When you’re looking to buy a top-loading or front-loading washing machine, there are some not-so-obvious pros and cons to be aware of. Beyond the location of the door, these machines can vary by efficiency, capacity, cleaning cycles and more.
“There are several factors to consider before setting your heart on one model,” said Ian Palmer-Smith, an appliance expert at Domestic & General, an appliance care company headquartered in London. Consider your priorities: energy savings, space or affordability, Palmer-Smith said.
We asked experts to weigh in on the differences between top-loading and front-loading washers, which they prefer, and how to decide which one is best for you.
Front-loaders can conserve space.
One of the biggest perks of a front-loading washer besides its “sleek aesthetic”: It can be stacked on top of a dryer, pointed out Morgan LaLonde, laundry brand manager at Whirlpool.
“You can squeeze [them] into a much smaller space, which is a huge pro because a lot of people have a closet where their washer and dryer fit,” Patric Richardson, known as The Laundry Evangelist, told HuffPost. “Even if you have the luxury of space, stacking your washer and dryer gives you the extra space for a laundry sink, a folding station or a hanging bar. To me, it’s just so worth it.”
While some top-loaders save space with a smaller footprint, most can’t be stacked on top of a dryer, Palmer-Smith noted.
Top-loaders are less likely to develop an odor.
“Front-load washers … have a rubber gasket to help keep water inside during a wash cycle, but they can prevent the empty tub from drying properly when the door is closed,” LaLonde explained.
This can cause the growth of bacteria and mold and lead to a mildewy smell. The fix? She recommends leaving the door open after a wash cycle to allow it to dry.
“I had the same machine for 16 years, and it was never mildewy because I never closed the door,” Richardson noted of his front-loading model.
He said whether you have a front-loader or top-loader, it’s key to remember to clean your washer when you notice buildup on the door or drum — or about every four or five months. He uses a pound of Borax and a gallon of vinegar and runs it on the longest, hottest cycle. (On many washers, this is called the “clean cycle.”)
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Front-loaders generally use less water and energy.
Front-loaders can use up to 40% less water than top-loaders, according to Palmer-Smith.
Front-loading washers “have drums with side paddles that lift up the clothes and use tub rotation and gravity to tumble them through a small amount of water,” according to the website for Energy Star, a program administered by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. “They rinse clothes by repeatedly spraying high-pressure water on the clothes rather than soaking them in a full tub of water.”
In addition to helping you save money on your water bills, front-loaders save on drying time and energy by quickly spinning clothes to wring out more water from clothing.
Top-loaders can clean clothes faster.
“Top-load machines typically have faster cycle times on select models,” LaLonde explained.
Top-loaders with agitators (tall spindles in the center of the basket) are usually the fastest washers, completing a load in 35 to 80 minutes, according to Consumer Reports. High-efficiency top-loaders (which don’t have agitators) do a wash in 60 to 85 minutes. And front-loading machines take the longest to finish a load, 70 to 120 minutes.
Front-loaders are gentler on clothing.
The tumbling motion that front-loaders use to clean isn’t rough on clothing, LaLonde said. The motion of the agitators in top-loaders can be harsh on fabrics. Even high-efficiency top-loaders without agitators aren’t as gentle because the laundry tends to rub against each other, according to Consumer Reports.
Top-loaders are typically less expensive up front.
Front-loaders cost more to buy and repair, Palmer-Smith pointed out. (According to Consumer Reports, the median cost of a front-loader is $1,038 compared with $740 for top-loaders.) But that said, front-loading washers do save you money on energy and water in the long run.
The location of the door matters more than you may think.
It’s important to think about how the location of the door on a top-loader versus a front-loader affects accessibility to the machine. For example, if you have back pain, bending down to use a front loader may not be comfortable for you. Or if you’re shorter, it may be tough to pull clothing out of a top-loader.
“My mother is … 5 feet tall. She can’t reach the bottom of a top-loader,” Richardson said. “She got a front-loader and put it on a pedestal … that put it right at her height. She doesn’t have to bend over to get into it.”
Both washers come in different sizes.
From compact to extra large, most people don’t know that there are different sizes available for both top-loading and front-loading washers, Richardson said.
If you’re the only person in your household, you may want a smaller machine, he noted, but “if you have four kids and they’re all in sports,” you may want to go for an oversized option.
