Washing Machines: Front Load or Top Load?

I've had a top loader for 15 years with a few problems here and there. I endlessly hear complaints from people with front loaders.

Front loaders are more aesthetically- pleasing, but top loaders work better.

I think top loaders are tougher on clothes because of the agitator. I like being able to toss in stuff after it has started.

An efficient top loader with no agitator is your best bet

TOP

I am an unfortunate (somewhat) expert in this area due to a front loader that has been a huge pain in my ass. The repairman told me to never buy a front loader OR an energy-efficient washing machine ever again. The front loaders end up leaking and having issues with the seal around the door. It will start to mold and stink over time. The energy-efficient machines use very little to no water, which you might think is good but it does not get your clothes as clean and if you have sump pump(s) in your basement there is not enough water flowing down them from the machine and those will start to stink too.

He told me to look at Speed Queen and Maytag.

One thing I missed when I replaced my side by sides with stacking front loader is being able to take clothes out of the dryer and put them on top if I didn’t want to fold them right then.

If you wipe the door seal down after use and leave the door ajar, you shouldn’t have any issues with a front loader.

I prefer milky loads.

I want a top loader with no agitator due to some of my clothes actually having holes torn in them by my current top loader, but I'm trying to find the most reliable brand and model.

The agitator shouldn't be a problem if you have multiple settings. You're supposed to have hand wash and delicate settings.

To get rid of the lingering musty smell in the washer, clean out the filter periodically if there is a filter (usually at the bottom of the center agitator). Maybe 3 times a year. Run a load of nothing but hot water mixed with bleach every now and then, maybe 4 times a year. And yes, leave the washer open after removing the clothes, until it dries out.

By the way, if you have a dryer, clear out the lint filter frequently. I am in the habit of checking it before every load. A clogged lint filter is a fire hazard.

R10= The Happy Homemaker.

A top loader can get musty, too, so leave the lid open (unless you have kids or pets) and wash an empty load with hot water and a gallon of vinegar every so often.

I have never known a front loader that did not smell moldy. I would never get one. You can get combo w/d top loader with dryer on top that take up exactly same space as front loaders. I have one. Frigidaire I believe or whatever the other name is they use.

Front.

Have used a front loader for 40 years now.

As for any musty smells, just rinse periodically with Calgon.

OK my new Samsung top loader "pulse" ( no agitator) SUCKS donkey dicks. i put everything on "deep fill' as normal setting will not even cover clothing with water!.. Home Depot was going to let me return it but i couldn't move it out of my mothers basement (no joking) by myself and companies wanted $300 to take it back. So i kept it.

I want a front loader again. i just left door open to avoid smell

I have an HE top-loader and would NEVER buy another. I want a top-loader with an agitator so that I can get clean clothes again, so that I can prefill the tub, so that I can soak items without the machine automatically draining, so that I can select water levels, and on and on.

HE machines are shit. They may save water but they are useless for cleaning clothes.

And I have to leave my top-loader open when not is use or it will get the musty moldy smell.

If you have the space, I recommend a top load washing machine only for the reason already mentioned.

The deep rubber flanges in front-loading machines hold water and remain wet, fostering mildew or mold and unpleasant smells (and that's with wiping the seal as dry as possible after each wash, leaving the door open, and opening windows in the laundry room, rubbing it with bleach or vinegar, and using various commercial products for that specific problem.) Top-load models avoid that altogether.

My Whirlpool top loader is 27 years old and I’m keeping it as long as I can.

I have personally made just two repairs on it — replaced the agitator dogs and installed a new lid switch.

A new washer won’t last as long as this one.

But when the time comes, it will be another top loader with an agitator.

R8, get a mesh laundry bag for your unmentionables.

My repair guy said to get a washer with knobs because the electronic panel often breaks down. Simple is better according to him. I got a Maytag commercial grade. Nothing fancy. The only downside is no small load setting.

I'm Beverly Boyer...

I'm in the same boat as R15. Recently bought a new Maytag HE (no agitator). It works fine as long as the only setting you use is bulky items. Otherwise the washer will not fill enough to properly wash anything.

My repairman showed me how much soap and oxi powder to use. In fact, it's very little. People over use. I like a front loader and use extra water in a country with plenty of water. On a short cycle of just 25 minutes it does perfectly. Wash, drain & rinse, spin, Soak, drain and spin. Only if you don't use too much soap. In Cairo I send my laundry out and ask no questions, I don't want to know how or where it's done.

Never close the front loader door completely unless in use. Odor issue resolved.

I bought a Whirlpool top loader washer without an agitator a few years ago. I only run it on the “deep water” setting. It gets the clothes clean. I expected that I would hate it, but I don’t.

I have one of each and admit that I prefer the old-fashioned top load with agitator washers for getting clothes clean. I replaced a top loader washer without agitator after it broke after a year because I never felt like my clothes came out clean.

My mom has used a Samsung front loader for over a decade and it has never smelled bad. I doubt she’s ever run a load of bleach or vinegar. She just leave the door open.

I'll take a heavy loader each and every time.

I have an early '90s Whirlpool top loader. It has no digital controls. It has an agitator. It is what they call a "direct-drive" machine. It is built like a tank.

I don't want a new washing machine, I'm keeping this one.

I have a couple blog posts to go on about this topic. I just bought a new front loading LG WM3500CW from Best Buy. The old dryer works fine and doesn't need to be replaced.

My previous washer was a Maytag Bravos XL. Such a weird thing. A giant Cabrio. Top loading, but a small agitator at the bottom. Mine was huge, 6.2 cu ft. You could fit 4 or 5 bed pillows, or all the bedding for a king size bed, or 6 to 8 throw rugs.

