Both top-loading and front-loading washing machines will do a good
job of cleaning your clothes. The most significant differences between these
types of washers are capacity, energy efficiency, water use, feature options,
and style.
Top-loading machines
Traditional top-loading washing machines are available in a wide assortment of
models, price ranges and styles. The most basic top-loading washers perform
very well and are generally a good value for a no-frills, clean wash. Other
top-loaders offer more cycle and temperature selections, spin speeds, and
fabric care extras as they increase in price. Overall, top-loading washers are
generally less expensive to purchase than front-loading machines, but are
slightly more costly to run because they use more water and electricity.
Most top-loaders fill the tub with enough water to cover the clothing, then
agitate them to get the clothing clean. Some manufacturers now offer
high-efficiency top-loading washers using a number of different technologies.
One such technology is the Whirlpool® Calypso® wash plate. Instead of agitating
fabrics to get them clean, the wash plate moves them through a shower of
concentrated detergent and water. The action is gentler on fabrics; it's
designed to provide better cleaning with far less stress to garment fibers. And
with the agitator out of the way, the washer has more room to clean bulky items
such as comforters and rugs.
Standard capacity for a top-loading washing machine is 12 to 16 pounds per
load. The Calypso wash plate model can hold up to 18 pounds of laundry (think
the equivalent of 16 pairs of jeans).
View all
top-loading washers
Front-loading machines
Front-loading washers deliver excellent performance overall. They do not have
agitators, but instead clean clothes by tumbling them through a concentrated
water and detergent mixture. Because they clean by tumbling and not agitation,
front-loaders are usually gentler on fabrics and cause less wear and tear on
washables than conventional top-load washers. You may even find you can wash
fabrics Â? like washable silk and wool Â? that could be damaged in a traditional
top-loading washer.
The tub does not need to fill completely with water as it does on top-loading
washers, so front-loaders use less water and energy per load. And because they
often have a faster spin speed, most front-loading washers remove more water
from clothing, which reduces drying time. Look for front-loading models that
offer a 5- to10-minute period at the beginning of the cycle to allow for the
addition or removal of garments.
Most front-loading washers can hold 12 to 20 pounds of laundry per load, the
latter being equivalent of up to 16 pairs of jeans. They require a special,
low-sudsing detergent, made specifically for low water wash systems. These
specially formulated detergents are available in most stores, including grocery
stores and mass retailers, under many brand names, but all have the same "HE"
logo to help identify them on the shelf. Most front-loading washers have 3 to 4
detergent dispensers that allow you to add your detergent, fabric softener and
bleach at the beginning of the cycle. The machine adds each product at the
correct time during the wash cycle to ensure optimal results.
Front-loading washing machines are usually more expensive to purchase, but are
almost always less costly to run. They usually come standard with more features
and cycle selections and often operate with less noise than conventional
top-loaders.
View all front-loading
washers
|
 |
 |
|
