FRONT LOAD WASHING MACHINE, Your thouhts please

[TUP]

Hi, we are looking to purchase a new washing machine and I am considering a front loader as they are meant to use a lot less water. Just wondering if anyone has one, what are your thought on it and what brand would you recommend?

Thanks

[RoyaUK]

We have a Maytag front loader 6kg and i use it about 3 times a week. I've had this one for nearly 4 years and it's very reliable. The wash can take a long time (depending on which one can be 2 hrs) but takes care of the clothes and yes, uses much less water. I often use the quick wash option to freshen up very lightly soiled clothes and it can be as short as 30 mins if required.

I'm from the UK and you only ever see front loaders for sale there. I'm actually still surprised that people buy top loaders in Australia with the concern for water shortages here.

Something i came across a couple of years ago is that fabric conditioner can actually damage the machines and since we stopped using it I can't say i've really noticed much difference in the clothes apart from the nice smell we used to get!

[Rivlas]

Heard just recently that you can buy a top loader but similar to a front loader.
I like my top loader as it is quicker, can use less water if I want (has 5 water levels) and if I need to place something in the machine while it is going I can.
Two of my brothers have front loaders and love them.
DD has an indest (something like that) and it shakes quite a bit but saying that haven't heard if it still does that since they moved.

[Jennifer13]

Just moving this thread to a more appropriate area.

[danniellabella]

I have a front loader and love it. My clothes get washed so much better than they did with my top loader.

The only things I don't like are: bending down to put things in/take things out and once it's started to fill with water it's too late if you forgot something. If you remember just before it fills with water then you have to turn it off & unplug it and plug it back in to release the door lock to open it.

[Jennifer13]

We got a new front loader just a couple of months ago. Uses far less water and power than our old one. It also has a feature that allows the door to be opened at some stages during the cycle.

We got a Miele and it was expensive, but sooooo worth it. Altho we started out looking at the bottom of the range ones and got kinda sold on a space-agey one that has a light inside and everything. Lucky DP had a bonus cheque that month!

[ss_storm]

we have a whirlpool frontloader and I love it. Like Jennifer's you are able to pause the machine during certain stages and the door will unlock after a minute or so. The cycle I use takes about the same amount of time as our old machine, and has a couple of different rinse options which I like, as I use the intensive rinse to wash DD's clothes.
It was very affordable when we got it as The Good Guys were having a 15% off sale anyway, plus we got $150 back from the government for buying a 'water saving' machine, plus Whirlpool sent us a year's supply (8 boxes) of washing powder - we've only used half of it and it's probably about 8 or 9 months since we bought it.

[Emma1979]

i second the Miele, they are the best on the market, but also the most expensive, but as with most things you get what you pay for...

i love my front loader, it uses way less water and has heaps of different cycles, although with our miele i always use the short cycle cos anything more than an hour seems too long for me...

speaking of washing, i am amazed at how many loads i seem to do a week, i might keep a log and see actually how many it is, it feels like i'm doing about 15 loads but that couldn't possibly be right? there's only two adults and a toddler at the moment, but we seem to use so many towels and clothes... hmmmmmm.

[Glamourcide]

Personally, I hate the damn things. I'll never buy a front loader after living at my parents' when DD1 was a newborn (mum has a front loader).
It takes FOREVER to do a load, even on the quick cycle. And it's so damn TINY (DH and I have, like, an 8kg I think?? It's huge, does two doonas + sheet sets in ONE LOAD!) - and DH and I go through a LOT of washing, especially with the kids, so a smaller washing machine did not work out for us at all. At one point we were doing FIVE loads of laundry a day and STILL falling behind because we just couldn't cram everything we needed to into one load of laundry. I don't know, maybe you can get bigger ones, but that and the slowpoke 'quick wash' cycle just really put me off ever considering one when the time comes to replace our washing machine.
Oh, and mum's front loader was just propped up on a low crate so I just about broke my poor back every time I put washing in or pulled it out, it was sooo low.