Washing Machines - Top Load vs Front Load

[Amy]

I have a High Efficency top loader - it's a Fisher and Paykel. No agitator, HUGE tub. Very happy with it - you can was either HE or traditional... also have a very cool matching top load dryer - it is awesome!

I never heard of Fisher and Paykel. Are they made by some other big name, like Whirlpool makes Kenmore? I was looking on "That Home Site's" forums, and folks there mentioned Fisher and Paykel a lot (all good). The Maytag Bravos also got a lot of good comments, but when I tried to find it in Best Buy, Lowe's or Home Depot around here, none of them have it. Is it that good that they can't keep it in stock?

So it looks like the folks here are pretty evenly split, with front loaders slightly ahead. For DH, the deal breaker seems to be the controls - he's heard too many bad things about the electronic controls on front loaders needed repaired after only a little use, so he wants one with the old mechanical turn dial. Looks like I have to spend some more time on the internet and wandering through Lowe's and Home Depot.

Thanks for your opinions!

 

[mikehn]

The biggest engineering flaw in the front loaders is, you cannot get a completely full load of clothes in a front loader without the clothes falling out the door. You dont have that problem with top loaders. I was pretty much suckered into a front loader for its looks.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

ditto
and we love it!

The GE Profiles fits my comforter and blankets just fine. washes bras on gentle...I love it.
It is a top loader that has the "front loader" capabilties.

NAB we have never had an issue with it....yet.

 

[Tuffcookie]

I have a top loader. I wonder if the seal around the door of front loaders ever wears out. Also, if I put a load in my washer and a few minutes later need to add something to that load, no big deal, just lift the lid. Not so with a front loader.

TC

 

[NAB]

The GE Profiles fits my comforter and blankets just fine. washes bras on gentle...I love it.
It is a top loader that has the "front loader" capabilties.

NAB we have never had an issue with it....yet.

Like I said it is just like cars, maybe mine was built on a Friday or Monday morning.... Had a new car once and had the starter go 3 days after I had it. Maybe it is my luck!!

Service people are pretty good though so far.

 

[AlexTina]

I have a top loader. I wonder if the seal around the door of front loaders ever wears out. Also, if I put a load in my washer and a few minutes later need to add something to that load, no big deal, just lift the lid. Not so with a front loader.

TC

Actually you can add things, they don't fill up with water they just completely soak the clothes so the amount of standing water in the tub is so minimal that opening it to add something is not a problem.

I believe one other concern was capacity. Mine will easily handle a king size comforter.

I just recently replaced a 13 year old Kenmore set. My dryer had gotten to the point that I was having to run heavy loads through 3 70 minute cycles before they were dry and with 3 kids I do a lot of laundry, my electric bill was horrible. Since we got them our electric is down by more than half and our water is down by around a third. So I am very pleased!

We bought a Samsung set at lowes and between the store discount, manufacture rebates, and the water rebate we only spent about $300 more than we would have for a top loader. The energy savings will cover that in no time. We also did not buy the pedestals, I use the tops of the washer/dryer for my lauundry basket and to fold. The pedestal makes them way to high for that and we have cabinets in our laundry room so we don't need the extra storage.

Tina

 

[AnnR]

My brother has a front loader, I thought that was what I would get next but he is having mildew issues. There is a place at the bottom of the opening that water sits in, also the pump inside the washer has water that stays in it. The clothes all started smelling mildewy (?I guess thats a new word!) He checked it out online and found it is a common problem. It is. He has special stuff to run through the washer once a month with a hot water cycle -so much for saving water and energy. Plus, he has to dry underneath the rubber strip under the opening after using it and he has to leave the door open. That gets in the way. He has had the washer for a couple of years but this issue just started a few weeks ago.

 

[tinatark]

I never heard of Fisher and Paykel. Are they made by some other big name, like Whirlpool makes Kenmore? I was looking on "That Home Site's" forums, and folks there mentioned Fisher and Paykel a lot (all good). The Maytag Bravos also got a lot of good comments, but when I tried to find it in Best Buy, Lowe's or Home Depot around here, none of them have it. Is it that good that they can't keep it in stock?

So it looks like the folks here are pretty evenly split, with front loaders slightly ahead. For DH, the deal breaker seems to be the controls - he's heard too many bad things about the electronic controls on front loaders needed repaired after only a little use, so he wants one with the old mechanical turn dial. Looks like I have to spend some more time on the internet and wandering through Lowe's and Home Depot.

Thanks for your opinions!

\

Fisher and Paykel is a New Zealand company, from what I understand the "good" wash plates for top loaders out there now are made using their design. Lowe's usually has the eco smart washer in stock (it's the one with an agitator) - I think they don't keep them in because the average consumer doesn't "know" the brand. They are usually on their (Lowe's) website. Do a google search for reviews of F&P washers and dryers - there are tons out there. Another great thing - these have a 2 year manufacturer warranty - all the others have only 1 year.

My choices were the F&P top loader, Cabrio top loader with coordinating steam dryer, or the Bosch 500 front loader. I wasn't confident in a front loader, for the mold issues as well as the vibration issues I've seen reported.

 

[manning]

I prefer having a front loader--having the pedestal underneath the set makes it a lot easier to get clothes in & out.

My set is a Maytag--the same Maytag that people have had a million problems with. I've gotten lucky so far considering I've had the set for about 6 years now. I keep waiting for the day the washer breaks down because I know it will happen.

I really like the LG models but GE has a new set coming out that has an automatic soap & fabric softener system, which would be really cool to have! Expensive as hell, but I'm a sucker for "techie" things.

Think twice about GE. They do business with Iran.

 

[manning]

Top loader, front loaders are known for mold issues.

