
Each garment is dropped into the water over and over again as the wash drum rotates, which proves to be much gentler on clothes. Instead of taking up space with an agitator or impeller, a front load machine rotates your clothes in different directions through a minimal amount of water instead of fully submerging your fabrics. The wash drums are larger than those of a top load machine, often able to fit up to 20 pounds of laundry. Loading and unloading requires more hunching or bending (unless you add a pedestal to your purchase)įront load washers offer a variety of cleaning functions and capacity levels.Can’t always stop or add an extra item mid-cycle.Gaskets or door seals require routine cleaning.Can be stacked or installed side-by-side.Energy-efficient, uses less water than a top loader.Ideal for washing any type of material, from delicates to bulky items.You may not have the convenience of adding a folding surface in your laundry room, but a matching washer and dryer set will still create a clean and cohesive element in your home. If you overload your appliance and try to squeeze a comforter inside, it may be too tight for the agitator fins to spin and operate properly.Īnd if space is a concern, top loaders are generally not stackable, so they must be installed side-by-side. They can be noisy to operate depending on how they are installed and how you load your washer. A large cylindrical agitator is placed in the center of the wash drum to rotate against your clothes and facilitate the cleaning process, but you also have your choice of a top load impeller washer, which is a low-profile, bottom-mounted disc that spins to rub clothes against each other to get them clean.īoth washer types can clean clothes with shorter cycle times than a front load machine, but they are harsher on your fabrics and require more detergent to remove stains.
#Top loading washing machines full#
The height of the appliance makes it easier to load and unload the machine, and most top loaders feature a built-in dispenser, a soft-close lid, and mid-cycle access should you find a stray sock or t-shirt left behind in the hamper.īecause top load washers soak your garments for the full duration of the wash cycle, they use a considerable amount of water. Require a larger laundry room or installation space (not stackable)Ī tried-and-true top load washer provides a helpful range of wash cycles in a relatively ergonomic fashion.Agitators can sometimes produce a lot of noise.

