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Washing Machines : Front Loader vs Top Loader?

Kelsey Janak
7 years ago
last modified: 7 years ago

Fiance and I are building our house in a year. We currently have no kids, but will have 1-2 in the future. That being said, we will need a new washer and dryer and I have been hearing so many mixed reviews about the two styles.

I have an older top loader now in our rental and it works great, no issues. I can wash comforters and blankets easily. However, I love the aesthetics of the front loaders. They match the dryers and seem to be more energy efficient than top loaders.

I would hands down go with a front loader, except for the fact I've been hearing much more bad than good about them lately. Specifically from a thread posted on a mom-based facebook group, which is important to note for my future with kids.

Most of the reoccurring complaints I have heard are:

- Leaves a mildew smell

- Too small and doesn't wash big things like comforters

- Takes forever

- Issues with leaking/water

- Mold growth in door gaskets

- Can't open once you start it

- Toddlers can reach the buttons

- Doesn't clean as well

Can anyone here chime in with their thoughts? Do you hate your front loader?

I would like to add that I almost always wash with cold water to save money.

Comments (53)

  • mrsshayne
    7 years ago
    last modified: 7 years ago

    My choice would be old school washer with real agitator... If that's not an option then I'd try front loader.

    I cannot express enough how much I hate my newer top load large capacity LG washer. It's gotten so bad that I've thought about making a YouTube video smashing it to pieces. I could easily get $200 or more on CL but I feel bad passing it to someone, even if I don't know them.

    Years ago I had the old school Frigidaire top loader. Nothing fancy. But it had the agitator. Our dryer gave us issues so we went ahead and bought new washer and dryer set. I opted for the LG top loader because of the stellar reviews online. Plus I loved the huge capacity because now I could wash my king comforter. This new washer doesn't have an real agitator, resulting in clothes getting stuck over and over and over, giving me error and error code, where I have to open the washer and move the clothes around and "hope" the cycle finishes. I never had this issue before.

    Another reason I hate the new crap is the cycle times. The old one would do a wash in 20 minutes and never stopped mid way through. This new POS has a speed option which is 35 minutes, and that's assuming no errors. A normal load, or heavy duty could be 120 mins.. Someone please tell me how 120 min load is high eff? YEAH RIGHT!

    Let's keep going on why the LG sucks - the clothes don't get clean. If I have a stain or mud/dirt on jeans (hubby is a landscaper) then I have to remove them before the load, otherwise the stains will not come out.

    Unless you like babysitting, the new LG is not for you. I cannot leave the house because if an error pops up and I don't catch it in time, then the load just stops, and I'll never know if the cycle finished.

    I could go on and on.. But I regret buying the new LG washer. I never thought with today's technology that I would be getting a total pile of dog doo buying new. My old washer was 100% better. It got the stains out, never stopped midway through, and the cycle times were quick. The only downside was the capacity because I couldn't fit my king comforter.

    The only reason I didn't buy front loaders is because I wanted the matching storage pieces and they added $500 and I wasn't looking to pay that much more.

    Next time around I will probably get a Speed Queen - top loader, with agitator.. Or I'll go on CL and find an old school washer that uses more water and WORKS. Good luck.

  • dadoes
    7 years ago

    Majority of these complaints/issues come from improper use and bad laundry techniques.

    - Leaves a mildew smell
    Mildew and odor can occur with bad usage habits, but toploaders are also susceptible. You mention washing primarily in cold water. BAD HABIT, regardless of the marketing push for it. Frontloaders use much less water than old-style toploaders so even washing in HOT water uses much less energy. Would you rather pay for a few gallons of heated water (compared to your old-style toploader that takes 20 to 25 gallons for a single fill) and have a clean machine, or wash in cold water and have a grungy machine? Water temperatures on new machines are restricted by sensors that control the incoming hot/cold mix such that warm may be only 75°F to 80°F, and hot may be only 90°F on some cycles. The designated "Normal" cycle is designed for EnergyStar ratings so is the most restricted on temperatures. The machine's electronics vary the temperature-mix points per the selected cycle and soil level (stronger cycles and higher soil level selections garner increased temperatures). Using the Heavy Duty cycle on a Hot fill, or the Sanitary or Alleregen cycle (if the machine has one) for a weekly load of whites goes a long way to keeping the machine in good condition.