Crack the door after use...no problem.

 

[monty]

I have had a Miele front loader for about 9 months now. I don't know if this brand is available in the U.S. ....it is a German brand and has a very good reputation here but is also one, if not the, most expensive here.
Having said that I have ruined a few items of clothing....the colors ran from something (jeans???) and changed my DS's new, favorite Tshirt from yellow to green. And I have managed to shrink quite a few items. I have now got better at sorting the washing and adjusting the wash temperature but I still think items are much more prone to shrinkage after being washed in the front loader. My old top loader was much more gentler on clothes, but probably didn't wash them anywhere near as well.


This washer also has a medic cycle to supposedly kill germs, the only thing I have washed on that cycle was my DS's bed sheets after he had been ill.

 

[Imzadi]

Think twice about GE. They do business with Iran.

Well then, you'd better take a good look at which light bulbs you are using. Don't fly because GE might have made the jet engines as well as some medical equipment and many electronic items - especially those with LED displays as GE invented it, and don't watch NBC as GE owns it.

 

[AlexTina]

Crack the door after use...no problem.

I heard about these issues prior to buying mine as well. When I finish a load I don't leave the door wide open because yes then it would be in the way, I just don't close it tight and it seems to dry out nicely after each load. You can have these issues with a top loader as well. The one I just got rid of smelled horrible each time I would start a load, there was standing water somewhere although I have no idea where and it seemed to get disturbed when I would start a load and stink up the laundry room pretty bad. I talked to my mom about it and she said your supposed to leave the lid up on top loaders as well so they can dry out. Like I said earlier the set I replaced was 13 years old so there could have been a leak somewhere, I only started noticing the smell over the last couple of years.

Tina

 

[asta]

I have a Bosch front loader that is about 9 months old. A big factor is buying a new washing machine is that all of them have to meet a reduced water use standard. That means that new top loaders don't work as well as the older top loaders that everyone is used to. With reduced water levels I've been told that front loaders actually clean better than new top loaders (this may not be the case vs older top loaders that could use more water).

As far as front loaders smelling, I made the mistake of using regular, non HE detergent in mine about a month ago. I had not noticed an odor problem before and suddenly the odor almost knocked me down. Too many suds can cause a residue to back up between an inner and the outer drum. This was causing the bad odor. It is really important to not use a regular detergent or too much HE detergent. I got rid of the problem using a product called WhrilOut (found it at Home Depot). I put 4 tablespoons directly in the drum (not the soap dispenser) and ran the machine on its Sanitary cycle. This totally got rid of the bad odor. WhrilOut is made to clean Whrilpools but it works great on washing machines.

 

[LuvOrlando]

-

 

[manning]

Well then, you'd better take a good look at which light bulbs you are using. Don't fly because GE might have made the jet engines as well as some medical equipment and many electronic items - especially those with LED displays as GE invented it, and don't watch NBC as GE owns it.

Whenever there's a choice, I make it. Whatever your choice is, you are free to make. I have no problem with that.

As Forest said....That's all I have to say about that.

Now on to washing machines.

P.S. What's an NBC ??

 

[debster812]

Another big fan of Fisher-Paykel here.

They are not re-badged by anyone else, like another poster said, they are a New Zealand company. I absolutely LOVE my washer. HUGE tub, stainless steel, so many different cycles, DH and I joke about being able to bring in the space shuttle . Spins SO fast that the clothes are just damp when they come out. Fits a queen size comforter easily.

I'm actually willing my 14 year old, no name dryer to die, so we can get the matching one. But because the clothes are so much dryer coming out of the wash, the darn thing is still hanging on....

 

[jnykly]

We've had our front loaders for about 2.5 years now....Bottom line, I LOVE them. We have the Kenmore Elite model.

They are on the pedastals, so it is easy to get clothes in and out. DH is 6'4" and likes this feature too.

Clothes get really clean. We haven't had any problems with mildew/mold. I do crack the door open every now and then just in case.

We have had to replace the electronic control on the dryer. We found the part online and DH put it in, so no service call. I believe it is a hit or miss with any appliance nowadays. We bought a new expensive Kitchenaid fridge and had to have a service call within a year....the motor on the ice dispenser went stopped working.

We have one of those thick King size comforters and have washed it with no problems in the unit. We do have to make sure to reposition it a few times during the dry cycle (there is a bulky bedding option on ours that will make the machine beep in the middle of the cycle to remind you to reposition it.) We used to have to take it to a laundromat to clean it.

All in all, I haven't missed our top loaders and I would replace with another front loader set if needed.

 

[Imzadi]

Whenever there's a choice, I make it. Whatever your choice is, you are free to make. I have no problem with that.

As Forest said....That's all I have to say about that.

Now on to washing machines.

P.S. What's an NBC ??

Of course you have a choice in who you want to buy from. I respect that. I try not to buy from cigarette manufacturers, but as the Philip Morris Co. also owns Kraft & Nabisco, it's kind of hard to do.

I was just pointing out that GE makes more things than it might be known for.

NBC is not a product, I was referring to the TV network, NBC, which GE owns.

 

[manning]

Of course you have a choice in who you want to buy from. I respect that. I try not to buy from cigarette manufacturers, but as the Philip Morris Co. also owns Kraft & Nabisco, it's kind of hard to do.

I was just pointing out that GE makes more things than it might be known for.

NBC is not a product, I was referring to the TV network, NBC, which GE owns.

No kidding
Full name is National Broadcasting Corp. Haven't watched it in years.

Now let's get back to washing machines. I'm finished with this, don't want to hijack the thread there is some good information here.

The machine from New Zealand sounds interesting. Were can you find more info on it??