Toploader Washing Machine

A Toploader washing machine in the past had been the favoured option. There is a number of advantages and disadvantages of both top and front loaders.

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Nowadays though if you’re in the market for a top load design then you have a choice between the standard top loader and the high efficiency (HE) top loader.

Classic Top loaders

A simple toploader washing machine has been the favourite in the home. This is the machine to get if you’re on a tight budget. They are the cheapest machine outright and offer great value.

They have their disadvantages of being very inefficient with energy and water and are also noisier.

They wash by filling up with water and then the agitator spins and massages the clothes. This proves rougher on the clothes than both front loaders and the new HE top loaders.

The slower spins also mean longer drying times. The clothes will come out wet and you will have to wait longer if you hang your clothes on the line or use more electricity in your dryer.

HE Top Loaders

An HE toploader washing machine was introduced so the customer could benefit from the top load design with all the great features which are in the front loaders. These new Top loaders therefore are energy efficient, use less water and have high spins which quickens our drying time.

You’re able to fit more clothes in these machines compared to the classic front loaders and all round they will give you a better cleaning result for your clothes.

With HE top loaders you get all the advantages of the front loaders but with the ease of being able to put the clothes in the top of the machine. Of course one thing that these new machines will never be is stackable – but that is the price to pay for any top load model.

These new machines are designed slightly differently than contemporary top loaders and no longer have an agitator, so you will need to use HE efficiency detergent.

Of course the downside is they will cost almost double what you would expect to pay for a normal front loader. Also being relatively new there is less choice available. They also tend to wrinkle clothing more than their front load cousins.

Popular HE Top Load Models.

New HE top loaders haven’t been around long so there durability has not been properly tested. Despite Kenmore having an outstanding record for reliability, the Calypso brand proved one of their least reliable machines.

HE toploader washing machines though are getting better and better and are still well worth a look when considering what washer to purchase

Some models you may recognize have now been discontinued. The Maytag Neptune and the Calypso from Kenmore/ Whirlpool are popular models that have now been superseded. The Calypso has been replaced by the Oasis.

Older HE TopLoader Models

Maytag Neptune

The Maytag Neptune has been discontinued but they still will offer support for it and repairs. The Neptune was one of the first HE machines available so it seems they weren’t satisfied.

Apparently the reason was there were some complaints about it creasing and knotting up the clothes in the wash. It cleans very well but is not as gentle on the clothes as you would like.

You can still buy it and because it has been discontinued you may find it slightly cheaper. Although if you want a Maytag you’re probably better going for their newer Bravos series HE top load modal.

Maytag Neptune features:

Stainless steel washtub
Electronic controls which also tell you how long left the wash is
New wash cycles for delicates and a cycle imitating hand washing
Option which lets have an extra rinse
Automatic temperature control
The washer automatically disperses detergent, bleach and fabric softner
water level sensors

New HE Toploader Models

New HE topload washing machines include the Oasis from Kenmore, the GE Profile Harmony and Maytags Bravos which has now replaced the older Neptune Washers.

The Ge Profile Harmony Washer is designed to clean all types of fabrics. It’s delicate to the clothes with the hydroWash system and treats automatically over 80 types of stains with the Stain inspector.

You select the type of clothes you are washing and the profile harmony does the rest – this machine will select the best cycle for your particular wash. The harmony washer is spacey with its large 4.0 cubic foot stainless steel tub as well as an onboard heater which controls the temperature known as hydroheater.

Kenmore Elite Oasis is a brand new design and it is stylish with its glass lid to see the progress of the wash. Of course being an HE top loader it is energy star qualified and uses 47% less water and 53% less energy than normal top loaders.

It has wash plates rather than an agitator which gives a gentler wash on the clothes and sensors to optimize the water level and temperature. It’s a real time saver with its large capacity allowing you to do huge loads in one go and a delay start option which allows you to time a load of washing to complete before you get back from work or before you get up in the morning.

It has the standard cycles you would expect and sound installation to keep the sound contained in the washer. It spins at around 1000rpm which is not enough to get the clothes dry and the matching dryer would be a good choice to go with it.

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