Hey all
We need a new washing machine. What are the pros and cons of front loaders and top loaders and which brands are the ones to go for?
And of course, any bargains around?
Front loader vs top loader washing machine
ShortyX on 25/03/2012 - 11:47
Comments
Thanks…have read those but also after any personal experiences.
i've got a front load 7kg electrolux loader and i have found that it doesn't rinse very well. water efficiency is pretty pointless because i leave it on 'extra rinse' all the time.
front loaders have a very long wash cycle compared to top load (2.5 hours for mine).
I second that motion as well… rinse is pretty bleh on my front loader as well. For an experiment I ran the machine again on a quick cycle with no detergent, I was surprised by the amount of foam I was able to see being generated by the machine on the first wash cycle, it subsided by the 3rd wash cycle.
I just use less detergent now in my washes.
I have a 7kg Electrolux front loader as well, and had a Simpson top loader before that. I do not have the rinsing problem, but I never overload the machine. There are very specific instructions in the manual about how much you can put for each program. I use cheapo Surf front loader washing powder. I have washed all sorts of things in there, from curtains to tableclothes to clothing. No problems so far.
In comparison, my old top loader tended to damage clothes more, especially business shirts, but I found that the clothes came out drier for the top loader.
I do have the issue of mould around the rubber seals for the front loader. And yes the wash cycle for the front loader is much longer unless you put it on 'quick' mode. But since it has a timer, I just set it the night before to start 2 hours before I wake up the next morning.
It is important to use front loader washing powder for front loader machines otherwise there will be too much suds. It is however possible to use front loader powder for top loading machines.
If you've started a cycle, you can't throw something into a front loader whereas you can with a toploader. Front loaders also have a well deserved reputation for going mouldy around the front door seal.
We took advantage of a Govt rebate to buy a front loader a few years ago (3 maybe) and I absolutely hate it - I have to rewash at least half of what I put into it because it simply doesn't clean. I've been through every liquid laundry detergent there is.
FWIW it's a Bosch, supposedly a watersaving model - the tradeoff seems to be that it does indeed save water per cycle, but if it has to be done again it uses any water it may have saved anyway, and then some.
There's lemons on each side, i had to re-wash clothes all the time with my old top loader.
Mold can be removed with vinegar if it happens.
There's lemons on each side,
True.
i had to re-wash clothes all the time with my old top loader.
You'll find that the problem is endemic to most front loaders; you simply can't be spartan with the suds, water & agitation if you want to actually get stuff clean! ;)
My front loader is fine. Haven't had to re-wash anything yet, i love it.
We have gone from top to front loader for energy efficiency, and i prefer it.
Quite a lot of opinions here, plus the front loader i got
So far no troubles, had a plumber come by for another reason, and he complimented it (a little wierd i know), told us it was the same as his, and he'd had it for a few years without trouble.
all the women i've ever talked to swore by top loaders in the 8kg class (for sheets n stuff)
they're the experts i guess
I would agree with them, certainly 7kg absolute minimum & top loader for sheer versatility!
Most of my friends who've gone front loaders are kicking themselves for falling victim to the hype! ;)
Front loader, no question.
Top loaders are less efficient, do more damage to clothes - frankly they are throwbacks to the 1960s.
Top loaders are less efficient,
Not if you have to wash twice with a front loader to get an acceptable clean!
do more damage to clothes
This is a bit of a myth, wearing them is far more damaging than washing them unless you're banging them between stones on the Ganges!!! Also, you might want to reconsider the myth in light of point one…twice washed = twice the wear & tear! ;)
frankly they are throwbacks to the 1960s.
IMHO front loaders are the equivalent of throwing out the baby with the bath water! Great idea, just needs serious refining for mass rollout if they intend to make top loaders redundant.
do more damage to clothes
This is a bit of a myth,
I agree - it's a myth, a furphy generated by the sellers of front loading and bubble-type washing machines.
At one stage a friend who was replacing her front loader 'donated' it to us - if you want to talk about damage to clothes, that thing was an absolute killer! We passed it on to charity quick smart, and it put me off even considering another one for a long time.
FWIW, I've always had a good run out of both Simpson & Westinghouse top loaders! they're simple to use & maintain (making them feasible to repair later), reliable (KISS principle), and do a good wash day in day out! :)
I would steer clear of Fisher & Paykel, complete rubbish IME.
I think F&P are renown on the net as horrible.
