Front Loaders

Something to consider before making your purchase...Are you like me and drop things on the way to the laundry room? Or see something else that could go in after you've started it? If so then I would reconsider a front loader because once you start it you can not put anything else in. We were thinking about front loaders several months ago but bought a top loader instead because I am always dropping clothes or finding other things to put in once I have started the washer! We ended up getting the GE Profile Ultra Quiet set. The dryer is gas and we really love them (or atleast I really love them since I do the laundry). Very quiet, energy efficient and so many different setting selections, plus they have a time display to let you know how long until it's done.

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I have a Samsung front load washer and dryer and I love them. The pedestals are worth the extra money so that you don't have to bend over so far and it's nice to have extra storage space. The only negative I was told this by the salesman is to be sure that you leave the washer door open until it drys completely inside or you could get mold around the door seal and never spin anything on high or extra high.

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We got the TROMM LG steam washer with matching dryer almost 3 years ago. I have loved them ever since. No problems experienced. We researched them and yes, there are lots of good choices. You've just got to decide what you want in a W/D and shop around for the best deal. We got ours on sale at Lowe's with an additional 10% off "move-in" coupon. I love the large load capacities and I love the sanitize ability (for towels, dirty kids clothes, etc.) The loads are long but you can wash more clothes at a time. I thought our particular brand was user friendly. The only potential problem we've had is the washer smelling bad. There are tabs available at Lowe's/Home Depot that you can use to prevent that, but I simply leave the door open a few hours after I've completed the wash to let it air out and dry inside. I hear that the top loaders will eventually become extinct d/t the fact that the front loaders are so much more eco-friendly. I worried about having a hard time finding the HE (high efficiency) detergent, but it's easy enough to find these days. Good luck!

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Hi there. We just happen to be living in a furnished corporate apartment that has front loading washer and dryer so I thought I would give you my thoughts.

Most Dryers I have seen are Front loaders, but the problem I have with ours is that the door opens to the left side and not towards the floor. I find this a big problem, because when I am trying to grab one pair of pants and there are other items tangled up in them, the other things end up falling on the floor. With my normal dryer that opened toward the floor, this never happened because the door of the dryer always caught those other clothes. I don't know about you, but this drives me nuts. It's become a huge pain for me that drives me crazy. LOL.

As for the washing machine being a front loader, it seems to involve a lot more bending down to put things in instead of standing and just dropping them in. I don't know how much laundry you do, but this could wear and tear on your back.

So, I'm not really a big fan and now that I have had experiance with them, I would never buy them myself. More trouble than they are worth, I think.

Good luck. Sorry if I've bursted your bubble, but these are things I would have never thought of before buying and then I would hate myself, so I hope I've been some help.

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I've had a frigidaire frontload washer and dryer since 2002 and it has gone through 2 military moves and is still working as well as it has since I first bought them. They clean VERY well and are efficient.My mom always is amazed at how white the whites come out whenever my parnets come for a visit.

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whirlpool Duet with optional Sanitary Cycle
No Regrets
Would buy same ones again
Scratch/Dent Floor model from Lowe's - they price match and/or beat by 10%

HTH
K.

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I have Frigidaire washer and equivalent Kenmore gas dryer. I renovated my garage into a guest room and switched out my top-loader washer and old dryer for a front loading "stackable" pair that fit into a closet that is off my kitchen.
I highly recommend stacking appliances. They fit into smaller areas, and save your back. My clothes come out of the top dryer at a comfortable height and the temptation to grab the whole load and stuff into a basket is gone, since it does not hurt my back bending over so low to get the clothes out of the dryer.
My daughter has the same pair of appliances and stacked them, although they are in her garage with lots of room to be side by side.

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We have the LG and they are okay. They were rated the best when we bought them. My mom has the Whirlpool and they may be a little smaller but I prefer using her's over mine. I hope this helps.

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We have the Whirlpool Duet washer and dryer, and have had them for over three years. I am very happy with them. The clothes get clean, they come out of the washer almost dry already- from the super spin cycle, which means the dryer is faster and uses less energy, and the things I hang to dry dry very quickly. We first replaced only the washer- that's the one that really makes the difference- then replaced the dryer later when we found a great 'scratch and dent' deal. I can do very large loads also, so no running to the laundry mat to wash comforters and sleeping bags. I highly recommend them, especially if you do alot of laundry.

