Should You Get a Top-Load or Front-Load Washer?

Take a look at the pros and cons of each to help decide which is right for you.

The average American family does nearly 400 loads of laundry every year. That’s a lot of dirty socks.

While most families still use traditional top-loading washers to handle all of that laundry, new front-loading models are making serious headway into the market.

Which is the best type to use? We take a quick spin through the pros and cons of each.

Top-Loaders: Pros

1. Familiarity

   New appliances can be daunting, especially with all those technical features. Sometimes it can feel like you’re piloting a space shuttle just to do a load of laundry. Not so with most top-loaders. Everyone is familiar with them: the central agitator, the wash cycles. They’re what most people used growing up, and some estimates say 75% of households still do.

2. Adding clothes mid-cycle

   It never fails: You start your load and then notice a sock on the laundry room floor. Not a problem with a top-loader. Just pop it open, drop in the wayward sock and resume the wash cycle. With most front-loaders, you can’t open the door once the cycle has started.

3. Price

   Top-loaders are generally cheaper than their fancy front-loading cousins. You can get a base model for around $300, and the price goes up from there, based on the fancier features.

4. Comfort

   For some people, especially those with back problems, it’s simply more comfortable to load and unload from the top of the washer. No bending required.

5. Detergent

   With top-loaders, you can use the same kind of detergent you’ve been using all your life. Front-loaders require specially made suds.

Top-Loaders: Cons

1. Energy costs

   There’s only one, but it’s a biggie: Top-loaders use an average of 7,000 more gallons of water than front-loaders per year. One reason is because the tub of a top-load washer fills with water, but it doesn’t in a front-loader. With a top load, you use more water and more energy to heat that water.

Front-Loaders: Pros

1. Energy costs

   Front loaders need less water per load, and some estimates say they use as much as 50% less energy than their traditional cousins, making them more economical and better for the environment.

2. Speed

   The speed of the spin cycle on front-loaders is much faster than the spin of top-loaders. That means your clothes come out drier, resulting in less drying time. So you’ll be saving time and money on that aspect as well.

3. Space inside the washer

   Front-loaders don’t have agitators like top-loaders do. Agitators take up a lot of space. Because the basket is empty, you’ve got much more room for larger loads. And larger loads mean less loads.

4. Bells and whistles

   For techies who love the latest and greatest features, front-loaders are generally a better fit. Many have steam cycles for heavy stains, smart features that allow you to start and monitor the laundry when you’re not home and electronic keypads — the whole nine yards.

Front-Loaders: Cons

1. Smell

   Some people report that their front-loaders can develop a rather unpleasant smell. That’s because water gets trapped in the seals around the door and can lead to mold. There are ways to prevent this from happening, but as a buyer, you should be aware of this issue.

2. Comfort

   Consider the amount of bending you’ll be doing to take clothes in and out of the washer 400 times a year. If you’ve got a bad back, a top-loader is probably a better choice.

3. Price

   Over time, you’ll see savings on your energy bills, but your front-loading machine will cost you more up-front.

4. Detergent

   You’ll need to use specially formulated detergent for your front-loader.

The Best of Both Worlds?

Having trouble deciding? Consider a high-efficiency top-load washing machine. There are a lot of makes and models to choose from. Though they’re more expensive than traditional top-loaders, they’ve got the innovations usually associated with front-loaders. You can find ones with fancy computerized keypads that save just as much energy as front-loaders, do loads in less time and have cool features like steam.

Quick Answers: Should You Get a Top-Load or Front-Load Washer?

• Top-Loader Pros: familiarity, adding clothes mid-cycle, price, comfort, detergent

• Top-Loader Cons: energy costs

• Front-Loader Pros: energy costs, speed, space inside the washer, bells and whistles

• Front-Loader Cons: smell, comfort, price, detergent