Only one recommendation. Stay away from top loaders at all costs.

If you're serious about buying backwards, why not a stone sink and a washboard?

I can't imagine any technical or installation reason requiring top load that cannot be worked around with a decent front loader. The only thing I can think of is personal choice. Well, you'll make the wrong choice if you go top loader. So get beyond it and forget about it.

Bruno

Hybrid8,

Rightly or wrongly, Americans as a whole still show a preference for top loaders over front loaders. Given that, you have an opportunity here to be more helpful to Joanna if you could explain why you think top loaders are such a bad choice.

Really Bruno, a stone sink and washboard? That's a little over the top doncha think?

I recently visited my MIL and (gasp) washed our clothes in a top loader. They came out nice and clean, just like they did when I owned one. MIL swears by Whirlpool. She had her old set for 22 years before her washer finally gave out. She just purchased a small Whirlpool stackable combo w/d set as her household is down to just her and my FIL and she wanted to put a upright freezer in the spot her dryer used to occupy. I recommend that you stay away from Amana-- they were the biggest pieces of crap appliances I've ever owned. My washer, dryer and fridge by Amana all lasted less than 5 years.

Top loaders appeal to a lot of people mainly because they don't cost a thousand bucks. I can tell you that my in-laws just didn't have $1800 to spend on a set.

I've seen a thread around here that raved about a Speed Queen set. Not an easy brand to find anymore but worth looking into.

Top loaders in general are far more damaging to clothes than any front loader. They spend much more water and detergent, you have to dig down to get clothes out of them, slower spin speeds, don't allow stacking and make more noise.

I'm sure some of the machines I've used could still be running today. Cheap junk (like some that I've used) doesn't always break down. Simplicity can keep them going. That hardly makes them good though.

Americans also buy a lot of Minivans and SUVs. So what? Shop around for a lower priced front loader if you value what you're putting into it (including the volume of water).

Bruno

What about the new HE Top Loaders? Do you paint them with the same brush?

We have the GE Harmony Washer and Dryer - (top load HE machine without agitator) and absolutely love it!

Front Loaders were not for us.

Best of luck!

Check out those Front Loaders before you make up your mind on a Top Loader.

thank you for your advice on front loaders, however due to: space constraints, the fact that front loaders doors open opposite from where i would need it to be able to load the clothes into the dryer, i also found out that there is some maintenance required on the front loaders and finally that you can only add clothing when it tells you to. front loaders are not an option. i will look into the top loaders recommended. thanks for the advice.

If you want a top load you should look at the Fisher Paykel machines. I have a neighbor that has one and she loves hers.
It washes well and spins 1000 rpm so the clothes won't take so long to dry-although I believe most of the new top load Cabrio/Oasis/Harmony have high speed spins as well.
The F&P are a little easier on the budget I believe,depending on the model.

Regulars know that I am a strong FL advocate, but I wouldn't go as far as hybrid8 in my support! Anyway, I think it is certainly the case that if you absolutely positively cannot have a FL for some reason, then a TL is one alternative.

One argument occasionally against FLs is this one above:

"you can only add clothing when it tells you to"

Besides the fact that it is false (you can add at the beginning, while the machine is off and not "telling you" anything; also, most machines allow you to pause and add clothing well into the wash cycle), it seems odd. How big a problem is this really? How often do people want to add laundry at random times? Doesn't it make sense to decide what you want to wash before starting the machine?? - DR

I love my Kenmore Elite top loader.

Dross, certainly it makes sense to decide what you are washing before you start the machine, however, I can't tell you how many times I've run across the random stray sock or piece of forgotten clothing after I've started the washer. I open and add clothes all the time after the washer has started. I have a front loader and it will unlock and allow me to add clothes unless I'm washing in hot water. The safety feature will not unlock the washer on a hot cycle and that's very aggravating indeed since it's usually the lone white tube sock that gets left out.

I would imagine though a stray white sock is less aggravating then being burnt by hot water!

Jon

As I said, most FLs I know of allow you to add something a few minutes into the cycle. However, life is really too short to worry about the occasional dirty unmatched tubesock! - DR

I think the conversation is digressing. I'm sure Joanna would prefer to hear opinions about which top loaders are recommended.

