As far as durability of these brands, they probably differ
little from their US counterparts. However, there really is no need
to go international. Domestic brands are just fine, and if you really
want a F/P style agitator, you can choose the Whirlpool Cabrio which,
IIRC, uses F/P technology anyway. Are you mesmerized by steam? It
is a gimmick. Nobody will ever know your garment was steamed, even
you.

The movement of the appliance industry in general is toward machines
that are so highly electronic and highly complicated, that only the
largest service outfits will have the deep pockets to offer service on
your machine, and the independents will slowly fade away. Let's say
you have a $1k washer, and it is broken and no particular component
presents itself as the exact problem. Now, which servicer will take
the risk to install a $250 board or $375 motor in it to see if they
can bring it back to life? No small servicer will stock those parts
or take the risk of being wrong. They'll be relegated to the simpler
machines, while all the popular ones with all the bells and whistles
will be left to the big boys.

Regarding the economics of front loaders, I would agree that there is
a very long breakeven point for these machines. Don't buy one for the
energy or water savings, unless you live where there is no water.
Probably the best reason to buy a front loader is if you want to
install it right out there so that your friends and neighbors can see
it. They'll be impressed, and you'll feel really good about yourself.

This is my dream, to take my 2k which I would use to buy a front
loader set, and buy 3 regular washers, and 3 regular dryers, and then
build a laundromat in my home, and do an entire week of laundry in an
hour.