How do you feel about your front load washer?

[Pom]

While H is out of town (of course)....

Yesterday our modem died.
Today our washer died.
So while I am waiting for the 3rd catastrophe and browsing new washers....

Tell me if you think front loading washers are worth it.  

Our laundry stats:
No kids, wet pool towels in the summer.  H also has very heavy duty FRC (fire resistant) uniforms he wears out to the field (but rarely these days).
The top load washer we currently have, has washed many heavy duty dirty, nasty oilfield FRC and lasted more than 10 years.

Do we want to upgrade to a FL or is it more of a trend.    FWIW, I am not replacing our dryer, it is white, old style and only 3 years old.

[lishie]

I like my front load, because I can fit a ton in it, and it doesn't have the agitator that can be rough on clothes.

However, I bought my HE front load machine 9 years ago. They didn't make HE top loaders at the time.

If I were buying now, I'd get a HE top loading machine.

[bcv513]

I absolutely hated my front loader. I felt like the clothes weren't spinning enough and came out with a detergent residue. AND I had a few items get all tangled up in there and rip. I did a jig when it died and ended up getting a non-HE top loader.

[tripleshot]

I've had my front loader for a little over a year and I really like it. It's the Frigidaire Affinity. Our previous one was an old school top loader. The FL is easier for me to get clothes out of. I'm short and arthritic. I also think it cleans better than my old top loader. We haven't had any issues with damaged clothes or mold.

[gtkim]

I know I'm in the minority, but I love our front loader.  I haven't had any of the problems that I've seen other people talk about here, but mine is also only 3.5 years old.

[ijack]

I HATE IT.

[Pom]

Good to know. I am reading good reviews on an LG that people like, but off to check out HE top loader too. Thanks!

[purrbox]

I have lots of friends and family members who hate their front loaders. All of them complain about mildew smell, and I've even heard some complain about leaks.

I have a top loading, high efficiency washer with no agitator. I love it.

[UnderProtest]

I love our top loader and we have had it for 6-7 years. Whatever you do, don't get a top loader with agitator. There is no way it would clean your husband's work clothes.

[holly22]

I have an LG set that I love! The washer has a magnet so the door doesn't shut completely when not in use. Some people complain the the FL washers smell due to the door bring closed all the way when not in use. With the washer we have we haven't had any issues with it smelling

I have this washer (& matching dryer):

m.sears.com/index-g.html#/details/guest/02645613000P?source=online

[rootbeerfloat]

Well, our previous one died last month, and I ended up getting a new one. I looked at the top loading HE washers (no agitator), but there wasn't much of a price difference, and the front loader was slightly more energy efficient. Plus, it matched our front loading dryer, lol. I'm already used to leaving the door open to prevent mildew and wiping things down, so that isn't a factor for me.

[M]

I love our front loader and my mom and MIL love theirs too. We leave ours open over night after the last wash to keep from smelling. I love how our clothes come out smelling like flowers too. Our old top loader just smelled like detergent. It also saves so much water.

ETA: Ours is LG too.

[Deleted]

Ours are commercial so perhaps it is a bit different, but I am incapable of taking stuff out of them without stuff falling all around and getting like 4 pairs of wet underwear on the laundry room floor (and the floor is kind of gross).

[Deleted]

Right now we have an almost 10-year-old top load. It is fine, washes clothes, etc., but has the agitator so stuff gets stuck and reduces the capacity. We expect our washer and dryer to die before too long and I plan to get this washer (http://www.lowes.com/pd_452006-49317-WT5070CW_1z11pmg+1z11vq8__?productId=4484036&Ns=p_product_qty_sales_dollar|1&pl=1¤tURL=%3FNs%3Dp_product_qty_sales_dollar%7C1%26page%3D1&facetInfo=Yes) and coordinating gas dryer. This might be the one you were mentioning earlier.
It has great reviews and we have some friends with 5 kids that swear by this set. They do a ton of laundry (you know, because of the 5 kids) and they said it gets the clothes really clean and has cut their washing/drying time wy down.

