There's a BUNCH of threads on this very topic in the laundry forum. Worth spending some time reading it. Be prepared to sort out a lot of, well, dirty laundry shall we say? But there is a lot of good info there from some very reasonable people who have a lot of experience with this issue. The one thing I find curious is people suggest using 1/2 the amount recommended for a top loader. This doesn't make sense to me. The claim is that a TL uses about 30 gal per load and a FL uses about 5 gal per load. Seems to me that you're going to be way overconcentrated (by 3 times) by using 1/2 the amount! Mathematically, in this case it would make sense to use 1/6 the amount of detergent. After all, if you do a 1/2 or 1/4 size load on your TL machine, don't you use 1/2 or 1/4 the detergent or risk massive sudsing? or do you need a special "small load" detergent? LOL Detergent manufacturers all say you can use HE detergent in a TL. They recommend twice as much as for a front loader. So that way, two times the amount needed for 5 gal of water is sufficient for 30 gal of water in a TL. But I doubt that, for I'm a skeptic. I just think the math is mixed up. There is a lot of chemistry involved in laundry and amount of water, detergent, types of soils, type, temp and hardness of water, all contribute to differences in cleaning. Everyone agrees that you need low sudsing in a FL machine, and actually you don't want a lot of suds in a top loader either! Usually if you have a bunch of suds you have too much detergent! This can also be true, even the article mentioned above admits you can use too much HE detergent. Most laundromaniacs/laundroholics recommend when you switch to a front loader from a top loader that it's a good idea to wash the clothes at least once without any detergent to determine how much residue is in the clothes. There may or may not be leftover detergent in your clothes depending on how much you use and how well you rinse. Every article I've read on HE detergents that claim you cannot use anything else fails to give plausible reasons for their claims. One attempted to, by suggesting that insufficient detergent won't suspend the soil to wash away. That made some sense. But it doesn't address my question on the difference in water useage, since the formula would be the same. Not one article has ever said what the formula change, or different chemical or whatever the difference is, except to again talk about suds, which is what everyone else has said! And again, when you consider 1/6 the amount of water being used, I'd certainly start with no more than 1/6th the amount and see what happens. There are many low-sudsing detergents out there. And there's some "HE" detergents that are rather high sudsing. Finding the combination that works with your machine and your water (and all the other variables) is the challenge. All that said, I think if I get a FL, I'll start with some HE detergent and see what happens. Especially during the learning phase so I can eliminate or at least minimize the impact of one variable. Perhaps the HE-only advocates can comment if I'm in error on my math or something.

LOL... mike_home. yep, I guess that everybody's point of ivew of comfort is different. To me, GA is very mild, although people say that it's humid and hot. I lived in Miami before, so I have the comparison. Comparing to the north states, the winter is so mild. August temp: between 90-95 average.... December + January: between 20-55... Unlike many people who set their t-stat at 72 degree for winter, while wearing a t-shirt. I feel better to wear layers in winter, so I don't like to feel the EXTREME changes between indoors and outdoors. We use electricity for the entire house, no gas or other fuel system. I am not sure how to separate the cost of merely heat and AC from the annual electricity cost! I have never calculate the kwh of the HVAC. Anyway, here is the total usage annually, if that would help you to figure out to answer your question for me: Jan 800 kwh Feb 1000 Mar 880 Apr 450 May 450 Jun 650 Jul 580 Aug 790 Sep 570 Oct 400 Nov 570 Dec 1000 * This past December reached up to 1200, because the heat pump was acting up and iced up while it was running for no heat..... See... our electricity usage is not much compared to most people's. So....high energy efficient wouldn't help, right?

You did not mention if your GE Filter Flo still works-on the -automaticwasher.org-site your machine is one of the preferred vintage machines- a good repair tech and advice from that site should be able to keep it running. My take on ConsumerReports recently is that they are all about energy and water conservation, good causes they are, even if it is to the detriment of performance and/or low life cycle costs-see how few years they recommend replacement over repair. Besides the Speed Queen,the Fisher Paykel Eco Smart with traditional agitator might be suitable if you cannot keep your GE running. FP uses very little hot water unless YOU CHOOSE to run a cycle with a full tub of warm or hot water and it has a high speed spin to save energy and time in the dryer. With any new machine's electronic controls use a good surge suppressor to help prevent blown control boards. We have had our F&P about 10 years,use a surge suppressor and unplug washer between uses-no problems so far.

Hi Lauren. Detergent makers aren't "suffering", they're just not happy because net profits are not the same (or more) as they used to be. To be honest, they had their hay day even though the amount they suggest you use has NOT changed. They suggest you use the same amount for either HE or regular detergents. The lines on measuring caps (or cups) are exactly the same for either. The only time they tell you to use less is if the formula is (2x's 4x's etc). concentrated but even then, they adjust the price accordingly. Since suds is a bad thing with HE machines, people may be using less regular types of detergent (although people should be using specific HE formulations) to compensate but then they run the risk of ruining their machine by using too little detergent and having gunk/mold build up. Detergent manufactures make a pretty penny for something we pour down the drain. I just think the "market is adjusting" like the stock market does. They are not hurting at all.