Top Loader Vs. Front Loader Washer

I have an Electrolux front loader and I love it. Prior to that I had a Siemens from loader top of the line (made by Bosch) and had nothing but problems with the gasket/seal tearing, but it was the repair man not the machine, they were not putting the piece in correctly. So through the lemon law I was able to choose a new washer and chose the Electrolux. I love the Electrolux, I have had no problems with mold/mildew with either one. I love the fact that my clothes come out almost dry as they spin at 1300rpm, makes for less drying time. I also like the fact that I am only doing one load of each colors,whites, etc. This particular washer tells you when the drum/washer needs to be cleaned, run the clean cycle with little bleach and no problems. I also believe that my clothes come out cleaner with this washer, I have to do very little stain treating and I have a 14yoa autistic daughter who gets any and everything on her clothes which would normally need scrubbing to get them clean, but due to the fact that the machine has a stain clean cycle plus a pre wash when necessary, with the stain clean cycle the washer uses ionized water to help remove stains. The front load washers are also very economical as they only use the necessary amount of water (with a max of 13-14 gallons total per load (wash and rinse), many have a built in water heater so the water heats to certain temps for hot and for the sanitize cycle. Continue to do your homework and you may find one you are happy with. I do not and have not had pedestals, you dont have to bend anymore than you would for a dryer.

I LOVE my new Whirlpool Cabrio. I've had it since May and I actually LIKE washing clothes. (Folding is another matter. :))

It's top loading, so none of the issues like mold, water, etc. BUT, it's HE, so it works like a front-loader in that it doesn't have an agitator to ruin clothes, and it's eco-friendly. I also like that you can add stuff after it starts (like that lost sock you find after you start the machine), which you can't do with a front-loader. It's a 5.0 cubic foot capacity, so I can wash ANYTHING in there. We came back from a two-week vacation and I washed both my kids' clothes in the same load. (Now the problem is my dryer can't handle that many clothes!) But the clothes come out barely wet, so they do dry faster. And my clothes have never been cleaner. The features are great, too (time display, "extra clean" mode, auto sensor to measure amount of water needed). Sorry...I'm gushing, but I really do love my washer. :)

They are a little pricey, but we saved a little by opting for the one without the glass lid (most store models show the glass lid), which I was worried would just get scratched anyway.

I LOVE my front loader washer and dryer by LG because:
1. Both use less water and energy
2. I can wash huge loads. I do the laundry for the entire household of 4 people in 4 loads (Colors, Whites, Sheets, Towels).
3. For smaller or mid-week loads, there is a Speed Wash function that washes in 20 minutes.
4. The dryer is awesome and stuff gets really dry in about 15 minutes!

I don't have pedistals and it's fine. It would be nice though so I like the prior idea about building some. I do leave it open in between washings for long enough to dry it out. I like the idea of getting a lock as I haven't figured out how to get the child lock function to work on mine.

I had top loaders and switched to front loaders. I do leave the door open on the washer when I am done, but I have never had a mold problem. I have a child that is very prone to getting sick, so I know how important a washer and dryer can be. I chose not to buy the pedestals, but instead build a stand. It only cost $20!! The front loaders are much gentler on your clothes, and are more energy efficient. I will never go back to a top loader. I love the fact that my clothes are cleaner and brighter. If you do go with a front loader, buy liquid soap only. I find that the powder does not always come out of the container in top, thus leaving a big mess. Good luck with your decision.

We have an LG front loader and dryer. I love them. We've had them about 2 years and do not have a mold problem. I always leave the door open. We also have the pedalstals and they're great for storing things. We have the paint cans for our entire house in them and detergent, etc so they store a lot!

Our water bill has never, ever been more than $9 a month. That's laundry for 4 people, showers, etc and we cloth diaper so I have diaper loads 3-4 times a week. the first time I did a load of laundry I was shocked at how little water it used. And my clothes are still clean.

The only flaw I can find with the LG is the child lock. If you push the off button, it unlocks automatically, which seems counterproductive to me. I don't know if they've fixed that problem in later models, but it's something to consider, esp if you choose not to get the pedalstals.

