Talk to Me about Washing Machines

Sugargirl1019 · August 2014

We are looking at washing machines because my super generous mother has been hinting at getting us one for Christmas. We went to look in the stores and noticed that the front-load and top-load options were pretty equal.

I had thought everyone now used front-load machines but was surprised to see that technology being used in top-loaders with no agitator now. I've heard that top-loaders use more water, but front-loaders smell awful and you have to keep the door open and do maintenance on them every 2 months cleaning them.

Tell me pros and cons about each and which one you think is better.
(So far the plan is to buy brand new)

CMGragain · August 2014

Have you checked with Consumer Reports?

Sugargirl1019 · August 2014

CMGragain said:
Have you checked with Consumer Reports?

No I haven't, I had never heard of that.

AprilH81 · August 2014

We just bought a new washer and dryer (Sears Outlet, scratch and dent). We went with a top loader with no agitator. It uses less water than with an agitator and is easier on the clothes. The front loading machines are too much maintenance for me and they were more expensive. I think our units are GE and we went on the low-mid range on the price. We paid $900ish for both (including delivery) and saved about $400-500 over "new". While the pretty colors and super duper features are tempting I couldn't justify spending $3,000 on a washer and dryer in the middle of everything else we were buying for our new house.

climbingsingle · August 2014

We have a Samsung front loading washer & dryer. I like 'em. Honestly, I'm so short that constantly reaching into the top loading machines was really annoying. No joke - if there was something stuck all the way in the back on the bottom, it was hard for me to reach on my tippy toes.

beethery · August 2014

We currently have a top-loader. My parents have a front loader, and it is usually fine.

Their water can be kind of silty sometimes after a power outage, and it'll upset the washing machine so you have to restart it mid-cycle, let it complete a cycle, and probably re-do it with another batch of detergent in case it sat in the washer all day or something. The reason you can't do it on the original restart is because it won't unlock for you. Doesn't happen often.

However, one time it (I guess) got stuck in a loop during the fill cycle and kept filling and filling and filling until it finally popped the lock and WHOOOOOSSSSHHHHED all the water out into the laundry room. Mom and I felt like Gilligan and the Captain bailing out a rowboat. Hasn't happened since, but it was weird.

lyndausvi · August 2014

I'm more of a top load person. Front loader tend to be more high maintenance. If you are not careful they can start to smell. I'm just not that diligent.

scrunchythief · August 2014

My mom has a front loader and it's not that bad with smell. As in, it hasn't gotten smelly in the 4ish years she's had it. She does keep the door open a bit, but she keeps a wash rag with it and just puts it between the door to prop it open after a load.

My washer is a top loader, but it's a tiny apartment style one. It gets the job done, mostly, but I wouldn't compare it to a full sized one. I think that would be better.

climbingsingle · August 2014

I haven't noticed my front loader smelling yet, but I do keep the door to the washer ajar so that it dries out.

WinstonsGirl · August 2014

We have front load. I've never left the door open and I've never noticed a small. We've had it 3 years. This is the first I've heard of this actually, so now I need to look into this I think. I've got an LG, and I think it has steam, though I've never used it. It was on sale, and therefore cheaper than the non steam version

hellosweetie1015 · August 2014

My parents just bought a new top-loader machine and I LOVE IT. I literally take a laundry basket into the laundry room and dump it in. Occasionally I have to level out, but there's not a stick up the center of the drum so it's SO SO SO EASY. So much better than the one with the stick-up agitators where you have to sit there and unload your basket bit by bit, and drape it around the agitator and spend twenty minutes (exaggeration) loading the damn washer.

My mom has never bought a front-load washer because of the hassle they are to keep from stinking, so there is that.

@ClimbingBrideNY That is a problem. But I'd rather reach than bend over frankly. I'm more likely to bump my head bending over than leaning. (Although I've done it leaning. The door fell on my head.)

emmaaa · August 2014

I like the top loaders simply because my clothes are less likely to fall out on the ground when I open it up. That on top of the maintenance makes it seem like a better choice.

mschristie123 · August 2014

I think you're poll is missing an option about margaritas. I know nothing about washers, but I know a lot about margaritas. :-)

emmaaa · August 2014

Andplusalso, The stands that the front loaders come with so that they don't sit so low to the ground are actually sold separately. That would be an extra expense unless you plan to stack them or have them directly on the ground.

thisismynickname2 · August 2014

"I've been dreaming of that my whole New York life!!" ~ Carrie Bradshaw

Seriously, I live in Chicago and do laundry in a communal area of the condo building. Anything that wouldn't require me to pull out my delicates in front of my neighbors would be awesome.

