Weird, I've never heard of anyone disliking their HE washer before.
I think you and I run in very different circles : ) As an appliance collector/restorer/researcher, here are a few things to note-
1. As someone mentioned above, you'll want to avoid powders. Not saying you can't use them, but because you have less water to dilute the powder, and because your clothes are now the substitute for the agitator, you can end up with incomplete dissolution and residue both in the machine and on clothes. Colder water temps compound the issue.
2. Spin speeds are actually slower compared to a TL because of the physics involved. The numbers advertised are under ideal conditions. You need an even distribution of clothing around the drum to keep the machine from going off balance. A FL is at a disadvantage in that gravity has your clothes at the bottom of a horizontal drum. This is why there's a distribution period before spin-out. The machine drains the water, then attempts to get those wet clothes to separate enough that they'll 'break free' on spin-up. This can take more time than you think if you have a load of jeans or towels and sometimes requires operator intervention. In a TL, you have both gravity and a full tub of water that keeps the clothes suspended so you get an even distribution on spin-up.. Problem 2 is that you've got a rubber boot at the front of this horizontal drum that you don't want to tear, so the machine is engineered to sacrifice performance on a less than perfect distribution rather than damage itself at too fast a speed.
3. Tangling. A lot of research has been done to keep clothes from tangling in a FL design, from reversing drum direction at random intervals to changing acceleration of the drum on each cycle. In a top loader, your water current is torroidal so this isn't really an issue.
4. Mildew and Smells. Keep on top of this and it won't be a problem. After you're done for the day wipe out the rubber boot and door jamb and let air circulate. Some people can't do this because of concerns about children or pets and are forced to use the myriad washing machine "cleaners" on the market. Don't get me started.
5. Bearing wear. Unlike the spin bearing on a TL machine, a horizontal axis drum full of wet clothes imparts quite a side load on the rear bearing set. This tends to be the weakest link in FL reliability and as you'd expect, the manufacturers are quick to discontinue these exact parts on last year's model.
6. Over-sudsing. Be sure you use HE detergents and measure carefully. Whereas suds lock can be cut on a top loader by opening the lid and adding a little fabric softener, your FL machine has a tub full of water with a locked door. Some have an access door-within-a-door for adding “forgotten” articles once the cycle has started where you might be able to get a little FS in if you run into trouble.
For those of us that are into this stuff, the best washer you can buy today is a top-loading Speed Queen.
http://time.com/money/4688676/speed-queen-best-washing-machine-american-made/