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Hi-

I have a very basic Amana front loader washer from Home Depot. I love it! It doesn't have all of the extra features that the higher priced ones do, but for me it does everything that I need. The only issue we are having currently (and it's not that big a deal) is that my 16 month old can reach the dial and start the washer because it starts by simply pushing in the large dial. There is a control panel lock that I can set so there is a way to prevent it when/if he learns to open the laundry room door and go in there without me. Other than that, it cleans better, with less water and then dries faster in the drier than my previous top loader. I wouldn't go back to a top loader for anything!

Good Luck,
K.

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I've had a GE front loader for about 10 years. I love it, you use very little detergent, very gently on clothes. I wash all my "hand wash only" items in it, which saves alot of time. It doesn't have a "soak" cycle, but I just let it agitate for 10 min, then stop the machine for a couple hours or overnight. Only problem we've had in 10 years is small items getting stuck in the drain pump. This has occurred several times. We had a service tech out one time - but now that we know what the problem is, my husband is able to take the front off and clear the drain. Also, put small socks and lingerie (baby clothes) into lingerie bags so they don't get sucked into the pump. (A nusing pad clogged it the first time). Be careful not to use too much detergent, or you will have to run an extra rinse cylcle. I will definitely buy another front loading machine when this one wears out. GE customer service has not been good - Both times we called for service it was a 1 week wait for a service tech to come to the house. But one of the times, I just called a repair guy from the yellow pages - who looked at the washer and told me I needed to replace a part (which I did not). So stick with the company recommended service people no matter what brand you choose. I think all the brands you are looking at are good - some just have more "bells & whistles". Good luck and let us know what you choose!

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I have a GE front loader washer and dryer. They are a great investment, you notice the difference on your electric and water bills almost immediately and my clothes have NEVER, in the 8 months I have owned them, come out damp. It's wonderful!!

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Love my Tromm LG Steam Washer. Usually use the 30 minute speed wash but love having the option to sanitize or do bulky loads. It holds a LOT! I ride horses and can wash saddle pads in there without them getting off balanced like a top loader. I used to have a Sears one-front loader- (Kenmore?) which held nothing and lasted barely 6 years- which apparently was a long time for those machines. I've had this LG probably 2 years and still am thrilled with it.

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We got our Kenmore front loader washer about 4 years ago and we still love it. It's quiet, washes wonderfully, and uses just enough water required per load (i.e., it has some sort of load sensor that will allow adequate but not excess water per wash). We do not have electronic controls, rather it has dials and knobs and buttons, which I prefer to a fully eletronic machine (the latter are more expensive to fix). I'd recommend Kenmore, but I'm sure other brands are also good. Shop around for the best deal and for one that offers all the features you need.

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We bought the Kenmore Elite w/d in January 2002. Washer Pros; they use a lot less water so take less time to fill. They use less detergent.* ALL of the clothes are agitated - there's no place for them to hide so everything gets clean. The machine can't become unbalanced and start banging around the room. The kids get to watch through the front window.
Washer cons; sometimes you can't open the door to add things (what I do is push the running button to OFF, wait a few moments for the door to unlock, add things then start up again). We started seeing a small puddle of water occasionally when running the machine. A repairman came out and told us that many manufacterers use plastic pieces at stress points which weaken sooner that metal. He gave us the option of either paying him $300 to fix the drum or going to Lowes and paying $25 for a water heater drip pan to put underneath. That was 5 years ago and the machine's still running fine.
*Another thing is not to use regular detergent but rather "he" or High Efficiency. Regular detergent doesn't rinse completely in front loaders so you have to rinse again.
Dryer; no problem whatsoever.
Just measure your space very carefully. Some of the front loaders they're coming out with are much deeper than my machines and wouldn't fit in my laundry room.

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I just bought mine from Best Buy in March. Delivery was cheap and the price went down within 3 weeks, so we immediately got the price different and saved $600.00 dollars. Best Buy was the lowest price we could fine, and then to save more after that...EXCELLENT. I bought the LG brand. The door on the washer is not reversible, so make sure you have enough clearance on the door opening, where-ever you're putting them.
Also, you have to leave the door open when done using so the rubber door seal will dry out. It's a good idea to wipe the groove inside the door with a dry towel also.
The LG is one of the lightest brands, consumer reports have a high rating, and has a child lock. If I can answer any additional questions for you, please feel free to ask. This is the best purchase I've made on a appliance, and I hope that works out the same for you!

