WHICH ONE’S RIGHT FOR YOU?
When sorting through a sea of washers — top-load, front-load, different brands and different features — it’s hard to choose. A lot comes down to personal preference. See a side-by-side comparison of front-load vs. top-load features to help you decide what type of washer will fit your needs.
TOP-LOAD WASHER |
FRONT-LOAD WASHER |
|
|---|---|---|
| Design | Load/unload from the top with the controls on the top, towards the back. | Doors swing open from the front with controls in the front. Front-load washer/dryer pairs are also often available in a stacking configuration, great for small spaces. |
| Capacity | Impeller models often have greater capacity since there’s no agitator taking up extra space in the wash basket. However, Maytag offers two of the largest capacity agitator washers available at 4.7 cu. ft. and 5.2 cu. ft. capacities.1 | Like impeller models, front-load washers may provide greater capacity since there is no agitator in the middle. |
| Water Levels | An agitator model is your go-to if you’re in the camp of “more water means cleaner clothes.” However, there are top load washers available that offer an option to add more water to select cycles — like the Deep Fill option from Maytag brand. | Models that use HE detergent use lower water levels and concentrated cleaning so you probably don’t need to use as much detergent as you might be used to. |
| Comfort | May be harder to reach the bottom of the wash basket depending on your height or the height of the washer. | May require a bit of bending or reaching. A simple solution: laundry pedestals.
Pedestals add extra height to bring your appliances to a convenient level, and some offer extra storage space so you can tuck away things like detergent and fabric softener. |
HOW FRONT-LOAD STACKS UP VS. TOP-LOAD WASHERS IN EFFICIENCY
Front-load washers have led the way in high-efficiency cleaning. Similar to top-load impeller washers, they use specialized wash actions that help fabrics rub against each other to work out stains. Though using less water means longer wash times, the fast spinning drum helps extract water. So good news — shorter dry times.
YOU’VE GOT THE CHOICE BETWEEN AGITATOR AND IMPELLER TOP-LOAD WASHERS
If you choose top-load over front-load, you’ll also need to choose which of the designs below is best for you.
Agitator models: Yes, that post in the middle of the wash basket does have a name and it’s agitator. These models fill the wash tub with plenty of water and clean clothes by moving them against this central “post.” Maytag even offers models that are high efficiency but still let you add more water.
Impeller models: These models feature a specialized disc at the bottom of the washer to create gentle friction between garments for dirt and stain removal. These are often high-efficiency washers as they tend to use very low water levels.
Learn more about agitator vs. impeller washers or browse all Maytag® top-load washers.