[pinkroses]

I like it fine.  I love that it can fit our queen sized comforter and other large loads.  I don't love that pant legs and sleeves seem to get tangled up a lot, and come out wrinkly.  Ours is in the unfinished basement, so I leave the door open all the time and have no smell issues.

Does your current dryer have a sensing feature to adjust dry time for how wet the clothes are?  That's part of the savings of a front loading washer.  It's supposed to get more moisture out in the spin cycle, so the dryer doesn't have to run for as much time.  If you're using an older dryer, you might not see any savings.

[Poeticxpassion]

I love the front loading lg I have. Cleans well and no problems with tangled clothes or smells.

[savan]

I hated ours. It smelled, things were always getting caught in the seal, I hated bending over so much to load/unload (didn't have pedestals), etc. I was so happy when it died. We replaced it with a HE top loader from LG. Love, love, love my new washer.

[Deleted]

I love our front loader. Have it for almost 2 years now. The trick to the mildew is to leave the door open after washing till the water dries. Never had a problem.

[Deleted]

We've had our front loader for almost 5 years with no issues. It uses a lot less water than our old non-HE top loader and it's more gentle on our clothes. I've had no issue with smells or twisting clothes.

[soozy87]

We are not a fan of ours. It was included with our house purchase. When we buy a new one it will be a top loader.

[liveintheville]

Another fan of the lg front loader. We've had it 8 years no issues.

[njohnson1972]

I had a front loader and the bearings went. Sounded like a jet plane when it ran. It was 5 years old. Cost to fix - $1,200! So we bought an HE top loader instead. We went with the LG one and love it so far.

[ruthie7532]

I love ours, mainly because I'm really short and getting laundry in and out of a top loader was always a problem for me. On their stands our FL washer/dryer are right at the perfect height. I have never had an issue with smells or leaks, and nothing has anything ever been damaged by the washer in the 7 years we've owned ours. Occasionally I will lose a baby sock in the seal around the door, but it's easy enough to see and get out.

[cjeanette]

The smell bothers me. Otherwise I love it. I do think I would prefer the HE top loader but they weren't an option back in the day.

[jenjen]

We have a whirlpool duet front loader (2+ years old). The only problem I have is I have ruined a few things (2 sweaters and a onesie) because I didn't squish the clothes in well enough and something got stuck and ripped.

Ours are in the basement, so the doors are always open to dry. I've never had the nasty smell others note. I have only cleaned it once because I thought I needed too but it wasn't dirty. We went from an old top loader to this and my DH is a mechanic- so dirty clothes. This one actually gets them clean and I can fit so many more clothes in it!

[shopgirl07]

I prefer a top loader. Before I sold my house I bought a top loader that I LOVED. There's no agitator anymore so the capacity is huge, you could fit a king sized comforter.

I now have a front loader and haven't used it much but I hate how when you go to take the clothes out, everything falls onto the floor. I also am sure to leave the door open after I do a load so it doesn't smell.

[tacokick]

I love our Electrolux

[zitiqueen]

Ours was free (a hand-me-down from my parents when they sold their house). I wouldn't buy another one. The smell, plus you can't throw anything in after you've started the load. We also have well water so I like to use White Brite on our whites once a month or so, and even though it says to just put it in the detergent area on a front-loader, it's powder and it's just not the same as letting it soak.

[Deleted]

I hate mine with the fire of a thousand suns. It is an LG, bought in 2006, and the damn thing is sill working away. It rattles around (despite a zillion efforts to level it, and despite the purchase of anti-vibrating hockeypuck type things to put under it to stop the vibration), and it is super smelly. I have to wash it out with bleach pretty regularly.

UGH. It is the one appliance I consider replacing without "needing" to on a regular basis.

[Norticprincess]

I love mine. I just wish we'd gotten the next size up. My really big king comforter doesn't fit. (it does fit in my mother's and would have fit in the next size up)

I grew up with a FL. I hated my traditional washer in college for the things it destroyed - did like not having to go to the laundromat. We bought a FL when we bought the house. Had no issues with it in the last 4 + years. I just leave the door open so it dries between uses.