Absolutely no idea where to post this thread, so feel free to move it…
Now I am looking for a new washing machine. The mechanical switch of the old one died. Then a friend of mine gave me his old washing machine, that turned out to be cracked and leaked all over the place. So now I am looking for a new one.
I went to a store and there I was… Indesit, Beko, Samsung, LG, Whirlpool, Ariston, etc etc…
I’m lost. Anyone can help me out here with some guidance as to what brands are good, bad, what to look for and what to avoid? Also somebody once told me, that the top loaded washing machine is better than front loaded, because the top loaded have 2 bearings to carry the rotation, while the front loaded ones have only the one bearing at the back…
Top loader might be more robust but I’m lazy, I don’t wanna drag out my clothes from that thing. Front loader, you just put a basket in front of it and the stuff almost falls into it. I’m gonna have to look for one myself soon and I’m gonna try to find something older, with as little electronics as possible.
The difference between top and front loaders are this.
Top loaders, you add clothes, soap, bleach, and fabric softener. All into the tub. Newer hE machines use less water as well. So buy soap that is marketed towards hE machines. Front loaders use even less water but take longer cleaning times. You add soaps into the tray on the left hand side, unless its pods. You throw them right in.
Brands to buy, Whirlpool, LG, and Higher end Maytags. Avoid machines like Amana and low end brands. They are often the base model washing machines on the market. No options, barely any power, and no good cleaning action. Almost all top loader hE machines uses a computer and so does the front loaders and they are much easier to work on if something quits. They give off codes like a car does.
When you go buy one, often look for a ratcheting agitator, grab the top of the display units agitator and twist it like you would a wrench. If the outer tub spins in both directions skip that one and buy the same model with the agipeller. Those agitators does not work. If the agitator has a ratcheting action and spins freely in your hand, get that one. It is as close as to a direct drive as you are going to get. The bigger the better as well.
If you buy a front loader they are almost all the same. So YMMV. Again brands like Whirlpool, LG, and Maytag.
Recently replaced ours, got a Bosch. It has a bunch of options and we use just one for most everything. Never had a top loader and for that matter never seen one for sale anywhere, almost everyone here puts them under a counter top or stacks washer and dryer. We usually get 6 years on average from our washing machines.
That’s my issue though… They put extra pressure on the single bearing they have. On the other hand the fact top loaders have 2 bearings by itself should give it an edge…
All stores here give 2 years and if you want more you have to pay extra… It’s not even remotely funny when the warranty is hidden behind 20% of the price…
Top loaders have bearings on the left and right side and the drum itself have a door to put the clothes through. The front loaders lack the entire well, front side, and therefore the bearing, that the top loader have instead of a door. So the FL have only one bearing on the backside, while the TL have 2 - 1 at each side.
Hmmm interesting, what keeps the toploader between these two bearings. A circle with two points of contact is destined to slip out from between them. 3 would make sense in a triangle around the drum holding it in place.
I do not know enough to say anytime for or against either, just trying to work it out.
Edit: why could a front loader not be resting the front edge of the drum on bearings too?
Is that a serious question? What keeps the front loader holding only on one?
Is Bearing the correct word? Yeah, Google says it is…
Also by top loader I don’t mean a front loader on its back… I mean one of those:
There are bearings on each side that both hold the weight and stabilize the drum. Also there is the door on the drum that opens so you can put the clothes in…
It does look like the down sides of both machines with the upside of bearing life maybe? looks like a really odd front loader with the drum that way, but still a door on the top.
harder to load like a front,
cant mid wash add like a top,
no idea if water and energy efficiency is better or worse compared to either.
After all waching machines have a dynamic load in them so they will get unballanced and probably have some up/down front/back movement which will wear on the bearings regardless.