Hi L.,

I see you have several responses and I have not read any, but thought I'd add my two cents. We have a front loader and it did acquire some black mold on the rubber panel that connects the door to the inside. It won't come off, but it also does not smell and it is not goopy or anything like that. Now I just leave the door cracked when I finsh all my loads to avoid the growth. That is what the Frigidaire website said to do and I wish I would have done that from the beginning.

As to the pedestals: buy them. I did not becasue I thougth they were too expensive (Ithink around 400 total) but I really wish I would have. I am going to, probably this month, but I wish I would have right away. It is kind of a pain to bend down while loading and unloading, but is not too bad. I've gone without for almost a year now, so I guess it can't be that bad, right?

Overall, the front loader was a great purchase. I love the high efficiency- the clothes come out nearly dry which saves a ton of money on water bills and electricity bills due to the shortened drying times. So the front loaders are far from perfect, yet way better than the top loader, IMHO.

Good luck!

I have the Whirlpool Cabrio washer and dryer. The washer is HE, and I really like it. I have only had it for about 18 months, but I've had no problems. As is true with HE washers, you have to leave the top open every once in a while to air it out, but it's easier to leave a top open than leave a front door open in my opinion. I also have to use that HE washer cleaner every few months, but that's not a big deal. Prior to this washer I only had low-end cheap-o washers, so this was a BIG step up for me! I really like it and I'm glad I didn't do the front loading.

I've got a front loader and love it too. This is the second one we've had - the first we inherited from my dad and he never left it open - didn't have any problem with mold. My husband felt strongly about the need to keep the door open on the new one, and I was worried about the kids climbing into it and it somehow getting started, so we bought a lock made for front-loading washers from 'Leaps and Bounds' for $15.95 and it works great! It "locks" the door from closing - then when we use the washer, you just press the middle button on the lock, which allows the arm of the lock to swing away and you can close the door. Just a suggestion.

We recently (about 3 years ago) bought a front loading washer/dryer with the pedestals. We needed both anyway, and waited until SEARS had a deal where when you buy two appliances you got so much off the total price, so it was like we got the pedestals for free. Otherwise, my husband would've built pedestals himself instead of purchasing them. That's what my brother-in-law did.

I love them! I'm 5'5", and with the pedestals, I find that it is very easy to load and unload the machines. I always had a hard time reaching down into my top-loading machine. My clothes are also wearing out less quickly, I think because there's no agitator in the washer.

They are prone to mold and you do have to leave the doors open on them, but not all the time. I find that if I leave them open for about an hour after my last load, I can shut them and it's fine. I also make sure to run a "clean washer" cycle once a month (uses bleach and hot water to clean itself).

I don't think the minor incovenience of having to remember to leave the doors open and to run a bleach cycle once in a while is that bad. The benefits much outweigh that.

Oh, and I can do larger loads because there's no agitator, too! :)

I love our front load washer. We do not have a pedestal; I guess when I put laundry in to my (former) top loader, I put the basket on the floor and had to lift laundry; this is easier for me. Yes, I do leave the door open, and I just yesterday (after almost 2 years) cleaned it with a special front-load-washer product. We have a "clean" cycle on our washer that is meant to be used with bleach. We have never had mold, but I do notice my clothes can't be left in the washer all day before I hang them out, but I'm super-sensitive to smells so I probably notice it more than others would. What I love: I love that it spins my clothes REALLY dry. I hang dry most of my clothes, most of the year, and that means I can actually use my drying rack in the winter and still do a couple (huge) loads a day. I love that the loads are a good size for me. We have two small boys, and hopefully will have more, so I do a ton of laundry. The loads are big, but not so huge that it's hard to come up with a full load (we have a smaller front loader). I love that I can was all sorts of things in my washer--my hand quilted quilt from our wedding--without worrying about destroying it. I do not do anything major to my machine; my mother always kept her top-loading washer open, as well, to avoid mold and mildew, so the idea of leaving my door open is not odd to me at all. Oh--and we like the environmental benefits, too. There's my 2 cents!

I almost got a top loader too, but my husband talked me into a front loader and I LOVE it! I don't have the pedestal, and that is fine. My almost 3-yr old likes to "help" with the laundry, so it is a great height for that. Plus, I still have my old dryer, so they are the same height. However, if I was going to be buying a set/staying in my home/keeping my washer for a long time, then I think the pedestal is worth it. Good luck!

