Replace top loader with front loader (washing machine)?

[Muse]

My neighbor is married, has a couple young kids. They just replaced their Whirlpool washer and drier with bigger ones ("we do a lot of laundry," she said), at least one of which is Samsung. I think the replacements are unmatched but they put them in stacked (I witnessed that yesterday, pros installing them with brackets). They bought their slightly used machines off Craigslist from people who were moving. The neighbors asked me if I wanted the old Whirlpools, which were stacked.

I'd thought for years that a front loader would be good, that it probably gets clothes cleaner with the tumbling action instead of the vertical agitator action of my old Kenmore washer. New front loaders seem to go for $1000, has been my impression, but I have never shopped for one. I got my washer and dryer used when some friends of my sister moved and got new washer/drier. They offered the used machines to me for $100 each and I took them up on it... at the time I was a laundromat user. It took me quite some time to get them out of my living room and into the laundry room and installed, but they have been great. This was ~15 years ago and I'm quite used to the machines. They are both Kenmore, and the top loader washer (with vertical agitator) has Low, Medium and High water levels. I almost never use High because I don't think it cleans as well. So I don't stack clothes that high that it would need that much water. I can actually do an in between load by choosing, say, High and then changing to Medium before the water gets much over Medium level, a cute trick. The water temperature can be either Cold, Medium or Hot. I can also change my water temperature because I have a tankless water heater with a temperature selection module with 5 degree increments. The washing machine has hot and cold water inlets.

I live alone. I don't do a whole ton of laundry. I don't let it pile up, I do loads way before I need to. When I have something like enough laundry to do some, I do it. I rarely use the drier, actually. 95% of the time I hang out my laundry on lines I have rigged up in my back yard, just any old way I can. Attached to whatever, even tree limbs! If the weather doesn't dry my clothes enough, I will toss them in the drier. It happens, but overall I use the washer 10x more than the drier at least.

I gave my neighbor a $400 check yesterday after I was called by the wife asking me if I wanted them. I asked her what she thought was a fair price and she'd said $200 each? I said OK, went over there and witnessed the installation of the replacement machines and made out a check for her. Now, I'm wondering if I should back out and ask them to get rid of the machines some other way. I hadn't done any research, thought it through. The machines are sitting outside their door, presently.

I just did some online research on washing machines. One nice feature of top loaders is that you can toss stuff in after the cycle starts. I do that sometimes, plenty times. Can't with a front loader. The front loaders use less water... and electricity, I didn't know that. I was right that the front loaders get clothes cleaner, in general. Front loaders have a problem with mold and develop objectionable odors. I suppose you can fight that problem by cleaning the rubber seals occasionally, maybe wearing rubber gloves and using a bleach solution.

I don't know if you can do a smaller load in a front loader (i.e. use less water if you choose to do so), like I do with my top loader.

My machines are both Kenmore, but they don't match. Much different color, but that doesn't really bother me.

The Whirlpools can stack, not sure I'd do that. I have a laundry tub next to the washer that accepts water from the machine and drains to the drain pipe. It's there to prevent backup from a partially clogged drain, something that happened initially when I installed my present washer. Apparently, if I install these Whirlpool machines I would need to make more horizontal space, about 3-4 inches. I could do that by moving a cabinet that isn't affixed to anything. That would mean I'd have to reattach the dryer vent somehow, another complication, I suppose.

I would have to remove my machines and install the Whirlpools. Yeah, a hassle! And get rid of my old Kenmores! Another hassle!

I'm thinking maybe tell them I want the washer but will pass on the drier (ask for $200 back). Mine's a kind of yellow beige that doesn't match the white washers but I don't much care about that. I don't use a drier much. I don't mess with it's settings, have it set to on, close the door and punch a button and just remember to come back after X minutes and check the dryness. It has a bunch of fancy settings to count down, etc. but I don't mess with them.

I'm not sure what to do.

 

[Red Squirrel]

Since you're getting them for so cheap I'd go ahead with it. The nice thing with front loader is they typically have more room so you can do bedding too. No agitator in the way.

