I'm short and a front loader is easier to manage for me. I'd consider an agitator free top loader, but I'd need a stool.

My 2005-2007 set was a top loader with agitator and it was okay. My first front loader set was in 2010; I'm on my second set.

I can see some people's cons of a settling water with a front loader because we have that. We keep our door and dispenser open after a wash to let it dry. But it's never turned me off the style.

Watch any top load HE machine on Youtube and you'll see there is substantially less turnover compared to either an old school top loader or HE front loader.

Front loaders tumble the clothes over and over hundreds of times per cycle yielding better cleaning action.

Front loaders usually have a higher spin speed of around 1300 RPM (more or less) than a top loader for more efficient faster drying.

No worries about unbalanced loads shaking the house down with a front loader.

In my previous home, I had a top of the line (at the time) top loading HE Maytag with the squat agitator. There was very little to no turnover of the items being washed, when viewed through the window in the lid. As georgect mentioned below, you can find numerous YouTube videos documenting the problem. This resulted in items not being cleaned well and additional wear and tear on clothes and linens. I'd let it fill up and get started at which point I'd pause the machine, unlock the lid and dump in a pail or two of water, just to get better agitation. So much for HE and saving water.

I recall reading that some were resorting to purchasing commercial top loaders to get around the problem. Apparently, the water regulations weren't (or aren't) as strict as with residential machines. And they cost way more too.

Some current model residential machines have a "Deep Fill" button that adds additional water - perhaps a resolution to the problem? Don't know, since in my current home, I went with a front loader because of space constraints requiring a stacked washer and dryer. I am very happy with the front loader. It cleans very well while still saving on water. I'd never go back to a top loader, even if I had the space.

Always a front loader, and almost always LG. I've used front loaders for over 20 years (4 homes), and they've almost always done a great job. They also use less water, and require less power from my dryer. Three have been LG, 1 was Gorenje, and those did great. When I moved into this house it had a Samsung, and it did a horrible job; I replaced it with an LG within 2 weeks, and I'm very happy.

We were die hard top loader fans. F&P toploader to Speed Queen top loader. But having had a Speed Queen front loader for 6 months, I'd say the front loaders are definitely superior, less water use, at least as good cleaning, far gentler on the clothes (no holes in my wife's delicate tops), lower detergent use. Teh only downside is having to be careful about not allowing mold to grow, but a few simple procedures take care of that.

Front loader all the way. I've disdained top loaders my entire adult life du to fast aggressive agitation (GE Filter Flo and Whirlpool produced direct drive models). And now with energy star restrictions, I can still attain very hot water washes when I want/need them with a front loader's onboard heater. I always had to pretreat stains with my GE & Kenmore top loaders. With the front loaders I don't have to. I just use the appropriate prewash and then warm, warmer/hot, or extra hot wash temps to allow the oxygen bleach in detergents to remove various stains at the different temperatures used in the cycle sequence. I find far more librrating approach to doing laundry. And I've never had any mold or odor issues with my front loaders--I know how to appropriate dose laundry additives, do not wash in cold water, use a good quality detergent brand, and leave the dispeser drawer slightly ajar as well as the front door. As far as the comment about using a front loader from an airbnb, prime example of poor laundry habits (no doubt every cliet probably only washed in cold water, machines were never allowed to air out, crappy detergent, all bad causing mold and odors and machines not properly maintained with clean washer cycles and using chlorine bleach.

Speaking of aggressive agitation, the Frigidaire washers (when General Motors still owned the brand) with the vertical agitation had very good turnover for a top loader. They had the bad habit of twisting sheets into ropes.

You can wash horse blankets in the front load and they get really clean.

Have had FL for at least 20 years - four different homes and a few different brands. They clean better and are gentler on clothing and other items and I rarely have an imbalanced load (once in a while if I try to wash a rug without enough other stuff in the load). I've never had a mold/smell problem because I've always left the door and detergent tray open after use. Newer machines now have a Clean cycle so I also use that occasionally. I learned how to prevent mold when I was first researching FLs which happens to be how I first found the Laundry forum in the precursor to Houzz years ago.

Do you need to leave the doors open between loads with FLs? My 25ish year old top loader works fine but probably isn't terribly water efficient so I could stand to replace it. But my tiny laundry room is a major traffic center and an open door isn't going to work.

"Do you need to leave the doors open between loads with FLs?"

Yes, but just an inch or two. It doesn't have to hang open. My new LG seems to have a magnet thing that keeps it unlatched and open an inch, without allowing it to swing open.