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I bought a LG Tromm from Best Buy a few months ago...it is the best thing!! I have a 7 month old baby and it gets everything out of his clothes!! Everything!! They are very user friendly!! And I noticed someone mentioned that you can't put anything in after you have started it, on mine you can in the first couple of minutes in the cycle. You have to give it a sec to unlock. And Consumer Report rates them very well.

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We've had a Bosch for almost 2 years now and we love it! We had our choices narrowed down to the Bosch or the LG and we quite frankly got a better deal on the Bosch.

The washer does take longer than a top loader and that took some getting used to at first. However, you really only have to get used to it for the first load, as after that we find the washer and the dryer take the exact same amount of time (unless we're washing on the sanitize mode).

We find our clothes are much cleaner than in our old top loader. For the person who said they cannot add clothes after the cycle starts, that's not true. If you catch it on the early side, you can still add clothes. Our washer will lock at a certain point, but within the first 5-10 minutes, we've never had any problems.

We also were warned about the problem of the washer stinking, so we leave the washer door fully open while the last load dries and then we always leave it propped open a little bit so there's some air flow.

There are a ton of choices over brands. I'd recommend finding the features that are most important to you and narrowing it down to a couple of brands and then waiting for a good sale to make your final decision. Good luck!

-H..

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We got a Whirlpool Cabrio at Lowe's. It has a very large capacity and it is high efficiency. We love it. It cleans very well.

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I bought the may tag front loaders.. Paid lots of $....

Not not not maytag... They do not stand behind their product...the maytag man is the paytag man...every fix is a charge!!!

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Once you use a front loader, you'll never want to go back to top loaders. They clean better and are more gentle with fabrics. My daughter did her science project comparing the two types and strictly speaking on which one cleans better and the front loader won. In addition, they are quieter and save on water and detergent. You can also fit more clothes in every wash, therefore saving time. I am not sure which brand is better, I'm sure they are all good. Have the sales people explain the features and go with the one that fits your needs better.

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Front loading washer and dryers provide many benefits when doing laundry. We purchased the Maytag Neptune in 2006. We have had no problems with it and have moved from Dallas to San Antonio during that time. I would recommend keeping the bolts to the back of the washer very very handy, because it cannot be moved without those bolts. Mine got packed so I had to purchase a second set of bolts.

You should also note that there are different capacities of both washer and dryer. Both appliances should match capacity. My recommendation is to go with the largest capacity you can afford.

Although I am not currently stacking mine, I thought that I could, but the styles with the front that slants a bit, stacking is not an option. You just never know when you might want that option.

In addition, there are a few features that I believe have made laundry easier. These are options that you will want to look for as you are comparing brands. They are listed here:
- look for stainless steel on the inside of both washer and dryer
- end cycle signals as well as the ability to silence these
- light in the dryer
- delay cycle option on the washer
- I am short, so I don't use the pedestals, but they are great and a good place to store and organize laundry aids

I put items in the washer and dryer after the cycles have started. Of course it isn't like dropping them into a front loader but I do it almost every day with no problem. You just have to wait for the door lock to disengage.

We noticed a $40 savings in our water bill the first month of use.

I hope this helps!!

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I understand the stress of the decision. Last week I had to make the same one because my machine has been out for about 6 weeks....I did a lot of research and price comparision. The consumer reports listed the GE 6800 as the number one washer. It is a front load. Fridigaire is listed in 9% range for problems and LG, Maytag, LG and GE are in the 10% range.

I took into consideration, cleanliness, price, etc. The GE was not as expensive as the LG, Maytag so that is the one I chose. Not hard to operate at all. Yes, takes longer on the wash load, but since I don't sit there and wait for it, I haven't noticed any difference. I notice that the clothes look and smell better when they come out. Be sure to get the HE detergent. That is the only downfall that I found. NOt very many brands carry it and they don't have the smell that some of the brands have and yes they are more expensive. But my clothes look cleaner, are more dry when they cycle is done and it takes a lot less time to dry, about 30-40 minutes v. 50-60 or longer. So I have to say that I am very pleased so far. I bought it online at Home Depot and I received a discount which was much less for purchasing online.

