Front loader vs. top loader wash machine

[crjack]

We have the top loading Whirlpool Cabrio set and I have been very pleased. It is also an energy efficient model without the agitator and it holds quite a bit.

My laundry area is also in an oversized closet on the second floor and a front loader wouldn't have worked as well in the space. I also didn't want to spend extra $$ on the pedestals and I thought they were very low without them.

They are fairly quiet....probably the most noise is from the spin cycle. Wash times are longer but dry times are much shorter so I think it evens out for the whole load.

 

[mom2grace]

http://www.fisherpaykel.com/product/laundry/clotheswashers/

The best washing machines in the world. They are energy-star rated, but they do use enough water to clean your clothes!!

I have had mine for 5 years, I am sure they are under $1000, I think mine was about $600 when I bought it.

 

[Wishing on a star]

Wow; I didn't know this would be a popular topic but I really appreciate all the feedback! The big thing that I seem to have gotten from this is that if you get the front loader it is best to leave the door open to avoid the "smell." Unfortunately my laundry room is not a room but a closet in the upstairs hall; so I think leaving the door open would be impossible. The way my kids move down the hall they would take the door off in in one swoop I have heard good things about the Maytag Bravo (top loader) that somebody mentioned and that may be the route I'll take. Does anyone know if the Maytag Bravo is noisy??

1. About the hall closet... my laundry is behind folding closet doors in an area off the the kitchen, we call the utility area. This 'closet' is large and deep enough that I can still leave my door cracked almost 1/2 open. I leave it Maybe 1/3 open, and still leave the closet doors closed.

2. If your laundry is upstairs, if you would like to consider a front loader, make sure that it is rated for upstairs installation. Most are not. My little Duet Sport does not have major vibration... (one of the only few good things about it, and why I chose it.) I think it was one of the first that was rated okay for upstairs installation. One of the reasons that I am looking at the new Bosch models is that they are rated/approved for upstairs installation.

These washers are HEAVY... I mean really, really, heavy... the workings and the weights that are used to stabilize them during the high speed spin are hundreds of pounds.

I seriously do not know how two men could get this thing up a stairwell. Also, the floor joist under the upstairs are not the same heavy duty ones that are used under the floors in a homes foundation. These washers need a very stable floor under them. If not, they WILL 'walk'.

 

[Buckalew11]

I just built and new house and bought all new appliances. I went with a top loader after reading here and being told by the Sears salesman about different washers.

He was really pushing for me to buy a more expensive front loader (of course) but when all was said and done, he recommended a what I think was a pretty basic model and very reasonably priced machine.

It just didn't make sense to me to spend so much money on something that lasts maybe 10 years nowadays. Anyway, I'm really happy with my washer and dryer.

 

[stego]

Have had it now for a full week cycle. We purchased a frigidaire front loader and had that for 10 years. Had it repaired 3 years ago (it was cheaper to get it fixed than buy new).
*I am of the "controls on top" crowd. I'm not necessarily tall, but it's easier for me.
*as a PP stated, there is no agitator on the new machine; the drum is quite large.
*read the manual thoroughly (as thoroughly as one gets). I'd been having to run an extra cycle after my whites to get all the bleach out. The new machine eliminates that (again, read the instructions).
*talk about quiet. I'd gotten quite used to running the machines and it never failed to wake my wife up. Of course, getting up at 5-6am on the weekends didn't help either.
*home depot was having their thanksgiving sale and the washer/dryer were on sale. The hinky was I'd have to wait for Feb delivery. So I coddled the old set along because I could be patient. We gave away the old set to a co-worker for my wife (she was thrilled).
*talked to the delivery guy and they are seriously backed up. Seems people are buying lots of appliances (that's what he told me...YOUR results might be different).
*I'd gotten used to having the top surface of the washer to fold on; I've had to change my routine just a little. But it is easier for me to load/unload now.
*the new machine has a digital read-out for time to finish washing.
*the new washer has a 45 cycle to do a clean cycle. I read I can use bleach instead of an expensive additive. The cycle just has an extra rinsing cycle to it.
*I love the new dial on the machines. The old one made this ratcheting sound and this one is an easy spin.

 

[Dan Murphy]

.......Unfortunately my laundry room is not a room but a closet in the upstairs hall; so I think leaving the door open would be impossible. The way my kids move down the hall they would take the door off in in one swoop...

We just replaced our first front loader and drier. They were the original front loader, Maytag Neptunes. They performed fine. Had them for about 15 years. And had another Maytag pair before those, maybe 20-25 years. We replaced them with Maytag Performance Series (actually are Whirlpools). All the door has to be left open is a crack, just not locked close, maybe an inch more than closed. We were pleased with the previous, and like the new ones also.

 

[mtdevine615]

I want to thank everyone for the info. We are still using the kenmore washer/dryer we got when we first got married almost 26 years ago. Been waiting for one of them to start acting up but knock on wood still no problems. Not bad for an appliance that usually lasts less then 10 years.

 

[AristocatFan]

I've had my Frigedair front loader for 8 years and have never had any problems. No mold or odors. Love it! Plus it's large enough to wash our king size bedding.

 

[mrodgers]

I made myself into a liar yesterday. When I stopped at Sears, I was hesitant. They had a bunch of Kenmore front loaders on clearance. Seems that Kenmore was made by Whirlpool and their contract was up. Now Kenmore is made by LG. My old Kenmore is from 2002 and it was made by GE/Fridgidaire.

30 gallons or more for top loaders, my wife and I just couldn't be happy with that. She would constantly worry about the well because she grew up with a bad well. They had to stagger showers, had to wait after showers to do laundry and couldn't do laundry and run the dish washer at the same time.

Our well is very good, only 2 of us on the road can drink the water straight out of the ground with no filters or anything. We have no problems running all three at the same time, washing dishes with a load in the front loader while taking a shower. We were going to go with a top loader, but just feel better using 30% or better of the water that a top loader uses.

They appear much better designed. I think the mold problem was the seal. On our old one, the seal doubled back on itself and would get gooey detergent and also junk caught in it. The new seals are not this way. Our old machine the opening was extremely small and with the big rubber seal, when you pulled one item out, they got caught on the seal, then everything would come out all over the floor when you gave it a yank. The openings are much larger now. Another difference is the detergent drawer was almost impossible to pull out to clean without taking the top of the washer apart and disassembling the drawer. Now they pull right out and you can clean them.

One big help with front loaders, at least with us on a well, is we put a small scoop of Borax in the washer every load. That got rid of the stinky clothes for us.

I have the first load running in the washer right now. They now have timers on them, LOL. We didn't have a timer on our old one. 54 minutes for the regular cycle. Much better than the 2.5 hours of our old one.

 

[deva]

Is it noisy or does it vibrate a lot?

I don't think it is that noisy. If it is spinning something heavy, like a very large load of towels (and it does hold a LOT of them), it seems to vibrate more. As someone mentioned, you do want to check on where you install it. At the time I got ours, I believe they recommended on concrete slab. I know there are special considerations if it is on the second floor.