The Advantages of HE Front Loading Washers

Front load machines have a longer wash cycle than top loaders, but this DOES NOT mean that they are less efficient! Comparisons of energy use reveal that front loaders use less energy, water and detergent and are more effective at cleaning (they clean the clothes better). The newer model top loaders are especially poorly rated, since government regulations have reduced the amount of energy they consume, which has resulted in shortened cycles and much less effective cleaning, especially compared with the relative inefficiency of "agitation" cleaning anyway.

Front Loaders, which do not utilize an agitator, also are gentler on garments (painfully obvious to anyone who's had to extract a damaged bra from the death grip of an old fashioned top loader's agitator).

High Efficiency model washers only use an average of 8 Gallons per load compared to 15 Gallons for a top load washer. At just one load of laundry per day, that saves 2,555 Gallons of water per year. That is a HUGE savings, especially if you live in an area where you are on restrictions. Where I live, we get charged really high usage fees if we go over 7,000 gallons per month, so the HE machines really help out.

It's also nice to use less water if you have a septic tank, since the water load going in is reduced greatly.

One of the main difficulties with using a front loading machine is the need to bend over to empty the wet clothes for "average sized" people. This is actually an advantage for us short folks (sometimes digging wet things out of the very bottom of a top loader could be a pain for me). The manufacturers have addressed this by creating a base or "platform" which the machines (both washers and dryers) can be installed on. Plan on a base adding $100-$200 to your purchase price - the bases usually are an "accessory" and not included with the basic unit. The bases are attractive, handy for storage, and raise the washer up so you don't have to bend over so much while doing your laundry. These are a "nice, but not necessary" item, the washers work just as well without them (I didn't buy the bases because I just didn't have the extra money to invest).

You don't even want to know how many household appliances I've gone through. With 4 children, a husband, and usually a house guest or 2, I do a MINIMUM of 3 loads of laundry every day. That doesn't include linens. I've got a main floor laundry with a Kenmore HE washer and cheap dryer (that works great!), and a downstairs laundry room with both HE washer and dryer. We have a septic tank, and in all honesty, I COULD NOT DO LAUNDRY WITHOUT THE HE's. Honestly, the old-fashioned top loaders just use too much water. I would overflow and backup my tank at least once a week running that much water in to it. Plus, with all the laundry I do, we only have to buy one big container of Tide every 4-5 months.

The HE washers are more expensive up-front, but they are so worth it and pay for themselves in a year or less!

Checking the Lip

Mold. These machines have gotten a bit of bad press due to odors and mold issues. I've put quite a bit of thought into how to word my feelings about this issue. The thing is, it's a damp area (most likely a warm damp area) that seals air-tight when you shut it. I've read people online complaining that "nobody told me". I have a nagging suspicion that these are the same people who put a bottle of water in to the freezer and then whine that "nobody told me" when it bursts. Seriously, its COMMON SENSE. The seals on front loaders are AIR-TIGHT. You can't just leave them shut up and damp for days on end and then act surprised when an odor or mold develops. With a top loader, if you leave wet clothes in them for a couple of days, the same thing happens. Top loaders don't develop odors because the lid just sits on top, it doesn't seal.

I try to be understanding, I really do. But at what point is plain common sense and personal responsibility going to come in to play? Let the washer air out if you won't be using it for a few days. It's just like a beverage cooler. If you leave moisture in it and then leave it shut up tight on your front porch in the sun for couple of days, it's going to mold.

Fortunately, since I do so many loads, I haven't had to deal with this particular issue. When we leave town, we leave the door open. Unlike top loaders, a front loader needs to seal shut completely when you close the door to avoid water leaking out during a cycle. Just like any other appliance, you need to exercise some common sense with use.

IF YOU DO HAPPEN TO GET AN ODOR PROBLEM, THE BEST WAY TO GET RID OF IT IS TO RUN A CYCLE WITH ONE SCOOP OF *POWDERED* DISHWASHER DETERGENT (LIKE PLAIN ELECTROSOL OR CASCADE POWDER) ONLY (NO CLOTHES). THAT SHOULD DO THE TRICK.

If you're in the market for a new washer, it really is better to get an HE model. They wash more effectively, use less detergent, take less water, and use less energy. They're also going to become the only washers on the market within a few years, as the demand for the old-fashioned top loaders fizzles out. The top loader will go the way of the black and white tv, the vaccum tube, the record album, and the dinosaur. And for good reason.

All procedes from the sale of the books, magazines, and CafePress merchandise purchased through this page go directly to KIVA, an organization dedicated to helping entrepeneurs in the developing world with small business loans.