Another pro tip from Richardson: If you have a large family or large amounts of laundry, you could even stack two front-loading washers and dryers on top of each other in your laundry room.
And the experts’ choice is…
Even though Richardson grew up with a top-loader, he chose a front-loader when he bought his own washing machine and never went back. “I really prefer front-loading. It’s easier to get into and you can stack them,” Richardson said, noting he likes the motion the machine uses to wash the clothes.
LaLonde likes a top-load washer with a removable agitator because it has a large, flexible capacity. It “allows me to remove the agitator when I need that extra space for larger items or bedding,” she said.
Palmer-Smith said it’s difficult to choose because each model has its benefits and advantages. “There’s no right answer, and any choice is certainly a trade-off,” he said.
How should you decide?
“Both front- and top-load washers come with advantages, but it comes down to personal preference and laundry needs,” LaLonde said.
Once you consider your priorities and what you need in terms of space, capacity, energy-efficiency, etc., Richardson recommends looking at the washers in person before purchasing.
“Interact with it like you’re going to use it at home,” he said. “Open it up. Put your hands in it … make sure that you like the way it works.”
Want to optimize your laundry routine? Check out some highly rated products that’ll make it less of a chore.
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A Box Legend folding board
No more letting clean laundry occupy one side of the bed for a week, friends. This laundry board is meant to help fold shirts and other items faster and far neater. Lay your clothing on top and flip the board pieces inward for a perfect fold. This should help cut down a good chunk of that laundry mountain on the bed and get you back to starfishing in no time.
This baby has over 5,000 five-star reviews and people especially love how the folding board gives shirts a tidy store-like presentation in their closets and dressers.
Promising review: “I dread folding laundry. But this folder makes it so easy to fold shirts, pants and basically any kind of clothing easy and neat.” — Ash
Wad-Free bed sheet detanglers
If you’re like me and find washing the fitted bed sheet to be a deeply annoying process, these detanglers, first seen on “Shark Tank,” are here to straighten us both out. They’ll help prevent the sheet from wadding so it can dry thoroughly and keep smaller items from getting stuck in the tangles. The top-rated detanglers even help keep socks and bras secure during a drying cycle. If you have a duvet that causes similar dryer problems as the fitted sheet, then no sweat. Wad-Free has special detanglers for that, too. The trick to making these work is to wash on a gentle cycle and avoid overloading the dryer.
Promising review: “My sheets would always burrito up in the dryer so I’d always have to run a second or even third drying session and they still would come out with some wet areas. These take a little time to put on your sheets before you throw them in the wash. You also have to watch [to ensure] a corner didn’t come undone when you move them to the dryer. The little extra time these take is well worth it though. They keep my sheets from bundling up and everything dried with just one run. I bought a second pair of these because I use them on my sheets, blankets, duvet [and] comforter. I might have to buy a third pack so I don’t have to wait for the first round of items to dry before I can do my second load. The comforter sometimes is a little difficult to put one in and they are more likely to slip off, but I still try.” — Niferv
A laundry pre-sorting basket
If sorting your whites and colors is what you dread the most, this stylish two-hamper system can ensure you get it all done long before wash day to save some time. The hamper features a black and white basket respectively that indicates what clothing goes where. It does a great job of keeping things organized while adding to the decor with its sleek, wooden top and metal frame. Heads up: This hamper earned over 200 five-star reviews and the consistent critique you’ll find is that it’s small. However, its small size is exactly what can help you wash more frequently so clothes don’t pile up.
Promising review: “This is a wonderful laundry hamper for my small bedroom. Sorting my clothes into lights and darks saves me time later. The bags are easy to remove and dumping the laundry into the washing machine is easy. An extra bonus is the pocket in the front where I can put things like lingerie that I want to wash separately. I also love the shelf. All around great product, and I would buy it again.” —Michael Massie
OxiClean Max Force laundry stain remover
With over 2,000 five-star reviews, people love this stuff for how it gives them a grace period to save their clothes from stains even when they don’t have time to do laundry right away. Yes, it’s a product that actually makes sense for our busy lives. Spray the garment down, let it sit for up to seven days and when you wash it, the stain can still lift.
Get it in full size or in a travel pack of two smaller-sized bottles. I recommend the travel sizes if you’ve never used the product before or only need to bully stains occasionally.