    - Too small and doesn't wash big things like comforters
    Various capacity-sizes are on the market. There are units of VERY large capacity that can easily handle a queen- or king-size comforter.

    - Takes forever
    Cycles are comparatively longer than old-style toploaders because frontloaders use less water and have gentler washing action so dirty clothing needs longer exposure. However, a range of cycles are provided that vary in operational time, usually from about 30 mins for a quick cycle to 2+ hrs for Sanitary or Allergy cycles, for example, may heat the wash water to upwards of 150°F which takes time since the machines operate on standard 120v electric circuits (limited to 1,500 watts), as compared to an electric water heater that can pull upward of 5,000 watts.

    - Issues with leaking/water
    No more so than old-style toploaders.

    - Mold growth in door gaskets
    See point 1 above. Using chlorine bleach goes a long way to keeping mold at bay (weekly whites cycle). A friend has a 12+ years old Kenmore HE3 frontloader. She fosters rescue dogs so does a lot of "critter laundry" and often uses bleach. Her machine has no mold or odor.

    - Can't open once you start it
    All frontloaders have a pause button to interrupt the cycle. However, the door may not unlock/open if A) the water level is high enough that water may spill out; B) the water temperature is high enough to be a danger (such as a heated Sanitary cycle).

    - Toddlers can reach the buttons
    Controls typically have a child-lock function.

    - Doesn't clean as well
    They clean VERY well when used properly.

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    Everything Dadoes said.

    Frontloaders have been around since the 50's I've been using one since the late 80's when I repaired an old Westinghouse and took it home. I've been hooked every since.

    Every cleaning issue I've come a cross in Frontload or top load has been user error. Wrong cycle, wrong temp, wrong detergent. Had one customer many years ago who refused to use detergent and blamed her machine for not getting clothes clean.

    All the issues mentioned found in front loaders I've also found in top loaders. Incorrect washing "habits" will create other issues.

  • fillmoe
    7 years ago

    I had an HE3t for about 14 years without any repairs. I use vinegar instead of fabric softener and have never had a mold smell (I leave the door ajar). I'm a little (maybe more than a little) nutty and have done stain "tests" using pre-treat on half of a stain. The washer's ability to remove soil amazes me. I can do huge loads and have learned to adjust to the longer run times. So what? You can do the equivalent of 2 - 3 loads during that time and use far less water.

    Finally, the dryer stopped working, and the washer needed a new gasket, so I decided to replace the set and bought newer models of similar machines at the suggestion of the appliance store where we shop for our home and our rentals. They want our business and wouldn't steer me to a lesser machine.


  • mrsshayne
    7 years ago

    Jakvis and dadoes - you both offer great advice. Thank for taking the time. Now I'm scratching my head and wondering if I'm the issue. But logically speaking, I don't understand how a top load washing machine can move the clothes around without the true agitator. Can you please explain this?

    I question the performance based on my experience with my LG washer. There are days when I do 6 loads with no errors and all is fine. But I still get errors almost every other week. The machine tries to fill up with water to balance the load and sometimes it works, but if not, then I have to open and rearrange the clothes. I can't help but think if there was a real agitator then the clothes wouldn't be getting stuck.

    My old school washer NEVER had this issue. It removed the stains too (another reason I think an agitator is needed). I think LG has a flawed machine design. I'm open to trying new techniques but I'm convinced I bought a piece of crap. Just because something is new, doesn't mean it's better.

    I was talking to a guy that owns a Laundromat and he told me the top loaders are crap and the clothes basically just sit in water, barely moving. It's the friction within the wash that removes the stains. So this makes sense why my crappy washing machine isn't getting the stains out - the clothes barely move.

    For the record I have tried Tide, ALL, and Oxiclean. I have loaded the clothes different ways and tried small, to medium, to large loads. There is no consistently with the machine. The errors just randomly happen and I don't see any patterns explaining if it's something I'm doing.



