You need to leave the door open for a little while after use, to let it dry out so it won’t stink.
They make a top loader without an agitator and with the capacity of a front loader. It’s called the Cabrio. I’ve never had any trouble with it.
http://www.lowes.com/pd_36_0__?productId=3246320
3 months of the year I use an agitator-less top loader. It even tells the matching dryer how long to run and at what temp. for the load settings.
HATE IT. Not enough water to dilute and flush out dirt and kids odors. Dryer is never right and another trip to re-set it each load. Clothing has “spin wrinkles”. Cost a fortune! 3K?
9 months of the year I use an agitator, top loading, only size level adjustable wonderful, perfect washer. Matched dryer is perfect too. Be sure you pay the extra for an auto dry sensor. It will pay for itself over and over.
I think it was under $700 for the pair 3 years ago. (19 years on the previous set) AMANA
I could replace them 3 times in the 10-15 years the other set may last!
I prefer top load - I’ve heard mostly negative from friends/family who’ve bought front load.
top vs front loader.
depends on what your priorities are.
Front loaders will be much more efficient(power and water) vs tops. True a surfactant is added to reduce suds, however using no soap is all most as effective as any detergent. The reason for HE soap has to do with the mechanics and survivability. The current front loaders are much better then the early 2000’s.
Before you do anything get the consumer reports $5 one month internet subscription and base your purchase on that.
We bought a trouble some (fl) Kenmore in 2000 and I managed to keep it going with much effort until 2011. the replacement (fl) has been flawless. Newer machines understand the mold issues and have incorporated a timer for a clean cycle (lots of bleach) to prevent issues
Lastly the front loaders spin so fast that the dry time is much less.
In the end its all about research, do the do diligence and you’ll be happy.
We bought a Maytag Bravos two years ago . It takes a little getting used to. It uses so much less water then our previous top load agitator. I cleans clothes just fine.
And I don’t buy the HE detergents - just the Tide pods.
We now have HE but only because we had no choice when our old washer went up. It seems like it gets the clothes clean, but it also seems to beat them up, i.e., wear them out faster.
The new low water usage, HE top loaders take some getting used to but they DO get the clothes clean with a lot less water and detergents.
OK!
My local power company has a program to get old appliances off the grid. So if your washer is older than ten years, they will give you a NEW one!
Great deal, I thought.
Last Wednesday, they took out my old washer and left a new Whirlpool HE machine in my kitchen. (I asked them to leave it there so I could hook it up and insure there were no leaks)
About two hours later, I had everything cleaned up and arranged and connected.
It’s the weirdest damn thing I ever saw.
Has a “SENSE” phase where it somehow tries to determine what the load is. Then starts filling, and I have zero control over how full it gets.
Then it does the wash - seems pretty efficient, but the wash cycle is a fair amount longer than my old washer.
Then the rinse and final spin.
But all this time, it is emitting the oddest bunch of whirs, pops, clicks, you name it, this thing has got more sound effects than a bad stage play!
And sometimes it seems to just in the middle of a cycle go to sleep for an undetermined amount of time - only to wake up and scare the crap out of you if you’re near it!
I have done about 4 loads since I got it and am unimpressed so far - but I am still trying the various settings.
One thing - it does use A LOT LESS power. My old machine would use about .7 KWH per load.
This one comes in at about .17 KWH per load.
And theoretically, it uses a lot less water as well.
front loaders are fine ...
Do not buy an HE machine. The clothes do not get clean. I have one and rue the day it came into my house.
My sister spent 30 years working for Sears at first as a repair technician and then manager of a regional repair center.
She told me in no uncertain terms to never purchase one of the HE machines, front load or top load. They have more plastic parts than the regular units even by today’s standards and they have terrible track records for almost every kind of repair.
We just won a front load washer and dryer set from Sears and I have already sold them and purchased a very nice set of normal units. I even have enough money left over to pay the stinking taxes.
The reason why front loaders begin to stink is because most people keep the the door shut which does not give it any time to air out and dry. Some people who have front loaders put a small towel on the door so that it is cracked open after they use it giving it a chance to dry out. The dryer doesn’t have a stink problem because the inside always gets dried out.
My washer was about 20 years old and I got a new washer a few months ago, it is an HE even tho’ I don’t know what that stands for.
It does not have an agitator and doesn’t use as much water. It is the best washer I have ever had. It takes a little time to get used to the strange noises it makes but it is NICE!
I would never get a front loader I have heard too many bad things about them.
My sister has one of these smart washers—a top loader. She has a hose permanently attached to the spigot in the sink so she can add water to the washer—it’s so stingy with water the clothes don’t get wet.
I had a problem with mold when we first bought our LG front-loading washer. I began to keep the front door open and switched to powder HD detergent. Now all is well. I love them. Liquid detergent didn’t work in our dishwasher, either.