But there's no such thing as a good top loader, so this thread is unlikely to go anywhere. ;) I have a top loader right now that was here when I bought the house. I wouldn't have bought one new. All the good clothes goes out to be cleaned. The rest just isn't cleaned very well at home. The machine (a GE) is a complete pile of junk (but that's for the new owner of the house to deal with). Really no different than any Kenmore, Whirlpool or Inglis I've ever used before.

It really makes little difference which one you buy. Might as well just go for something in the sub-$400 bracket. Some people are scared of change, that's ok. It's just a shame they have to waste the same resources everyone else must share.

The US majority of top-load lovers doesn't make the machines any good. It's just an example of how many people are just flat out wrong and not knowledgeable on the subject. ;)

BTW, to say that all front-loaders open their doors in the same direction is also incorrect.

Bruno

My Fisher & Paykel IWL12 Intuitive Eco is a fantastic toploader. Extremely versatile. 1000 RPM spin. Can be frugal with hot water or fill up to the brim per my choice. Can use plenty water for soaking and rinsing or be cut back with several choices for water-saving shower rinses. Has an *extremely* gentle hand-wash cycle or a very aggressive maximum wash cycle, and anything between. Two-hour automatic wash-soak-wash option. Automatic water level or manual selection, with the lowest level filling only about 1/4 as compared to majority of toploaders that still fill 1/2 on the lowest level. The only features of note it's lacking are a bleach dispenser and internal water heating.

BTW, to say that all top-loaders are no good is also incorrect.

This is the same crap these FL fanatics always post when someone asks for a recommendation of a good TL washer.

There are still good choices for a TL washer with good reliable mechanical controls instead of the trouble prone electronics many of these "bling" FL washers and some TL washers use.

I have a Kenmore TL that is going on 4 years old and has not given any trouble in that time.

As far as water usage is concerned,..unless you live in a drought stricken area,...a TL washer would be the least of your worries.

Go for a TL machine if you can,... i strongly recommend either Kenmore or Whirlpool as i have had very reliable service from these brands.

For a lot of people, cost can be an issue that drives them away from those high-priced front loaders. I've always trusted Whirlpool when it comes to top loaders. If you don't care about all the bells & whistles, Roper & Inglis are cheaper top loaders both made by Whirlpool.

Hi, Just my $.02...we got a lower end ($450-500) Maytag 2.5 years ago. It has been leaking and gettng very loud in the spin cycle so called a tech and got an estimate of $450 for repairs. Ugh! So it was "totalled" at less than 3 years of age. We ultimately chose a Bosch FL but when we were considering another TL the Fisher & Paykels topped our list since we know several happy owners locally. We originally chose Maytag because my mother's is over 30 years old (not a typo) but the tech and (now, after it broke) the original sales guy (from whom we bought the Bosch) both said that "real" Maytags are only found in the higher end machines, and that the lower end ones are some lesser mfr that was bought up by Maytag....although both say that big changes are coming in the next couple of years, I guess that won't help you any more than it helped me though. :-) Good luck! And sorry no punctuation, spilled coffee in the laptop and now ENTER key does not work! ---------- Mary

I'm not a FL fanatic. I just like good quality products. There's no such thing as a quality top loader. The whole notion of top loading and center agitator was wrong from the initial concept. Just because they're still being made and suckers keep buying them doesn't change that.

Buy what you want, that doesn't really affect me. But forget about drought, doing your part to help conserve water and other resources helps everywhere. Brushing this off is naive and irresponsible.

I'm sure the top loader I'm leaving behind will last many more years. It may last another 20 or more. But it's pure garbage. Back to my washboard example... It would probably last longer than your lifetime. But would you want to use one?

Anyway, at the $500 point it doesn't matter what TL you buy. You might as well base your decision strictly on colour and aesthetics.

Bruno

How do you figure suckers? Irresponsible for using a little more water? Are you serious? Watering a lawn wastes much more water than a TL washer will use.

I live in an area with plenty of water...so i do not feel any guilt in the least...

Water is a continually renewable source.