Promising review: “These are a handy product to have at home on top of the washer or in your purse for on the go with little ones. No strong scent, the packaging is practically leakproof so [it] won’t ruin your purse. And it got stains out of my daughter’s shirt from a few months ago that I thought was there forever. One use and it was gone. I sprayed the spots and let [it sit] two days then threw in the washer. I highly recommend this product.” — Love This
A Dryel at-home dry cleaning kit
Running clothes to the dry cleaners on top of what you have to handle at home is a lot. I’ve certainly left garments hanging in my car a few extra days because I dreaded making the trip. Thankfully, you can bring the cleaners to the crib without the big bill or the drive with the Dryel At-Home Dry Cleaner kit.
This kit can gently clean your higher-maintenance clothing items in 15 to 30 minutes. It’ll come with one stain pen, one odor and wrinkle releaser spray bottle, and cleaning cloths. Just spray the clothes, apply the stain pen if and where you need to and then toss them into the dryer on medium heat. You’ll need 15 minutes for a quick refresh and 30 for a deeper clean. When the cycle ends, hang them up to let wrinkles fall out. Among the 100+ five-star reviews, people seem to appreciate the variety of garments and linens this kit can effectively clean.
Promising review: “I used this to dry clean two wool jackets and they turned out clean and fresh! Loved the freshener spray/ wrinkle releases; still have enough for 5 more uses, plus it contains a stain remover pen. Def worth the price!” — Mary
Ballcap Buddy dishwasher or washing machine holder
Calling all folks who haven’t washed their baseball caps since the Ice Age. Before you scoff, hear (or read) me out because with over 12,000 five-star ratings, this cool contraption is worth grabbing. It serves as a mini-protective cage for your billed hats during the cleaning process. Stick your hat inside, snap it closed and then pop it into the washing machine or dishwasher to clean the hats while preserving their shape. Now, you can add them to your laundry day without over-complicating the process.
Promising review: “Had a Kansas State Wildcats hat that was probably 10 years old and filthy. Sweat stains and an unfortunate bird ‘strike’ at the zoo. Wasn’t sure the hat would survive cleanup, but it did, and looks great. Product is well worth the price! Need to run some other old favorites through the dishwasher as well.” — W
Affresh washing machine tablets
A smelly washing machine means a smelly load of clothes. If you find you often have to rewash loads that still stink after the first cycle, then it might be the machine itself. Popping in a cleaning tablet after wash day will relieve the machine of odor-causing residue that can make the next laundry session a repeat doozy. I use these all the time (plus the Affresh tablets designed for the dishwasher) and my re-wash count is down to zero. Also, you’ll be happy to know these precious tablets have an unbelievable 171,000+ reviews on Amazon!
Promising review: “I’ve been using Affresh washer cleaner in our front-loading washing machine ever since we bought it. I don’t really count how many loads of laundry we do, I just usually do it about once a month or so and that usually does the trick.
Our washing machine has a washer setting for the tablet, so it does a special wash just for the washer cleaner. I like this because it agitates the tablet until it completely dissolves it, and then it spins the sudsy water for quite some time until the washer is nice and clean.
I am really quite happy with the results of this washing machine cleaner. I can always tell when it needs to be cleaned either from the look of the drum or the glass, or sometimes from the way that clothes smell if they are left in the washing machine for a little too long. There are three of us in this household, all adults, and we use the laundry about 3-4 loads per week, so that can give you a gauge at about how often we need to Affresh the washer…” — Noelle
A washer and dryer sock organizer
The one part of my laundry that I can never catch up on is sorting and pairing my socks. I gave it up years ago and just accepted that there would always be a few missing.
That said, this easy washer and dryer sock wrangler might be the game changer to end my decades-long streak of sock drawer chaos. Stick the sock matches into each stretchable yet compressible loop so they brave and survive both laundry cycles together. Finally, our machines will no longer be where matches go missing indefinitely. It’s available in four colors.
Promising review: “I had these for myself. I loved them as I hate wasting time putting socks together after washing. This was the perfect solution. I hung it above my hamper in the closet so it was very convenient. Super convenient once the wash was done too! My grandkids saw it and asked what it was and wanted one for their own socks! I gave them mine and bought a new set for myself. Works great for baby, toddler and kids socks. Works great for women’s and full-length men’s socks too! The dirtiest of socks will still get clean! Love these!!” — Melissa Pilla
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