  • PRO
    Anglophilia
    7 years ago

    I had a multi-brand (mainly high end) appliance repair man at my house today to replace a spring in the door of my DW (it was actually the cord that attaches to the spring). I asked him about brands of washing machines and he said that he believed the best are Speed Queen. I've seen many comments on this forum that would agree.

  • queensinfo
    7 years ago
    last modified: 7 years ago

    I had that same decision two years ago and went with a speed queen top loader and couldn't be happier. I read too many reviews of front loaders that scared me away and very little negative on the speed queen.

  • lascatx
    7 years ago
    last modified: 7 years ago

    I have LG front loaders and my only regret was not getting them years earlier when I decided on the Whirlpool Calyso HE top loader instead. I would never go back to a top loader. What dadoes said.

  • PRO
    MDLN
    7 years ago

    I bought a top loader and wish I went with a front loader or a Speed Queen.

    With the new low water volumes, in a front loader I'd be more confident clothes spent a reasonable percentage of time in contact with water.

  • dan1888
    7 years ago

    Speed Queen or Miele are two of the best. Even used. I use a gas dryer.

  • plllog
    7 years ago

    I was very interested, just from a general knowledge point of view, until I got to Dadoes suggestion to use chlorine bleach. I have never and will never do any such thing! It's bad for the environment and worse for textiles. Any washing machine that is designed in a way to encourage mold growth without the use of toxic chemicals is off the list for me!

  • Kelsey Janak
    Original Author
    7 years ago
    last modified: 7 years ago

    Speed Queen I do hear is the best, but I'm seeing $1500+!

  • queensinfo
    7 years ago
    last modified: 7 years ago

    Kelsey. It wasn't cheap for sure and I bet 90% of people would look at my top load speed queen as old and change it right out without realizing it is "better". I like that you can manually add additional water to fill the tub almost to the top. It also has a much much shorter wash time then a front loader, I think because of the amount of water it uses (much more). The top of the line (not commmercial) one is 999 at ajmadison

  • homepro01
    7 years ago

    plllog,

    I own a Miele and they state not to use Chlorine bleach. I have never used bleach in my machines. My machines heat water to over 190F and that is more than enough to sanitize the grubby items like kitchen towels. The Laundry forum really has a lot of information about these machines and the best practices for using them. A good detergent, limited fabric softner use and a few hot washes a month and your machine should be fine. Most people add too much detergent and fabric softener as a general practice.

    Good luck!

  • Kelsey Janak
    Original Author
    7 years ago

    What confuses me is that people are saying "____ loader or a Speed Queen," but Speed Queen has both front and top loaders. So I guess this still brings me back to my question of which is better? Haha

  • tibbrix
    7 years ago

    Top loader! I use both, because I am frequently in other people's homes. I really loath FLs. And get a TL with an agitator, not the top-loading "front loader" type. They are really a nightmare.

    With a top loader you can soak stuff right in the machine if you want. I think because of the agitator they clean better as well.

    The FL as a domestic machine was a "don't fix what isn't broken" situation, IMO. They came about because Yuppies decided they need industrial everything - stoves, fridges, etc. But FLs made for the home are not anything like FLs in laundromats and other institutions.


  • mrsshayne
    7 years ago

    Kelsey Kronmiller - "So I guess this still brings me back to my question of which is better? Haha"

    Too many opinions to give a definite answer :)

    To me front loaders are nicer looking, but I'm over looks.Next time around I will buy a top loader with an agitator (hopefully a Speed Queen) or I'll go on Craigslist and buy an old school washer. I worry about front loaders leaking, mold issues, and small loads...

    I also want a washer with LESS options/Less technology. It's overrated anyway.

  • dadoes
    7 years ago

    Kelsey, there are two kinds of toploaders on the market nowadays. The very few old-style, deep-fill agitator units still available, of which Speed Queen is one. And HE (high-efficiency) units that operate at low water levels and have an impeller-style agitator. Some have a centerpost on the impeller to make it appear like an old-style agitator. Some have a "deep wash" option that increases the water level but they still may not fill completely like an old-style machine. Some HE models have huge drums and claim to wash comforters but they don't do a good job, as videos on YouTube verify. Think about how these machines have to work: a load of saturated/wet laundry sitting at the bottom of the vertical drum in a few inches of water, with a disk rotating back and forth beneath fighting against gravity trying to get the items to jiggle enough to roll over so all of them can get some exposure to the wash water and the disk. Think about a comforter, quilt, or bedspread in that scenario. Also, too much water impedes the wash action because the items may float upward off-contact with the impeller.

