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

[niclonnic]

Sorry if this question has been frequently asked on this forum, but here's an observation that my family made the other day.

My dad, his SO and I have declared that a top-load washer, like our Frigidaire, cleans clothes better than a front-load washer. I think it's due to the fact that top-loaders utilize a tub full of water, along with an agitator, to suspend and wash the clothes. On the other hand, a front-loader, such as my old LG, tumbles the clothes around in a very small amount of water, which is generally not visible during a wash cycle. Perhaps we're old-fashioned and believe that the more water the washer uses, the cleaner the clothes get.

Is this true?

 

[rp2813]

My experience, after owning both Whirlpool Duet and Frigidaire Affinity front load machines, is that they do a superior job when compared to a top-loader.  The Duet replaced an Amana (Speed Queen clone) top loader and it got out stains that the Amana could not with wash after wash.  The first time the stained item went through the Duet, the stain was gone.  That was all I needed to convince me that the wash action of front-load machines is far more effective than the swishing around you get from a top-loader.

 

 

 

[mark_wpduet]

Not only

do I feel like they wash/rinse better.....but they are more gentle on clothing (less lint on lint screen)

Keep in mind, I've only had ONE FL washer. A WP duet from 2005 that is STILL WORKING (LOL)

It took me some getting used to at first....but after having had front load washer all of these years...It would be extremely difficult for me to go back to a top loader. I mean, I could do it...It would just be difficult.

I still like some of the TL washers though. I like the SQ's before they redesigned them. If I were to have a TL washer, it would be a SQ before the redesign. I hated the looks of the updated model. I don't keep up. Maybe they changed them back to that? But last I heard, the latest SQ TL's weren't good, but the ones before that were fantastic.

 

[chachp]

I agree with Ralph and not because his name is Ralph..

 

<span style="font-family: helvetica;">I had my first front loader in 2002.  Previous to that, was all top loaders of different brands.  The last top loader I had was a Maytag and it did a horrible job compared to the F/Ls I have owned.  It could have to do with my own habits.  Maybe I used too much or too little detergent, maybe it was my water who knows.  What I know is my clothes are very clean in a very little bit of water compared to any top loading machine I owned.  My F/L does multiple rinses which I think also helps.  And they still use less water for the entire load than a Top Loader with one rinse.</span>

 

<span style="font-family: helvetica;">My guess is you may get as many opinions as you will get replies and many will disagree with mine and that's OK.  It won't convince me to go back to a Top Loader.</span>

 

[iiijohnnymaciii]

I had a Whirlpool 4000 series front loader from 2009. Hardly any options. I now have a 2017 speed queen top loader. My Whirlpool removed stains better. However, it left a locker room smell on some of that under armor type fabric. This is the reason I went to a Speed Queen top loader. If the Whirlpool had an extra rinse option I probably would have stayed with a front loader. In fact, I’m probably going to go with a speed queen fl washer and dryer set pretty soon.

While more water may logically seem like it would clean clothes better. I think having less water concentrates the detergent more and turns a front loader into a stain fighting machine. Also because of their gentler wash action, you can run a main wash cycle on front load washers for a longer amount of time giving enzymes more time to do their job.

So a front loader with an extra rinse gets my pick.

 

[appnut]

I too am one in the front loader is better group. I had a Frigidaire from 2006 to 2011. Then have had a Whirlpool Duet from December 2011 to the current. The Duet has excelled at complex, The concentrated detergent solution coupled with longer wash times helps that. Plus I firmly believe an onboard heater that helps maintain or increase warm and hot water temps increases the effectiveness. And my garments are lasting much longer. I hope I never have to go back to a top loader.

 

[maytag85]

The front loaders that do a excellent job are the Dexter and Speed Queen commercial washers they use in laundromats and those will get a load of laundry done in 30 to 35 minutes time. Not all front loaders are bad but I live in a rural area and I happen to live on a acre of land where outside yard work never seems to end and my shorts and jeans get pretty dirty along with my t shirts after all of that outside cleaning not to mention it gets quite dusty where I live. Usually wash all of my stuff in my Maytag A606 for a 6 to 8 minute wash along with a warm water wash and never really have any issues with things not coming clean same thing with my 1963 RCA Whirlpool Imperial Mark XII since it has the Surgilator agitator in it.

