Do top-loaders truly wash clothes better than front-loaders?

[rp2813]

". . . will give up and move on to next portion of cycle

Yes, and in the case of the Affinity attempting final spin, the next portion of the cycle was "end" with sopping wet items left in the drum.  Annoying, but it didn't happen much and hey, those sopping wet items were for sure cleaner than a TL machine would have gotten them.  Some rearranging, setting for "spin only" and making the sign of the cross would usually do the trick.

 

The other thing I didn't mention was FL machines' superior rinsing.  I couldn't believe the suds that kept coming out of clothes that had been last washed in the Amana TL upon their first run through the Duet.  Of course, Amana/Speed Queen's piss-poor rinsing set a low bar, but I'd wager that with even stricter efficiency requirements for TL machines these days, they're not even in the same league as FL machines in the rinsing game.

 

There's really no contest, as the replies above have overwhelmingly indicated thus far. 

 

 

 

[ea56]

Yes Sean, I’d like to have a Westinghouse FL again too.  I had an ‘87 Westinghouse for 7 trouble free years and it was the best washer I ever owned.  Back then Consumers Reports wasn’t crazy about them or any other FL for that matter and most of America felt the same way about FL’s then too.  I love them, but not the new ones.  Too much time to wash a load and not enough water used in the wash cycle.  

 

The concept of FL’s has been ruined by over zealous energy restrictions, and I believe in conservation.  The old FL’s used much less water than a TL, but enough to get everything sloshing in water.  The LG I had barely got the load damp and in my opinion didn’t clean as well as my current energy efficient Roper TL with an agitator. 

 

Eddie

 

[maytag85]

The Speed Queen top load washers only do a single spray rinse for about a minute much like the older Maytags like my 1973 A606. If they simply added more spray rinses on the Speed Queen top loaders, and did 6 seven second spray rinses like the older Whirlpool belt driven washers, they would do a much better job at rinsing but since Speed Queen never bothered adding more spray rinses will explain why they don’t do the best job rinsing. Not to mention the first spin is slow on all newer Speed Queen washers which doesn’t spin out enough of the soapy water and detergent which won’t allow for good rinsing either.

 

[tomdawg]

I really do think it depends on user preference and experience- while some front load as well a top load performed better or worse from its competitor

Example
I owned a 2015 whirlpool duet. Normal cycle did ok. It wouldn’t clean up food that was on clothing that I KNOW would come off.

My current LG 4370 normal cycle cleans really well, not to mention it gets a load done in 30 min...

But by default settings, I felt the duet cleans better on heavy duty cycle, than LG does.. in the end, changing the controls and options on my LG. The LG performs better.. way better!

Some of these machines have so many bells and whistles, it overwhelms the user. They just spin the dial to what looks good and roll on.

Ps.. I can’t tel you how many people default to the “quick” cycle, simply because they didn’t want the washer to take an hour to wash.

 

[kb0nes]

This should be a fun thread based on personal opinion vs actual evidence

 

[foraloysius]

I suppose everything is allowed in love, war and this discussion. lol

 

[rp2813]

Huh?

Isn't having owned and properly used three makes of FL machines a form of evidence?  Is there no confidence in what members of a site like this share about their experiences with -- wait for it -- automatic washers?  Does arrogance run in the family or what?

 

[ea56]

Thank you Ralph!  Just because I’m not an appliance service tech doesn’t mean that I haven’t got 48 years of personal experience in owning and using almost every type of washing machine.  I’ve paid close attention over these 48 years as to what I like and don’t like.  I’ve owned 2 Westinghouse FL’s, 3 Frigidaire FL’s and an LG FL.  The Westinghouse’s and first 2 Frigidaire FL’s were excellent machines.  They weren’t temperamental and while they used much less water than a TL they still used enough water to wash and rinse every load. thoroughly.

 

Back when I first owned FL’s most people hated them, because they’d not used one.

 

I’ve owned and used two of the new generation FL’s. a Frigidaire Affinity and a BOL LG.  The Affinity used an adequate amount of water but I couldn’t get heavy items like throw rugs or bath towels to go into a spin reliably, had to go to the GD laundromat to wash these sometimes.  

