What's Better: A Front-Loading Or Top-Loading Washing Machine?
Huff Postonurdongel via Getty Images Front-loaders often can be stacked vertically to save space. One of the biggest perks of a front-loading washer besides its “sleek aesthetic”: It can be stacked on top of a dryer, pointed out Morgan LaLonde, laundry brand manager at Whirlpool. “Front-load washers … have a rubber gasket to help keep water inside during a wash cycle, but they can prevent the empty tub from drying properly when the door is closed,” LaLonde explained. Front-loading washers “have drums with side paddles that lift up the clothes and use tub rotation and gravity to tumble them through a small amount of water,” according to the website for Energy Star, a program administered by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. From compact to extra large, most people don’t know that there are different sizes available for both top-loading and front-loading washers, Richardson said.