Front loader vs. top loader opinions?

[SeansMom]

After spending (way too much time) researching both, I've narrowed the field to the following:

Top Loader: Speed Queen, who manufactures commercial washers/dryers, has a top loader that would meet our needs. A friend of mine bought this washer and loves it. No fancy parts to break down, and it's built solid with no plastic gears or other bothersome things that might break down. Obviously would use more water. Has a 3 year parts & labor warranty.

Front Loader: Samsung has a good deal on a front loader, and it's one of two brands that the local repair shop recommends. The front loader is a large capacity washer. It does not have a soak cycle. Has a variable warranty, depending on the parts, but no labor that I can tell.

Anybody have input one way or the other? At this point the price isn't an issue; I'm more interested in CLEAN clothes, BIG loads, FAST drying time, and no more mildew smell (we have an old front loader, Maytag Neptune).

 

[mikehn]

I have a front loading LG and Im not impressed. Unfortunately, I drank the kool aid before I bought it.

 

[Minnie]

We're going on our 2nd year with front loading Whirlpool Duets

Uses much less water, less detergents, and cleans amazing! We have them on the risers which makes storing supplies very easy and loading / unloading a breeze

 

[JOEYDIS]

I have the Maytag Neptune frontloader and really like it. I only wish I had opted for the model that can be stacked. I have a big laundry room but that would have been a better use of space to stack them. That is something to think of when you are considering it.

 

[CTdiznymom]

I've had our Maytag Centenial top loader and matching dryer for about 3 weeks now. Got them both at HD. (posted our dilema here a few weeks back) We are a family of 4 adults so I don't have grimy kids clothes or sport uniforms to wash. I really like both machines. The washer is so much bigger than my old one. It is a tad noisey when it switches from load to spin, spin to fill etc. You can hear it switch gears. The dryer is amazing. Dries in half the time as the old one. Huge capacity, and I love the light. No complaints here except not much of a color selection. White or Oxide (which is a muddy dark brown.)

 

[tlh0726]

I have Stacking Whirpool Duets bought in 2003. No problems with either.
Love the dryer on top, No bending over to remove the clothes. Just reach in grab something, fold it, reach back in for the next.

As for the mildew smell, make sure that nothing in stuck inside the rubber thingy inside the door (have had a few socks get stuff in there). I also let my door open, not wide open just against but not latched shut. No problems with smell.

 

[mickeymaker2003]

We just bought a new Samsung front loader (328 series) and steam dryer (338 series) last week. We were advised to wipe down the inner seal of the washer after your last load of the day and leave the door open while you dry the load so it dries completely inside the washer. I toss the washcloth I used to wipe the seal in the dryer with the rest of the load. You can also leave the door slightly ajar if you want to make sure it can dry out.

I LOVE the delay start. On mine, you can set it to start from 1 - 24 hours later (in hour increments), so you can set up a cycle to run before you go to bed, but have it start early in the morning. The clothes are ready to transfer when you get up and they haven't been sitting around wet all night. It saves me tons of time and makes it seem like laundry doesn't take as much of my day.

I believe the Samsung has a 1 year labor warranty too (and 2 years on another part--the controls I think).

They do dry faster if you have a front loader. They spin faster so the clothes are drier before they go into the dryer.

The stacking kit is $25 for the Samsung set. Stacking the front loaders can give you more floor space in your laundry room if you have the height available to do it. You can't stack a top loader.

 

[crjack]

I have the Whirlpool Cabrio which is a top loader but since it doesn't have an agitator it holds much more and also uses less water so it's kind of a combination of both machines!

I really like it and I did a fair amount of research on both top and front loading machines before making this purchase.

I didn't need to get any pedestals for it and the spinning cycle removes so much of the water like a front loader that my drying time is considerably less. It definitely uses much less water than my old machine and I can fit in so much more into the machine.

 

[3boymthr]

The one drawback I've seen with front loaders when I borrowed one from a friend during a washer emergency is that you couldn't open the door once the load had started to throw in that sock that fell to the floor or run down and toss in the shirt that the kids put behind the hamper instead of in it. Someone told me that newer models allow a pause for this circumstance, but check before buying because boy did it annoy me having all my wash done but one sock.

ETA - I don't have a speed queen now but I had one years ago. It was a trooper. I got it as a hand-me down and it was 25 years old. It lasted another 5 years before it gave up the ghost (I could have had it repaired but it was going to cost more than new). I really really liked that machine.

 

[mjkacmom]

We're going on our 2nd year with front loading Whirlpool Duets

Uses much less water, less detergents, and cleans amazing! We have them on the risers which makes storing supplies very easy and loading / unloading a breeze

I've had them for 6 years, and they've changed my life - LOL! I went from 3 loads a day to one load a day! I'd never go back to top loading.

 

[SeansMom]

I have a front loading LG and Im not impressed. Unfortunately, I drank the kool aid before I bought it.

So what don't you like??? Curious minds, and all that!

I have the Maytag Neptune frontloader and really like it. I only wish I had opted for the model that can be stacked. I have a big laundry room but that would have been a better use of space to stack them. That is something to think of when you are considering it.

The stacking option is the biggest reason I'm considering a front loader. Our front loader has the controls in back so can't be stacked. I'd really like the extra room in our laundry closet, but so far I have NOT been a fan of front loaders.

ETA - I don't have a speed queen now but I had one years ago. It was a trooper. I got it as a hand-me down and it was 25 years old. It lasted another 5 years before it gave up the ghost (I could have had it repaired but it was going to cost more than new). I really really liked that machine.