Downside is they do have their issues, they are generally more complex with more electronics etc, have more things that can break, and they also have mold issues, but that can be solved by leaving door open.

 

[lxskllr]

I was interested in front loaders for awhile, but I lost my enthusiasm for for them. Reading around, they seem to be more hassle, and more problematic than top loaders. That said, I don't do private returns for buyer's remorse. It's lame. Do what you say you're gonna do, and figure it out later. I'd try the machines out, then either keep or sell the ones you don't want.

 

[Muse]

Since you're getting them for so cheap I'd go ahead with it. The nice thing with front loader is they typically have more room so you can do bedding too. No agitator in the way.

Downside is they do have their issues, they are generally more complex with more electronics etc, have more things that can break, and they also have mold issues, but that can be solved by leaving door open.

Yeah, that agitator has made me think sometimes, isn't it kinda rough on the fabric. It rubs against whatever is in immediate contact with it. I've put some bigger stuff in the machine, but it's true, I shy away from it. A front loader, I'd think, is gentler on clothes. The site I visited that had the most info (and written just last November) noted that front loaders tend to spin 30% faster than top loaders, so the clothes come out drier, less work for the dryer or less time to dry out in the yard.

 

[BoomerD]

We have Samsung front loaders and they're pretty great. Use less water, seem to get clothes cleaner...but they have to be leveled VERY WELL or else they "walk around." The last set was installed by Lowes and I fought that problem for 5 years. (Part of it was the weak floor in the manufactured home, part was shitty install...that Lowes refused to correct)
One thing to remember...ALWAYS leave the washer door open when it's not un use. Otherwise, mold and nasty shit will grow inside the drum in places you can't clean. Doesn't have to fe fully open...just a couple of inches should be enough. I cut a piece of hard foam to keep the door open. Notched so it would stay attached to the door, soft enough to prevent damaging the door if I ran into it, yet stiff enough to keep the door open.

 

[Muse]

Gotta serious question. One thing I do a lot is hand wash some stuff in my kitchen sink and then put in my top loader and just dial a partial spin cycle to wring out most of the moisture and hang up outside on my clotheslines. Can I do that with this front loader?

 

[manly]

How old are they? $400 for the pair might be a little high, depending on the models. I think front loaders are better, but the washers are becoming less reliable for a couple different reasons. One, electronics seem to have a somewhat higher failure rate than old school analog designs (some people swear by Speed Queen washers for bulletproof reliability, at a price).

Secondly, front loading washers use something called a "spider" arm and most manufacturers cheap out on the materials (this is probably not an accident). These parts are notorious for corrosion, and it's basically non-fixable out of warranty (cost of repair exceeds the value of the machine). You just junk the machine and move on, sadly.

I could be wrong, but front loaders are always meant to wash full loads (for efficiency reasons). So if you're the type who likes to do half loads or less, I believe any decent top loader can do that more suitably by detecting the volume of clothes.

You can add items to a front loader after the cycle starts. You have to pause the cycle (early), which unlocks the door. Then add items and continue the cycle. I suppose it's possible to add items later (say you wanted to only rinse/spin a few items), but I've never tried this. The main use case is that you forgot to toss in a garment or two, which you certainly can do with front loaders.

As far as mold or smell goes, there is an easy solution. Just leave the door open for hours after a wash. This airs out the residual moisture (and I believe partially guards against corrosion of the spider arm). There are also washing machine cleaners that help; I use Affresh tablets which are cheap on Amazon.