Good luck!

lyndausvi · August 2014

Here is a ehow.com (click) article on front loaders. My mom has front loaders and its hasn't been a problem. She always very diligent about leaving the door open to air it out. She makes sure she used the right detergent (which is often more expensive).

My sister just switched from a front loader to a top loader because she felt it was too high maintenance for her.

I know myself (and more so DH) and we would not be as diligent. If we got a townhouse like we recently looked out keeping the door open on a front loader would not work out too well. The laundry is a small closet where you would need a stack-able. The door opens out, I HATE closet doors open. It bugs me. So I would end up closing the door, not allowing enough air flow for it to dry.

If we got a place with an actual laundry room, then it would not be so bad.

emmaaa · August 2014

smichek said:

I have back problems and bending down to get stuff in and out of the front-load dryer sucks. I couldn't imagine doing it for the washer and dryer.

Plus, something to consider: If you have kids now or will have them soon, do front-load washers have some kind of safety feature so little Johnny can't yank the washer open mid-cycle and injure himself/make a colossal mess?

My old roommate had a front loader and it locks during the wash and rinse cycle that way you can't open it. At least they thought of that!

lyndausvi · August 2014

smichek said:

I have back problems and bending down to get stuff in and out of the front-load dryer sucks. I couldn't imagine doing it for the washer and dryer.

Plus, something to consider: If you have kids now or will have them soon, do front-load washers have some kind of safety feature so little Johnny can't yank the washer open mid-cycle and injure himself/make a colossal mess?

Front loaders have a locking system. We stayed in the suites at the club when we first moved here. They have front loaders (in a small closet, obvious people didn't air it out). The locking system is so good there were times I could not figure out how to open the damn thing.

Kahlyla · August 2014

We've had three different sets of front-loaders now and I wouldn't go back. (They're all still in great form, we left the old ones at our old houses which we rent out). We just leave the door open a bit and it never smells - although the LG ones never smelled anyway, even before I knew that was a potential issue. They were a dream...

We have a Kenmore now that came with this house, and it's also awesome. We had a Whirlpool at our other rental property and I wouldn't recommend that one. The seal on the door seems loose, it does get smelly, and it's very stupid about shutting off, draining all your soapy water, and restarting the cycle from scratch if you accidentally bump an elbow on the wrong button (which you do, all the freaking time). Idiotic machine.

One thing about High Efficiency washers: they will give you estimated times of completion, but they're a bit like your computer's operating system's estimated times - just estimates. They adjust and readjust constantly based on load, distribution, amount of water, etc. You might think you have five minutes left on a cycle but it's really 25. And the whole thing tends to take longer than conventional top-loaders anyway because it slowly feeds in a bit of water, spins a bit, drains a bit, feeds in a bit of water, etc. It doesn't bother me, I just know to plan for it.

JMalettas · August 2014

We purchased our first set of front-loaders at the beginning of this year, and absolutely love them!! They use less water, are super quiet, and hold sooo much more laundry, then our top loaders did! They don't produce a smell, but I do leave the washer door cracked open, so the seals have time to dry. (I've heard that if you don't keep them cracked open, the water in the seals won't dry, and can produce a smell over time). We haven't had that issue in the 7 months we've had them, with just making sure the door isn't sealed shut, right after use. The washer door locks when in use, so your kids can't just come by and pull it open. They have the option of stacking them, if you're limited for space, but we kept ours side-by-side. They take up around the same amount of room as a standard top loader. We purchased the Samsung front loaders, and love them! I've heard some horror stories on the less expensive brands, so just make sure to do some research, and read the customer reviews!

Good luck!

*J

MrsAitch · August 2014

A lot of people who have front-loaders complain about them, so I'm not really sure why so many people have them, but they do look fancy. Some friends have a top loader without an agitator and they don't like it much. It's really tall so it's hard to reach into, it's LOUD, and you still have to leave a gap in the middle of the clothes where an agitator would be, which to me is ridiculous and annoying.

