"Top loaders are cheaper"Ĭontrary to expectations, not all top loaders are cheap as chips and not all front loaders will burn a hole in your pocket. Or, you could delay the start and let the machine do its thing while you’re out, then hang your laundry out later. Most manmade fabrics are not as robust as cotton so a typical “mixed” cycle is even faster, but if you’re in a hurry, use the “quick” setting.
#Front loader manual
For example, the manual for one 8.5kg front loader said it would take about 278 minutes to complete a “Cotton, Cold, 1400rpm, option+, 3:20 to go” cycle, but our 3.5kg test load took less than half that. The programme usually gets shorter automatically). "Front loaders take so long"įront loaders generally take longer, but their cycles are often not as long as stated in the manual (when the load’s small, A front loader is best for using space efficiently as it can double as a benchtop or allow a dryer to be conveniently mounted above. They’re also generally deeper and always taller. It’s slim pickings though, as most top loaders are at least as wideĪs the average front loader. If space is tight (less than 65cm, which is the minimum needed for a standard 60cm-wide machine with a few centimetres’ wiggle room), you’ll have no choice but a top loader. The biggest top loaders, meanwhile, are 13kg. The largest domestic-purpose washing machines are 16kg front loaders. If you have jumbo-sized piles of laundry, don’t assume your only option is a top loader. Here, we dispel some misconceptions about both types. But if you’ve always assumed a front loader wouldn’t work for you, you might be surprised. Why then, when it’s clear front loaders are better, do we still recommend the occasional top loader? Because, for some people, a front loader simply isn’t the right choice and, at Consumer, we’re all about helping you identify the product that best However, there was a marked difference in satisfaction, with front loader owners significantly happier with their purchase (81% were very satisfied versus 73% of top loader owners). Our latest reliability and owner satisfaction survey, which included 1052 top loaders and 1637 front loaders, showed both types were equally reliable (88% and 89%, respectively, bought new in the past five years didn’t have a fault). You’ll also be hoping for years of hassle-free operation.
Of course, clean laundry isn’t the only key to long-term happiness with your washing machine. Our tests prove top loaders are tougher on fabrics, take up more space, guzzle water, and don’t remove dirt that well.