And repost
https://forums.anandtech.com/threads/top-load-vs-front-load-he-washer.2351403/

 

[BoomerD]

Gotta serious question. One thing I do a lot is hand wash some stuff in my kitchen sink and then put in my top loader and just dial a partial spin cycle to wring out most of the moisture and hang up outside on my clotheslines. Can I do that with this front loader?

yes, most front loaders give you a "rinse and spin" cycle...or you can use the delicates cycle instead of hand-washing. MOST front loaders only use as much water as is needed...which is always a lot less than a top loader. One thing I liked about top loaders is the ability to load extremely dirty clothes, fill the machine with water and detergent, and let it soak overnight. Some front loaders give you a bit of a soak option...but it's just not the same. Glad I don't need that heavy soak option very often anymore...(retirement has its benefits)

 

[Sgt. York]

OP, if you already have a functioning washer and dryer and you don't use it often, why spend money on another washer/dryer set? Unless there's something wrong with your current machines, just keep on using what you have.

 

[FerrelGeek]

We had a Whirlpool front loader years ago and it was a total POS. We have a Samsung top loader with no agitator and it does a great job. It's also classified as high efficiency.

 

[dainthomas]

How old are they? $400 for the pair might be a little high, depending on the models. I think front loaders are better, but the washers are becoming less reliable for a couple different reasons. One, electronics seem to have a somewhat higher failure rate than old school analog designs (some people swear by Speed Queen washers for bulletproof reliability, at a price).

Secondly, front loading washers use something called a "spider" arm and most manufacturers cheap out on the materials (this is probably not an accident). These parts are notorious for corrosion, and it's basically non-fixable out of warranty (cost of repair exceeds the value of the machine). You just junk the machine and move on, sadly.

I could be wrong, but front loaders are always meant to wash full loads (for efficiency reasons). So if you're the type who likes to do half loads or less, I believe any decent top loader can do that more suitably by detecting the volume of clothes.

You can add items to a front loader after the cycle starts. You have to pause the cycle (early), which unlocks the door. Then add items and continue the cycle. I suppose it's possible to add items later (say you wanted to only rinse/spin a few items), but I've never tried this. The main use case is that you forgot to toss in a garment or two, which you certainly can do with front loaders.

As far as mold or smell goes, there is an easy solution. Just leave the door open for hours after a wash. This airs out the residual moisture (and I believe partially guards against corrosion of the spider arm). There are also washing machine cleaners that help; I use Affresh tablets which are cheap on Amazon.

And repost
https://forums.anandtech.com/threads/top-load-vs-front-load-he-washer.2351403/

I just leave the door on my front loader cracked any time it's not running and I've had it for 12 years with zero mold or smell issues.

 

[s0me0nesmind1]

I was interested in front loaders for awhile, but I lost my enthusiasm for for them. Reading around, they seem to be more hassle, and more problematic than top loaders. That said, I don't do private returns for buyer's remorse. It's lame. Do what you say you're gonna do, and figure it out later. I'd try the machines out, then either keep or sell the ones you don't want.

Front loaders were a fad for the longest time.

More recently (last 5 years) they have clearly backtracked and now top loaders are the main ones being produced from what I've seen.

... So I would say you're correct.

 

[mindless1]

No, front loaders don't come remotely close to getting clothing as clean, unless you're only comparing against a top loader with too low a capacity (you're overloading it) so it can't agitate properly.

 

[destrekor]

Front loaders were a fad for the longest time.

More recently (last 5 years) they have clearly backtracked and now top loaders are the main ones being produced from what I've seen.

... So I would say you're correct.

I wouldn't say they are a fad that has faded, I think the market just reacted to the fact that during the front load boom they all but ignored the top loader segment. What is clearly needed is further development of both the front load and top loader models. For awhile there the top loader development was stagnant. Now it's not, but front loads are still popular so I think there is equilibrium now.

I kept the laundry machines when I bought my place, standard top load washer and front load dryer set. I'm torn on what I want when the time comes to replace them.
I hear the complaints that HE front loaders just don't get clothes as clean but also have to wonder if there have been newer models, or just more expensive models, that do produce good results?
And I want to hear more about HE top loaders without the standard agitator column. I really really hate that damn agitator when I'm washing bedding, but if the presence of an agitator is 100% the deciding factor between truly clean and not fully clean, I guess I'll stick to the old faithful design.

