In recent years, the Best Top Load Washer has become more complicated (and more expensive), which makes it hard to choose the best one. Come in the experts from the Good Housekeeping Institute’s Home Appliances and Cleaning Products Lab. They’ve been testing products for years and know which ones are the best and most reliable. When we test the best top load washers, we look at how thoroughly they clean and remove stains, how much energy and water they use, and how gentle they are on fabric on the ordinary, heavy-duty, and delicate cycles. In order to evaluate the cleansing and tenderness of each machine, we measure 72 stains and count hundreds of frayed threads. We also check how well special cycles work for best top load washer heavy bedding and doing a quick or speed wash.
The best top load washer has a lovely familiarity with it. The design is uncomplicated, the drum is simple to maintain, and any stain may be treated directly on top of it. These conveniences are crucial when investing in a large appliance. “What old appliances did you have that you wished were there because they would have made your life easier?” In the end, you want to ensure that your life is made simpler, “explains Tiffany Aliche, a financial expert and author of the Get Good with Money book. We conducted research on the best and most practical best top load washer, comparing each one based on its functionality, drum size, cycle options, and unique features like built-in faucets or settings specifically designed for sportswear.
10 Best Top Load Washers to make Laundry easier
If there is a sanitizing cycle, we make sure the best top load washer achieves a temperature that is high enough for the necessary period of time to effectively eliminate germs on clothes. We also assess each model’s control panel for usability, responsiveness, and intuitiveness. Even the door’s ease of opening and closing is tested!
Best Top Load Washer Characteristics to Consider
Drum Size
Typically, drum sizes are expressed in cubic feet. One person’s three days’ worth of best top load washer may fit nicely in a smaller, portable model’s 3.0 cubic feet of capacity. This capacity works best in an RV or apartment scenario. Up to 6.0 cubic feet or more may be present in a high-capacity variant. Consider this to determine which size best suits your requirements: A 3.5-cubic-foot washer can accommodate a queen-size comforter, while a 3.8-cubic-foot best top load washer can accommodate a king-size comforter. The normal best top load washer has a volume of 5.0 cubic feet, and top-loading units are often larger than front-loading alternatives.
The impeller versus the agitator
The best top load washer can either have an impeller plate or a central agitator. Both move your clothing in the washer’s drum and combine it with soap and water. A central agitator is a column in the drum of the best top load washer that occasionally has fans connected to it for agitating the laundry. Even though this type of agitator is more common, it is known for being rougher on clothes. For delicate cycles and fragile materials, it is better to have an impeller plate that is built into the bottom of the drum. It is often seen in more up-to-date, expensive versions.
Cycle choices
Top-load washers have the normal settings for whites, delicates, and a normal load of laundry. But they can also have customized settings for things like towels, sportswear, and clothing that has to be washed in a matter of minutes. Leggings and sports bras, which may be made of fragile materials like spandex or mesh, are handled very carefully in the activewear industry. It may remove perspiration and dirt more thoroughly while simulating the hand-washing procedure. Other noteworthy choices are the allergen and cold wash settings.
Unique Characteristics
Built-in faucet
If you usually pre-treat dirty clothes before washing them, a faucet that is built into your washer’s drum will make your washing routine more effective and clean. This feature, which is built into top-loading machines, gets rid of the need to use stain remover in the bathroom sink or move a wet item across the laundry room. Living in a tiny place where the best top load washer might be housed in a closet or mudroom is also convenient.
Bulk dispensing
A bulk dispenser carries enough detergent and/or fabric softener for 20 to 40 washes. It automatically dispenses the right amount of liquid based on the size of your load when a cycle has been chosen and begun. This capability comes in particularly handy for families with newborns, several kids, or athletes who need to run numerous loads each week.
One of the most common complaints about washing machines is that they smell musty when water pools inside them. When you’re done with your laundry, this GE washer’s venting feature will automatically dry the inside of the machine and the seal around the door. While the drum is intermittently spinning, the machine draws in outside air to dry the interior. Additionally, a preservative called Microban is applied to the door gasket, dispenser drawer, and other interior parts to help prevent mold growth. In our tests, following a complete vent cycle, the drum and door seal was completely dry.