THAT is the main reason I'm looking at the Speed Queen for the top loader. It seems we've replaced our lasts two washers after about 8 years; the top loader was a Kenmore, the current front loader is a Maytag (althoug in fairness, it still runs, but just does NOT get odors and stains out well IMO. If the boys get gas & oil on their jeans from motorcycles and cars, it takes several washes to get the smell out, and sometimes I can't get the stains out. I pulled some musty smelling towels out of DS's room and ran them, and they stilled smell nasty after being washed on a long cycle. Grrrr.)

I've had them for 6 years, and they've changed my life - LOL! I went from 3 loads a day to one load a day! I'd never go back to top loading.

You know, it's funny people say this about their front loaders, but I do more loads with my front loader than I did with my top loader; I think it's because of the smell issue. I never wash very big loads.

Thank for the input, it helps .

 

[edandcolleen1995]

We have LG frontloaders (4.0 cubic size). Love them..

Honestly the amount of money we save on energy, detergent etc pays for themselves inside of a few years.

We got a great deal at Home Depot ($588 each, normally $699) and just flat out love them.

Very quiet, works quick, clothes come out great and like I said we save a ton on energy bills

 

[taylor3297]

I have had my Kenmore Elite front loading washer and dryers for about 4 years now and I LOVE them. The washer does have a pause button in case you need throw one last item in once you have started the wash. No mildew problems because I leave the washer door open after I am done washing. The manuel is where I read to do this. It is very important to read the whole manuel before using. Also, I invested in the pedastals for both and love that it puts the washer and dryer up higher and gives me drawer space.

 

[ceecee]

I have heard a lot of people complain about the mildew odor. I can't be bothered to wipe out the machine or leave the door open so I am going to go with the top loader. The salesman at Sears and Best Buy said they have some that are just as water efficient as the front loaders. I also didn't like the pedistool things that costs a few hundred more!

 

[wheelcap]

Less water, less detergent, less time, and MUCH cleaner clothes . . . what's not to like??

 

[semo233]

In order for my laundry to be on the top floor of our house, I had to have stackables. You cannot use the risers if you will stack. That means that the washer door is very close to the floor and the dryer door is very high. If you are under 5'4", you have a hard time looking in the dryer to make sure you've gotten everything out (at least on our model)! Bending down to the washer can be hard on your back, also.
I LOVE having the laundry on the top floor and am not sorry that I have stackables. My 70 year old mother stayed with us for 6 weeks in between homes and it convinced her not to get stackables for herself.

 

[dfchelbay]

After spending (way too much time) researching both, I've narrowed the field to the following:

Top Loader: Speed Queen, who manufactures commercial washers/dryers, has a top loader that would meet our needs. A friend of mine bought this washer and loves it. No fancy parts to break down, and it's built solid with no plastic gears or other bothersome things that might break down. Obviously would use more water. Has a 3 year parts & labor warranty.

Front Loader: Samsung has a good deal on a front loader, and it's one of two brands that the local repair shop recommends. The front loader is a large capacity washer. It does not have a soak cycle. Has a variable warranty, depending on the parts, but no labor that I can tell.

Anybody have input one way or the other? At this point the price isn't an issue; I'm more interested in CLEAN clothes, BIG loads, FAST drying time, and no more mildew smell (we have an old front loader, Maytag Neptune).

I always wondered, since the first time I saw a front Loader, what happens if the rubber seal around the door gives out over time...will all that water leak out through the door...I've just always wondered that.

 

[SeansMom]

I always wondered, since the first time I saw a front Loader, what happens if the rubber seal around the door gives out over time...will all that water leak out through the door...I've just always wondered that.

I hadn't wondered that until now . We have hardwood floors downstairs and that would be a disaster.

semo233, thanks for the input on the stacking situation. I'm vertically challenged, so that might be an issue. Besides, who am I kidding...just because I got a stack washer and there was more room for the dirty laundry does not mean the other household members would suddenly remember where the dirty laundry goes .

My friend has a Speed Queen similiar to the one I'm looking at. She was good enough to let me wash my quilt in her washer today. It is SO much cleaner than the front loader ever got it that I think the decision is made. YAY!
Tomorrow I'll go down and spend a lot of money AND be happier when it comes to washing and dryng clothes .

 

[3boymthr]

I have to say the stains and smell was the other reason I didn't like the front loader. I had forgotten about that. I had to wash things three times (even with stain stick) to get the stains out and even then they stuff was still dirty and a lot of DH's stuff still smelled - There's no water savings and certainly no electricity savings when you have to wash the same clothes more than once. When I got MY washer back I was able to get the stains out. That extra water, and the ability to soak clothes overnight, really pays off when you have kids who like to get DIRTY or a DH who works in a messy, dirty, smelly job (Home Heating Oil - Super stinky stuff).

 

[SeansMom]

I have to say the stains and smell was the other reason I didn't like the front loader. I had forgotten about that. I had to wash things three times (even with stain stick) to get the stains out and even then they stuff was still dirty and a lot of DH's stuff still smelled - There's no water savings and certainly no electricity savings when you have to wash the same clothes more than once. When I got MY washer back I was able to get the stains out. That extra water, and the ability to soak clothes overnight, really pays off when you have kids who like to get DIRTY or a DH who works in a messy, dirty, smelly job (Home Heating Oil - Super stinky stuff).

I SO agree...I've washed so many loads more than once, and it isn't just energy and water, it's also time and frustration. Plus, the toploader I'm getting is huge...the Queen comforter fit with room left over, so I can go back to huge loads and less of them. I'm such a happy girl right now!