Washing Machines: Front load vs. top load

[gfmucci]

We are in the market for a washer and dryer for our new Amarillo.* There are three categories of washer available:* Top load, separate washer and dryer.* Top load washer, with integrated dryer on the top.* And front load washer, which could either be side by side with a separate dryer, or stacked.* There is also an "all-in-one" washer/dryer, but the dry cycles take several hours and are not being considered.

The front load washers cost roughly 20% to 100% more than a top load model, but they are supposedly quieter, more energy and water efficient, and get the cloths cleaner.* I understand that recent new energy standards result in top load washers being less effective in their cleaning ability.

What are your recent experiences and recommendations in your search for washers?

[SteveFromNY]

Recently purchased the stackable front load pair from Sears. They work great, although take a slightly smaller load than the top load, but take up less floor space in our condo.

I'd recommend them.

[redwitch]

For the average wash, I'd say the top loader works just fine. However, if you're like me and wash your comforters and other large items at home, then the front loader is really the best machine. Ditto if you're washing a lot of clothes or washing clothes for little ones.

Let's face it, how often do we old codgers really get clothes all that dirty? We need to wash out the sweat, an occasional food stain, our gardening clothes and that's about it in the way of dirt. So, "cleaner" washing really isn't that much of a factor. Neither is the energy savings considering we're not washing clothes daily -- our families have shrunk enough that that isn't necessary.

So, get the front load if you're washing a lot of large, heavy items frequently. A compact one if you have only a little to wash on a weekly or bi-weekly basis or room is truly a factor. Otherwise, I'd say stick with the middle-of-the-road top loaders.

Oddly, got this advice back in California from one of the large appliance dealers (non-Sears) in my area. He also said go gas for the dryer if at all possible. I got the front load washer and gas dryer and never regretted my decision. Here, I have top loader, electric. They work well on my clothing, but I'm taking my comforters and rugs to a laundromat to get them clean.

[bestmickey]

While I don't have a front-load washer, my sister and another friend do. Both of them RAVE about how gentle the machine is on their clothes AND about the water savings. They indicate that most items don't need to be ironed because the tumbling of the clothes is so gentle. The machine (they both purchased at Sears, but I think it's a GE model) is extremely quiet as well. I've used the machine at my sister's, and I agree with their recommendations. When I need to replace my current machine, I'm definitely going for a front-load model.

I don't know anyone with a front-load dryer, so can't comment there.

[ejp52]

We bought Maytag Neptune washer and dryer,front loaders and love them.
They use lot less water and can handle larger loads of laundry.
As a guy who does the laundry I'm impressed. :bigthumbsup:

[handieman]

Mrs. Handie and I just recently purchased a front loading set. We have to say the front load washer is a win win situation with soap savings and water savings. We would do it again hands down.
Handie :joke:

[aln]

We gotta 'ditto' the handieman. Bought the Whirlpool Duet's from Sears Appliances up north on 441 and my wife says I can bury them with her. They'll go where she goes
:bigthumbsup:

[784caroline]

WHat BUGS me about the new front load wsher and dryers is the small stoop or pedestals they try and sell you for an additional $250 each above teh cost of an expensive appliance. If you dont get these "stoops" or pedestals you will break your back bending over trying to get your clothes out of the washer and dryer. As someone earlier mentioned, hOw much clothes can you reallly wash...3-4 loads a week! Top washer dryer for me!!

[Sidney Lanier]

Calling a front-loading washing machine 'energy and water efficient' is an understatement. Our son has two of these as part of his business; each uses a tiny percentage of the amount of water (that has to be heated, don't forget, if you run your wash warm or hot) of a top loader, and it runs on barely more than a capful of detergent. However, yes, they are more expensive; he spent close to $5,000 for the two stacked front-loader washers and dryers, and this was several years ago. Do your research and get what will work best for you.

[RCT]

As a person who was told by my Mother that I got clothes dirty just trying them on in a store..... hasn't changed in adulthood. Just the fact of saving water is reason enough for me to go with frontload, as long as it's affordable, which I understand might be a stretch for some. ANYTHING we as Floridians can do to save water, exponentially, would be huge.

