Top Loaders versus Front Loader Washing Machines

I'm not an expert......but i've never heard of a front load leaking......but like everything else.....it may happen.
I have all sorts of alerts on my machine, which helps with the question......what's wrong......for some odd reason, one time last year, had a load in, when i went to take it out, couldn't, the door locked, after talking to service person.....was told a release button under the machine, below the door.
Took me a little bit to get at it.....because my washer and dryer are on pedestals.
Got the door released......has never happened again.
I love front load machines.
 

Don M. said:
EPA rules and regulations, regarding the excess use of water in recent years, seems to be driving the push towards Front Load Washers. While these units Do use less water, the consensus among most rating services still put Top Load washers as being the best...for actually getting laundry clean. The added complexity in these Front Loaders, with extra controls to limit water waste, also increases the likelihood of unit failure, and added repair costs.
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This is my understanding as well. Front loaders are also prone to a musty/moldy smell, but they have perfume for that! :cautious:
 

Yes I have heard of that moldy smell.

Not many in the US do our laundry in the kitchen, so top loaders are big here. Front loaders are getting popular though, but so are the complaints about the smell.
 
A few years ago when I needed to replace my washer, I got a top loader (Speed Queen). Back then, there were many complaints about mold growing around the door of front loaders & people were told to leave the door open after washing.
Also, I don't see how a front loader can rinse clothes with that little water. Even my top loader washer stops filling up 5 inches from the top due to Govt. regulations, which is really dumb because it reduces the capacity. Luckily it has an override switch so I can fill it to the top.
 
debodun said:
I vote for top loaders, but they are being phased out at the local laundromats. One has done away with them completely. The other only has 4 units. There was a Whirlpool top loader in the house when my parents bought it and who knows how long it was there before that. It stopped working a few years ago, and since then I've been using a top loader in the laundromat. But my biggest concern is leakage from a front loader if the door seal goes. In a top loader the water is less likely to leak out.
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The top loader leak out the bottom, ours did, flooded the laundry room and kitchen. Once we can not work outside we have to tear the flooring up inside, next month probably. Oh, happy days.
 
WhatInThe said:
How long are people's front loaders lasting before the first repair. Got about 10 years off a top loader before the first repair. Made 3 repairs in 17 years.
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I have had my front loader for 9 years and never had any problems with it. (Now that I've said that, it will probably give up the ghost, but I've certainly had my moneys worth from it).
 
I've only had top loaders. I bought a new one a few years ago that was an "energy saver" and found, after the first load, that it was rinsing in about 6 inches of water and leaving lots of soap and dirty water in the clothes.

I called the store about it and was told that was the new government regulation. As @win231 says above, it was as bad as the new low-flow toilets. So the nice store manager exchanged my new washer for one that had an "extra rinse" cycle which I keep it set to permanently. So yes, just like the low flow toilets that require extra flushes, this "energy saver" top loader is doing double rinsing with every load.

My son is a cashier at Wal-mart so every evening he steps from the garage to the laundry room and strips off his outer work clothes into the machine for a good hot washing. He has about 300 people through his line everyday, just think of the germs.
 
Rosemarie said:
I have had my front loader for 9 years and never had any problems with it. (Now that I've said that, it will probably give up the ghost, but I've certainly had my moneys worth from it).
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9 years isn't bad. But good top loaders can last more than 30 years. Before mine was replaced, I gave my sister my old Kenmore washer & dryer. They were both already 30 years old & she's still using them - for the past 7 years. The dryer has never been repaired. The washer only had one repair - when a rat chewed the water hose.
The repairman fixed the water hose.
Our Collie fixed the rat & after he was through with it, I fed it to my Boa Constrictor (who loved it.) :)

Boa constrictor subspecies - north brazilian bcc - allison theus
 
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About 12 years ago I replaced our top load Maytag (20+) with a front load, stackable set from Sears. We were remodelling the basement bathroom/laundry so it seemed the right thing to do. It sure wasn’t. Right after years of hearing people rave about their front loaders, I started hearing the complaints re them.

The front loader doesn’t have enough water to do a good job, IMO. No flexibility in their pre-programmed setting.

I also think the lack of water probably contributed to the ease of bed bugs spreading.

I will admit all the new top loaders that I’ve seen have electronic controls too so may no longer be so flexible.
 
Aunt Marg said:
Gee whiz... is the option available to you to have your own washing machine and dryer in your own unit?
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If I could get a small unit, I would buy it.
Water, heat, and electricity is included in my rent which I am happy with.
I'm lucky the laundry room is right on my floor and that we have a laundry room.
All kinds of people have to drive to a laundromat to do their laundry. The prices aren't any better.
 