    Now think about how a frontloader works: the same saturated/wet load of laundry in a puddle of water ... but sitting on the sidewall of a horizontal drum that rolls the load by nature, and with vanes to pick up the items and plop them down. Think about a comforter in that scenario. Frontloaders don't so much fight against gravity, they use gravity for the washing action.

    While there were washing machines of manual operation available years earlier, the first automatic washer on the U.S. market was a frontloader in 1937. Automatic toploaders came 10 years later.

  • Jakvis
    7 years ago

    For cleaning clothes it's all about turn over. If you over load a top load washer, with or without an agitator, you will not get roll over of the clothes. The clothes need to move from top to bottom to top again. If they can't roll over the washing action is less effective. Slightly under loading is always better than overloading.

    Also it is recommended to wash like clothes with like clothes. My dress shirts and materials like my dress shirts are washed together. Jeans, canvas shorts, are washed together, We only wash towels with towels, etc. etc. etc. This keeps the loads better balanced and provides better results.

    Use cold water only occasionally. Warm water is needed to remove body oils from clothes effectively. For most washers warm water is set to be only slightly warmer than body temperature. Generally 95-105 F

    Do at least one hot load a week. We wash our towels and our sheets in hot water and include a couple tablespoons of Oxiclean with no issues.

    There may be a few who disagree with this loading type but this is what consistently produces great results.

  • 3katz4me
    7 years ago

    Lots of opinions and you seem to be set on a top loader but I'll chime in anyway. Have had various FL in several homes for over 10 years. Never a problem of any kind - no mold, smells, leaking, etc. I could not wash my comforters in my previous TL and in my opinion clothes are cleaner with less wear and tear in a FL. I'm sure my opinion on wear and tear comes from the fact there's no longer anything mangled around an agitator. I would never again have a TL. I moved into a new house last year that had an old fashioned, fill 'er to the brim TL. I couldn't get rid of that thing fast enough - in part because DH refuses to use a TL any more. As he says, "it beats the snot out of my clothes".

    Interestingly someone on the laundry forum just returned their new malfunctioning Speed Queen and replaced it with a Whirlpool FL. And a few other SQ complaints over there as well. Maybe SQ isn't what it once was - kind of like Maytag. I too had a repairman tell me it was the best brand but I wasn't up for the huge pricetag for the FL.

  • PRO
    Deck The Halls
    7 years ago

    I had a front loader for about two years and I hated it. I was meticulous about cleaning it out, bleaching the gasket, drying the gasket, and leaving the door and soap area open. I also used water temperatures according to the clothing I was washing, i.e.: hot for towels and white, cold for colors, etc. I still had a mildew smell in it and front bottom of the gasket turned black with from mold.

    I bought the largest top loading wash LG makes just over four years ago and I have had no issues with it at all. It cleans wonderfully, was a load on speed wash in 35 minutes and it senses the load and adjust the water accordingly.

  • rococogurl
    7 years ago
    last modified: 7 years ago

    I would never buy a top loader. The water doesn't get hot enough to get the clothes really clean and the spin isn't fast enough to extract as much water as necessary. So clothes stay in the dryer longer, which isn't good.

    The top vs front discussion has gone on many times in the laundry forum. There are fans of both.

    But I have had 3 front loaders in the last 10 years and never had any of the issues stated above. Not a single one. I would never, never go back.

    Buying a front loader can be complicated. Here is a guide to how to buy the best front load washing machine. There are 11 steps to follow plus some info to demystify the process.

    Brands all have pros and cons. There are various price points. Capacity is an issue as well. It's a bit tedious but not difficult to evaluate all of them and there is plenty of advice in the laundry room.

