New Washer/dryer - Elm Grove,WI

We bought an LG Front loader about 3 years ago and have been very happy with it. We have not had any mold problems with it, but we also use less detergent than the bottle says and leave the door open inbetween washes. Occasionally we will run a hot water cycle while it is empty too, just to rinse it out. We bought it from a large, well-known distributor in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area and the deliveryman who installed it said that LG front loaders account for about 50% of their deliveries so I'm guessing they are pretty popular!

You really won't find a top-loader that's worth it. My 13-year-old dryer just broke, and I went out shopping instead of fixing it yet again. What I found was that front-loaders are much more efficient in cleaning and water use. The top-loaders are being phased out. The ones you can buy (they are like front-loaders, they don't have agitators anymore) don't get good reviews and I know a couple of people who have them who don't like them.

I ended up buying Samsung front-loaders and I was very wary, but I LOVE them. LG has great ones too, and Whirlpool. They are expensive but I got mine at a Sears outlet for half price. Good luck in your search.

i have been checking around and asking washer questions on here to for the same reason. what i have come up with is dont do the steam washers and front loaders are hard on your back and some of the people are having problems with the locks on the doors on the top loaders. they now lock the new ones do. but everyone is telling me to go top load for the majority of the answers. and avoid the all in one washer dryer combo. sears was having a great sale a couple weeks ago

Top loader all the way....Front loaders IMO are such a hassle!

We have a front loader that is going on 9 years old, now. I like a few things and other things i Don't....

Pros -
Uses less soap and water
Spins clothes VERY dry ( so less dryer time)
Quieter than the previous top loader I had
Easier access for a short person like me( 5'2") or kids to do laundry....
No agitator doesn't tear up your clothes as much....virtually no LINT in the washer, and very little in dryer, unless doing towels
Ours doesn't get unbalanced very easily and doesn't "Walk" at all, like my mom's old top loader does

Cons -
We got a lemon - bought the lowest tier model when tey first came out...it has been rebuilt all but the wiring and the outside shell once already( at only 4 years old) . Ours is a Kenmore ( built by Frigidaire) This could just be THIS machine/model

It Will get that mold and yucky smell if you keep it closed all the way between loads ( easilly remedied - we just leave the door open)

Harder for my husband to do laundry - he is 6'4" - didn't buy pedestals at first, cause we had them stacked up in our other house....built one a couple years again this house, becasue we have them side by side....makes it easier

We were using cloth diapers with my son for a while - front loaders are not the best for this - as you cannot "soak" anything...we were having to wash each load of diapers 2-3 times so those loads weren't too effecient

It was in our kitchen at our old house, and the finaly spin cycle can be a bit loud for conversation....but i think the newer higher quality models have dealt with this issue better

All that said, we are pre-shopping for a new set....I am thinking of going back to a top loader but I am going to do some reading on epinions, and in consumer reports before we make a decision.

We have had a front loader from LG for four years now and I love it. It never "moves around", they use only a small amount of water compaired to top loads which also means less laundry soap used and smaller water bill. You need to keep the door of the washer open a little when not using it so as to avoid the mold and smell. My kids love being able to help me switch the laundry since they can reach in to get it.

We have had a front load washer for 6 years- and we LOVE it! We will never go back to a top-load washer. (My SIL has a new fancy top-load and I just heard that she is waiting, yet again, for someone from Sears to come out and fix it.)

Here are some tips we've found for using a front-load:
1. Keep the door open when not in use so the drum can dry out. Any time you close something air tight with water in it, it will cause mildew/mold/smelliness.
2. Look for the new washers that have a drain on the bottom, so you can drain the excess water when you are finished with laundry.
3. ALWAYS use powdered detergent- and NO fabric softener. We were using liquid Tide and fabric softener and couldn't get rid of the smell- if the clothes were in there overnight, they would smell in the morning. We switched to Tide powder about 8 months ago and have not had one problem since. (We still keep the door open when not in use.)
4. The pedestals are awesome because you don't have to bend over to get your laundry, and they hold a ton of stuff in the bottom.

We LOVE our front-load. It saves time, is so water-efficient, and you can fit so much more in them! We bought Frigidaire washer and dryer when we bought our house 6 years ago, and they have worked really well for us. We have had a few hang ups with them, because the washer IS loud and moves around a lot. But our basement is not exactly level, and they are in the basement, so we can't complain too much. If I had to buy again, I'd go for Whirlpool or LG. My mom just bought LG and she LOVES them- and they are QUIET!