[Mikitv]

:bigthumbsup:

We purchased the Kenmore Front load washer and dryer about three years ago. I also purchased the pedestals because of back problems. They do use less water and I am very pleased with them. We have king and queen size bedding, plus three people in the house and no problem with size of loads. In 41 yrs I've had Kenmore and Maytag with the Maytag being the one that had the most problems. This is my third set of Kenmore and am very pleased with them.

[Muncle]

Like Caroline, the concept of the pedestals really ticks me off and would keep me from buying the otherwise superior machine. (Personality flaw -- tick me off and I won't do business with you, even though it would be to my benefit to do so. It's come back to bite me in the rear several times in my life. But that's okay, I sleep better.) Why would a company market a machine with a built-in design flaw, i.e., the thing's too low to use conveniently? Maytag, Whirlpool, whoever could easily raise the height of the doors at a fraction of the cost of the pedestals. Obviously some number crunching genius determined that people would willingly buy the more expensive machines, then think nothing of adding another $200+ per machine to make them usable. That's why they get the big bucks.

[Russ_Boston]

Do what my friend did - make your own. Maybe not as pretty as the nice metal ones but you can design them to be whatever height fits the person and with more versatile storage options. There are lots of woodworkers in TV who might like the project. It even looks like a nice built in storage unit on the entire length of the laundry rooms might be a good choice. Make them match the other cabinetry in the room.

[punkpup]

I bought my first Front Load Washing Machine back in '89! One of the best investments I ever made. Actually to call a front loader a washing machine is a misnomer; the technical name for a front loader is extractor. Think about it.... in a top loader you're swishing your clothes around in dirty water then it spins and the grungy water gets pumped out and the rinse water gets pumped in and your closed get swished around in slightly less grungy water, etc. Every time the tub in a top loader fills up there's still some small amount of residual water which gets added to the tub. Ever notice a film on the surface of a full tub in a top loader?

It all boils down to gravity, spin speed and centrifugal force. Front loaders can use less water because what we might consider a wash cycle is actually a soak cycle allowing the surfactants in the detergent to release the dirt in the laundry then a spin cycle extracts the the dirty water, so with each successive fill/spin cycle more grunge is removed leaving your laundry much cleaner and with a lot less moisture after the final cycle. Sooooooo, less water = less money, less time to complete the entire cycle = more savings and then shorter drying time because more water has been extracted translates into further savings. NOTE: gas dryers although more expensive dry clothes faster.

One way to save money purchasing appliances is to do the price matching thing, purchase a floor model which might have a blemish or two on it or look for an appliance retailer who has a "Scratch and Dent" section. The extractor I bought was a floor model with not a blemish in sight and I price matched the dryer and saved several hundred $$$. In addition when the brand new dryer got delivered it had a dent on the side of it so the store manager gave me an additional $30 off.

BUYER BEWARE: Some models sold at places like Lowes and Home Depot as well as warehouse stores like BJ's, Sam's and Costco can be next to impossible to "Price Match" because appliances sold by them are made specifically for them and consequently have a model number unique only to that particular retailer as opposed to an "Appliance Store" which sells models found in the manufacturers literature and on their web sites.

I agree about the pedestals being ridiculously priced; I think they should be included in the price of the extractor and dryer but personally I really like the custom cabinet idea much better. Whaddya wanna bet a retailer might be convinced to either significantly reduce the price or maybe even throw them in if they felt the pedestal issue to be a "deal breaker".

[gfmucci]

I heard from a couple of appliance sales people that the front loaders tend to vibrate and move around when mounted on top of the metal pedestals. The idea of making your own out of wood or some other heavy, dense material makes sense, perhaps adding dense rubber on the top and bottom.

[Mikitv]

I've had mine for over three years on the pedestals and have never had a problem with vibration or them moving on the mounts. My set was leveled by Sears when they delivered them. They get used a lot.

[aford]

I have a maytag front loader...............if I were to get another washer I would get a large top loader...............I can then soak my whites...........and maybe if it is large enough wash my conforters.......

I have the largest neptune that they made and I could not get my conforter in in. I have a king size bed.

Most models are energy savers and water savers..........but I love to soak my whites.