Washing Machines

Front-loaders tend to give you the best of everything, but traditional top-loaders offer the best value

You'll find more variety in the washing-machine aisle when you visit an appliance store these days. Traditional top-loaders with agitators are going strong, but front-loading washers are gaining ground, thanks to their very good washing performance, large capacity, water and energy efficiency, and quiet operation.

Despite the advantages of front-loaders, many Americans still prefer a top-loading design. Manufacturers have responded with washers that promise some of the advantages of front-loaders in a top-loader. Models include the Calypso from Whirlpool and Kenmore, the GE Harmony, and the Maytag Neptune TL. This new breed of washer replaces the usual vertical agitator post with different mechanisms to circulate laundry. The design increases capacity and reduces water and energy usage.

Washing machines of all types are becoming more energy efficient. New, stricter Department of Energy standards regarding energy and hot-water use and water extraction became effective in January 2004, and standards will become even more stringent in 2007. Many front-loaders and some top-loaders already meet the 2007 requirements.


WHAT'S AVAILABLE

The top four brands--GE, Kenmore (Sears), Maytag, and Whirlpool--account for more than 80 percent of washing-machine sales. Other brands include Admiral and Amana (made by Maytag), Frigidaire (made by Electrolux), Hotpoint (made by GE), and KitchenAid and Roper (both made by Whirlpool). You may also run across smaller brands such as Crosley, Gibson, and White-Westinghouse, all of which are made by the larger brands. Asko, Bosch, Miele, and Siemens are European brands. Fisher-Paykel is imported from New Zealand, LG and Samsung from Korea, and Haier from China.

Traditional top-loaders. Traditional top-loaders fill the tub with water, then agitate the clothing. They use more water than other types of washers, and thus consume more energy to heat the hot water. They also extract less water from laundry during the spin cycle, which results in longer drying time and higher energy costs. Because they need to move the laundry around to ensure thorough cleaning, these machines hold about 12 to 16 pounds, which is less than large front-loaders and top-loaders without agitators in the center of the tub.

On the plus side, top-loaders make it easier to load laundry and to add items midcycle. You can also soak laundry easily. This type of machine has the shortest cycle times and is the only one that gives the best results with regular detergent. But most top-loaders are noisier than front-loaders, and there's a risk of loads getting unbalanced. Price range: $200 to $650.

High-efficiency (HE) top-loaders with new wash systems. The GE Harmony and the Calypso models from Kenmore and Whirlpool have a “wash plate,” rather than an agitator, to move clothes around. The Maytag Neptune TL has discs that lift and tumble laundry. Washing performance is usually better than with regular top-loaders, and capacity is generally larger as well.

These top-loaders work somewhat like front-loaders, filling partially with water and spinning at very high speeds. Most are more efficient with water and energy than regular top-loaders, but the high spin speeds that reduce drying time (and energy consumption) tend to make clothing more wrinkled. These machines work best with low-foaming, high-efficiency detergent. Price range: $900 to $1,300.

Front-loaders. Front-loaders get clothes clean by tumbling them in the water. Clothes are lifted to the top of the tub, then dropped into the water below. They fill only partially with water and then spin at high speed to extract it, which makes them more efficient with water and energy than regular top-loaders. Most handle between 12 and 20 pounds of laundry. Like HE top-loaders, front-loaders wash best with low-sudsing detergent. Many front-loaders can be stacked with a dryer to save floor space. Price range: $600 to $1,600.

Space-saving options. Compact models are typically 24 inches wide or less (compared with about 27 inches for full-sized washers of all types) and they can wash 8 to 12 pounds of laundry. A compact front-loading washer can be stacked with a compact dryer. Some compact washers can be stored in a closet and rolled out to be hooked up to the kitchen sink. Price range: $450 to $1,700.

Washer-dryer laundry centers combine a washer and dryer in one unit, with the dryer located above the washer. These can be full-sized (27 inches wide) or compact (24 inches wide). The full-sized models hold about 12 to 14 pounds, the compacts a few pounds less. Performance is generally comparable to that of full-sized machines. Price range: $700 to $1,900.


HOW TO CHOOSE

For best high-end performance, go with a front-loader. If you're willing to spend $1,000 or so, at this point we'd steer you to a front-loader. The best front-loaders offer very good washing, ample capacity, and quiet operation. The front-loading design has been around for a while, and Frigidaire, GE, and Kenmore front-loaders have a good track record for reliability. (Note that numerous readers have reported that their front-loading washers developed mold or a musty smell. Leaving the door ajar between uses and using chlorine bleach occasionally should help.)

Think twice about new-technology top-loaders. Even though some top-loaders have done well in our tests, they're not among our top picks. The Kenmore Calypso was one of the more repair-prone top-loaders, and it left garments tangled and wrinkled in our tests. The GE Profile Harmony and Maytag Neptune TL are too new to have reliability data, and neither was very gentle on clothes.