 

[iheartmaytag]

I agree that FL machines do a better job now

In the olden days a Top Loader like a GE Filter-flo with Hot, actual Hot water and phosphate detergent did an excellent job cleaning. In those days we had little in the lines of Front loaders to compare.

I got my Front Loader In 2009 replacing a Maytag Top loader. I will say the front loader no only handles a larger load, but the clothes come out cleaner than they ever did with the Top Loading machine.

with what we have to choose from in the arena of affordable Top loading machines now, I would buy another Front Loading machine without hesitation.

 

[ea56]

I know that I’m gonna be in the minority here but I prefer a TL with an agitator over the current breed of FL’s.  Before they began building the current generation of FL’s with computer boards I loved FL’s, back when most disparaged them.

 

 The old FL’s up to the Frigidaire's that were released in the mid to late 90’s were excellent machines.  They cleaned well, used less water and completed a cycle in about 50-60 mins with no drama.  They always went into a spin, no endless hunting for a sweet spot to balance.  

 

The last FL that I owned was a BOL LG that I purchased in 2015.  It took 90 to 120 mins to complete a load, and often would refuse to go into a spin, especially with heavy towels.  The most disappointing washing machine I’ve ever owned, and I’ve owned over 20 different washers since ‘72.<span style="font-family: -webkit-standard; font-size: medium; font-weight: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">  I may be retired but I have no interest in spending all day to wash three loads of laundry.</span>

 

My current BOL Roper TL completes a normal cycle with hot water in 34 mins., never refuses to go into a spin and the heavy weight towels from Restoration Hardware that a couldn’t wash in the LG come out perfectly every time.  It cleans thoroughly, removing even the toughest stains the first time the items are washed.  I’ve been very pleased with it.

 

Now if they ever start to build the old style FL’s again I’d consider buying an FL again, but the new ones on the market, not so much.

 

That’s my two cents worth.

 

Eddie

[this post was last edited: 11/30/2020-17:35]

 

[twintubdexter]

<span style="font-size: 14pt; color: #008000;">Some of us that are of "advanced age"...</span>

[this post was last edited: 11/30/2020-16:30]

 

[launderess]

In general

H-axis washing machines out perform top loading on most if not all metrics; and that is just a simple fact.

This has been known since early in last century when washer makers like Thor touted their "cylinder" washing machines as the best way of achieving a clean wash without wear on textiles.

Furthermore almost from the start commercial/industrial laundries have always gone with some version of H-axis washing machine. You won't find a top loader outside of laundromats (mostly North America), and some on premises laundries.

There are two main ways of doing wash; you either move water through laundry, or laundry through water. H-axis washers perform the former; gently forcing water through material while tumbling causes flexing which helps to open up the weave of fabrics.

First thing most persons notice when doing wash in a front loader that was routinely done in top loading machines is how much detergent and perhaps soil residue comes out wash water. This from laundry that appeared "clean".

Top loaders can perform well under certain conditions, but unless one is willing to go back to pre-treating and or soaking/washing front loaders give better performance overall.

Can put even badly stained items into any of my front loaders and things come out clean. No muss, no fuss, no chlorine bleach.....[this post was last edited: 11/30/2020-17:41]

 

[imperial70]

front loader.  Whites are white without use of LCB.  Pre-treating is not needed.  More flexibility in cycles. Concentrated detergent/water solution along with longer wash times helps remove unwanted odors.  Clothes last longer.  Less stress on water /sewage system (especially if you have a well and/or septic system).

 

[rp2813]

Eddie raises a good point.  Front loaders have earned a well-deserved reputation for balancing issues that drag out cycles or, in extreme cases, fail to complete them at all.  My Affinity did just give up without spinning when handling things like throw rugs, but the Duet never did.  I currently have a 2014 Maytag Neptune, and it does a much better job of balancing to the point that cycle length is almost never extended by attempts to balance.

 

Speed Queen front loaders are supposedly the best at balancing, but other makes may have improved their systems over the years.  Speed Queens are prohibitively expensive though, so I'd have to find a killer deal on one if I were in the market. 

 

The reason I didn't mention the Neptune in my first post is because I don't think it's as good at cleaning as either the Duet or Affinity was, but it was here and came with the house we bought a couple of years ago, and I love, love, love analog knobs and dials, which the Neptune has.  It does clean better than my 1987 Maytag top loader, though, which I have held onto for jobs like throw rugs, shop rags, anything with cat fur on it, etc.