 

It really disappoints me that FL’s aren’t the simple, fast and water saving appliances that they once were.  But at least my current energy efficient Roper TL reaches a happy medium in water conservation, is fast and washes and rinses thoroughly.  I feel the clothes are cleaner than they were with the LG.

 

For those that love their modern FL’s I’m very happy for you!  These machines are expensive so the owner/user SHOULD be happy with their machines.

 

One other thing that makes the modern FL’s a no go for me is the depth of these machines, unless you purchase a compact model, they are too deep to fit my laundry closet, and I don’t want some jerry rigged curtain covering them when not in use. I want to keep the bi-fold doors on this closet as it was designed to be used.

 

I've put a great deal of thought and experience into my choice.  Just because my choice differs from the majority doesn’t mean that it’s wrong, its right for ME, and I’m the one paying for the machine and using it so I’ll please myself.  I’d prefer having an FL, but NOT the ones sold now.  

 

Eddie

[this post was last edited: 12/1/2020-15:28]

 

[gelaundry4ever]

My experience

is that front loaders do a good job, despite the low water levels. This is especially true for the lg pairs that I have, one of which being a Kenmore elite set with accelawash. This is thanks to the water recirculation and high-pressure rinse jet at the top of the door.

 

[kb0nes]

Ralph,

I've just read a few too many posts where unless there is an agitator involved and each garment is rinsed in a swimming pool then its not clean. Many of said posts are made by folks that would never consider trying (and learning how to use) something different.

Sorry you missed my point

 

[eemac]

FL, mostly

We had a front-load washer for almost 15 years. We bought a Speed Queen top-loader (SQ TL) right before SQ changed their designs.

The front loader:
* cleaned better
* used much less laundry soap
* handled big/bulky items better

We have more persistent shirt stains with the SQ than we ever did with the front loader.

That said, I'm not unhappy with the SQ TL! It cleans well enough, and it *rinses* like nobody's business. There's very little detergent scent on clothes after it's done. And clothes smell cleaner than they did from our front loader.

In 15-20 years when our SQ wears out, I'll look at a front loader again. But I'll also enjoy the reliability and fantastic rinses in the meantime.

 

[chachp]

I've had three F/L brands

 

<span style="font-family: helvetica;">I've had a BOSCH Axxis+, a Samsung behemoth something or other (it was huge) and now a Miele.  I replaced the Samsung because they were just huge and I wanted something that didn't stick out so far.  The compacts work fine for us and were a better fit for what I was doing in my laundry room.</span>

 

<span style="font-family: helvetica;">In my experience the Bosch and Miele clean very, very well.  The Samsung was just OK.  I didn't know the Samsung was just doing an OK job until I got the Miele.  It's amazing how well this machine cleans.  I honestly don't know what makes one work better than the other.  I leave that to the experts I can only speak to the results.</span>

 

[rp2813]

Thanks Phil, I'm equally sorry I didn't recognize the point you were trying to make. 

 

I agree with you, though, and I find the overwhelming number of pro-FL posts very encouraging.  I'm confident that FL designs will continue to progress in a direction that resolves the balancing issues that so many here, including myself, find frustrating.

 

By the way, where, oh where is the OP?  Was this discussion launched just for the sport of it?

 

[eurekastar]

When my Mom's old Maytag gave up the ghost last summer, I gave my fairly new Speed Queen top loader to her, along with the matching dryer.  I then decided to give a front loader a whirl and purchased an LG 3900 pair.  I've been very happy with them too.  The washer does an excellent job.  I most frequently use the Normal cycle and can do a load in 35 minutes, which includes an extra rinse for good measure.  My clothes are always clean and thoroughly rinsed.  The bonus is that it spins out the rinse water at faster RPMs, thus reducing drying time in the tumble dryer.  I would give it 5 stars!