Get a conventional top-loader for good performance at a modest price. If you want a less expensive machine that's decent across the board, consider a familiar top-loader. Even though these machines aren't as exciting as newer types, they offer decent washing for as little as $500 or less, and there's a large selection of reliable brands. A model judged good or very good for washing should be fine for all but very soiled laundry and should satisfy most consumers.

Consider energy usage. Our tests for energy efficiency differ from those used to determine the government's Energy Star eligibility, giving more weight to performance with maximum loads. As a result, some Energy Star models haven't scored that well for energy efficiency in our Ratings.

Decide if noise is an issue. If you plan to install a washer in a laundry room near the kitchen or a bedroom, we strongly recommend one judged very good or excellent for noise. Front-loaders as a group tend to be very quiet; some top-loaders are as well.

Weigh the value of pricey extras. The more features a washer has, the more it usually costs. Don't buy an expensive model just to get four or more water levels, dozens of cycle and setting combinations, or dedicated cycles for fabrics such as silk. The basic cycles and settings can handle most washing needs, and you can replicate most special cycles with buttons or dials. An electronic touchpad may allow custom programming, but it can also be more confusing to use, especially at first. Unless you insist on the same style, there's no need to match a washer and a dryer. If your old dryer still works fine, don't think you have to replace it when you buy a new washer.

Use the proper detergent. Any washing machine will do a better job if you use a good detergent. For traditional top-loaders, regular detergent is fine, and that's what we used. With front-loaders and high-efficiency top-loaders, you'll get the cleanest clothes with special low-sudsing detergent; that's what we used for these machines. In fact, using regular detergent can cause excessive sudsing in HE washers. Not only is it hard to rinse clothing, but the foam can cause problems with the washer. There are fewer HE products to choose from than with regular detergent, and they cost about 5 to 10 cents more per load than regular detergent. Consider the cost and convenience of ongoing detergent purchases when you're buying a washer.

Modern washing machines are available in two main configurations: top loading and front loading. ___ top loading design, most popular in ___ United States, Canada, Australia and some parts of Europe, places ___ clothes in ___ vertically-mounted perforated basket that is contained within ___ water-retaining tub, with ___ propeller-like agitator in ___ center of ___ bottom of ___ basket. Clothes are loaded through ___ top of ___ machine, which is covered with ___ hinged door. During ___ wash cycle, ___ outer tub is filled with water sufficient to suspend ___ clothing freely in ___ basket, and ___ movement of ___ agitator pulls ___ clothing downward in ___ center towards ___ agitator paddles. ___ clothing then moves outward and up ___ sides of ___ basket to repeat ___ process. Top-loaders are not well-suited to cleaning large objects such as pillows or sleeping bags due to ___ tendency for them to just float on ___ surface of ___ water without circulating, and ___ aggressive agitator action can damage delicate fabrics.

In most top loading washers, if ___ motor spins in one direction, ___ gearbox drives ___ agitator; if ___ motor spins ___ other way, ___ gearbox locks ___ agitator and spins ___ basket and agitator together. Similarly if ___ pump motor rotates one way it recirculates ___ sudsy water; in ___ other direction it pumps water from ___ machine during ___ spin cycle. Because they usually incorporate ___ gearbox, clutch, crank, etc, top loading washers are mechanically more complex than front loading machines but are generally lower maintenance since there is no need for ___ complex door seal (described below).

___ front loading design, most popular in Europe and ___ Middle East, mounts ___ inner basket and outer tub horizontally, and loading is through ___ glass door at ___ front of ___ machine. Agitation is supplied by ___ back-and-forth rotation of ___ cylinder and by gravity. ___ clothes are lifted up by paddles on ___ inside wall of ___ drum and then dropped. This motion flexes ___ weave of ___ fabric and forces water and detergent solution through ___ clothes load. Because ___ wash action does not require ___ clothing be freely suspended in water, only enough water is needed to moisten ___ fabric. Because less water is required, front-loaders typically use less soap, and ___ aggressive dropping and folding action of ___ tumbling can easily produce large amounts of foam.

Front-loaders control water usage through ___ surface tension of water, and ___ capillary wicking action this creates in ___ fabric weave. ___ front-loader washer always fills to ___ same low water level, but ___ large pile of dry clothing standing in water will soak up ___ moisture, causing ___ water level to drop. ___ washer then refills to maintain ___ original water level. Because it takes time for this water absorption to occur with ___ motionless pile of fabric, nearly all front-loaders begin ___ washing process by slowly tumbling ___ clothing under ___ stream of water entering and filling ___ drum, to rapidly saturate ___ dry cloth with water.

