Washing Machine Buying Guide: Front Load vs Top Load

Front load, top load or washer-dryer: the short answer

This washing machine buying guide starts with the answer. Most households do best with a front load machine, because it uses less water and treats clothes more gently. Pick a top load machine if you want to add items mid cycle, dislike bending, or need a lower price. Pick a washer-dryer only if space is the main problem.

The rest of this page explains why, so you can match a machine to your home and your laundry.

Front load machines: less water, gentler wash

A front load washer tumbles clothes through a small pool of water. Estimates put its water use at one third to one half of what a top loader needs. It also tends to use less energy than a standard top loader.

The tumbling action is kinder to fabric. Many top loaders use a central agitator, and that part adds wear to clothes. Front loaders can also spin faster. Home models usually reach 1,000 to 1,400 rotations per minute, while top loaders with an agitator stay under about 1,140. A faster spin removes more water, so clothes dry sooner on the line or in a dryer.

There are two trade-offs. First, the rubber door seal can trap damp and grow mold, so you need to wipe it and leave the door open after a wash. Second, you cannot easily add a forgotten sock once the cycle is running, although some newer models have a pause door.

Sources: Wikipedia, "Washing machine" (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Washing_machine), on water use, wear on fabric, spin speeds and door seals; ENERGY STAR, "Clothes washers" (https://www.energystar.gov/products/clothes_washers), on leaving the door ajar to prevent mold in front load machines.

Top load machines: easy access, simple design

A top load washer opens from above. You do not bend as far, and you can drop in a missed item after the cycle starts. These machines are usually less prone to leaks and cope better when cleaning is skipped for a while. Many are also cheaper to buy.

Not all top loaders are the same. The older type has an agitator in the middle. A newer type has a low disc or cone instead, which is gentler and uses less water. If you prefer a top loader, the disc type is the better choice for both clothes and bills.

Large, bulky items such as pillows or sleeping bags can be hard to wash well in a top loader. Plan for that if you wash bedding often.

Sources: Wikipedia, "Washing machine" (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Washing_machine), on top loader agitators, large items and maintenance; ENERGY STAR, "Clothes washers" (https://www.energystar.gov/products/clothes_washers), on low profile impeller top loaders compared with agitator models.

Washer-dryers: one drum, a few limits

A washer-dryer washes and dries in the same drum. It saves floor space and means you never move wet laundry. That makes it a fit for a small apartment or a flat with no balcony.

The limits are real. The drying load is much smaller than the washing load, so a big wash may need to be dried in two rounds. Drying also uses more energy than a separate dryer would. Treat it as a space saver, not an upgrade in performance.

Sources: Wikipedia, "Washing machine" (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Washing_machine), on combined washer-dryer capacity and energy use.

Check space and size before you shop

Measure first. Write down the width, depth and height of the spot, then add room for the water inlet hose, the drain hose and the door. A front load door swings out, and a top load lid needs headroom. Check that the machine can pass through your doorway and stairwell.

Then choose the drum size. It is given in kilograms of dry clothes per load. As a rough editorial rule of thumb, 7 to 8 kg suits two people, and a family of four often wants 9 kg or more. A bigger drum costs more to buy, but washing fewer loads can save time. Washers use about the same energy whether the load is full or not, so run full loads when you can.

Finally, ask where the water will come from. Make sure the tap and the drain point are close, and that the floor is level. An unlevel floor makes a fast spin noisy.

Sources: ENERGY STAR, "Clothes washers" (https://www.energystar.gov/products/clothes_washers), on full loads and capacity; the kilogram guidance is the editors' own rule of thumb.

How to read an energy label

An energy label lets you compare machines on running cost, not only price. Look for it on the display model or the box, and check the stars or class, the energy use per cycle, and the water use per cycle. A better rating means less electricity and water for the same load.

Compare labels only when they use the same scale. In the European Union, washing machines have carried a rescaled label with classes from A to G since 1 March 2021, and older A+++ to D labels may still hang on shop floor models. A different country may use stars or a different rule for the test load. Always read the test conditions printed on the label before you compare two machines.

The biggest energy cost in a wash is heating the water. Washing in cold water saves far more than any feature can. A high spin speed also helps, because drier clothes need less time in a dryer.

Sources: Wikipedia, "European Union energy label" (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_Union_energy_label), on the older A+++ to D classes; EU Commission Delegated Regulation 2019/2014 (https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:32019R2014), on the A to G label that applies from 1 March 2021; ENERGY STAR, "Clothes washers" (https://www.energystar.gov/products/clothes_washers), on water heating and spin speed.

A simple checklist

• Choose front load for the lowest water use and the gentlest wash.
• Choose top load, ideally the disc type, for easy access and a lower price.
• Choose a washer-dryer only when space is tight.
• Measure the space, the door swing and the route into your home.
• Match the drum size to the number of people in your household.
• Compare energy labels on the same scale, and wash in cold water when you can.
• Read the warranty terms and ask who services the machine near you.

Sources

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Washing_machine
• https://www.energystar.gov/products/clothes_washers
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_Union_energy_label
• https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:32019R2014