I don't mind doing laundry- it isn't something I've ever hated doing. But having front-loads makes me feel even more productive than before!

Several years ago when I was washer shopping I was sure I wanted a top loader. I'm so glad I started looking at the front loaders! I absolutely LOVE my Whirlpool Duet washer. It's quiet, efficient and does a good job with a great ability to customize each load based on what I'm washing. Others have complained about a musty smell when you keep the door closed. I've always found that to be true, even in my old top loaders, so I keep the door cracked just a bit. When we bought it, I also chose to get the pedastal to put it on. That's where I keep my lingerie bags, dryer sheets, etc. Makes it easier on the back. L O V E it!! By the way, my dryer is much older but is also a Whirlpool and I've always been happy with it. When it goes, I'll get another Whirlpool Duet.

I really liked the epinions.com site when I was appliance shopping.

Good luck!

I got a top loader around Christmas and I love it - I wish I could refer you to the brand, but I can't remember what it is for the life of me. I went to a local appliance store so I knew I would be talking to somebody who really KNEW what they were talking about, and the guy that helped me had worked there for like 20 years. Conclusions, if you keep the door open between loads as recommended by others you can avoid the mold on the seal, the salesguy also suggested using the washing machine cleaning tablets once every two months or so. I haven't used them yet, and I don't have any issues. I also got a dryer with the steam function, and the brand I got hooks right up to the water hose so you don't have to fill a little container with water which is really convenient. I use this a lot on dry clean only clothes or things that I really don't need to wash between wearings, like my husband's suit jacket etc...It is also great for pillows! I switched from a top loader that would jump clear accross the laundry room, so this is a vast improvement, it does spin out VERY fast so it does make some noise, but it's negligible compared to what I had to deal with before. The spin cycle is great because it gets out so much water it only takes 30-40 mins in the dryer to dry a load of clothes, and you can get washers that have a sanitary function. This is a 2 hour wash in my washer, but worth it for sheets and pillowcases after people have been sick. I didn't get the pedastals because our guy suggested how to build one and we just haven't done it, because they're so expensive for what they are. My husband now wishes we had because he doesn't like bending down to put the laundry in, but it doesn't bother me at all.

Our washer is on it's way out so we're looking too. My husband had a great half hour conversation with a rep at Home Depot for the LG brand and was very convincing. I haven't checked them out yet but it sounds like a winner.

I won't go to a front load simply because of the mold problems I've heard of, plus just smelling bad, for whatever reason. We also have friends that experienced theirs ripping some shirts to shreds (don't know what kind or what circumstances, however). Plus, I don't agree with the ergonomic argument: you have to buy the expensive pedestals (extra $200-300 for one, last time I checked) to achieve the reduced strain on your back.

The top load washers have been around a lot longer than the front loads, plus they make plenty of energy efficient top loads now with larger capacity without agitators. My set is 12 years old -- Kenmore from Sears, no major problems yet, so I'm a fan of that brand. Good luck!

My sister has a front-loader and has a lot of trouble with it (a top-of-the-line brand) and our repair man said he's fixing all those top-loaders a lot. I'd stick with top-loader. As for quiet, I have a Whirlpool that's fairly quiet, and it's been a dependable machine.

Hi P..
Good question. This topic seems to resurface..
We went back to the top load, simple dial, agitator machine after having high end ones that smelled, got brown grunge over time (top load improper design so if you get one don't buy top load as the mechanics say they don't rinse all the way to the top of the machine and the junk builds up over time) and finally one even exploded as we went thru 4 pumps from the water and junk in the pumps left over time. They don't totally drain, which is why they tend to support mold growth and smell if you don't leave the covers open. So this is crucial in the front loaders too-- they work better if you want to leave the covers open. We didn't like those as once you start the load, you can't add stuff. Our mechanics said also to only use half of what they say to use for detergents (what gums up pumps) even with HE brands.
So-- back to basics on our mechanics recommendations, way cheaper, much cleaner clothes as a result.
Good luck.

About me: 50 yo perfusionist, wellness coach also doing a nationwide online weight challenge for $$, mom with 9 yo fraternal twin girls.

B. J