Kimberly Uy's Blog: Why We Switched to a Top Load Washing Machine

I recently switched to a top load washing machine after having two different front load washing machines for 11+ years. When readers noticed this change, I received many requests for why I chose to go back to a top load machine and the pros and cons of these two machines. So today I bring you my tell-all on the pros and cons of front versus top loaders and subsequent tale of what I learned doing thousands of loads of laundry over the years in these machines. Ready?

First of all, we have owned three different sets of washers and dryers in this house – the Maytag Duet front load (2009-2016), the Samsung AddWash front load (2016-2020) and now, the LG TurboWash 3D Top Load. I can honestly say that I enjoyed each set, have recommended them wholeheartedly, and they have served our laundry needs well over the years. But….each one has some pros and cons and that’s what I want to share with you today and I don’t think I’ll ever go back to a front load again.
As far as ‘shelf-life’ of washers and dryers, the Maytag Duet was replaced by the Samsung set that I tested here for the site. That set was donated to a family that needed it. The Samsung set washer was donated but the dryer was broken and had already been repaired two times and this last repair would have been more expensive to repair than replace which is why we decided to look for a new set. In case you’re wondering, we chose and purchased this set, nothing about this post is sponsored. Hopefully that answers any questions regarding why we have had three sets of washers and dryers in 11 years. In speaking with repair people, the average lifespan of a washer and/or dryer is about 7 years. Most CAN be repaired, but it’s more cost effective to replace than repair in some cases, unfortunately.

FRONT LOAD VS. TOP LOAD WASHER
We’ve had 3 top load washers in other houses, so when we moved in to this house 11 years ago, I was SO excited to get a front load washing machine. I loved how easy it was to move the clothes from the washer to the dryer and how symmetrical it looked in the laundry room. Pretty quickly, I realized that we had to keep the door of the washing machine open anytime it wasn’t in use to keep the smell out of the washing machine and out of our clothes. I found this to be the case in both the Maytag and Samsung machines but not as bad in the Samsung as the Maytag. I also found that it was important to move the clothes from the washer to the dryer, no letting clothes sit overnight or for an afternoon before putting them in the dryer. Most front loaders have a filter on the front of the machine – this is another thing to monitor and keep an eye on as it should be cleaned monthly. I have always cleaned our washing machines routinely, but this seemed more pertinent with a front load machine as they smelled so much more quickly. This is and will always be my biggest annoyance/downfall with a front load machine. How did I remedy this? I clean the washing machine WEEKLY after washing cleaning cloths and use 1/4 cup white vinegar with each load as a fabric softener. These two things pretty much took care of the smell, but every once in a while I would need to ‘shock’ the washer with 6 cups of white vinegar (per Samsung’s recommendation) and use CLEAN WASHER option to kill any bacteria. This is a great feature on any machine – the downfall of the Samsung is that it takes almost 4 hours to complete.

Samsung AddWash and Samsung Dryer

Once I knew we needed to get a new washing machine, I started researching machines and asked my favorite repair company what they recommended. Armed with info, I started looking for a top load machine that was in our budget, had a large capacity, and had a few bells and whistles that I wanted. A deep fill option, quick cycle, a clean cycle and a matching dryer with features like a large capacity, several heat options, timers, and a duct clog indicator (this is especially important with a second floor laundry room).

LG 5.0 cubic foot washing machine with TurboWash and LG 7.3 cu foot dryer

We’ve had the new set for a few months and we LOVE them. Laundry is cleaner, we can fit more in both machines and NO smell! The only downfall to the top load washing machine is that I have to reach in to grab laundry at the bottom of the machine but I can reach to the bottom and so can our two older kids. This is minor

My favorite laundry products? I use Clean Mama Laundry Super Powder, Oxygen Whitener, Wool Dryer Balls, and 1/4 cup of white vinegar as a fabric softener.
Find Clean Mama Laundry products here.