Much of the cleaning action in a frontloader is via the clothes falling and "slapping" against the surface of the drum. Too much water makes the clothes float and/or roll instead of lift-and-fall, which reduces the cleaning action. Cycles for delicates ... Delicate, Handwash, Woolens, Silks, whatever a given machine may have ... typically fill higher to cushion the clothes. I once helped a friend clean-up one of his rental properties between tenants, who left behind sheer curtain panels in the living, dining, and kitchen area. I washed them in the frontloader that he provides there on the Delicate cycle. The higher fill level made the items float instead of tumble-and-drop. Undissolved powder detergent was left in the panels. I ran them again on the Normal cycle (lower fill level), which cleared-up that problem.

The Start button typically also functions as a Pause. Press Start/Pause once to pause a running cycle (press and hold it a few seconds to cancel a running cycle). Open the door when it unlocks, add an item, then Start to continue. Although, the machine may pause but not unlock the door if 1) the water level is high enough to spill or 2) the water is hot enough to be a burn risk if running a high-heat cycle such as Sanitize or Allergen on a machine that has an onboard water heater.

Now that I have a no-agitator top loader, I'll never suffer the aggravation of a front loader again. It's labeled "high efficiency" and has a couple key (for me) features: A "water plus" option that, of course, uses more water. And a Soak cycle. Having no agitator in the center makes it better for large bulky items (same as a front loader) and it's gentler on clothes. Best of both worlds.

So, one comment suggested that newer washers have the features I am complaining about . . . so I should run out and buy a new washer? Really? I should spend $1,000 on a new washer/dryer set? NO, that's never going to happen and to suggest such a thing is both ignorant and unreasonable. I'll never buy another front-load washer.

@Chris Powchuk, I'm curious what specific model is your frontloader that doesn't have a function to pause a running cycle.

"So, one comment suggested that newer washers have the features I am complaining about . . . so I should run out and buy a new washer?"

No, but I am suggesting that your reasons aren't about not liking front load washers, but not liking YOUR front load washer - and should not be a reason to "never buy another " one when you know that the things you dislike might not be a factor in "another" one. By your reasoning, because I dislike how my Tesla today doesn't have a 360 degree camera, I should decide that I'll never buy another Tesla, even if a Tesla will have that feature when I need a new car. You are writing off the future because you don't like the present.

Hint… set water level higher or add additional water right in the drum it is the only way I got my clothes to get clean and not smell

I would never buy another front loader😳

Agreed, my next washer will be a top-loader. At least then I can set my water level and my clothes get clean.

@Chris Powchuk

Majority of toploaders nowadays don't have a water level control for a choice of multiple fill levels. Auto-sensing is the default, with an option for Deep Fill or Deep Wash which fills to maximum regardless of the actual load size.

Speed Queen TC5, a brand/model often touted for people who want an old-style agitator toploader, for example fills approximately half-way for the default level on all cycles, or 3 to 4.5 gals more with the Deep Wash option selected. It has no other choices.

@Toronto Veterinarian

All new front load washers are built the same. My machine may vary slightly from another brand, but they are all basically the same build. Water level is done by an "auto-sense" for size & weight of load and the "rubber dam" is necessary to keep water in the machine and off the floor. And leaving the door of the washer open 24/7 is easy for me because I have the space, but not everyone has that luxury. The 2 main reasons I would not buy another front-load washer are (A) no water level selector and (B) the rubber dam at the front of the machine, which needs to be constantly cleaned otherwise mould will develop.

"And leaving the door of the washer open 24/7 is easy for me because I have the space, but not everyone has that luxury."

I've spent the last 14 years with a laundry closet, rather than a laundry room. I still was able to leave the FL washer door open 24/7. It takes about 2" of room.....You don't need the luxury of space in order to do that, all you need is a door to keep the kitten or puppy from climbing in while you're not looking. In 20 years of using FL washers, they never needed to be cleaned to keep away mould, they just needed to be ventilated and dry.

@Chris Powchuk I don't agree with that at all. I had an Electrolux front load. Crappy machine. Bio-stink built up on clothing. You would think after running a 2 hour cycle with warm water, on heavy cycle with extra rinses would result in clean clothing. Nope. The machine was also clean as a whistle inside and out. I kicked that machine to the curb and got an LG. Much better machine. Clean clothes and clean smelling clothes. So I do not believe they are all built the same or operate the same. I used to dry the boot and leave the door open on my Electrolux. Never any mold. I have gotten lazy with my LG and do not dry the boot but do leave the door open and again no mold. I run affresh on the tub clean cycle every now and then and that's about it.