I recently bought Samsung Top load Washer and Dryer at Costco for my second home. About $1300 for the pair. In my other house I have Electrolux Front loaders. I started hating them after a year or so. They are on the second floor which is part of the problem. The washer goes out of balance a lot - like twice a week with small and large loads. I’ve been told by my insurance company that because they’re on the second floor, I must have a water protection mat underneath. If they were to flood, and I did not have a mat, I would not be covered. As well, these mats have a lip of 1-1/2 to 2” or so and I can’t use the drawers of the riser stands I bought, though I knew this before buying. I wanted them raised up. However - the mat is wobbly enough that it’s very hard to keep the machine adjusted and in balance. I’ve been told this a few times by the Service people.

Forgot to add: I’m 5’ 3” and a weakling and thought top loaders would be difficult for me physically. They’re actually fine. I like them a lot.

Front load for looks and capability for large bedding. I went with a Speed Queen top loader for durability and warranty. I’ve not been disappointed, and I’m your height and can reach the bottom without any issues. Many top loaders would require tongs to remove a load. Front loader will want a base drawer for sure.

I have a HE top loader. I hate it. IMO it doesn't clean well. I can't wait until it breaks so I can replace it with a old time style top loading with agitator. One you can choice temp and water level. Its been making a funny noise for a year, but won't break.

FunctionThenLook, there are very few toploaders nowadays with user-settable controls for a choice of fill levels. Two of the (currently) most-popular units fill either half-way or full (with the Deep Wash option selected), nothing directly settable between. One of those two has ONE cycle (Normal Eco) that fills halfway, all the other cycles are full-fill.

dadoes, that's a bummer. I'll guess I'll have to see what is out there when it breaks.

Speed Queen is the TL brand that allows temp and water level selection.

Speed Queen TC5 is one of the popular "old-style" models that does not have a water level control with multiple choices. All the cycles have only two fill levels ... a default of 13, 14.5 or 16 gallons (depending which cycle) , and 3 to 4.5 gals more (depending which cycle) with Deep Wash selected.

True, but at least you have the option for a Deep Wash. Many washers are very stingy with water on all cycles.

I've had two front loaders, Whirlpool, over the past 20 years. Although we live in a somewhat humid coastal area, I've never had a mold problem with them. I always leave the washer door ajar after each load, and always use vinegar instead of fabric softener.

Front loader convert 15 years ago. Would never go back to the top loader. I remember when I first got the front loader it initially took very little detergent for a suds lock to occur because my clothes were filled with old detergent residue. My previous top loader was a Maytag.

Front loaders are much more gentle and clean so much better and for me, lower water use is important. Right now where I live we are in a severe drought with a fire ban in place.

However, I think my current LG is a little harder on my clothes than the Bosch it replaced.

I really don't understand why people have such an issue with mold. My 15-year-old Bosch never had a problem. The only thing I did differently from my top loader was to leave the door open a couple of inches. I only use a cold wash if it is programmed into a cycle with no option to change the water temperature. I've always had a gas dryer which pretty much eliminates almost all static so I really have no need for fabric softener. I was also grossed out about some of the ingredients.

I'm short and old. I had TL all my life, until I had to buy new W/D for new house. I bought FL with pedestals. Pulling blankets, sheets, and all other assorted heavy items from the TL got increasingly more difficult for me. My upper body strength is average, but I always felt as if I were fighting to extricate the laundry from the TL's tub. All the TL and FL have cleaned my clothes in a satisfactory manner, but the FL is much easier and less stressful.

I haven't had any problem with smells or mold in my FL. I leave the door open after the laundry is done. It's been several years and it's still ok.

Louise, thank you for your comment. I'm physially challenged and a FL washer is miuch easier to deal with getting laudry in & out vs. a top loader. There have seen 2 situations whereby if I had a TL washer after two major surgeries, I could have not been able to do my own laundry myself. The arrrangement allowed me to be far more independent.

Have had both. Am unlikely to go back to a front loader any time soon. I'm not much over 5' tall, early 40s, thin build, with no mobility issues. I do, however, admit to having a harder time reaching the bottom of the tub when I'm 9 months pregnant. :-/ Oh, and I've always had hard water....

Ultimately, for me, the Maytag front loader just couldn't clean microfiber cloth diapers (it did a better job with cotton prefolds, but still not great). Had Maytags from my early teens until my late 20s; loved them until I started having babies in my early-to-mid 20s.

The Speed Queen top loader is much better. Not perfect, but much better than the front loading machine. I never need more than 3 attempts with the SQ to clean anything; half a dozen were often required with the Maytags. I figure, the *true* test of a washing machine's talents, lie in its ability to clean baby bottom blowouts.

:-D

Space dependent. In a small footprint, front load since you can stack the W/D.