My Neptune 7500 has a 15 degree tilt and tangling is not an issue.
If anything, a tilted design will be less strain on the bearings, since it would distribute some of the load in more than just the vertical plane, and potentially lessen the vertical unbalance component vector. But I think the bearing issue is a non-issue. If it was, top loader bearings wouldn't last more than a month.
The new GE front loader has a perfectly horizontal and huge triple capacity drum. The jury is out, so far, on performance and reliability, but there is now an alternative for "purists" who also want a very large capacity washer om their home.