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We bought our front load washer about six years ago now. At the time, there were fewer options. We bought the cheapest, which was the Maytag. We've just loved it. Works great.
Like someone else mentioned, you can add things in after the cycle starts if you catch it early enough. I don't do it very often, because I only discovered it was possible in the last year and now I'm used to taking the extra minute to check and see if I've dropped anything.
Again, love the washer! I'd never go back.

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I bought a frigidare but am not thrilled, but my friend bought a Maytag and loves it. She says she can get a whole load washed and dried in the same amount of time it took her to get her other set to dry one load.

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Google front loader washing machine and odor and see what comes up.
I had mine about 6 months, seems that all brands have this problem. I started noticing an unfresh odor and the clothes never smelled clean.
I have to run bleach and vinegar through on a regular basis on an empty load to try to get rid of odor and leave the door open in between washes which is inconvenient since it is in my kitchen.
Other than that I like the way it cleans the clothes and I use less water and detergent.

I love my front loaders. They seem to be easier on my clothes and they use just a little bit of the cheap detergent. Don't use soaps that get too sudsy: it'll wear your washer out faster.

I have Maytags. Do a little research on the models you want to purchase. The kind I have are prone to the heating coil or something like that burning out.

Watch craigslist. I got my front loading washer and dryer and the dryer had a cabinet on top for hanging shirts and and racks to dry delicates.

Anyway, on craigslist we found a guy who was selling them in nearly mint condition for 1/3 of what we would of paid at Lowes or Best Buy.

I have the front loading machines. They are LG models. I love them.They clean better then machines with agitators. I would never go back to the top load. I have them on the pedestals so that I don't have to do alot of extra bending.

I personally have never invested in Front loaders, however when/if I need new machines I was planning on adding them to the line up of possibles.

Anyway, like I said, no personaly experience, but friends who have them (GE I believe), say they love them BUT make sure you spend the extra bucks and get the pedistals . . . they are impossibly low to the ground with out and a real pain to set up if added afterwards.

We have a front load washer and dryer - but not a lover of either one. We have to go to the extra expense of getting the risers for both because we are 5'9 and 5'11.
We have the Kenmore brand and other than the height thing we haven't had any problems with them.

I have both; washer and dryer and love them both.

Hi M. B,

I know you asked about front loaders, but I wanted to let you know about the machine we have. We have a whirlpool cabrio, which is a top loading HE machine. Basically works the same as a front loader, but is a top loader. I would imagine that it would clean and use water the same as a front loader. My dryer is a front loader to match. I am very happy with the cabrio. It cleans pretty well, but I have noticed that if I put clothes in that have stuck on food, it doesn't clean well (probably because of how little water is in there). It really does use less water (much less) and you can wash 2 regular loads of clothes at one time. The drum doesn't have that stick that goes up through the middle, so you put 2 times the clothes in it and washes with less water than 1 load in a regular washer. Also, the cabrio is inexpensive compared to others on the market. It's digital, so you have some buttons that you can press, however, has a lot of preset wash cycles (whitest whites, bulky, sheets/towels, normal, colors, wool, delicate, handwash, etc). It also has a cycle where you can clean the washer (putting only bleach in, no soap), and has a soak cycle, rinse and spin cycle, and drain and spin cycle. I really love this machine. it's so quiet and I can wash much more clothes at once. Good luck in your decision!

Love my Maytag front loading washer! (A dryer is a dryer, in my opinion...no big difference.)
I can fit a queen size quilt or a queen size mattress pad in my washer. I wash 5 pairs of men's jeans at a time---awesome since all my guys are man size now.

Briefly, here are the pluses: less water, lot less detergent used, clothes last a lot longer because they gently tumble instead of being whipped around an agitator, it's quiet!
And there are a lot of cycle choices on the maytag. Love the stain cycle with kids! That program schedules a "short soak" or a "long soak" in the wash cycle for the real dirty things.

I am so glad I bought it!

We bought MayTag front loaders in August 06. We love them. They are so quiet. A little soap goes a long way. If you don't buy the recommended HE soap/softner (the HE stuff is pricey) then use less of the regular stuff. The water it uses is based on the amount of clothes in the machine. There is a sensor, probably a weight sensor that knows how much water to use. we bought the drawers to raise them up but we don't use them for anything. Most products are too tall to fit in the drawers. I use them to store surprise gifts, gift bags, etc.. Also, keep the door open on the washer when not in use. It prevents the musty smell that occurs if you don't let the tub dry.

