Front loading vs Traditional? washer & dryer?

Question

Ok so Im tight on money and have been wondering which is better? I understand that front loading is cheaper in the long run as they are less expensive to run but they are pretty pricey to buy. Has anyone noticed a significant amount of reduction in their electric and water bills? also is front loading any better for the dryer? or is this function only better for the washer? Plus does anyone know any place where I can look to find a reasonably priced duo? I also need a refrigerator too

Answer 1

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker

If you are putting the washer on anything but a concrete floor, get a top loader washer. The appliance repair guy told me that since I'm in a mobile and don't have a concrete floor, a front-loader would shake too much. They spin much faster than a top loader.

I'm on a well so water cost isn't really an issue. If you're on metered water with a basic minimum charge, check your consumption to see if there would be any financial benefit to using less water. I wash in cold almost all the time, so heating water for the washer isn't a consideration. I have read that 90% of the cost of running a top load washer with hot water is the cost of heating the water.

All dryers are front-load anyway so no issue there, unless you're asking about drying times of the wet clothes. They probably dry faster if they were washed in a front-loader. The faster spinning can remove more water. Measure your space to make sure a front-loader you're looking at will fit. Some are oversize a bit.

A front-loader will be easier on clothes and will wash large items like comforters more easily, but I've had two washers with the newer style slim agitators, not the old ones with big fins that thrashed your clothes back and forth, and I've never had any problems with those two washers wrecking clothes. If I have anything to wash that really won't fit in my washer, I go to a laundromat with big front-loaders. I try not to buy stuff that won't fit.

Keep in mind that if you're buying 3 major appliances at the same time, you should be able to deal a little. Check scratch and dent sales, you can save quite a bit there. Keep your eye on sale flyers. Smaller appliance stores sometimes sell gently used appliances, with a store warranty on them. And you don't need to buy the ones with all the bells and whistles. A mid-price range is probably the best overall value, but I've found a large capacity one to be worth paying for. All you really need is a choice of temperature, water level, and maybe four wash cycles.

Asker's Rating:

Asker's Comment:

It will be upstairs so I dont think I would want a front loader shaking throught the top floor

Answer 2

Front loaders don't do crap to save you money on water. You have to be doing hella lots of laundry to see a difference in a monthly bill. We bought our first front loader about a year ago and there is no difference in our water bill at all. You do however have to buy more expensive High Efficiency Detergent that is not as corrosive to rubber seals so your front loader doesn't leak all the floor. So there is zero money saved if you pay more for a front loader.

It is however quieter and I'm sure better on your clothes because there's no big heavy agitator twisting your clothes like crazy.

Answer 3

"As much as I paid for that washer I shouldn't be having this much trouble" That's the first thing people say to me. It's all the features that come standard that cause the problems. Also the electronic controls have a high failure rate. I do recommend an extended warranty on the fl washers and dryers. The fl washers do require an HE detergent . This is nor optional it's a must. The fl washers do like full loads. I f you cannot provide full loads each time, consider sticking with a top load washer. They do save water and spin so fast the dryer doesn't take as long to dry providing they are matched set. A regular dryer will not handle the larger washer load. The washers also require a very solid floor to prevent shaking and walking. Although designed to do so, I do not recommend stacking the units. Serviceability becomes a real issue if stacked. 2 man crews are not generally not run.

Source(s):

Appliance repair 37 years

Answer 4

I don't know about better, but front loaders are much heavier.