Top loading vs Front loading washing machines?

Hi Guys,

Sorry, I don't have any photo's as yet, I'm merely asking the question about tearing apart my laundry that has a top loading Fisher & Paykel washing machine that I've owned for 17 years and a Smeg front loading drier that is vented out through the wall.

In between these two appliances is a stainless washtub with taps and above everything is a window.

What are your thoughts on front loading washing machines, as I have never owned one of these and the washing machine I have is on it's last legs, this is the catalyst for change here.

I have heard that front loading machines are more gentle on the clothes, do they take 90% of the water out of the clothes like a top loading machine does on it's final spin cycle?

This is the sort of information I'm after, from those that already own these machines.

If you could please help, that would be awesome.

Cheers,

Mike T.

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MitchellMc

Hi @MikeTNZ,

Front-loading washing machines are typically gentler on clothes and are undoubtedly more water efficient than top loaders. They tumble the clothes through a shallow pool of water instead of filling an entire tub.

If you are looking for similar water extraction from clothes as a top loader, select a model with a high spin mode and one that states it can remove 90% of the water. More budget-friendly models might not extract the water to the same degree as a top loader.

The length of wash cycles could also be worth considering, as front loaders can have longer cycles depending on the model.

Let me mention a few of our members that use front loaders, @Benskimo, @theDIYedit, @prettyliving, @Fishvince and @Gillgirl, to see if they have any advice.

You might also like to check out our range of front-loading washing machines.

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Mitchell

Jason

Hi @MikeTNZ,

I remember there was plenty of chatter from community members on this topic when @Benskimo was planning his wonderful laundry renovation project.

I vote for a front loader - better for your clothes and the environment, and easier to design a laundry around.

Jason

Noyade

Another vote for the front-loader.

MikeTNZ

Hi Guys and thanks for your input on this topic.

My laundry is not that large, in fact it is 2890mm x 2890mm square.

I'd like to be able to draw this out as a floor plan, in something that isn't ghetto grid square paper before I came back to you guys.

Is there a way I can do this without paying large amounts of money to a software company that will spam my email to everyone on the planet?

Any thoughts on this?, I just want a simple (metric) floor plan app (I suppose you would call it).

It doesn't need to be 3D, just something simple.

Any ideas?

Cheers,

Mike T.

EricL

Hello @MikeTNZ

I'm sure there are online planners somewhere on the net, but I'm sure they will require you to register. For the meantime, please enjoy these sketches. These are all based off Kaboodle cabinets, if you want to use the Practa set please let me know. Have a look and if you want it re-arranged just drop me a note.

Eric

MikeTNZ laundry1.jpg MikeTNZ laundry2.jpg MikeTNZ laundry3.jpg MikeTNZ laundry4.jpg MikeTNZ laundry5.jpg MikeTNZ laundry6.jpg MikeTNZ laundry7.jpg

MitchellMc

Hi @MikeTNZ,

Nothing ghetto about using grid paper as it's the best way to construct an accurate and to-scale floor plan. Our team in-store always make a quick plan on a grid before moving on to 3D software.

Use whatever medium you need to whilst illustrating your design.

Mitchell

Noyade

G'day Mitchell. @MitchellMc

I was against the front-loader at first - my wife convinced me otherwise. I had stupid visions of U-Boat doors failing and flooding compartments - but as you say, very little water is involved with no side pressure.

We went with a massive Westinghouse around 13 years ago.

"More budget-friendly models might not extract the water to the same degree as a top loader."

We found with this machine you can select the RPM - on some occasions I had to ask my wife if it had gone through the cycle - because the clothes coming out felt so dry.

Biggest issue I had was getting it into place. Dry weight is around 130kg due to the anti-vibration ballast and I had to replace the then current laundry tub with a smaller one, but the biggest issue was the door.

I measured the machine in the store and decided it would fit in the room - but never thought there would be a problem getting it though the door. In the end I had to remove the door and surrounding architrave.

😔

theDIYedit

Hi @MikeTNZ,

I have a front loader washing machine, but I confess that I have never owned a top loader. I am of European origin, so buying a front loader was very much the done thing with no other options available! There are some great front loaders nowadays with huge capacities for washing, so you will find that you can fit in just as many items as a big top loader. I haven't found any issues with water removal from clothing, but if you either overload the machine, or have a really heavy item, the water removal is less effective and may need a separate spin cycle. One of my kids has a queen waterproof mattress protector with a rubber backing, and that is the only thing I have found that needs extra spin time! I can't comment specifically on gentleness on clothes, but again, I've never had an issue with my front loaders damaging fabrics etc. If you get a machine with some good features, you will be able to choose to wash on a more gentle cycle if you have delicate fabrics.

Honestly, I think if you transition from a top to front loader, you won't regret it! 😊

@theDIYedit

Benskimo

Hi MikeTNZ - thanks for the shout-outs @MitchellMc and @Jason , I'm glad to report that despite initial misgivings from the other side of the relationship, the new front-loader we got has been great, and we couldn't have configured the laundry renovation design we did without changing from top-loading to front-loading. You can see before and after photos here.

Oh, and I'm ghetto all the way 😉

Ben

MikeTNZ

Hi @theDIYedit,

Thanks for your advice, regarding the capacity of a front-loader that I hadn't thought of, you don't have an agitator in the middle taking up quite a bit of space, every time you use it.

And to be fair, I've lost count of the times I've had stuff wrapped around the agitator, namely underwear and socks.

@EricL, thanks for giving me some concept drawings, mate, this has given me some food for thought as to how this might finally look, which is quite hard to visualise on a floor plan, when you don't have the Z (vertical) component of the equation as opposed to merely X and Y (width and length of the room).

I am however quite limited by the full width window that is 1450 mm above floor level and this goes up to ceiling height.

But surely, there must be a way to fit all of this in the given space.

Myself and the "Finance Manager" have been discussing this in the last few days as we are both sick and tired of the way the laundry is set out.

We need to add more storage on the opposite wall (think cupboard space), being so close to the front door, it is also a default "mud room" for shoes, gumboots, umbrellas, you name it, this would be an opportunity to get this sorted out, once and for all.

The joys of living in a house that was built in 1962.

I can't thank you folks that have given me advice, enough, I really appreciate it.

I will get some pictures in the next few days (workload depending) and upload them to let you guys see what you are really dealing with.

Cheers,

Mike T.

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