Hi! I love my front load washer/dryer (Frigidaire brand, with pedestals). I've had them for 3+ years now. Yes...you need to leave the washer door open in between washes so you don't get a mold problem, but that's pretty easy to do. I love being able to wash really big loads, use less water than my old top loader and because it spins out the water so well, the dryer actually dries my clothes in the same amount of time it takes my washer to wash them, which is a really convenient time saver! Due to my boys having sensitive skin, I've been making my own laundry soap and using it for the last 2+ years in this washer with no problems. The laundry soap recipe I make is: 1 bar of Fels-Naptha laundry soap - finely grated, 1 and a half cups of Borax and 1 and a half cups of Arm & Hammer Washing Soda. You can buy all 3 of these things at Cub Foods. It's really inexpensive and does a great job for pennies a load! Good luck with your new washer!

I went with the front loaders because they have higher capacity (3 kids=lotsa laundry)! Plus they use up far less water and detergent. I've had them for over 1 year. I do not wipe the doors but i try to leave the washer slightly ajar when not in use. I also did not buy pedestals because I am not that tall and make use of the space above to fold and organize clean laundry.

I love my front loader. It's a Miele, a German model. I think it's about 5 years old. I do have to bend down to get the clothes out, but I don't find that any worse than reaching down into a top loader. It was expensive and it was difficult to find a repair person, but in 5 years it has needed only one repair. There are probably front loaders out there now made by the more common American manufacturers. I leave the door open in between loads and haven't had any mold or odor issues. What I really like about it is that you use A LOT less detergent and water. It's also easier on the clothes. They also aren't as wet when they come out so you don't need as much dryer time. Mine has a variety of cycle options, but some of my favorites are "hand wash" and super hot, 190 degrees. It has an internal water heater so it doesn't rely on the temperature of the water in your house. It's still energy efficient though. I wash most of my clothes in cold and rarely use the super hot cycle, but it's really nice if you want to sanitize something.

My machine is a Maytag, and there was a model with the problems you describe (maybe more than one) There was also one or more with a real "wobble" problem if it wasn't on a floor like the basement floor. So avoid models with these problems and you should be good. I absolutely love mine. The pedestal may be an extra cost or installation task, but it's a one-time job and makes the set-up very nice. I'm not even sure it's completely necessary. But I use so little detergent, get super-spun clothes(saves on drying) and feel like they do get cleaner. I do miss the soaking I used to do sometimes in my old tub before I started the load. There is a "soak" setting on my washer, but I don't feel the same knowing the clothes are not all submerged. On the up-side, if it ever breaks down in the middle of a load (has happened to me several times with old top-loaders), there is only a little water in there to deal with.

L.,

When I first saw the front loader, I thought of lots of reasons why I didn't want one - the price at the top of the list. Then it was time to get a new one and I went ahead and bought. I LOVE my front loader! What you said about the mold is true, always leave the washer door open when not in use and you will be fine. But those metal top loaders rust and ruin clothes in the process, so which is worse?

I love my front loader because...

- What used to take 2-3 loads now fits in one.
- In almost two years, it has never gone off balance.
- We save a significant amount of money on water, electricity, soap, dryer sheets. Enough to pay off the price difference over the life of the washer.

Things that are important...
- Use the HE detergent. Regular will work for about 2 years, then break the machine. Yes, it is more expensive per ounce, but you need a couple tablespoons and it washes your whole load (which used to be 2-3 loads) where the regular detergent requires 1/4-1/2 cup times 2-3 loads. So you will spend less over the course of a year.
- Get the pedastals. Don't wait and see and plan to get them later. The installation is tricky and it's usually free when you get the washer, but they won't come back and do it for free if you buy the pedastals later.
- Check the rubber area after washes. Socks and nursing pads are notorious for slipping in there. I find one at least once a month.
- Run an empty load or a load with bleach once every three months. If you do this and keep the door open, mold won't be a big problem.
- Look for discounts, especially right now. Our electric company offered a $75 rebate, Home Depot had free delivery and installation plus a 10% sale plus a $50 rebate, and it may fall under the government's stimulus plan because it's high efficiency, so you could get a tax credit, too.
- I am very happy with the Maytag (not Neptune.) Maytag had a fiasco a few years back and although it's fixed, their rep is shot and they had to lower prices. It's actually made by Whirlpool who bought Maytag and is the same machine as a Whirlpool, but costs less. You may want to do some research. Whirlpool announced closing as of July 2008, so I don't know what happens next and how that effects things.

