Which type of clothes washing machine is better? Top or front load?
Question:Based on my quick research and talking to my great local repair service..
So far I am leaning top load because I have heard that front load machines..
1) Are great for conserving water which means that the detergent is not washed out completely (hard on people with sensitive skin) and less water means that the clothes do not get as clean as when washed in a top load machine
2) I have read articles that discuss front loading machines having mold problems... Yick!
What is your experience with this? Which type of washing machine is better? Which brand? Which model? Long lasting? Fewer repairs?
Please share your thoughts..
Answers:
Consumer Reports just did a comparision on front vs top loaders. It does seem that the front loaders are more repair prone and don't last as long as traditional top loaders. I prefer a top loader because I am a stain fighting queen. I often run "soaker" loads when we've been doing home improvement projects that stain our garments. I have to be able to check the clothing for stains while the garments are soaking to see if the stain has been removed or I need to re-treat. With a front loader water would be all over the floor when I opened the door. Moreover, I sometimes remove items from the load after the rinse cycle that are too delicate to go through the spin cycle and the front loader doesn't enable me to do this.
Here are the most reliable brands from Consumer's Reports:
Frigidaire, GE, Kenmore & Whirlpool for front loaders
Frigidaire, GE, Roper, Whilpool for top loaders
Repair prone brands:
Amana, Fisher & Paykel, Kitchen Aid for top loaders
Maytag for front loaders
The repairman that we use says to avoid front load due to the mold issue. Apparently it gets pretty severe. I use top load.
The only thing I have heard is that when it comes to repairs, people hate to work on the front loaders because they are a big pain in the behind compared to top loaders. When a friend was shopping for a new washer and dryer, a sales person actually told him he might have a problem finding anyone to work on a front loader after it went out of warranty.
I would love a front loader "Holds more", and they are usually built for "Institutional" use, and last longer, more expensive though, I have a top loader. "Wascomat" are the best washing machines made (I think).
Buy a whirlpool front loader, they have a protective gasket
where the door closes that prevents water from standing in your door opening that causes mildew. Plus they are the
most conservative washing machine on the market. That is a bunch of bunk about your closes not getting as clean in a front loader, they actually get cleaner and rinsed better.
I have found top loader's easier you don't have to do all that bending
I have owned both types, both Maytag brand. I prefer the front loader as it uses less water, I find I can use less soap and I see much better results with my clothes. No middle agitator in the front load which makes for much less wear and tear on my clothes and I find they are cleaner too. I have never had a mold issue. I leave the door ajar after a load to dry out and run bleach through it once a month to clean the washer. I currently have the Maytag Neptune. Good luck whatever you decide!
We have used both and we prefer a front loader. We have the Whirlpool Duet and it is great. It holds a much bigger wash load than a top-loader. There is no agitator to take up space from clothes. Ours holds about double the load of a top-loader; it's like doing 2 loads at the same time. It saves time, water, energy and detergent.
It uses much less water and much less detergent (maximum a quarter of a cup per load) and bleach. (maximum a third of a cup per load). The clothes actually come out of the wash much cleaner. Having various settings, even blankets, quilts, comforters and drapes are not a problem to wash.
If you're concerned about residual detergent in your clothes for sensitive skin, you can set an extra rinse. Even with a top-loader, you could do that. With either machine, you can use a detergent specially formulauted for sensitive skin. Since you use less detergent in a front loader, this should not be a major problem.
Whether top-loader or front-loader, we have always left the door open so that the machine dries to prevent mold and mildew from happening.
Front-loaders were used in North America before top-loaders came along. Europeans have used them for a long time. We did a lot of research before changing over to a front-loader. It is well worth the money spent. In our house, we will continue to use a front-loader. They do a great job!
here is a clue.do you like to bend over all the time...cause with a Front Load that is what you will do. In addition, the conserving water thing sucks...it doesn't really get your clothes clean.
So Top Load! Save you back...and get clean clothes
Brand depends on your preference and the amount of $ you want to spend.but do get your extended warranty for parts & labor.
good luck
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