 

 

 

[launderess]

Domestic front loaders on both sides of pond have been nobbled by darn interfering fools demanding reduced energy use.

Commercial/industrial front loaders can still use enough water to get things done properly, as such cycle times are far shorter; 28 to 35 minutes for a normal load.

 

[whirlykenmore78]

Front Load Hands Down:

I was a STAUNCH! Direct Drive guy for many years and with good reason. They do an excellent job of washing and rinsing for a TL and are not bothered by large or heavily soiled loads.
Then I bought my Speed Queen FL set. I would never go back to a TL again. The SQ washer does an amazing job of washing and stain removal (I don't ever use Shout anymore) just some bleach for the whites. As good as our 1996 WP DD was this washer is better hands down. Our clothes get cleaner and with much less wear. Utility bills also dropped with these machines.
WK78

 

[petek]

Front loaders for me from now on. As much as I liked our old GE FF, once we got that first Duet frontloader and now the LG frontloader I wouldn't go back to a toploader again as the main washer or only washer. And as for which type washes better I'll go with what Consumer reports says,, frontloaders do. You can't argue with scientific lab results which can be repeated over and over again.

 

[cam2s]

I would never go back to a TL, I’ve been in love with my Maximas. Even going to the laundromat the Dexter coin op units I’ve used have still provided for excellent cleaning with fast turnover. I think the end user makes a big difference too. I had roommates in my old residence not long after I got my Maximas and they shoveled all their nasty laundry in one load and ran the machine on normal with cheap soap. As noted the before the normal cycle is hobbled by regulations and didn’t do the best. They would have been better served by an old school TL for their habits. However I fastidiously sorted and used the higher performance cycles with high quality detergent and got superior results from the Maxima.

 

[launderess]

One reason top loaders held on for so long as state of art far as American domestic laundry is concerned is they can be built rather inexpensively. Their designs were simple and by 1960's or certain 1970's pretty standard. Yes, you had the outliers such as GM Frigidaire's "jet action", and a few others including Philco, but otherwise top loading automatic washers were just improved versions of semi-automatic wringer machines.

What kept front loaders back was same thing we all mostly know; it takes quite more effort to design and build a washer where suds container is horizontal. Water must be kept from leaking, machine must be stable not just during wash/rinse but extraction, etc... All that R&D, building and so forth cost money which naturally is reflected in final cost of product.

Bendix got there first far as domestic fully automatic H-axis washers are concerned, but others soon followed. Across the pond however post WWII state of the art was H-axis washers for domestic use and they never looked back.

Miele and many other front loaders from Europe late as 1990's were darn near commercial/industrial quality. Built to last and rock solid. My older Miele W1070 doesn't mess about far as spinning is concerned. It will attempt to balance load best it can, but when timer says "let's rock", it's off to the races.

Miele washers then between their cast iron cradle, robust suspension and other bits could handle OOB loads in all but the most dire situations. Much of that has changed.

To bring price points down not just in Europe but USA and elsewhere all sorts of washing machines have suffered quality decline. Instead of being built to withstand OOB loads, front loaders today simply try to avoid that happening if at all possible. So they spend ages balancing/redistributing loads in aid of extraction. If that process starts and things are out of programmed parameters, machine stops, and starts pfaffing about again with redistributing........ If this goes on long enough many machines will just give up extracting and move on to next portion of cycle.

Other issue is that in aid of offering increased capacity suds containers for domestic front loaders have gotten deeper and or wider often taking up far more room in cabinet than of old. However because washing machine sizes are pretty much standardized those larger suds containers must fit inside same size cabinet making for far less clearance.

Keeping the above in mind it is far better then that washer not spin when OOB because chances for damage now are greater since there isn't much of a buffer when it comes to suds container movement.

Electrolux, Whirlpool, Miele, etc... all know how to build front loading washers that are built to last because they all have commercial/industrial divisions.

However a "small" 18-20 pound capacity commercial washer by say Dexter, Wascomat, or others will run several thousands. However you get a washer that will outlive you and probably your children. It can be easily repaired onsite and even rebuilt.

https://laundromat123.com/Laundromat_Washer_Comparison.html

https://www.statewidelaundry.com/39...xtractor-comparison-speed-queen-and-wascomat-

 

[lakewebsterkid]

RP2813

I could not agree more! We also had previous stains that we figured were dried in, and after one wash through the Duet they were removed! I quickly noticed how much softer our clothes felt, and how fresh they smelled.