Samsung WA50R5200AW Top-Load Washer Review
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Last updated October 31, 2026
The Samsung WA50R5200AW is a good buy for a household that wants a large top-load washer and accepts a one-year labor warranty and the risk of balance trouble after the first year or two. It is a poor choice for anyone who wants a decade of trouble-free service or washes bulky bedding often. The model is discontinued, so today's buyer picks among leftover new stock, refurbished units and used ones.
It is a 5.0 cu. ft. high-efficiency top-load washer with an impeller instead of an agitator, a built-in pretreating faucet and a direct-drive motor. The large drum, the Active WaterJet faucet and the quiet motor are what make it worth considering.
What the WA50R5200AW is
The Samsung WA50R5200AW is a freestanding top-load washer in a glossy white finish, with push-button controls and a 5 cu. ft. drum. It stands 44.35 inches high, 27.5 inches wide and 29.4 inches deep, and it weighs about 130 lb, so plan on two people to move it.
Inside the tub there is no center post. A low impeller plate at the bottom moves the clothes through the water, which is gentler on fabrics than an agitator but relies on the load being spread evenly. The drum sits shallower than on many top-loaders, so reaching the bottom takes less of a stretch.
A direct-drive motor turns the drum, and the vibration-reduction design keeps the cabinet steadier during the spin. Smart Care sends diagnostics to a phone app when something goes wrong; it does not start cycles or control the machine remotely.
Where the WA50R5200AW earns its keep
Capacity. At 5 cu. ft. the drum swallows a full week of clothes for a family and cuts down the number of loads you run.
Active WaterJet. A faucet built into the tub lets you pretreat and scrub a stain right there, with no utility sink or bucket. The Active WaterJet is the feature that most sets this model apart.
EZ Access tub. The shallower tub makes the bottom easier to reach, which helps shorter users and anyone with back or shoulder limits.
Quiet operation. The direct-drive motor and the vibration reduction keep noise down, especially on the spin cycle.
No agitator. Without a center post there is nothing to snag a hem or leave a wear mark on a shirt.
Simple controls. The push-button panel makes it easy to change temperature, spin speed and soil level mid-cycle.
Cleaning on ordinary loads. Loaded sensibly, everyday mixed laundry comes out clean.
Self Clean. A tub-cleaning cycle with a reminder keeps odor and residue down.
Efficiency. It is ENERGY STAR certified, with a modified energy factor of 2.06 and a water factor of 4.3, which is efficient for a drum this size.
The capacity, the pretreating faucet and the quiet motor are the features that justify what this machine costs.
The product in this review
Samsung WA50R5200AW washer
See on AmazonWhere it falls short
Balance errors over time. The machine runs well for the first year or two, then starts throwing out-of-balance errors on ordinary loads, sometimes on very small ones. It refills and re-drains trying to redistribute the load, which stretches cycle times and wastes water. One review points to worn suspension rods as the usual cause. This is the single most important thing to know before buying, and it is why a used unit deserves a careful look.
Low water level. The washer weighs the load and adds only as much water as it calculates is needed, so the top of a full drum can stay dry. The Deep Fill option adds water, but it is not offered on every cycle, notably not on Normal or Bedding, the two you would most want it on. Choose a cycle that allows Deep Fill, or load so the clothes sit lower in the drum.
Bulky items. Comforters and large blankets often do not drain and spin out well, so expect to re-run a spin or wring by hand. The large capacity is real, but it does not translate into trouble-free bulky washing.
Wetter clothes. A spin of about 700 rpm leaves more water in the fabric than a front-loader does, so the dryer runs longer, which eats into the energy savings.
Lint on dark clothes. Impeller top-loaders are more abrasive than front-loaders, and this machine has no active lint filter, so dark loads can pick up lint streaks.
Long cycle times. A Normal cycle can run well past an hour; Quick Wash is the short option at roughly half an hour.
End-of-cycle chime. The end-of-cycle chime is loud. There is an Alarm Off option, but check how fully it silences the chime before buying.
Warranty. For a machine with a known wear pattern on its suspension, a one-year labor warranty is thin.
Missing features. There is no steam, no sanitize cycle, no Wi-Fi control, and the machine is not stackable.
The WA50R5200AW specs that matter
Capacity and build. 5.0 cu. ft.; top-load, freestanding; impeller wash plate; direct-drive motor; glossy white finish; plastic cabinet parts.
