GE washer out of balance when spinning with laundry... ForumSOLVED: How do I balance a load?

There are pros and cons to owning washers.The most significant difference between the two is the way you load and empty a washing machine.window.DTVideos is a window.When you load clothes into the machine, a top-load washer does not require as much bending over.Which is better for you?

We researched the key differences between front-load and top- load washers to help you figure out which type is best.

Even with a pedestal, front-load washers require some bending, and we always end up dropping a sock when transferring clothes to the dryer.The clothes transfer process is a bit easier with some of the stackable ones.

You don't want your access to the interior blocked by a door that is not open all the way.Some washer brands have doors that can be reversed.If you want to put your machines under a counter, a top loader's lid will be a problem.Some people may have trouble reaching the last few items at the bottom of cavernous top-loaders.Problems can be caused by the placement of the control panel.If you lean in to grab your items, you might accidentally press the buttons on the front of the top-loader.

Some front-loaders have buttons that allow you to throw in forgotten items, but others don't.You can pop in a stray sock with the handy door.

There are two main types of top-loaders, those with and without agitators.The standard models you grew up with have a post in the middle.This is a piece of equipment.

Are you ready for more confusion?There are two types of agitators.The single-action variety usually has large fins or paddles on the bottom and smaller ones at the top.The laundry circulates around the tub.The dual-action agitators have bottom fins that work the same way as single action's, but the top is spiraled.The clothes are pushed toward the bottom of the washer by the top.

High-efficiency top-loaders may not have an agitator.Impellers are similar to shorter agitators.They take up less space but also spin.These could be cone-shaped or fins as well.High-efficiency top-loaders with impellers might have a drum that is a bit more like a front- loader.

Agitators use mechanical action to clean clothes, which can be tough on fabrics.towels can still get tangled up, even though pulleys are a bit gentler.

Depending on load size, soil level, and other features you can modify the cycle times for both types.Front loader cycles can vary between half an hour and 50 minutes.

When front-loaders first appeared on the U.S. market, people were turned off by the amount of water they used.The tub would be filled to help the clothes float, so they could move around better and take advantage of the pole's mechanical action.Front- and high-efficiency top-loaders use less water because the drum moves them around so they land in a shallow pool of water.What amount of water?They use around 13 gallons of water, while the top-loaders use up to 28.An older washing machine will use more.

If you look for an Energy Star label, you will know the machine is using 14 gallons per load, but the agency uses an integrated water-factor number because you need to take a machine's capacity into account.One that uses more water to clean more clothes is more efficient than one that only uses a few gallons of water.The lower the IWF, the better.If you look at the Energy Star requirements, you can get an idea of the difference in water usage between front and top-loaders.

It is obvious that front-loader washers save more water and are better for the environment, and some may even come with local or state rebates for buying an efficient machine!Does the extra water affect the way you clean your clothes?Well, no.Front-loaders perform better in cleaning tests than top-loads.

Energy Star does not equal high-efficiency.A machine that requires a high-efficiency detergent can use less water and still not meet the program's standards.

There are more front-load washers on Energy Star's list of certified washers than there are top load washers.They can not compete with the efficiency of front-loaders.Top-loaders can be efficient.

The tables show models from the past few years.The table shows that the amount of kWh per year varies widely among machines, and the front-load GE GTW460ASJWW has the edge in terms of efficiency.This is only the energy the machine is using.It is possible to reduce energy costs by using less water.

You might wonder why we listed the machines maximum spin speed.The efficiency of your machine will be affected by this because a faster spin wrings out more water and leaves less work for the other laundry machine to do.Again, front-loaders have the edge.

If you look at the tables, you can see that the capacities are the same, with the top-loaders ranging from 4.1 to 5.2 cubic feet and the front-loads between 4.2 and 4.9.If your washer has less than 4.5 feet of space, you should be able to fit a king-size comforter in there.

Front-load washers are the way to go if capacity is important to you.Front-load washers can handle more laundry inside.Part of the reason is their construction allows for a larger drum, and part is because there is no agitator inside taking up space.Extra-large top-load washers are available for larger washing projects that may be closer to the commercial level.

mold was a problem in the early days of front-load machines.The inside of machines could get funky, and not in a good way, because the door closes tightly.Many manufacturers started including self-cleaning cycles in response to this.To keep the problem at bay, there are ways to clean washers.

About 10 years ago or so, there was a trend of including silver nanoparticle layers in a washing machine drum to help keep the machine clean.There wasn't a lot of proof a silver coating would do anything but release toxic particles into the environment, and the trend quickly died out.

There won't be much difference between the two washer models for most smart features.Features like app controls and sensors are not affected by how the washing machine washes.The exception is autofill for the water level.

In addition to any other water efficiency modes that may be active, top-loading washers often come with sensors that detect how large a load of laundry you have, and then autofill the washer to a specific level for that load.It isn't an option that front-loaders need or have, and it helps top-loading washers save more water than they usually would.If you love top-loaders but aren't crazy about how much water they use, it's something to look for.There is a new feature on top-loaders that allows you to overload the washer with extra water if you really need it.

Front- loaders were more expensive than top-loaders.Front-loader models have come down in price over the last few years.You can find large-capacity front-loaders with great features for between $600 and $700, but they tend to skew closer to $1,000 than to $500.Old-school agitator models tend to be more expensive than high-efficiency top-loaders.Depending on capacity and extras, they can still cost more than higher-efficiency front-loaders.