  • hvtech42
    7 years ago
    last modified: 7 years ago

    Kelsey Kronmiller: What confuses me is that people are saying "____ loader or a Speed Queen," but Speed Queen has both front and top loaders.

    Although Speed Queen makes both types of machine, they are best known for their top loaders. This is because top loaders have seriously declined over the past decade, and there are very few good options left. Speed Queen is the one manufacturer that still "makes them like they used to." Whereas with front loaders, there are a lot of good options on the market now in addition to Speed Queen.

    tibbrix: The FL as a domestic machine was a "don't fix what isn't broken"
    situation, IMO. They came about because Yuppies decided they need
    industrial everything - stoves, fridges, etc.

    BS. The first automatic washer ever made was a front loader. Front loaders were used in Europe for decades before they became popular here, which they did because they do an excellent job washing while using less than 1/3 the amount of water as a top loader. Not to mention other benefits like being gentler on clothes and faster spin speeds.

    tibbrix: But FLs made for the home
    are not anything like FLs in laundromats and other institutions.

    Not all of them, but actually, if you buy a Speed Queen, it's going to be pretty darn similar to their laundromat unit.

  • lascatx
    7 years ago

    When I was was still having some hesitation about getting a FL, I was researching here and other places, I also ready all I could find from COnsumer Reports and found one of those articles that described the tests and how they did them, and they compared FLs and TLs. Their conclusions were that FLs cleaned better, were gentler on clothing, more energy and water efficient and reduced drying tiime -- which is both easier of fabric and more energy effecient. The biggest negative is fear of change, but I did it and would never go back. Wish I had done it sooner for all the dirty little kids clothes.

  • Kelsey Janak
    Original Author
    7 years ago

    @3katz4me - I actually really want a FL! Hahaha. Would make the laundry room much easier to design cabinetry wise, and they just look nicer :)

    @hvtech42 - Thank you for clarifying that!

  • Kelsey Janak
    Original Author
    7 years ago
    last modified: 7 years ago

    I should also mention my fiance is a carpenter, so his clothes are always dirty! Definitely need whatever cleans best.

    I appreciate those who explained the mechanics of FLs and how they clean - it makes much more sense for the FLs to actually clean better since they're tumbling around and not sitting in water like TLs.

  • dadoes
    7 years ago

    Re: carpenter -- it's important when using a frontloader to check pockets for screws, nails, and such. Don't want stray sharp objects puncturing the door boot! It's also possible (toploaders included) for a nail or screw of the right length to get lodged in a basket perforation with the sharp end turned outward and rip a gash in the outer tub during spin.

  • wekick
    7 years ago

    hvtech42, long time, no see. Glad to see you back on the forum.

    Kelsey, I don't think it is as simple with FL vs TL that one always cleans better than the other. It depends a lot on the model. There is SQ TL and then the rest. There are FLs that will function much better than others. I have used a FL (Frigidaire affinity) to wash some clothes that I had spotted with detergent and the detergent doesn't even come out. Clothes also smelled sour after a couple of hours so I'm thinking they were not getting clean. Our kids have another brand that they replaced with a SQTL because no matter what they did, it would stink. Our son also gets severe allergies which have disappeared with the SQ. This is not saying that all FLs are like this but they are not all equal. I would definitely want one with a heater.

    I think since you mentioned that your fiancé is a carpenter, I would lean towards the SQ TL. There have been farmers and others over on the laundry forum that have bought SQ TL because of the amount of dirt they get in their clothes. If you have a large amount of soiling a low volume of water only has a limited amount of solubility of that dirt. We have a situation in our business that is similar. We have approximately a dozen SQ TLs we use. We have them because they use a full amount of water. We have to be able to fully flush and dilute the soiling in what we are washing. We also have to be able to soak items fully submerged. Another factor for us is they are fast. They are also very sturdy as they get used and abused all day 5 days a week and we had never had a service call on any until someone left some nails in their pocket on my one at home and one slipped through the holes. Some of our oldest washers are from 2002. We have the hot water heater immediately next to the machine and it is jacked up to provide a wash temp of 165F. At home, I don't have water that hot but another variable to consider is the detergent. I use Persil liquid, Pro Clean and it gets everything out. It is amazing. It is great even in cool water.