Dimensions. 27.5 inches wide, 44.35 inches high and 29.25 inches deep; weight roughly 130 lb. Leave about 1 inch at the sides, 6 inches at the rear, 21 inches above and 2 inches at the front if the washer sits in a closet, with two air openings totaling 72 sq in when a dryer shares that closet.
Cycles and options. Ten cycles (Normal, Bedding/Waterproof, Heavy Duty, Permanent Press, Whites, Delicates/Hand Wash, Quick Wash, Self Clean, Rinse+Spin, Spin Only); five temperatures, five spin speeds and five soil levels; options including Delay End, Presoak, Deep Fill, Fabric Softener, Child Lock, Alarm Off and Smart Care.
Spin and motor. Maximum spin around 700 rpm; direct-drive motor with vibration reduction.
Efficiency. ENERGY STAR certified; IMEF 2.06; IWF 4.3.
Utilities. 120 V, 15 A; water pressure 20 to 116 psi.
Warranty. Labor coverage is short, so check the remaining term on any unit you buy.
Connectivity. Smart Care diagnostics only, with no Wi-Fi control and no app-based cycle starting.
How the WA50R5200AW holds up after years of use
The machine works well at first, and the balance problem is what pulls long-term satisfaction down. The washer throws out-of-balance errors on ordinary loads and refills and re-drains as it tries to redistribute the clothes.
This model is not part of the 2016 top-load recall, which covered machines built between March 2011 and October 2016, and it is not part of the December 2022 recall, which covered the WA49B, WA50B, WA51A, WA52A, WA54A and WA55A series.
How to get the best out of it
Spread the load evenly. The impeller relies on clothes sitting evenly around the drum, so distribute items rather than piling them on one side. This is your best defense against out-of-balance errors.
Level the machine. Check that the washer sits level and stable on the floor; an uneven stance makes balance trouble more likely.
Use Deep Fill where it is offered. On cycles that allow it, Deep Fill adds water so the top of a full drum does not stay dry. On Normal or Bedding, load so the clothes sit lower in the drum.
Pretreat at the tub. Use the Active WaterJet faucet to scrub stains before the cycle starts.
Separate darks. Wash dark clothes apart from lint-shedding items such as towels to limit lint streaks.
Run Self Clean when reminded. It keeps odor and residue down.
Watch the suspension. If balance errors start appearing on ordinary loads, worn suspension rods are the usual cause; replacements belong to the DC97-16350U and DC97-16350T part number family.
The Samsung WA50R5200AW is a large, quiet top-loader with a genuinely useful pretreating faucet, held back by balance problems that show up after the first year or two and by a one-year labor warranty. Buy it if you want maximum capacity for ordinary loads and are comfortable leveling the machine. Skip it if you wash bulky bedding regularly, want a long warranty, or expect a decade of trouble-free service.
Frequently asked questions
Most questions about this washer come down to the impeller wash system, the low water level and the balance errors that appear after a year or two of use.
Will the Samsung WA50R5200AW fit in a laundry closet that also holds a dryer?
Leave roughly an inch of clearance on each side, 6 inches behind the machine, 21 inches above it and 2 inches in front, and provide two air openings adding up to 72 square inches when a dryer shares that same closet.
What does the Samsung WA50R5200AW need from the outlet and the water line before it can run?
The Samsung WA50R5200AW runs on an ordinary 120-volt, 15-amp household circuit and needs supply pressure somewhere between 20 and 116 psi. Beyond a standard laundry hookup nothing extra is called for, and the unit stands on its own rather than stacking under or over another machine.
How does the Samsung WA50R5200AW handle a comforter or a big blanket?
Comforters and large blankets tend to keep water and often fail to drain and spin out cleanly in the Samsung WA50R5200AW, so expect to run an extra spin or wring the item by hand. The drum is genuinely roomy, but that roominess does not turn bulky washing into an easy job.
Why do owners of the Samsung WA50R5200AW talk about the machine refilling itself and cycles running long?
Owners describe the machine adding water again and again and draining it back out mid-cycle, which is the washer hunting for a balanced load. One buyer names worn suspension rods as the culprit, and replacing them is the suggested fix.
The Samsung WA50R5200AW is out of production, so what should you check on a unit you can still buy?
Stock today is limited to leftover new machines, refurbished ones and used ones, so check whether the unit throws out-of-balance errors and whether its suspension rods are worn.