During the quick and very effective wash cycles, we were able to get stains out of cotton and polyester test samples that had been stained in both warm and cold water. A deep stain was erased within 20 minutes, even with a short wash. This best top load washer has a number of features, one of which is the SmartDispense bulk detergent dispensing function. All you need to do is choose the cycle, and the washer will apply the right quantity of detergent on its own. It is simple to fill without spilling and can store up to 50 ounces of liquid dishwashing detergent. Additional bonuses include steam cycles, WiFi, and a one-step wash and dry option that washes and air-dries a small load overnight.
This GE model is a wise pick if you’re seeking a device with high-end capabilities at an excellent price. In our GH Cleaning Lab testing, GE washers consistently deliver reliable results. It features all the necessary cycles, including those for best top load washer bulky things like comforters, down jackets, and sleeping bags, as well as clothing for working out. At this price point, steam cycles are not available, but you may still kill bacteria on the sanitize cycle by adding an oxi ingredient, which increases the cleaning effectiveness of your detergent.
The useful stain guide option changes the cycle’s time and water temperature to better remove stains like tomato, wine, blood, grass, and dirt. We also like that the dispenser has a separate space for detergent packs to aid in their better dissolution. With the deep fill and deep rinse settings, you can add more water to loads that need it for more thorough washing and rinsing. The washer is also available in grey, although white is more affordable.
Despite having a central agitator, the inside of this top-loading washer is so enormous that you won’t even notice a reduction in capacity. Even though it’s economical and energy-saving, the deep fill option allows you to add extra water if you’d want to. We discovered that using it is a breeze thanks to the control panel’s clarity, readability, and exceptional responsiveness to touch. For very unclean loads, the PowerWash cycle enhances cleaning, and the RapidWash cycle reduces wash time to under 30 minutes for things you need right away. We used a little smaller version of this best top load washer a down-filled coat, and it came out completely clean, rinsed, and suds-free.
You won’t ever have to choose between purchasing a washing machine with or without an agitator thanks to this exceptional Whirlpool top-load washer. You may use this 2-in-1 machine’s agitator for normal loads or take it out for larger loads, like washing a comforter. During our tests, we were blown away by the stain-treating station and the Load and Go dispenser, which only needs one dose of detergent and doesn’t need to be refilled for up to 20 loads.
We also thought the app was practical and simple to use. This Whirlpool pleased us more than any other washing machine we’ve ever evaluated, to the point that it took first place in our 2021 Good Housekeeping Best Cleaning Products Awards.
The Good Housekeeping Institute’s laboratories evaluate items from brand sponsors for our GH Tested program and provide findings on the ones that wow us, like this Speed Queen washing machine. With its tiny profile and ability to fit into tighter spaces, this top-loading appliance can easily manage big loads, and its unique wash motion is gentle on clothing and energy-efficient. You can pick the temperature, soil level, and load size easily, or you can select one of eight specialty cycles.
With the push of a single button, you may repeat any of your customized pre-set favorites. With the delay start setting, you can wash whenever it’s convenient for you—even overnight—on this incredibly quiet machine. We discovered that washing a large queen-sized comforter with the middle agitator turned out clean and well-rinsed. The seven-year warranty supports our findings that Speed Queen washers are reliable performers.
Despite the fact that it won’t do the laundry for you, this washing machine has a tonne of useful features that make it simpler. After a few uses, the washer remembered our favorite settings for the wash cycle, which made us very happy. Additionally, it includes an Opti-Wash function to ensure that your clothes are always clean by automatically detecting the dirt levels and adjusting to add extra time or detergent as necessary. We found that the app was easy to use and had a lot of useful features, like the ability to start and stop washing machines from a distance, schedule wash cycles, and get alerts when a cycle is done.