MickaC said:
I'm not an expert......but i've never heard of a front load leaking......but like everything else.....it may happen.
I have all sorts of alerts on my machine, which helps with the question......what's wrong......for some odd reason, one time last year, had a load in, when i went to take it out, couldn't, the door locked, after talking to service person.....was told a release button under the machine, below the door.
Took me a little bit to get at it.....because my washer and dryer are on pedestals.
Got the door released......has never happened again.
I love front load machines.
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I'm going to check that out. It might be quite handy.
 
Right from day one, i left the door of my front load machine open enough so not to create spell, or mold for that matter.
On the top load ones i used to have, i also left it in a way the lid was open a certain amount, they do develop a smell as well.
@debodun.......i've never heard of leaving the dryer door open.....must be hard on the light?
Also learned that front load do not require as much soap and softner.
The odd time if i've filled with too much.......message on machine was SUD......machine rested till suds went down......then continued with the cycle.
 
MickaC said:
Right from day one, i left the door of my front load machine open enough so not to create spell, or mold for that matter.
On the top load ones i used to have, i also left it in a way the lid was open a certain amount, they do develop a smell as well.
@debodun.......i've never heard of leaving the dryer door open.....must be hard on the light?
Also learned that front load do not require as much soap and softner.
The odd time if i've filled with too much.......message on machine was SUD......machine rested till suds went down......then continued with the cycle.
Click to expand...
Yes, since day one, the door of my washing machine has been left open to prevent odour, too.

Being such a fussy person, I hate open doors and such, but... the horror stories I've heard from others regarding stinky rubber seals. Definitely no thanks to that.

My old top-loading washing machine had no rubber seal around the lid, but I always left it open anyway, mind you that old washing machine dated back to the late 70's. It was an oldie but a goodie. I do miss it.
 
MickaC said:
I'm not an expert......but i've never heard of a front load leaking......but like everything else.....it may happen.
I have all sorts of alerts on my machine, which helps with the question......what's wrong......for some odd reason, one time last year, had a load in, when i went to take it out, couldn't, the door locked, after talking to service person.....was told a release button under the machine, below the door.
Took me a little bit to get at it.....because my washer and dryer are on pedestals.
Got the door released......has never happened again.
I love front load machines.
Click to expand...
I get an occasional alert on mine, where it beeps to let me know a load is not balanced, and that sort of thing.
 
Camper6 said:
If I could get a small unit, I would buy it.
Water, heat, and electricity is included in my rent which I am happy with.
I'm lucky the laundry room is right on my floor and that we have a laundry room.
All kinds of people have to drive to a laundromat to do their laundry. The prices aren't any better.
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I would, too.

Nothing like having ones very own washing machine and dryer.
 
The top loaders I remember that leaked was caused by pins going into the gaskets in the pump.

Remember those pins? The shirts we bought were loaded with them. They came packaged for display folded nicely and pinned in place.

I had it down to a science. I knew exactly how to fix it. The main problem in the old washers were the timers which were mechanical and had contacts that wore out. I replaced a few of them.
Now the timers are electronic. Not perfect but relatively less problems.
 
I have a front loader , my second one (the first was ruined in a flood) on a pedestal (the fist one may have been saved if it was up on a pedestal) and I love it.I have always kept the door open the way I did with my top loaders. I has a super duper sanitizing cycle that I use just about daily for the dogs pee pads. They come out so clean and fresh smelling it's wonderful. It also has a cleaning cycle that takes out all the old soap scum and leaves the washer fresh and clean.
 
Rosemarie said:
Absolutely! You never know what was in the machine before you used it. Some people actually wash their slippers!
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Many years ago my washing machine broke down, so off to the Laundromat I went. Normally, for such occurrences, family was receptive as to me doing it in their homes, but this day I thought, Laundromat.

Well, I walked into the Laundromat with two baskets of washing, and the very first top-loading washing machine I walked over to had cigarette butts inside of it. There was powdered detergent spilled everywhere, and the smell in the air was disgusting.

I came prepared, washed down the folding table with Pine-Sol and a cloth, ran a sanitizing cycle through the cleanest washing machine I could find, washed my laundry, Pine-Sol treated the inside of the industrial front-loading dryer I selected before using, and couldn't get out of the creepy, filthy, unkempt place fast enough.

My feelings driving home were, because it's a Laundromat and the people who use it never had to work for the appliances, anything goes. Diesel socked clothing and articles, filthy outdoor mats, and whatever else people take to Laundromats to wash, and in some cases (I'll bet a lot), there are people who purposely go to Laundromats to launder questionable things, because they can, because they wouldn't dare launder such in their own washing machines and dryers at home, so why not go to a Laundromat and abuse those machines instead.

So disgusting.
 

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