 

[gelaundry4ever]

I stay away from speedwash

because it doesn't extract the soapy water from the laundry. I like to stick with normal because it provides a happy medium. My mom's lg has water recirculation and I'd use normal all the time when I would wash a load of everyday clothes. I also use normal on my dad's Kenmore elite because it always uses water recirculation, combined with high-powered freshwater rinsing. I can literally do a normal load in little as 26 minutes on the normal cycle. With whites/accelawash, I can get a small load of whites done in 37 minutes.

 

[niclonnic]

Wow

I never expected to get THIS many replies by members who swear by their FL machines. So the answer to the title of this thread is NO. TL washers DON'T clean better than FL machines. I mainly made this discussion for the sport of it. In addition, the agitator of a TL washer is harder on the clothes, resulting in more lint on the dryer lint screen. And my Frigidaire washer frequently goes out of balance, which I posted about not too long ago.

 

[launderess]

When wringer washers with central beaters came upon scene owners manuals and elsewhere routinely advised housewives not to use long wash times. Rationale was it did nothing to improve cleaning but would contribute to wearing out of things. Considering how aggressive some agitators were (and would still be later in automatics), that was largely true.

Maytag wringer owners manual gives wash times as 3-5 minutes for Cottons (both coloured and white), with 5-10 minutes for heavy/sturdy fabrics such as denim. Man made fabrics and delicate things 1-3 minutes.

Keep in mind with a wringer/semi-automatic often whites, colourfast and some other things would have been pre-soaked before going into main hot wash. Thus most of the dirt was gone anyway, thus things didn't need to be beaten about for long periods.

Times could vary by soil level, water hardness, product being used (soap or detergent), etc. But in general leaving things too long for too often in a top loader generally increased wear and tear on fabrics.

When automatic washing machines came in pre-washing often went out. Also rise of detergents replacing soap meant in theory one could wash longer with same water because the latter have greater anti redepositing powers than former.

Of course top loading automatic washers varied in how brutal they treated fabrics. Some literally did beat ones wash to death, others were a bit more gentle.





So many hated then or now tumble dryers because they believe lint found in screen was a result of machine drying. This was from laundry done in top loaders and while filters in washer catches some lint, much of it comes out during drying process.

When switched over to front loaders same persons are amazed at how far less lint in captured in filter.....

 

[gelaundry4ever]

It amazes me

how some people just spin the dial to quick cycle, then complain that their clothes don't get clean. They think, "as long as it works..." Never mind the fact they could've at least stuck with cotton/normal on their high-tech front load washer and dryer for the most optimal performance. Or, they'll use cheap detergent and way too much of it. I am responsible for doing the laundry and I assure you, I am willing to try any laundry detergent and fabric softener that comes out on the market. I'll stick to the trusty normal cycle with accelawash on my Kenmore Elite at my dad's with accelawash active at all times. As for mom's lg, I'll stick with cotton/normal on hers, due to the fact that the recirculation show runs for a predetermined amount of time and saturate the laundry quickly and efficiently. on my dad's Kenmore elite, you can hear water hitting the back of the drum, and same for the rinse jet.

 

[gelaundry4ever]

I couldn't believe

how effective my matching dryers to the lg and Kenmore elite washers are. It uses lower temps and higher airflow. And yes, there's less lint in the dryer.

 

[chachp]

Thoughts on balanced spinning in a F/L washer

 

<span style="font-family: helvetica;">I guess I have had a F/L for so long now that I just automatically make sure the load is such that it won't go off balance.  For example, last week I was washing our king size mattress pad.  The Samsung we had gave mixed results on how well it could balance this.  The Miele is about 2 for 2 on whether or not it was able to complete the spin so I just add a large white towel to the load and that seems to do the trick.  When I was testing this and had a load that didn't spin out, I just threw in a big white towel and set the machine for a spin only.  At 1600 RPMs these come out ready for a short run in the dryer.</span>

 

<span style="font-family: helvetica;">That's about the only thing I wash that sometimes has an issue to complete the spin.  Everything else spins just fine.  It actually amazes me sometimes at how it starts and stops to get the load balanced.</span>