  • sashanikki
    7 years ago
    last modified: 7 years ago

    I recently went from a 15 year old top loader to a front loader. The first one I got was a floor model and it leaked. I returned it and got another front loader,same brand, newer model. It cleans beautifully, and does a better job on stains then my top loader. Today I washed a king size comforter in it and it did a great job. I couldn't fit it in my old top loader. I will admit that due to the previous machine leaking from the beginning I'm a little nervous and have questioned whether I should have bought the top loader Speed Queen. But what leaked (tub gasket) could have happened to a top loader as well. And I don't think the top loaders clean as well. The cleaning gasket is really not a big deal and has already become a habit.

  • plllog
    7 years ago

    I have had ONE laundry pair for the last 16 years, and they're just fine. Lily'smom are you moving every year or are these dying on you?

    I was reading this thread because I have a few folks in real life who are in the market for new machines. I also like to keep up with it because I don't know when mine will give up. Probably not so soon as they're pretty much analog.

    The Laundry Forum is interesting but geared more to the laundry obsessed. Unlike with ovens (about which I am personally obsessed), I just want to put the clothes in and take them out, not pick apart the fine points.

    What I can say is that, having read through all this and the LF, I also don't think there's such a thing as FL works better or TL works better. Jakvis is right about the turn over. I know my TL agitator makes this happen. It gets the clothes very clean, and I don't get noticeable wear from the washer. I put everything in it from wired undergarments to fine silks to cotton towels and very very rarely do they get wrapped around the agitator, and that's from improper loading. They all get clean. They last a long time and it's generally rips that do them in, not wear. In my opinion, it's the dryer that causes wear, as do abrasive detergents with brighteners and too much heat. Most of our clothes are washed in cold using a mild, clear liquid detergent and hung to dry. The dryer is for towels and velour. I wouldn't be surprised if a lot of the difference in wear that people are attributing to front loaders is more from a change in laundry habits and detergents than from the machines themselves.

  • hvtech42
    7 years ago
    last modified: 7 years ago

    I was going to say, as much as I personally prefer front loaders over top loaders, I would take the Consumer Reports statement that they clean better with a grain of salt. The Speed Queen top loader did terribly on their test, but in reality it's a very good cleaner. You have to keep in mind that they always test the same way, and their methodology may not transfer well between machines. For example, you could throw a heavily soiled load into a front loader, pick your cycle, hit start, and have it come out clean. Throw the same load into a toploader and then not get as good results. But for this example, the SQ results could easily be brought up to the front load level by pausing and soaking in hot water. Yet CR does not account for this. And of course the TL will do great on the vast majority of loads without the neat for a soak, and do it in a lot less time than the frontloader.

    Both types of machine have their advantages and disadvantages, but I'd say there is no overall significant difference in cleaning performance between the two types. If you have a high performing machine of either type and you're using it correctly, you should get good results.

  • plllog
    7 years ago

    Lily'smom, I didn't mean to be accusatory. More funny, but I forgot the smiley face. I do appreciate the explanation--I do think there were some allusions before, but I didn't put it all together--because knowing that you had a continuing relationship with some of these, rather than moving one from the next is meaningful. Thank-you for the clarification, and my apologies for sounding abrupt.

    Hvtech, I didn't know that the blanket assertion that front loaders clean better came from CR. That explains a lot! It doesn't surprise me that they clean differently, or well, but the experimental criteria, as you say, can directly affect the results. We don't have a lot of what I'd call "heavy soil", like black grease, and I do pretreat that kind of thing, but I also use wimpy detergent.

    Unfortunately, I think the only way I'm really going to get a feel for what these new style machines are like, especially the front loaders, is to use them over an extended period, and I don't want to be in the position to have to do that (i.e, lose my delightful old machines). :)

  • lascatx
    7 years ago

    As far as your husband being a carpenter and dirty clothes, Ithat doesn't scare me or my FLs. I have used my FLs with two boys who were young with we got them and are now in college. The both were in scouts and brought home some nasty clothes, towels, and then the sleeping bags and such. During that same time, I've had two large dogs who go in our pool and who can pick up an incredible amount of mud whether from rain, gardening or chasing squirrels (or each other) through the flower beds. My DH is a splatterer and hand wiper when he cooks and his jeans -- and apron if he was wearing one, can be a huge rubbed in mess.