I have a front loader washing machine and it is a European brand LG, it cleans well but I really don't like it! The biggest frustration is that I often start a load of laundry and then find something else that goes in that load and the front loaders LOCK and you can't open it up. I also don't like how the soap, bleach, and fabric softener get added (all through a small slide out drawer - on the top loader, I used to prepare the water with whatever was going in and then add the clothing.

It also seems to hold less laundry per load than top loading machines AND this particular brand takes a long time for each load (even when you set it on a small or short timed load).

You may be wondering why I got this since I am not such a fan... we are living overseas and this washer/dryer came with the house!

I hope that you have better luck.

blessings,
stacy

I have an LG and love it. Yes the cycles are long, but it cleans very well. One great thing, especially having kids, is it has a sanitize cycle. You do need to know that you should let the washer dry out before closing the door when you are done. Otherwise you will get a funk in it. Hope this helps, happy shopping!

Hello,
I have the Fridigare front loaders and I will never have another machine. Whirlpool is good and so are the Kenmore machines. Mine uses only 4 gal of water to wash and rinse and I could not be happoer. The only thing you need to be careful of is the detergent you use- I would suggest only the detergents made for that machine- I have one that I buy wholesale and only uses 1/2 oz and our clothes have never been cleaner. If you want to know what it is = PM me and I will send you to the link.
I would highly recommend these front load machines.
blessings

My only recommendation would be check out the capacity of the front-load washer. We purchased a house and the washer and dryer came with the house. They are Bosch and they do a GREAT job on things. But the capacity of the washer is so much less than my old top-load one, that I have to do more loads. Not sure you save money when doing more loads.

I do like that it has the hand-wash cycle on it. I hate doing hand wash, and this makes it workable.

Good luck. A.

The only thing negative I've heard about front load washers is that they are so conservative with water usage, that they do not do a good job washing cloth diapers. (my friend had one and was a cloth diaper gal before she moved)

You've already recieved so many responses but I thought I'd offer my take. I have the top loading version of the front loaders. To me it's a better product. I don't have to worry about the seal drying out, or not being able to add to the load once the cycle has started. I bought a Maytag Bravos and it's "over sized" I can put a king sized comforter in there no problem. I do have to buy the "HE" soap but it's not much more than the regular stuff. But I don't have to worry about the "suds" thing that happens to most front load washers. We have the front load washer where I work and it's been nothing but problems. Hope this helps you in your quest for a new washer.

I had a front loader for 3 years and loved it. Ike flooded it. But I have bought another one. You don't have to get the most expensive one for it to be a great washer. My first one was the base grade model from Home Depot. The cycle is longer, about the same as a dryer. I found that I don't have as much lint in the dryer, I guess because the tossing action of the washer doesn't beat the clothes up as much. It takes very little detergent. But, yes, you have to leave the door cracked for it not to have a mildew smell after being closed for a day or so. I just left my just a bit ajar, not open all the way. My original one was very quiet too, didn't even know it was running until the signal went off when it ended.

We have a KitchenAid set and LOVE them! We definately save on water, detergent - be sure to buy HE detergent, electricity, and our clothes have less wear.

We bought ours at Costco - you should shop around and see if that works for you. They carry 2 different models if I remember right. They were less expensive and we got money back with our costco amex card & our membership. (we have the upgraded one) so that was an additional $80 right there.

Make sure to have all the water temps you want. I wash towels and bedding on hot, everything else on cold with an occasional warm. Cycles are usually 40 minutes for a regular dirty load, longer if using hot. The spin really reduces the dryer time down.

I saw the other responses on smell. You can have a mildew odor with a regular top loading washer. Just crack the door, we've never had a problem in the 2 years we've owned ours. And we do have the risers, check for rebates on those. They are very handy to hold the detergent and lift the units up - worth the money up front.

I have the LG and love it. One thing that I do on wash day is to save my whites and things that I need to bleach for my last load. After I run the last load with bleach, I make sure that I leave the door open. This prevents any mildew buildup and the funky smell that some people have had problems with.