I say again to the original poster...go with a good TL from the WP family.

We have had the top of the line OASIS washer and dryer since October of 2006. The units work like champs. I can pack the washer with a king size comforter easily. We have not had any problems and would highly recommend the OASIS line. FYI - extreme people like hybrid8 are usually FOS.

"As I said, most FLs I know of allow you to add something a few minutes into the cycle. However, life is really too short to worry about the occasional dirty unmatched tubesock! - DR"

Ya think?! I was posting a response to your question as to why one would routinely want to add clothing after the washer had started. Unfortunately, it's not just an occasional unmatched sock in this house of three kids and one husband who love to kick off their shoes and socks wherever they happen to be sitting. I find it interesting that YOU would be the one to say life is too short to be burdened by a laundry annoyance. Very funny indeed.

Bruno, you just need to get a grip. The OP was asking for opinions on a washer, not a lecture on why she is wrong for wanting one.

We have the F&P GWL11 washer and love it. Wouldn't recommend the top-loader dryer, though -- some folks like dadoes have had no problems, but we've had way too many (6 calls in less than 2 yrs).

The F&P is very gentle on clothes, and yet cleans even better than our reliable old Kenmore heavy-duty TL. My husband and I both find the lower height of FL machines uncomfortable unless they're on pedestals, which adds to the price.

Even out in the West, where water is expensive, you won't save that much water from a FL over a TL to truly justify the purchase.

Speed Queen and Staber are the two other TL brands which are considered true "workhorse" washers.

Good luck with whatever you decide to buy.

There's no such thing as a quality top loader.

That's just plain wrong. There are many reasons to prefer a FL, but there are several TLs that are of good quality.

I find it interesting that YOU would be the one to say life is too short to be burdened by a laundry annoyance. Very funny indeed.

I don't see the joke. Besides a full-time job, a family, a book published last year and another on the way, I like to spend a little time on entertainment, eg forums like this one. Time for dotting 'i's and crossing 't's is short. If I leave a sock out of the wash I'll just pop it in next time, at $1/pair I own enough so as not to run out in a week.

This is the whole point of quality appliances, to do a good job without wasting time. - DR

Really Dross, you don't see the joke? Aren't you the one who thought that underwear needed to be practically boiled?

Judging on the number of threads I see you posting on, I'd say you spend more than just a little time thinking about laundry. I find it funny then that you tell me not to obsess about a sock. Pot meet kettle.

Your life sounds impressive indeed. Why exactly did you feel the need to post your accomplishments in life? Is your book about laundry? LOL

You asked a question and then tried to trivialize my answer as to why it's important to be able to stop a FL cycle. There are many reasons that it's important to be able to stop a front loader washer during a cycle besides adding clothes. I just gave one example of why I think it's important.

If the whole point of appliances is to do a good job without wasting time, it would be beneficial to be able to stop a washer to add the stray sock, or dishtowel, or soccer jersey you discover needs to be clean for the next day's game after the load is underway. What would be a waste of time would be to have to run another load with only one shirt in it, wouldn't it?

thought that underwear needed to be practically boiled

Just disinfected. That can even be done in a TL.

Judging on the number of threads I see you posting on, I'd say you spend more than just a little time thinking about laundry.

Exactly what I assumed you meant. In fact, the time I spend thinking about laundry is exactly the time I spend on this forum plus the time I spend doing laundry, which combined is not very much time. Good tools make tasks very efficient.

If people are bothered by the nimeity of my posts on this forum, they should let me know! I will add you to the growing list:-)

trivialize my answer as to why it's important to be able to stop a FL cycle

In some sense, I was still responding to the original (false) assertion that this was impossible in a FL. The point is that this ability is hardly a major reason to choose one machine over another. And yes, even though our machine also has the ability to pause to add a garment, we haven't used it in years. When my son (or I!) need 'unique' soccer gear clean for a game the next day, I try very hard not to forget to wash it, and in any event there's always plenty of other laundry around to fill out a load. In the time I would otherwise spend going to the machine to pause it, running up the stairs to find the garment, then returning to the machine to add it, I can post to 20 or 30 threads on this forum:-) - DR

wow... I expected to see some OMG why not a fl??? stuff on this thread... but really people ... get a grip... the person said a FL is not for them for several reasons... and they want info on TL... they did not ask for lectures on why their choice is not "the best" in someone else's opinion...