    On top of that, we are the owners who have had the joys of discovering the shortcomings of the original plumbing of this house and giving the house the TLC it needed. Lets just say the sanitizing wash has been duly tested. And the extra rinse. The spin on the FL can extract more dirty water so the rinse and extra rinse get the clothes cleaner. And on a very rare occasion that I rewash something really funky (more likely that something got left in the washer when we got busy), I can do a second wash and still use less water than a TL would.

    I don't have any reservation that a FL can clean a carpetner's clothes (but do check those pockets).

  • Kelsey Janak
    Original Author
    7 years ago

    I'm with plllog here in that I want to put the clothes in and take them out. I really don't want to have to clean doors and leave them open after every wash, or put the clothes in a specific way just to avoid smells and issues. Aint nobody got time for dat LOL. I don't have to do things like this with my current TL at all.


  • homepro01
    7 years ago

    Jus wanted to state again, I have never cleaned the gaskets on my washers willingly. I don't leave the door open. My washers are in a closet so the door must be closed. Never had a mold issue in 17yrs of use. Best of luck with your choice.

  • dadoes
    7 years ago

    There's no specific loading placement required for frontloaders. The door must be opened to remove the clothes when the cycle is done ... leaving it slightly ajar is simply a matter of not closing it, LOL. I always leave the lid of my toploader open when done so it can thoroughly dry between uses.

  • Kelsey Janak
    Original Author
    7 years ago
    last modified: 7 years ago

    The loading placement was reference to the TL without the agitator I believe. Not sure if it was here or somewhere else, but someone said you had to put them in a certain way. Will definitely be staying away from that one.

    Also, my issue with the door IS leaving it open - not the effort it takes, but that looks ugly and non-uniform :)

    It's like when my fiance leave the kitchen cabinet doors open - drives me absoluetely nuts!

  • lascatx
    7 years ago

    I've never had a laundry room where the washer and dryer have been such a focal point in the house that it would matter (visually) whether the door was open or closed. YMMV

  • rococogurl
    7 years ago

    i had a toploader that smelled awful because I kept the lid closed. Either needs to have the door left ajar. At least a FL with a heater can do sanitary washes which are. good idea with kids in the house.

  • hvtech42
    7 years ago
    last modified: 7 years ago

    Ehh, but front loader doors have to form a tight seal to stop water from leaking out. This really inhibits air circulation when closed. Top loaders don't have this restriction and so get a decent amount of fresh air even when the lid is closed. That's why we hear about it more with frontloaders. I'd say the vast majority of people left the lids closed on their top loaders and didn't have mold issues. Whereas with front loaders, it's a more prevalent, although not universal, problem.

    That said I think the issue is way overblown and it shouldn't discourage someone from buying a front loader. My LG front loader has a neat magnetic door latch that will keep it slightly ajar, enough for good air circulation but not enough to get in the way, and barely enough to even notice the door is open. Not sure if other brands have something like this as well.

  • plllog
    7 years ago

    True. No seal on my old TL lid, and no mold when kept closed. It also drains very well and is always quite dry when it hasn't been used for a day. We have "normal" (40-60%) humidity most days. I think this might be a problem if there were more humidity or if the washer didn't have a chance to dry out.


    Hvtech, that's very cool about the latch that holds it open sufficiently for the air circulation. I'd be fine with that--the machine taking care of itself. Normal behavior is to close doors. A washer that demands abrogating normal behavior is inconvenient, especially with the door of a FL being in just the right place to bump it closed even if one were trying to leave it open. A washer that takes care of its own needs to be open is far superior!

  • dadoes
    7 years ago

    While frontloaders don't have air circulation when closed to the degree of toploaders, it's a misconception that they seal airtight. There is a vent hose from either the top or back of the tub that exits out the back panel, and the dispenser drawer has a hose connection to the tub.