And top loads are not exempt from mold. I had a Fisher and Paykel top load at my previous house. That machine built up mold all around the outside of the tub where you couldn't see it but boy could you smell it. We had to take the whole tub out and drag it into our shower to clean it.

The rubber dam is properly called a bellows. It attaches the machine's outer tub to the front panel, provides a seal lip for the door, and is flexible to allow the tub to oscillate during tumbling and spin. Asko had a design (perhaps still does) that doesn't involve the flexible bellows.

As Vinmarks says, toploaders absolutely are not immune to smutz accumulation. I posted a few pics above months ago (and there are others in other threads) of moldy/filthy toploaders that I've cleaned.

I really like my Miele front loader, (it is the basic model). I like it so much that I had one in our previous home, and our holiday home. When we moved to a new house I got another one. I wash primarily on cold but occasionally run a super hot cycle ( extra white cycle and choosing 90 degree C. 194 F) when washing cleaning rags which gives a good clean out of the washing machine. I do not use fabric softener and do use Persil or Woolite detergents . I do not use detergent pods. It has never been necessary to use a special cleaner. I am rather particular about my laundry and feel that the front loader is easier on clothes. I put many things in the washer that are recommended to be dry cleaned. My daughter has one of the more advanced Miele front loaders and finds it excellent for doing laundry for her young family. (As an aside, I use only powdered dishwasher detergent and liquid rinse aid in my dishwasher as we found that pods and tablets caused a build up of residue. I have never had to use a special dishwasher cleaner)

I have mainly had front loaders. I even brought my Philips front loader over from England when I moved here, and that was the one item my ex and I both wanted after our divorce - I lost out on that :-( I had to live with a used top loader for a while after that, but I was so happy to finally get my Asko set. I have had my Miele LG set for over ten years now, and nothing could convince me to go back to a top loader again. My Miele handles all my horse blankets and saddle pads, as well as my more delicate items.

Yep, I'm with you. I literally googled 'front loader washer hate', just to see what I got. I so regret moving to a front loader AEG 8000 OKOmix Lavamat, it's so much more work than my old top loader, doesn't do as good of a job and takes way longer. I do an extra rinse with every load because I can't get the loads fresh enough, thus forfeiting the water savings. I leave the door open every time, wipe it down regularly and it has a stupid drain that I have to empty regularly - it has a small designed, hole in the lid and now the lid thing, has filled with gunk that I can't remove. I even rang the manufacturer to see if there was a trick for how to clean the stupid lid but they had no idea. So frustrated.

We replaced our Maytag top loader with a Bosch front loader. At the time the Bosch had a great rating. Consumer Reports -at the time- rated washing machines and scored the front loaders very high on water use, gentleness etc. The ONLY thing not rated was how clean they got your clothes!!! I see why. Found an article called (honestly) Why My Front Loading Washing machine can Suck It! The rubber ring seal in the front loader got moldy and our old top-loading Maytag did a way better of job of actually get clothes clean. The fact that manufacturers introduced TOP LOADING high efficiency washing machines tells you something. The ONLY advantage of the front-loader is that it uses less water. But in the grand scheme of things the most important job of the washing machine is getting your clothes clean. Did some research and purchased a Speed Queen top-loading washing machine. It has been fantastic!

I had a Maytag front loader and the clothes smelled too you can wash clothes in smaller amounts of water, but you need a full tub for the rinse to remove all the soap! I got rid of mine you would think that the genus people would know this!

HE washers are stupid crap! Nothing has changed!

Jerome, no they are not!! Yiou are in a dreamland 50 years ago. Yes, I miss my Frigidaires with vertical agitation with 1000+ rpm spins. I love my front loaders with onboard heaters that give me results that far exceed what chlorine bleach and detergent could ever do. Europeans learned decades ago how to achieve almost miraculous results at times. I don't miss dealing with chlorine bleach and certain washers that beat and shred my garments. My garments are around decades longer and I no longer have to inspect every garments and treat stains.

I still love my Maytag front loader. It’s 18 years old and still working like a champ (after 4500 washing cycles?). No smell, no trouble (apart from having had to clean the cold water intake screen once due to buildup constricting the water flow, which made the washer throw an error code).

If I ever move, I will take it with me; replacement parts are cheap and easy to find, this machine should last as long as I do.