But that top loader no agitator design doesn't clean well. Stuff only got clean when I used the longest cycle, which was about 2 hours. It was very noisy too when that huge drum started spinning. It didn't use a lot of water or electricity.

The Bravos died a couple months ago. There are shortages of appliances like everything else these days. I really like my new washer.

Cycles are really slow, usually 1 1/2 to 2 hours, but clothes are clean and spun dry. You can open this one mid cycle because the water never comes up to the level of the door. It has very low water and electricity usage. It's Wifi enabled and will tell you when your clothes are done, and send you reminders to clean the tub. You can program special cycles and save them to your washer app and run the cycles remotely.

I keep the washer door open all the time when it's not used. I wipe the gasket with a rag at least once a week. No weird smells at all.

I've had both over the years. I want a top load. I have a front load right now and I hate it. It never seems to be able to spin the towels. I want a top loading machine because they balance the clothing and distribute it much easier.

[quote] [R8], get a mesh laundry bag for your unmentionables.

[quote] My repair guy said to get a washer with knobs because the electronic panel often breaks down. Simple is better according to him. I got a Maytag commercial grade. Nothing fancy. The only downside is no small load setting.

R19, I have that exact machine. It was here when we bought our house last Fall. It's no-frills, but it's a workhorse. Clothes come cleaner than the front loader we had previously and the cycles are faster. I agree that the small load setting is missed, but the Normal setting is fine for smaller loads compared to the Powerwash setting. Ours doesn't have a bell/beep when the cycle ends, which I thought was strange, but otherwise I'm surprisingly happy with it.

So what are you going to buy, OP?

Or have you already bought one since starting your thread?

I haven’t bought one yet, r32. I am not in a rush. I will make my decision by the end of March.

This might be helpful.

Description of different types as well as features.

I've had both types and prefer the top loader because my side loader door swung to the side, I was constantly dropping wet clothes on the floor. With my top loader I can get the clothes in the dryer without dropping them on the floor. With a firm grasp I whisk them into the dryer where the door that opens from the bottom, creating a shelf that catches dropped clothes.

The whole point of a HE top loader is that the clothes rub against each other, like hand washing. Using the bulky setting defeats that purpose. You are stuck back in the old days which makes sense because you are all old tired gays. More water does not equal better cleaning in this case, it's worse. How do you get the your old gay track marks out?

This might be helpful too:

[quote]Front Load or Top Load?

Fifty.

I like to take a load in the back...

We just bought a similar model to r29 a few weeks ago (an LG but 3600 instead of 3500). We bought the washer and dryer and love them. They are front loading and replaced a whirlpool duet front loader. After much research (mostly consumer reports) we decided to stick with the front loader for cleaning capabilities, energy efficiency, and that they are less hard on clothes. We’ve always left the washer door open and have no issues with smell or mold, and the newer model has a much smaller flap inside so socks don’t get stuck. And it sounds silly, but because ours are stored in the basement I love the new app/wifi features - my phone will alert me when the cycles are complete. Totally slack, but I hated trudging up and down the stairs to see if they were done before. You can also start the cycle from your phone too!

R30 You're overloading it and it can't balance properly, with front loaders you wash smaller loads ever couple of days. It's a different mindset

Generally If you want to avoid a smelly front loading machine get one that can run a 90c/190f cycle and run it on empty with Washing Soda (Sodium Carbonate) once every couple of weeks.

LG Freestanding front loading machines are generally the best as they use Direct Drive and not belts.

The best thing about the old top loader was the ability to soak clothes for however long I wanted. The front loader I have now has a prewash setting but it is set at 20 minutes and that is not long enough.

R42 There is a trick, load the machine with clothes and detergent and switch it off after15-20 minutes, leave them in as long as you'd like and then start a new wash cycle.

Remember to add fresh detergent when you restart as the machine will probably drain before the new cycle begins.

If you're going to do that don't use a program with prewash (either time), it's not necessary.

It took someone 38 replies for the obvious Dawson joke.

You bitches are slipping.

R40, I was in Mexico last week and my roommate washed a load of clothes at home, and my cellphone texted me while in Mexico that his clothes were done.

I’ve had both and really don’t see a big difference. The top load is easier to get clothes out, yet the front load seems to be a bit easier on clothing. I’m not inclined to be overly opinionated either way. A lot of the decision base on this choice is available space...

Thanks all for the recommendations.

I had a Frigidaire front loader, which lasted 20 years. I replaced it with an Electrolux front loader. It has a steam function, though I am not sold on that function. I chose Electrolux because it’s the same company that produces Frigidaire, and the Electrolux model I chose has good reviews.

I considered a Miele (have a Miele dishwasher), as they are said to last two decades. But the cost was double what I paid, so if I get 10 years out if this one, it’s about the same.

In urban areas with municipal water, I haven’t noticed a difference.

In suburban/ex urban areas it depends on the type of water. Hard water does a shit job with front loaders - even if it’s softened. A top loader uses enough water to clean everything - except white clothing. This was when I switched from white underwear.

Those of you worried about odors, GE now has this washer with a fine. Notice the slats in the top of the door. When you're all done, you turn a fan on that draws air through those slats and dries the drum and the seals out. Also, they have a bacteria resistant seal, it's light blue. You'll see it on the link. I have not used this machine, but it sounds promising.

We can buy washing machine cleaner in the UK, I run it on a 90c cycle about every 8 weeks. Never had a problem with smelly machine's.

Top loading machines are not popular here, you have to go to a specialist retailer to buy one.