There are many pluses and minuses to both types of machines... and yes it is true that we americans are "use" to TL machines... and maybe slow to change... but there are perfectly fine TL machines out there... my old (now replaced) maytag went on running for 25+ years for me, before I gave it away (it's still being used).... it works fine... although once in a while it does have an intermitent leak.... which was a problem for me with a second floor installation... but not for the new owner in the basement....

will today's machines last that long??? probably none of them... but do they clean clothes in an "acceptable" manner? yes... are there brands/models that are more reliable than others? yes...

I'd look at F&P (almost bought that instead of my bosch!) or a whirlpool or ge mid to high end model....

BTW... due to my installation site... I wanted my washer door to hinge on the right when facing it.... the maytag neptune was the only fl washer I located where the door hinging could change... yes most all the dryers have this option... but the washers, for the most part... do not.... luckily for my, I can use the left hinging in my site... it's not pretty or convient... but passable....

Yeah. I was in the market to buy a new WD for the new home but got a little scared of the reactions in this thread. I was just going to move my old WP units that have been going for 20 years! =)

People need to pick their battles and posts on WD issues are not the war. Hehehe

"The point is that this ability is hardly a major reason to choose one machine over another. And yes, even though our machine also has the ability to pause to add a garment, we haven't used it in years. When my son (or I!) need 'unique' soccer gear clean for a game the next day, I try very hard not to forget to wash it, and in any event there's always plenty of other laundry around to fill out a load." DR

I disagree, I would NEVER buy a washer that I couldn't pause midcycle for any reason. Not only to add clothes but to remove an object that accidentally found its way into the wash for whatever reason. It's amazing that you haven't needed to pause a cycle in YEARS? I normally do all my laundry on Saturdays. I usually only need to do one large load of whites in my home per week. One stray sock isn't a problem to wait until the next week, but why wait? Why not just open the dang washer and throw it in? I try not to forget to wash an important garment either, but stuff happens, people forget. We're all not as organized as you I suppose. The pause feature isn't an important one to you, but to me and the other poster who mentioned it, it IS important. You think sanitized underpants are important, I think they are ridiculous, and would never choose one washer over another because that ability. To each his own.

This whole argument is really pointless in this thread anyhow, as the OP isn't interested in a frontloader for any reason.

"This is the same crap these FL fanatics always post when someone asks for a recommendation of a good TL washer."

Yeah. Jeez. I can't believe anyone is so self-righteous about a washing machine.

I am on here because my TL broke, and I am broke. I have dreamed about having one of the nice FL's with temp-boost and all, for years. Unfortunately I have not been able to save up the $1,000 + to back that dream up. I could put it on the credit card and speed up the inevitable divorce, I suppose, but I was really hoping to get through school before that happened...but then again, I would be "naive and irresponsible" for buying a wasting top loader. By all means, I'd better go into debt for a FL!

I saw a whirlpool for about 350 w/tax a while ago. After reading this thread, I am pretty sure that is the one for me. They have a GE as well, but after the trouble we have had with two GE fridges, and a GE freezer, I will not buy their products again. I am checking out the Sears outlet tomorrow, to make sure that they don't have a better deal.

I really can't believe someone is narrow-minded enough to treat people as if they are some kind of lowlifes because they want a TL washing machine. Wow.

When I can get a decent FL for the same/similar money as I can get a top-loader, then I will. For now, maybe the people who think everyone should buy a TL should thank their lucky stars they are in a financial position to buy what is, at this point, a luxury item.

I have the GE Harmony and I'll pit it against a FL any day! I can put an obscene amount of clothes in it, it only uses the amount of water it needs, and if I forget to check the pockets the occasional stray pen will not ruin several garments by putting large holes in them. Sometimes things tangle in the washer but they don't come out of the dryer needing to be ironed. IMHO FL's are more hype and hip than they deserve and way too expensive for what you get.