Hope you find what works best for you,
S.

I have had 2 front load H E washers and we have moved twice and I had no prob. leaving them behind they smell really bad and it is hard to leave the doors open on them unless they are in a open room with no door to get in the way or little ones to get into them. I now have a H E top load washer and I love it don't get me wrong the front load washes up things really good but I love to leave the door open and it is easer to do that in a top load, yes it was a little more expensive but worth it. If you go with a front load it is wise to leave the tray door open along with the front door. They do have cleaners that you can use to help with the mold and smell but it only lasts for so long and that adds up in price too.

We got the Samsung front loader washer and dryer a few months ago with the pedestals. I couldn't be happier. For the first time in my life I am actually enjoying doing laundry.

I would justt like to say that I love my front loader. I do not have it on anything, I have no problem with getting the laundry out of the washer. I do leave the door open just a little however not a big deal. If I needed a new washer I would buy a front loader in a heart beat.

Hi L.....we bought the GE Profile Harmony set about 1 year ago and LOVE it. We had heard the same thing about front loaders and the woman at the appliance store said that the doors should really be left open on front loading washers. Well, with 3 kids under 5 at our house, that is not happening. The Harmony set acts like afront loader in many ways. It has no aggitator so it is VERY quite (ours is upstairs by our bedrooms and I don't hear it at all), has an automatic water fill sensor (no picking water levels) and allows you to have "favorite settings" My favorite part is that the washer/dryer are connected by a cable and they TALK to each other :) After you do a load of laundry the washer tells the dryer how long it will take for the clothes to be dry. It bases it on the amount of clothes you have in the washer and allows you to pick on the dryer what type of things are being washed (towels, cottons, knits, etc) Perfect timing always....I have NEVER had to run the dryer for 10 more minutes to get things done. Good luck :)

I have a front loader and yes, it has mold. Oddly enough, it doesn't affect my laundry. It still gets clean and smells good, but there is yucky mold on the rubber thing that goes around the opening. (Yes, I've used "Smelly Washer" and no, it hasn't done much good so far.)

I've done research, and have been shocked to find that NO ONE seems to have solved this problem.

Get a top loader!

I got a front loader from Sears about 5 years ago. Have not had a repair yet. Sometimes I leave the door open, sometimes I don't. Never had a problem with smells or mold. Have never run a 'clean' cycle, either. Do not have a pedestal and have never considered it a negative to be able to have my kids help me. Also agree that I love helping the environment, saving on detergent, and saving drying time. Oh, and I have pushed in the button (pulls out to start) to stop a load when I've found that other sock, and thrown it right in with no problems. Otherwise, the door does lock, yes, so the kids can't just pull it open.

Several months ago we switched over to the front loading washer/dryer. I didn't buy the pedastals because our laundry is on the 2nd floor and that would make it more prone to shaking. Honestly.... I LOVE my new machines so much better than my old ones. My old ones were not that old, but I'm pregnant with my 5th child and I really needed a much bigger and more efficient w/d. I have NO regrets at all. I haven't had any problems with mold. I keep the doors closed because we have a 2 year old. I do laundry often, so maybe that is why I don't have that problem. We were told to do that when we purchased it, but it hasn't been necessary. Even when we've gone out of town for 10 days, I didn't have any mold build up. We bought the electolux brand.

Good luck with your decision!

I too wanted a top loader wash machine. I found a washer that uses the tech. of front loading but is a top loader. It uses less water and has no agitator (uses jets to move the clothes) Over all I like it but it does tangle the clothes more in the wash so there is more wrinkles. The brand is whirlpool but I think all the major brands now make the same type. It washes more clothes per load because of the no agitator, also a plus. Its H/E and uses less soap!
Good Luck!

When My kids were little I went to Sears and said, "I want the biggest and baddest washer you have!". That was the best washer I ever owned and last me 14 years with only a few repairs.
After that I got a name brand, top of the line, front loader and it lasted only a few years. It leaked, burned out the motherboard. I bought a cheaper washer for what the that repair would've cost and it has lasted almost 8 years and has never needed a repair!