If our washer or dryer ever break, I want to get a speed queen! They are consistently rated very well, are built to last basically forever (read reviews and you will hear stories of people who have had their speed queens for 30+ years), are the top choice for laundrymats so you know they can take a beating, and are still made in the US. They also make front loaders if you prefer those.

southernbelle0915 · August 2014

We have the Whirlpool Duet front load washer and dryer. I love it. The clothes get super "dry" in the washer so drying time is major reduced.

I second @CMGragain on checking out Consumer Reports. They rate front loaders and top loaders by which is the best and then tell you what's the best buy based on price and quality.

wandajune6 · August 2014

I naturally prefer top-loaders but we have a front-loader due to space considerations. It doesn't get stinky but we also make sure to let it air out between loads. I also bought this Tide product that promises to keep front-loaders clean. I keep intending to use it but never remember.

caitlinmca · August 2014

My mom has always had top load and never had a problem with them, when she bought her new house (2008) she also bought a new top load washer and has never had an issue with it, its also an HE top load. FI parents on the other had have had a front load washer and dryer and have nothing but issues. We would try to start a load of clothes and half way through the cycle it would quit due to an error, we would have to restart it multiple times, error a few more times, and finally we would have to switch the cycle over to quick wash just for them to get through an entire cycle. If you put a rug in the front load wash machine, it would error, causing us to have to restart the cycle multiple times, and it still does. With having pets (dogs), the seal gets gross from the fur when we wash blankets and so forth, the only way to get it completely pet free is to pop the seal out and stick it under the faucet or hose to clean it then pop it in. AND his parents are bad about not keeping the door open so after awhile it stinks so FI and I end up running bleach, water, and a washing machine cleaner through it.

Inkdancer · August 2014

I love my front-loading LG. It makes my life better.

Of course, I also have the one that detects if there's anything left in the pockets, and plays a cute song when the cycle is done. I love it.

beachyone15 · August 2014

I have a front loader and I like it. I just run a cycle of towels using vinegar every so often to banish "the smell". It was a little hard for me to get used to keeping the door open since I am used to shutting everything when I'm done using it, but I've adjusted now.

Don't get me started on my dryer though. I hate that thing!

levioosa · August 2014

CMGragain said:

Have you checked with Consumer Reports?

Definitely do this.

Even though our Front Loader has had some problems I prefer it to Top Loaders. I feel like it takes care of my more delicate clothes (although I handwash true delicates) and it has more options than the typical Top Loader. However, the deciding factor was how my back feels when I'm doing laundry with a Top Loader. Our Front Loader has an attachment drawer underneath it, and I'm short at 5 feet, so it's the perfect height where I don't really have to bend over to get stuff out/in. When I visit my best friend I use her Top Loader and I really notice a lot of back pain after bending over and reaching down a couple times. That's just me though.

It's true though, you do have to be vigilant with cleaning them (which usually just means doing a cycle of white vinegar every month or so and deep cleaning maybe every 6-9 months).

mrsmagicgeek · August 2014

ClimbingBrideNY said:
We have a Samsung front loading washer & dryer. I like 'em. Honestly, I'm so short that constantly reaching into the top loading machines was really annoying. No joke - if there was something stuck all the way in the back on the bottom, it was hard for me to reach on my tippy toes.

That's what we have as well for pretty much the same reasons. I love when they sing to me lol

Sugargirl1019 · August 2014

Thank you all! Definitely good things to keep in mind .. We are very tall, DH is 6‘7“, so he was interested in the front loader with the stand underneath so that he didn't have to bend all the way over into the top loader (we had a top loader in the apartment).

My friend had one that sang to her! It made me really want one that sings!

I will miss dyeing things in the top loader if we don't get one - I loved being able to open it when the machine was full of water, throw a dye pod in and then put my blanket or clothing in. Guess you cant do that with a front loader since it locks and water is in the way!

We will have to pretend some more in the stores with reaching in and out. Not having to pay more money would be awesome, but I suppose I need to listen to DHs back concerns (old man).

theartistformerlyknownas · August 2014

I always forget a sock or something and have to throw it in a few minutes into the wash cycle. Can't do that with a front loader. Top load for life!

lyndausvi · August 2014

lolo883 said:

I always forget a sock or something and have to throw it in a few minutes into the wash cycle. Can't do that with a front loader. Top load for life!

me too!

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