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spanishpete

Hi all in Expat land
I need to buy a new washing machine,
so should I go for a top loader. or a front loader

Fred

Front loading automatic machines are load and forget, but they are more expensive to buy, much more expensive to run, and much less reliable than the old twin tubs.

spanishpete

I had loads of automatic washing machines in the UK, and never had a problem with any of them

jland912

We use a top loader It works just fine.

spanishpete

Hi Jland
Fine is good, but don't they use loads of water

Fred

Back to the twin tub - Very low water wastage.

spanishpete

my mum had a twin tube, but ive not seen one for 30 years

jland912

You can set the water level. The one we have is very economical

spanishpete

what I remember about them was there a lot of hassle, she had some wooden tongs to pull the washing out of the hot wash, to put the washing in the spinner, is your like that

jland912

It's a modern as anything else that you would buy in the USA.

stevefunk

Washing Machines...top loader or front loader....and he calls Me mr mum

Fred

spanishpete wrote:

my mum had a twin tube, but ive not seen one for 30 years


Those things became unpopular in many countries as efficiency and cost saving dropped into second place in the battle against time.
They're still very easily available in a lot of countries, always at a fraction of the cost of an automatic, and always much cheaper to operate.

spanishpete

well sells in the USA, don't sell in Europe,

VictoriaChandler

We have a front loader from LG...runs great. Bought 2 years ago and so far, so good.

spanishpete

LG is good,

germanbrickhouse

Front only. Top doesn't clean as thoroughly.

spanishpete

yep I agree with you, top loads are there' rubbish,

jland912

We must be lucky because our top loaders do a good job. It should not matter where you load the clothes from.  It's the working  part of the washer that does the job.

spanishpete

yes i agree, but top loads use a hell of a lot of water,

jland912

I guess which ever top or front is up to your preference. Ours has a water saver feature. We are happy with it.

spanishpete

back in England i had a front loader that would wash my cloths and dry them as well, and only use 5 lits of water
it was like having a good women but without the moaning,

kvanderknaap

Definitely a front loader. Despite of better cleaning it doesn't destroy your clothing. The top loader we had was ruining our "thin" clothes.

stevefunk

I just rinse my clothes in the Amazon Basin

spanishpete

my god you know how to save money, well that's the biggest washing machine

travelr64

Jland, the front loading washing machine tumble the clothing against each other much better than the top loaders.  This friction of the clothing tumbling against each other is what makes the front loaders clean so much better.  That is why in coin op laundries, it's the only thing they are using these days.  Far superior cleaning to the top loaders.

spanishpete

yep your right
In the uk, I think you can only get front loads, no one would buy a top loads, there no good
but here in Brazil, everyone seams to have top loads

jland912

In the part of the USA that I am from the laundromats have both front loaders and top loaders, mostly top loaders.  We have a top loader here in Brazil we have no problems with getting our clothes clean. i think it's a matter of preference.

spanishpete

I really don't think you could give away in England and Europe a top loader washing machine,

Lrover16

Actually I've always used a top loader myself here and in Canada. I dated a girlfriend back in Canada who had a front loader and needed to use a special detergent. Do you need that here as well?
IMHO, the washing machines here make a "load" of noise. Mine was very quiet back in Montreal.

spanishpete

I would say that 99% of all washing machines in the UK are front loads, and yes they did need a different power, with less bobbles,
my wife bought a new top loader, but it used so much water, so I sold it and now ive bought a front loader, its so much better

travelr64

Thing is, Front loaders are the newest innovation in washing machines.  They use considerably less detergent and water.  They work better because of their tumbling action, and they get your clothes cleaner.  If you want proof, just check consumer reports.  Anyone who doesn't recognize these facts is just stuck on being old fashioned and can't accept new information.

Fred

travelr64 wrote:

Anyone who doesn't recognize these facts is just stuck on being old fashioned and can't accept new information.


Or other facts influence the choice of machine.

I went for a top loader because they're extremely cheap compared to a front. The upshot of the price difference is the cash saved on electricity is never going to make the front loader cheaper unless it lasts a lot of years, and they don't.

spanishpete

the world is full of them,
that's why its in a mess, to mean living in the past

jland912

The bottom line is that we are in Brazil and we use what is available. Quality varies from country to country. We have to use what we can afford and what is available here in Brazil. This discussion could go on and on. but in the end we have what is available here at a reasonable cost.

Bardamu

Remember machines don't produce hot water. I was wondering if top loaders in this case were actually better.

travelr64

No, they are never better, unless of course you only care about the price.  The front loader machines do a better job of cleaning the clothes because of their tumbling action.  They use less water and less detergent.  Top loading washers are antiquated.

travelr64

The HE detergents are formulated for today's modern HE washers.  I have used traditional laundry detergents with HE washers with zero problems.  Personally I think it's just a marketing strategy to sell more expensive detergents.

spanishpete

if its always down to Bottom line, then living in brazil, is the best place, because anything that cheep here is always the best, well so 99% of Brazilians think,
and that's why the country is in a mess,

Fred

spanishpete wrote:

if its always down to Bottom line, then living in brazil, is the best place, because anything that cheep here is always the best, well so 99% of Brazilians think,
and that's why the country is in a mess,


One has to question that statement; if wages are low, cheap could well be the only option.

Other factors might well also determine the final choice, in my case the machine was to be used by the maid, and most of them are less than familiar with even basic technology so things get abused and broken. Cheap was absolutely the best choice for me at that time.

Concentrating on purely technical issues is all well and good, but all possible advantages and problems have to be taken into consideration.

travelr64

I totally understand and agree

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