 

[Muse]

OP, if you already have a functioning washer and dryer and you don't use it often, why spend money on another washer/dryer set? Unless there's something wrong with your current machines, just keep on using what you have.

Yeah, kind of makes sense. AFAIK, my current top loader with agitator and the front loader dryer (both Sears Kenmore) work as well as when I got them. They were used already, bought from friends of my sister. I'm used to them, I'm pretty fine with what I get from them. I use the washer for a load of laundry on average probably around every 2-3 weeks. Maybe once a week I'll toss a couple of wet items in it for a 3-4 minute spin cycle.

I do long soaks of my all-white loads in that oxygen bleach stuff they sell at Costco, usually overnight. A post here suggests I can't do long soaks in a front loader. I have a mind to weasel out of the deal. They're cool folks and savvy, I don't think they'll mind. They are super helpful people. They will likely sell them on Craigslist if I demure and ask for my check back. They are resourceful people, to say the least.

How old are they? $400 for the pair might be a little high, depending on the models. I think front loaders are better, but the washers are becoming less reliable for a couple different reasons. One, electronics seem to have a somewhat higher failure rate than old school analog designs (some people swear by Speed Queen washers for bulletproof reliability, at a price).

I don't know how old they are. One shows peeling paint on top, very obviously. I didn't look them over at all, didn't have the chance. Both Whirlpool and they're white. That's all I know, no model numbers. They've been living there 7 years, but they may have bought them used!

 

[JEDIYoda]

I hear rear loaders are All the rage......

 

[Muse]

I hear rear loaders are All the rage......

Might not work in my laundry room, it's old skool. House was actually built in 1910, but part of the laundry room is an obvious add-on. It's kinda weird. They did mods to my house, don't know the exact history. I've had people over assessing things from time to time and sometimes thinking out loud about how some of the architecture developed. Myself, I don't do that. It is what it is. My back staircase is kinda trippy. And hazardous if you are tall!

 

[snoopy7548]

I like my Amana top loader I bought for less than $500 almost seven years ago. I use the delicate cycle for all of my shirts and pants, and the normal for my undershirts, boxers, and socks. Just has three dials and a button which is all you need.

 

[Muse]

I like my Amana top loader I bought for less than $500 almost seven years ago. I use the delicate cycle for all of my shirts and pants, and the normal for my undershirts, boxers, and socks. Just has three dials and a button which is all you need.

I've had an Amana fridge/freezer for almost 20 years. I like it.

My Kenmore top loader has two dials. One for small/medium/large load (and in/out for on/off), and one for length of agitator action before the rinse cycle (and that determines hot/warm/cold, depending on where you set it). Simple machine. The front loaders look real complicated.

 

[lxskllr]

My dryer pretty much died. I'm gonna see if I can live without it, but winter may be a problem. When my washer dies, I'll get a SpeedQueen top loader.

 

[Muse]

My dryer pretty much died. I'm gonna see if I can live without it, but winter may be a problem. When my washer dies, I'll get a SpeedQueen top loader.

Before I got dryer hooked up I would sometimes hang up laundry inside the house if it was rainy weather. Besides the obvious inconvenience of improvising a means of letting things dry inside there's the consequence of the humidity getting out of control. One of my rooms shows unfortunate after effects of that! Buckling wall covering and paint!

 

[Muse]

I went over there today, inspected the machines. Whirlpool Duet HT, they said on the outside. I couldn't find model numbers, they are evidently on the inside and I couldn't see a way to open them short of plugging them in and I had no means of doing that.

I went home and looked up Whirlpool Duet HT, read reviews at Amazon, and they are pretty much the worst, period: 2.9 stars, don't remember seeing such a low rating there for anything... well, anything I was curious about. A lot of people reported problems, EXPENSIVE problems! So, I went back and rang the bell. She was happy to hand me back my check. I don't think she would have considered cashing it until the machines left their property, actually. She was completely understanding and agreed that since my current machines serve my purposes and have never given me any trouble I should continue to use them.