New HE washers? meh, too much effort spent in reducing the water usage, leading to mediocre results if you don’t use the ”right” detergents…

I used the same top load Maytag for 30+ years at home, because I had used so many different top front loaders (both European and American) when travelling for extended periods. The front loaders always smelled, made my clothing and linens smell, and my laundry always looked 'dingy'. I tried many options to correct, with no satisfactory results. I finally replaced the old Maytag, due to rust at the top of the drum. I purchased a top loader GE model as close to 'old fashioned' as I could get. Options include: Agitator, lid lock off option, four water level choices, and the ability to open with water loading to dissolve dry bleach. (I'm a very picky laundress.) Yes, top loader not as 'glamorous' in the laundry room as the Instagram front loader pics, but I choose function over form. So far, I'm very happy. I hope this one last 30+ years....

I currently work at Home Depot and here's what the Appliance Salesman said: 20 yrs ago, everyone was buying front-load washers, now in 2025 everyone has switched back to top-load washers, for all the reasons stated. The ratio is about 8:1 in favour of top-loads. So, what does that tell you?

it tells me that new FL washers are poorly designed and built, probably due to excessive regulations about water use.

"So, what does that tell you?"

That everyone wants to live in the past, and that nobody trusts science anymore.

Frontload washers aren't a new thing. The first *automatic* washer on the U.S. market was a frontloader in 1936/1937. They've been available continuously since that time. Maytag touted the Neptune in 1997 as if it was the first-ever frontloader, LOL.

Water needs to be able to evaporate, else it becomes a breeding place for bacteria. Leaving the front-loader door open can help, but many houses have the laundry room as also how you get to the garage, so leaving it open isn't always practical. Even when it is, water evaporates UP much faster than sideways. You can demonstrate this for yourself easily. Get a couple of glass bottles, fill with water, then empty them. Lay one on its side, the other with the open top up. See which dries first.

When we had a GE front loader, we could leave the door open, but it wasn't enough to get dry between uses, so I finally kept a small fan that I could leave blowing into the open door, and that helped. When time to replace, a front loader was not even considered.

We've had an LG top loading HE washer (no agitator) since early 2017. After use, we always leave the lid open, allowing it to dry. Honestly, as configured from the factory, I don't think it uses enough water to do a good job. Fortunately, it has an optional "Water Plus" selection which uses a bit more water to actually clean, especially when using the Soak cycle. Unfortunately, the Water Plus seems to affect only the wash cycle and not the rinse, so we sometimes have to use the Extra Rinse option.

I've used front loaders for many years and love the results, including less wear and tear on clothes. One "hack" I use is adding a 20 minute pre-soak to each load, unless I'm under time pressure. I always use a little vinegar in the fabric softener spot and leave the detergent drawer and washer door ajar when the machine isn't being used.

After reading many of the comments left by people who like their front-load washers compared to the people who hate them, it seems like more & more folks hate the front-load washers as much as I do. My pet peeves are; there's no water level button or load-size button because my machine "weighs" the load and calculates the water level. This is only practical if I wash a load of jeans or towels, but if I try to wash a 'down-filled comforter' I am forced to wash this item (3) times because the machine cannot judge how BIG the comforter actually is. Second; once the door closed & locks, its closed forever. I can stop the wash and wait for the water to drain, then open the door to toss in a missed item, but this also seems impractical, as the washer has to re-fill the water and start from scratch. The top-load washers allowed the user to lift the lid and drop in a towel without missing a beat. Third; the rubber dam at the front of the washer (omg) this rubber dam must be cleaned every-single-time or it will become moldy, smelly and filled with bacteria. If a user does not clean the rubber dam every time, the smell soon begins to permeate the clothes being washed. GROSS!

" Second; once the door closed & locks, its closed forever. I can stop the wash and wait for the water to drain, then open the door to toss in a missed item "

Not on my machine.......I can pause the wash, open up the door and toss in the item, and then "unpause" it to continue. I guess it varies between models or brands.

"Third; the rubber damn at the front of the washer (omg) this rubber damn ..."

The correct terminology is tub/door boot or bellow(s) or gasket.

"I guess it varies between models or brands."

Also depends on the fill level of a given machine or cycle. The door, of course, can't (or shouldn't) be opened if the water level is above the portal. The door also may not unlock if the water has been heated to a high temperature such as during a Sanitize cycle.

Well, I don't really care what the "correct" terminology is for that wrenched rubber dam. The comment above mine called it a "rubber ring" and still another comment called it a door seal. It still makes me hate my front-load washer with the passion of 1,000 burning suns.