True. Their refrigerators are a nightmare. We have a f&p topload washer at another place thats about 6 y/o and it has been very good but i have heard others have had a lot of problems with them.
Our machine here is a LG 8kg topload 2 y/o and it is brilliant. Very clean wash, clothes come out very dry and it is sooo silent. 10 year warranty on drive system is a bonus. We have had and used a lot of machines in our time and this LG washer is so far ahead of anything we have ever used.
From what I have read I would avoid front load washers. One thing I saw was that the bearing or support system for the drum is only at the rear and can wear out easily.
As someone has said.. frontloaders are more hype than functional.
I bought a 7.5kg LG front loader about 12 months ago now and it has been perfect so far. I've had none of the issues with clothes not cleaning well or with mould.
When I was doing my research , I found the reviews of basically any top loaders were extremely polarised. Every single make and model had some saying it was the best and others cursing every day they'd had it. Front loaders on the other hand seemed to have far more consistent reviews. Add to that what all the dealers I spoke with said and front loaders were a no-brainer.
we recently bought a front loader and its seems to be working alot better than the top loaders.. for us it seems to cleaner alot better and the clothes seem to come out alot dryer.. if u do get a washing machine try to get a miele.. i can not recommend them enough =)
f u do get a washing machine try to get a miele.. i can not recommend them enough =)
Hubby took one look at the price and announced that it wasn't happening. lol
I think worth considering is that with a front loader you have to bend/squat down to pick up the clothing into a basket. So you might have to consider if the person who does the washing the most in the house is capable of lifting heavy objects.
We got a Whirlpool WFS1273BD 7.5kg a few years ago. Very happy with it. no issues with mould. I almost always use the Daily Wash cycle. Never had to rewash same load. I regulary wash Double and Queen Downnessa quilts and a in normal cylcle with no issues. I even wash pillows! (my kids tend to drool in their sleep)
In my personal experience, the front loader was a huge improvement from the previous 7kg Whirlpool top loader. The clothes are a lot cleaner and far less wrinkly . The clothes never get tangled. The water bill is visibly reduced.
The only negative I find is that Im not able to add extra items once the cycle has started. And also, with zippers and metal buttons, i have to make sure they are closed or turn the clothes inside out so that the metal does not hit the machine door while it is spining around. (btw, same goes for the dryer as well. first time I put a pair of jeans in it and there was cracks on the plastic door ). And ofcourse the wash cycles are much longer (the daily wash is about 1hr 20min, but if u r washing a small load the Quick cylce is only 30min)
As for having to bend/squat down to put clothes in/out of basket, yes thats true. But that hasn't bothered me yet. Maybe as I get old(er), I may think differently. But as for lifting the heavy basket, I had to do that with the top loader as well anyways :/
Thanks for the sharing but Problem with my Whirlpool front loader is that it gets mould…any help in this, please advice…Thanks in advance
I periodically run an empty cycle with a very minute (a teaspoon) of bleach (don't use too much or else you need to run another cycle again to clear it off and the smell is pretty head spinning) and that seems to clear off all the mould. Up above they mention vinegar LOL I can't stand that smell, vinegar is better served on my chips.
A little talc powder around the seal after each wash should do the trick.
Thanks for the sharing but Problem with my Whirlpool front loader is that it gets mould…any help in this, please advice…Thanks in advance
Up above they mention vinegar
Yes, a HOT cycle with a cup of vinegar once a week is widely recommended, and supposedly, drying the door and seals after the wash, then leaving the door ajar between uses prevents it altogether - sure as heck didn't work with mine though.
I think it's unlikely that running anything through it is going to remove the mould that is already there though - some tea tree oil and elbow grease works reasonably well.
For those who prefer a front loader, but have difficulty with bending to remove the clothes from the washer, there is a stand you can get for them, about 400mm high that has a built-in drawer.
That stand sounds like just what I wanted. will have a look. thanks
I have a toploader and find my black clothes and fleecy clothes always get fluff on them I don't wash them together .was away at my daughters she has a front-loader and my clothes came out fluff free
You just need to clean your lint filter Maria!
Pull out the bit in the middle of the agitator that you normally fill with fabric softener & you will find a little bag or basket that gets full of lint & human oils from normal washing.
Clean that, run a hot cycle through with a bit of vinegar, no detergent & no clothes; then it will be good as new again! I would clean the lint filter at least once a month if I were you!