Front loading washers are mechanically relatively simple compared to top-loaders, with ___ main motor normally being connected to ___ drum via ___ grooved pulley belt and large pulley wheel, without ___ need for ___ gearbox, clutch or crank. But front-load washers suffer from their own technical problems, due to ___ drum lying sideways. For example, ___ top loading washer keeps water inside ___ tub merely through ___ force of gravity pulling down on ___ water, while ___ front-loader must tightly seal ___ door shut with ___ gasket to prevent dripping water onto ___ floor during ___ wash cycle. This access door is locked shut during ___ entire wash cycle, since opening ___ door with ___ machine in use could result in water gushing out onto ___ floor. For front-loaders without viewing windows on ___ door, it is possible to accidentally pinch fabric between ___ door and ___ drum, resulting in tearing and damage to ___ pinched clothing during tumbling and spinning.

Nearly all front-loader washers for ___ consumer market must also use ___ folded flexible bellows assembly around ___ door opening, to keep clothing contained inside ___ basket during ___ tumbling wash cycle. If this bellows assembly were not used, small articles of clothing such as socks could slip out of ___ wash basket near ___ door, and fall down ___ narrow slot between ___ outer tub and basket, plugging ___ drain and possibly jamming rotation of ___ inner basket. Retrieving lost items from between ___ outer tub and inner basket can require complete disassembly of ___ front of ___ washer and pulling out ___ entire inner wash basket. Commercial and industrial front-loaders used by businesses (described below) usually do not use ___ bellows, and instead require all small objects to be placed in ___ mesh bag to prevent loss near ___ basket opening.

This bellows assembly around ___ door is ___ source of problems for ___ consumer front-loader. ___ bellows has ___ large number of flexible folds to permit ___ tub to move separately from ___ door during ___ high speed extraction cycle. These folds can collect lint, dirt, and moisture, resulting in mold and mildew growth and ___ foul odor. Some front-loading washer operating instructions say ___ bellows should be wiped down monthly with ___ strong bleach solution, while others offer ___ special freshening cycle where ___ machine is run empty with ___ strong dosing of bleach.

___ top-loading washer suffers from none of these continued maintenance problems and needs no regular freshening. During ___ spin cycle, ___ top-loading tub is free to move about inside ___ cabinet of ___ machine, using only ___ lip around ___ top of ___ inner basket and outer tub to keep ___ spinning water and clothing from spraying out over ___ edge.

There are many variations of these two general themes. Top loading machines in Asia use impellers instead of agitators. Impellers are similar to agitators except that they do not have ___ center post extending up in ___ middle of ___ wash tub basket. There is also ___ variant of ___ horizontal axis design that is designed by Staber Industries that is loaded from ___ top, through ___ small door in ___ circumference of ___ drum. These machines usually have ___ shorter cylinder and are therefore smaller, but offer ___ efficiency of ___ front-loader while eliminating ___ problems of ___ flexible bellows.

Front-loaded machines are ideal for fitted/finished kitchens, since they can be installed under ___ countertop/worktop. ___ front loading washing machine, in ___ fully-fitted kitchen, is often disguised as ___ ordinary base cabinet/unit. They are also ideal for small homes and apartments with limited space, because ___ dryer can be installed directly above ___ washer.
Top-loading machines in ___ Laundromat
Top-loading machines in ___ Laundromat

Many front loading machines have electrical heating elements to heat ___ wash bath to near boiling, if desired. Chemical action is supplied by ___ detergent and other laundry chemicals. Front loaders use special detergents that are designed to release different chemical ingredients at different temperatures. This is so that different type of stains and soils will be cleaned from ___ clothes as ___ wash water is heated up by ___ electrical heater. Front loaders also need to use low sudsing detergents because ___ tumbling action of ___ drum folds air into ___ clothes load that can cause over sudsing.

Tests comparing front loading and top loading machines have shown that, in general, front-loaders wash clothes more thoroughly, cause less wear, and use less water and energy than top-loaders. As ___ result of using less water, they require less detergent to be used, or conversely, they can use ___ same amount of detergent with less water, which increases detergent concentration and increases ___ amount of chemical action. They also allow ___ dryer to be more easily mounted directly above ___ washer.

Top-loaders have ___ advantage that they complete ___ washing cycle much faster and allow clothes to be removed at intermediate stages of ___ cycle (for instance, if some clothes within ___ wash are not to be spun). They also tend to be easier to load and unload, since reaching into ___ tub does not require stooping. ___ top loader\'s spin cycle between washing and rinsing allows ___ extremely simple fabric softener dispenser, which operates passively through centrifugal force and gravity. ___ same objective must be accomplished by ___ solenoid-operated valve on ___ front loader. Another advantage to ___ top loading design is ___ reliance on gravity to contain ___ water, rather than potentially trouble-prone or short-lived front door seals.

Traditionally, top loading machines have tended to be more complex mechanically than front loading washers, because ___ former generally require ___ gearbox, clutch, crank, etc to perform ___ wash cycle. However, ___ recent introduction of direct drive motors has greatly simplified some of ___ top loading washers on ___ market. Also, because of ___ introduction of electronics, modern machines are far less complex than ___ early automatic washers. Consequently, ___ price of automatic machines, in real terms, has fallen considerably.

Top Loading versus Front Loading

Washing machine - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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