High Efficiency Front Load VS Regular Top Load Washer

Keith is here to show you the difference between the new technology of the high efficiency front load washers and the older technology top load washers.

New HE Front Load Washers

With the new front load washers, one of the first things that you will notice is that there is a HE symbol where the soap dispenser. The HE symbol stands for high-efficiency. This tells you that the machine does have the new technology and that you need a certain type of soap with the HE logo. You will use less soap and use soap that is less dense. 

Front load washers use less water, your clothes will come out more dry after a cycle, and will ultimately save you money. Each cycle with a top load washer will use between 3-5 gallons of water. There are usually 2-3 cycles per load making the total amount of water used to about 10-15 gallons. People tend to use the extra rinse cycle as a way to really wash out all the soap in the load. This is good for people who tend to use too much soap. 

One question that we hear a lot is, will this amount of soap really clean my clothes? The answer is YES! Using less water means that it requires less soap and that you should stick to the manufacturer's maximum amount of soap.

 One other great benefit of using the high-efficiency washer is that it uses less electricity. The drum does spin faster, but with the newer technology, the appliance unit will use less electricity.

Old Top Load Washers

These washers have been around for 40- 50 years with really no new technology. These are the same washers that you grandma has used for years.

The big tub can hold from 10 to 30 gallons of water in each cycle filling it to the top. Each load takes about 2-3 cycles similar to the new technology. But when adding up all of those cycles, you are using about 60-90 gallons of water per load. That is a huge difference! With more water requires more soap to evenly distribute it out. This is why you use more soap.

Because of how much water you are using, requires more soap, more electricity, and costs you more money with this option in the long run. The convenient thing about the old top load washers is that the cost to buy them is going to be more affordable.

The Comparison

After comparing the new top load washers with the old front load washers, you can see a big difference between the two.. These differences are more clear when thinking about how much laundry you do, especially with a family. If you are looking at having to use less soap, less water, less electricity and want to save money in the long run, it is worth the upgrade to the new high-efficiency front load washes. 

What are your thoughts? Leave them in the comments section or contact our store.

TOP LOAD VS. FRONT LOAD WASHER

So your washer has just run its last cycle in its long and prosperous life and now you are, for potentially the first time, shopping for a brand new one. You walk in to an appliance store and you see an overwhelming selection of washers to choose from. There are top load with the agitator, there are top load without the agitator in the middle, and finally there are front load washers. What is the major difference between the three? Well I’m here to answer exactly that.

Lets begin with top load washers with

agitators. This is your traditional washer set up and generally at lower price points. The first thing to mention is that very few top load washers are built in the old school manner where they will last 15 to 20 years. Most modern washers on the market going to last 8 to 10 years, regardless of set up. The reason they don’t last as long is because the savings on energy efficiency over the 8 to 10 years of its life is enough money to warrant purchasing a new set. The down side of this washer design is water efficiency while the benefit is you don’t have to bend down to put clothes in. A great example of a top load washer is the LG 5.7 Cu.Ft. Mega Capacity Top Load Turbowash Technology Washer.

The top load without the agitator in the middle is a curious study. The lack of the agitator in the middle to pull clothes through the water to clean them means that the manufacturers had to get creative with the way the tub rotates. The benefit of these is that your clothes can’t get tangled around the agitator or get frayed, plus the capacities tend to go higher on them as well. The downside on them is water efficiency.

Now we get to the front load washers. The number one complaint I’ve heard customers have is that they tend to develop a smell over time. The manufacturers have fixed that issue by using anti-microbial material on the interior of the washer. The other thing to keep in mind is that front loads require ventilation, so keeping the door cracked is necessary. Now front loads are the best at cleaning clothes and here is why, the tub will spin out much faster than the top loads plus the tub itself is stainless steel on the interior. Now while they are generally more pricey, the amount of water savings you will have on front load vs. top load will pay itself off in two to three years. Check out the LG 5.2 cu.ft. Mega Capacity with On-Door Control Panel & TurboWash.

So in general, front load washers will clean the best and are the more efficient. The downside is having to bend down to load and unload, but they do have pedestal or stacking options. 

Front- Loaders vs. Top-Loaders: the Debate Continues

Like Coke vs. Pepsi, boxers vs. briefs, or even the always-controversial “over vs. under” toilet roll debate, the question of whether a top-loading washer is really superior to a front-loader, or vice versa, is a topic with strong opinions from passionate debaters on either side of the issue. While both types of washing machines have their advantages and drawbacks, people seem to have a clear preference for one or the other, and are not likely to waver when it comes to buying a new machine. Here is an outlined pro/con list of both styles of washer; see where you fall in the Great Washer Debate:

 

Front-Loading Washers:

Pro: Front-loader enthusiasts often tout the eco-friendliness of high-efficiency models, citing the comparatively low amounts of water and energy that it takes to do a load of laundry.  Front-loading washers generally do use less water and spin faster than their top-loading counterparts, making them the greener option.

Con: They stink. Or, at least, they used to stink. Maybe they still do on occasion- the point is, a lot of people will never know because they won’t give the new designs a second chance. Many consumers were turned off by the first generation of front-loaders due to the chronic mildew smell that they reported coming from both the machine itself and the clothes they washed. So serious was this issue that the manufacturers took the complaint all the way to the Supreme Court, and the number of front-loaders sold in the U.S. dropped from 45% in late 2009 to just 29.5% today. The design of front-loaders has improved since the first generation to minimize the risk of stinky laundry, but many people are still wary of the front-loader design as a result.

Pro: According to Consumer Affairs, front-loaders clean better than top-loaders on average, while also using approximately 5 gallons less water per cycle. Also, with the use of an electric hot water heater, front-loading washers can cut electricity use by up to 50%, resulting in cost savings.

Con: Front-loaders are initially more expensive, which means that even though you will ultimately be saving money on your energy and water bills, the savings may not add up to enough to justify the price of the purchase.

 

Top- Loading Washers:

Pro: You can open the lid and throw in more clothes after the cycle has begun. This is a big deal for anyone who is easily annoyed by finding that missing sock in the hamper moments after starting a load.

Con: While top-loaders have gotten much better at cleaning, they are still about 5% less effective at their job, according to a test performed by Reviewed.com.

Pro: Top-loaders are initially less expensive than front-loaders, meaning that a family whose washer has just recently conked out can replace it with a new top-loader with a lot less impact to their wallet.

Con: Top-loaders just don’t look as cool as front-loaders. If the aesthetics of an appliance concern you, then a top-loader just isn’t going to make you happy. Sure, they’ve come a long way with their agitator-free barrels and clear lids, but if you want a washing machine that looks like it was designed for the Jetsons’ house and boasts a variety of colors and modern, high-tech features, the top-loader may not cut it.

 

Where does your loyalty lie? Join the Washer Wars in the comments below.