What kind of washer should I buy?

I was driving home from work one night last week,  listening to The National on my Prius's stereo system, when I received a text from my wife.  A friend of hers was in dire need of a new washer, and she wanted buying advice.

Now, that really is a difficult question to answer without more information, such as budget, family size, space limitations, turnaround time, etc.  I relayed this concern to my wife, who then had her friend call me to help decide what to get.

This exchange got me to thinking about two questions:  Just what are the pros and cons of the different types of washers?  And which style is the most popular with consumers?  I decided these questions would make for an interesting blog subject (and I hope you, the readers, agree!)

Basically, there are three types of clothes washers:

 Front loading  (below is the Maytag MHW6630HW)

Then, we have two types of top-loading washers:

1. Top Loaders with traditional agitators 
2. Top Loaders with an impeller type wash plate.

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(Shown above are the agitator driven Speed Queen TC5003N, and the impeller driven GE PTW600BSNRS)

(Actually, before I get into the differences, let me point out what's changed in the last fifteen or so years - if you haven't bought a washer since the 2000's or earlier there have been significant changes to today's washer, regardless of style. )

The four major changes are:

1. Capacity has increased.  For example, in 2000 a "super capacity" washer was 3.0 to 3.2 cubic feet.  Today machines can be as large as 5.5 cubic feet in capacity!  In fact, the smallest capacity on a normal, 27" full sized washer is 3.9 cubic feet.  In short, all washers have larger tubs!
2. Water consumption has greatly decreased.   Today's machines use approximately 12 gallons of water per load on front loading machines, and about 20 gallons on top loaders.  By contrast, washers a generation ago could use over 40 gallons per load!
3. (and here we mention the negatives!)  Cycle times are longer.  The tradeoff for using less water and having a larger capacity is that it becomes necessary to have a longer cycle time to properly clean a load of laundry.
4. All washers have electronic controls, vs. mechanical.  All machines employ a water level sensor to measure and limit the amount of water used per load.  The days of turning a dial, then pulling the dial out to start the machine are gone.  Having dealt with many hundred customers over the years selling washers, I can attest that many people miss the old mechanical washers!)

Now, back to the differences between the three washer styles. ** Note that I'm talking about the typical full size machines here.  There are specialty machines (including an all-in-one I wrote about in an earlier blog - see below -  and smaller 24" wide machines on the market, but these make up a very small percentage of washer sales.** 

 www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/5695512488839797470/5337393826347161297?hl=en 

This article below from Energystar.gov does a nice job explaining the difference between front and top loading machines.   Granted their perspective is heavily biased toward the more efficient front load styles, but I still found it to be a balanced look at the pros and cons of front vs. top loading washers:

https://www.energystar.gov/products/ask-the-experts/which-clothes-washer-should-i-choose-front-load-or-top-load

Likewise, this article from The Spruce does a great job explaining the pros and cons of the two different types of top loading washers:

https://www.thespruce.com/impeller-vs-agitator-8387026

I hope all this helps you understand the difference between the three washer types, and can help you make a decision that is "right" for your home and needs.

Now, to the second question:  Which washer type is the most popular?   

The most recent information I was able to find comes from House Digest (the link to the entire article follows):

While traditional top-loading washing machines generally have pretty basic options in terms of wash cycle customization, they are the biggest sellers in the market. In 2022, Consumer Reports noted that these workhorse machines have remained the most popular in terms of sales even as more advanced models have arrived on the scene. "Top-load agitator washing machines aren't the most technologically innovative, but they continue to outsell front-loaders and even HE top-loaders, the kind without a center-post agitator," the nonprofit consumer organization stated. "According to the Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers, 44 percent of all washer shipments in 2020 were top-load agitators."

Though front-loaders will keep your clothes and other washable pieces looking newer longer, they still represent a relatively smaller portion of the washing machine market. Consumer Reports (CR) also pointed out in 2022 that front-load washing machines accounted for only about 28 percent of all washing machines sent to retail stores in 2020. They got their data from the Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers and shared that the percentage was "a marked drop from the 38 percent shipped in 2009. By comparison, 44 percent of shipped washers were top-load agitators and 28 percent were high-efficiency top loaders."

https://www.housedigest.com/1044580/front-load-vs-top-load-washers-which-is-right-for-your-home

I could easily go on about other facets of today's washers (maintenance and care, potential smells, longevity, noise, and so on), but I'll save that for another article!