I switched to a toploader 5+ years ago when we moved, after being a part of this exact conversation. Sadly, I don't love my #1-rated (at time of purchase) LG toploader, either. BC of its automation, you cannot override its settings, for example, you cannot soak longer than its 20 minute pre-set for "soak". Often, despite adding extra water to the tub, it isn't enough to always wet my king sheet — there are a number of small frustrations that I would LOVE to change. I am not sure if this has to do with electronics in our appliances or ratings for water use efficiency, both? It makes me want to change to an old-fashioned central spindle top load in the future. No issues with grunge, mold, etc, at least.

Unplug the machine to soak as long as you wish. Restart it running (it'll probably drain and start the cycle anew, which is one of the traditional methods of machine-soaking, anyway) when you're ready to continue.

I love my LG front loader and I loved my old Whirlpool Duet. You couldn't pay me or give me a dumb top loader and $10M. Laundry is much simpler and easier now because I don't have to search out and treat each individual stain like I did for my top loaders. Front loader does a far superior result. And I can even select for a hot water temperature as high as 158F. I just simply select the appropriate cycle and options and push start button and walk away. All my garments and bedding/towels last much longer too. Bluntly, I absolutely hate top loaders. Laundry is so much easier and cleaner since my first front loader arrived in my house in 2006.

I grew up with front loaders, and other than a few apartments that’s what I’ve always had in my homes. Keep the door slightly ajar, use the right amount of soap (very little) and I’ve never had a problem. I can’t imagine wanting a top loader.

dadoes: That is a helpful suggestion re. unplugging the machine to override the 20 minute soak. The issue with it draining after re-plugging in the machine is that I don't know what % of detergent was lost. Any thoughts on that? Thanks!

Add a full dose or less down to half of whatever was the initial dose ... based on your perception of how much cleaning oomph is needed for the items.

Some toploaders in the past had an automatic soak-to-wash function with a detergent dispenser. The soak dose was added directly to the tub at the start, the wash dose went into the dispenser for later release.

Kenmore, for example had models with a detergent dispenser that could do a 30-minute soak, 4 minute prewash (with the soak water), drain and spin, then proceed through the complete Normal cycle with a fresh dose of detergent (and a second agitated rinse if also selected).

Hotpoint had a model (Lady Executive) in the 1970s with a Soak Timer knob offering choices ranging from 20 minutes to 10 hours.

My parent's 1970 Kenmore 800 had a 30-minute Enzyme Soak Cycle that periodically agitated, drained, spun the load for 2 minutes, and then began the wash cycle and dispensed the detergent when agitaiton started. An optional 2nd rinse could be added too.

Even though I have a sink in my laundry area, it is more convenient to soak in the washer so you don't have to wring the item and move it to the washer, dripping as you go. I fondly remember the options of soak-to-wash and very long soaks (ie, overnight) in machines of yore...

Speed Queen top load=load clothes etc, close lid, start machine, lift lid when full, machine stops To start again, close lid.

I currently work at Home Depot and we carry a large selection of washers/dryers. The Appliance Salesman told me that 20 yrs ago, everyone was buying front-load washers at about a ratio of 8:1 but now, 20 yrs later, people have gone back to top-load washers. He says that people buy top-load washers 8 times more than front-loads. The reasons are just what everyone says, the rubber damn in the front must be cleaned everyday, otherwise it will become musty & filled with mold and once the wash starts, you cannot simply open the door and throw in a tea-towel that was missed and there's no "water-level" button or load-size selector. Front-load washers royally suck and I'll never own another one.

I hate top loaders. I know how to properly use and maitaina front loaders and I find they are far supeiror to top loaders in stain removal and with onboard heaters I can achieve just about any temperature I want.

Frontloaders can be paused to add an item.

Frontloader washing concept/design eliminates the need for a load-size/water-level selector.

Toploaders also develop mold and musty odor.

I have a Kenmore Elite by LG front loader and I hate when the pump cavitates on the normal/casual cycle with accelawash on an average load. This is so stupid!

Jerome, add more water through the dispenser drawer. Irritation solved.

Jerome, I rarely use Normal Cycle. I usually use perm press for general clothing. For hot water wash, I use Sanitary or Normal with extra hot temperature with varing soil levels depending upon how much water heating I want for the water temperature I seek.

I am a convert ... loved my Maytag Bravos XL, but didn't like the replacement as much so i got an Electrolux 600 series front-load ... cleans better and cleans more things (I could never wash pillows, for example), and comforters seem to be cleaner as well.

The debate rages on however, which washer you buy depends on 4 things; past experience, budget, 3rd party reviews and personal preference. I hate my front load washer and no-one will ever convince me otherwise.

^ Replace it with a non-frontloader, eliminate the hate.

I despise top loaders so there!!!