    Both types of machines always have water remaining in the pump and drain hose. It's rare that toploaders don't have some residue on the outer tub, outside of the inner basket, and under the agitator that's not visible unless the machine is disassembled.

  • plllog
    7 years ago
    last modified: 7 years ago

    Dadoes, I don't doubt you on the water in the system, but my machine hasn't developed dank or mold (at least not the kind you can smell) even when left closed and unused for weeks in Summer heat.

    Do those vents in the front loaders air out the part the clothes go in when the door is closed? I thought leaving the door open was for the air circulation necessary to dry out and prevent mold. I'm getting confused again.

    I must say, it's not that I'm against FL's out of hand. I'm just trying to sort out the hype from reality and get a good sense of what it's like to use them. Part of that is dispensing with blanket canards about TL's that don't match any of my experience. I'm not saying they're not true for the experience of some others, or might be true of other locations, methods of use and models of machines, but so far from my own experience as to not apply.

  • mamapinky0
    7 years ago

    FL vs TL debate will continue LOL

    I am 60 years old and always used a TL until recently. When after two ddeliveries of Speed Queens proved to be lemons...I decided to take the leap and buy a Whirlpool Duet FL. ..lets back up a bit....I had a routine in my TL'ers...I always added boiling water after the load was started and filled with hot..for whites, bedding, bath, and kitchen towels by dumping soup pots of boiling water into the machine to boost the temp...that started to really become a chore for this old carcuss to cart those heavy pots, I started dreaming of a FL'er with a onboard heater. The more I thought about it the more desirable it sounded..BUT I was concerned about low water levels, HE detergent, and reports of mold....but this heater was really getting my attention. ..than the good folks in the Laundry forum started nudging me towards a FL...I was scared, understand laundry is my thing..I enjoy laundry and all the challenges it can present...so I gave up my ocean of water for a heater...I can now choose between cold (I dont use cold) to hot, and I am talking 154+F...and everything inbetween......no more pots of boiling water. My textiles are clean, stain free, soft, fluffy and so fresh smelling, with much less work on my part. As far as moldy machines..it only takes a few seconds to wipe out the door seal and leave the door open when not in use. The use of hot water at lead t for your whites and bedding will also keep the machine clean. I won't go back to a TL'er....my whites have never been more white.

  • bojana2012
    6 years ago

    The SQ top loaders all seem too small for a king size comforter...and I'm concerned about a front loader bc we wouldn't be able to keep the laundry closet doors closed AND keep the front loader door open to prevent mold/mildew/mustiness...I'm at a a loss. Consumer Reports recc's some top loaders (with and without agitators) that are large enough to handle a king comforter, but they are not rated as highly as their best front loaders...HELP!

  • Bruce in Northern Virginia
    6 years ago

    Unless you need to wash that king comforter very frequently, I would just recommend bringing it to a commercial laundromat when you need to clean it. It will only cost you about $5-10 total (with drying), and you won't be buying a washer solely on the need for cleaning one large item.

    Bruce

  • bojana2012
    6 years ago

    Bruce, that's a good point. Then do you recommend getting a small top loader SQ?


  • Karl Lonieski
    6 years ago

    You only need to keep the door opened a crack. It doesn't have to be wide open. I switched to FL and would never go back!

  • bojana2012
    6 years ago

    ottlane - how long have you had your front loader? do you also wipe down the inside after each wash to help dry it out? Thanks so much!


  • M
    6 years ago

    Front loading washing machines have been standard in Europe for as long as I can remember. In fact, I am not even sure they ever had any top loading machines, unless you look at historic models that didn't have electric motors.

    I have now lived in the US for ~20 years, and I have had front loading machines for the majority of the time. I far prefer them. Yes, they work differently. You need different detergent (that was a problem several years ago; it's pretty much a non-issue these days). And you need to make sure you don't close the door when you are done and don't plan on using it again soon. But those are really minor parts of a very gentle learning curve.

    Overall, they just seem to wash better, use less water, and be gentler on the clothes -- or maybe, I was always really luck with my front loaders and unlucky with the top loaders. That certainly is possible, as the only top loaders were in rental places, whereas I always bought front loaders for my own place.