[edit] LOL, I see geewhizz has beat me to it with the vinegar tip! ;)
we recently bought a fisher & paykel top-loader and we love it. it may not be as energy efficient as a front loader, but i can pause and throw in stuff while washing… it washes really nicely too.
the front loader we used to have gets mouldy easily (the door area). our little one likes to throw stuff inside too which can be dangerous.
I have a Bosch (the one with the 1200rpm spin) and am very happy with it. To those who say you can't add something when it's started-you merely turn it off and wait about a minute and you can then unlock the door and add stuff. I find on average I have about 1 1/2 the load of a top loader and it's the first time my mattress protectors have come out really clean. Don't have a problem with not rinsing as I don't use the eco wash (over 2 hours per load) but the standard cotton on 30deg works great in 58 mins. The only neg I have is the bending down but as I have a small laundry I sacrificed this for having it built under a bench to give me more room. The clothes come out very dry due to the high spin and haven't used the dryer since i bought it. Even over this wet Sydney summer they are dry in a day or so on an indoor clothesline. (A small rotary one like Aldi had last week for $25-takes less space and holds a full load)
I recently bought that same Bosch and couldn't be happier with it. As bluesuby09 said, the clothes come out pretty dry already so even when I hang the clothes indoors they're fully dry within a day. Having just moved out of a rental with an awful Simpson washing machine, I can really tell the difference in how clean and fresh the clothes are after a regular mixed load, cold water wash.
Now, to reiterate what others have said, front loaders pretty much always cost less to operate than top loaders, although their initial price point can be higher. The Bosch WAE24272AU in particular has a really high energy rating (4 stars) and water efficiency rating (4.5 stars). Not sure how good it would be for a large family, but there are only two of us and we do a wash on average every other day and it works for us. I also don't use eco wash, so combined with our small loads we're probably not being very environmentally friendly after all, but it does what we bought it to do and we're very pleased so far.
The Good Guys beat the best price I could find and provided free delivery and setup.
Having just moved out of a rental with an awful Simpson washing machine, I can really tell the difference in how clean and fresh the clothes are after a regular mixed load, cold water wash.
I don't think the comparison of a brand new machine to an old (most likely not maintained) unit in a rental property is a fair measure by any stretch of the imagination! It's great that you're happy with your new washer; but remember, apples to apples! ;)
Haha, fair point. What I meant is, it's hard to appreciate a good washing machine until you've experienced a truly sucky one!
Mould solution! We have a Whirlpool frontloader and we love it (I know, it seems to be love or hate and no inbetween with washing machines and their owners). When we previously rented, a frontloader was included but it was all rusty around the door and it stopped working anyway so that's when we bought the new Whirlpool. The rusty door on the old one made us paranoid so we always leave the door of our new one slightly ajar when it's not in use to dry out, no big deal. After 2 years, not an ounce of rust but also not an ounce of mould either, so I'd say that's the solution to prevent any mould occurring too.
we always leave the door of our new one slightly ajar when it's not in use to dry out….. but also not an ounce of mould either, so I'd say that's the solution to prevent any mould occurring too.
Not necessarily so, sorry. The bosch I previously mentioned, the door was well ajar when not in use from the day we got it - didn't make a scrap of difference.
We recently got a Panasonic and couldn't be happier with its performance. It uses less water than the bosche and does a far superior clean. A big plus for me is that is also has a child lock for when little ones are here.
Obviously it depends on your usage, but from experience the MAYTAG Commercial Washer Dryer Combo is the best thing I have ever bought. I have been through 4 washing machines/dryers and wish this was the first thing I bought after starting a family.
We have had the combo for 6 years and it has never missed a beat, not even a service needed. 6 washing/3 drying buttons, so easy to operate and only takes max 90 minutes to wash and dry a full load.
Originally in summer we used the clothes line to dry, but I figured the time/effort involved in the hanging/folding isn’t worth the ~$2 per load. All we have now is one retractable string line running along the laundry wall from Bunning’s inside to dry synthetic material.
We got ours direct from Maytag Commercial http://www.maytag.com.au/maytagcommerciallaundry.html for $3500 and the guys there can remove the coin operation for residential use. They would probably have updated models now but here’s a gumtree link for anyone who wants to see the exact one - http://www.gumtree.com.au/s-ad/balingup/other-stuff-for-sale…
I’m sure they could remove the coin operation on these ones if you asked.
http://www.choice.com.au/reviews-and-tests/household/laundry…