This washing machine was silent in addition to doing an excellent job of cleaning. To help keep the washing machine smelling fresher for longer, the drum is coated with an antibacterial, and the Self Clean+ feature will notify you when a cleaning is necessary. Installing the matching dryer either stacked or side by side is an option. If you stack them, the dryer’s settings may be changed directly from the washer’s control panel.
There is no washing duty this massive combination team can’t tackle with a 5.2 cubic foot best top load washer resting atop a 1.0 cubic foot pedestal washer, and it’s incredibly simple to load. Use the top washer for regular, large loads, and the tiny washer for a few things that require special handling or that you need quickly. The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America has approved it to cleanse and eliminate sniffle-inducing allergens from clothes. It has a speaker and works with Google Assistant, Amazon Alexa, or an app on your phone.
Even while the pedestal washer is ideal for delicates, we discovered that the top machine is equally kind to textiles. Even without the pedestal add-on, we still believe the main unit to be a fantastic pick. Keep in mind that the pedestal washer is available separately and costs an extra $600 to $829 depending on the model and color.
Its deceptively huge inside and space-saving exterior make it the ideal choice to install in compact houses, flats, or as a second-floor laundry in a closet or bathroom. This formidable micro is a Good Housekeeping Seal bearer for good reason. The TwinDos technology, which automatically delivers the right quantity of detergent and enhancer for top cleaning of both whites and colors, is what makes it most distinctive. There are also special cycles like QuickIntenseWash, which in our tests whitened cotton test swatches by a lot and got rid of tough stains in less than an hour. Additionally, it has WiFi, so you can use your smartphone to see and manage your wash cycles.
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Those with limited room and height may find excitement in LG’s WashTower. All front-load washers and dryers may be stacked to fit in a closet, bathroom, or other small space, but LG went a step further by positioning both machines’ controls in the middle. This eliminates the need for those who are short to stretch to view and adjust the dryer cycles. That’s not all, though. Built-in sensors use artificial intelligence (AI) to figure out the size of the load and the type of fabric so that the washing and drying cycles can be changed for better care of the clothes. Even heavy loads are quickly handled by speed cycles. With the LG ThinQ app, you can control, monitor, and even have the washer notify the dryer of the sort of load it will be receiving.
This option comes with an electric dryer, but for an extra $100, the unit can also come with a gas dryer. In our testing at the GH Cleaning Lab, we discovered that this machine was exceptionally simple to use, load, and unload, especially for our testers who were under five feet tall! Despite being quick, the cycles are gentle and efficient, and lovely features like steam help us to revivify gently used goods for further use. When you switch them on, the devices automatically select the right choices after learning your most frequently used cycles. Convenient!
10. Whirlpool WTW8127LW 5.2-5.3-cu ft
Fans of both agitator-and impeller-style washing machines will like the Whirlpool WTW8127LW 5.3-cubic-foot Smart best top load washer. To fulfill different washing demands, such as creating room for a large load of blankets or choosing to gently wash delicate goods using the impeller plate, this washer’s snap-in central agitator is simply removable. Our 2-in-1 design is unique to this top-load washer and adds greatly to its value. With the agitator in place, the washer has 5.2 cubic feet of space in the stainless steel wash basket. The laundry basket provides 5.3 cubic feet of space after being removed. The Whirlpool WTW8127LW is prepared to handle the care needs of each laundry load regardless of the washing system you select. Along with choices for things like water temperature, spin speed, or a deep water fill, it features 11 pre-set cycle options.
To properly take care of your clothing, there are a total of 36 different cycle combinations. You may use the Whirlpool app to plan your next load of laundry to start at a specific time or to get updates on the cycle’s progress thanks to the device’s built-in Wi-Fi. The integrated faucet to pre-treat stains is another feature exclusive to top-load washers. This is useful for swiftly cleaning objects that need only hand washing or for giving stains extra attention before the wash cycle. We wish more retailers would carry this unique top-load washer because they are known to sell out rapidly. So, if you see this one in stock, place your order right away.
