I absolutely despise my front loader washing machine and would throw it out if it hadn't cost over $1,000. It tangles all the sleeves and pant legs terribly and when you pull out one item they all some streaming out onto the floor. If it were a top loader they would fall back into the machine. I practically have to stand on my head to reach the items clinging to the back of the drum. Using color catchers is a hazard also. Because of the low water level it means there are many products that can't be used such as Retayne. The cheesy molding around the door has broken off in many places but the seal is still good. Apparently I'm not the only one with these complaints because the sale of the new top loaders has really taken off.

I have a HE front loader and would buy a top loader if I could do it over. I have always soaked my wool socks and such and spun them out, then taken them out, added rinse water, put them back to soak and spun them out before hanging them or laying them flat to dry. Can't do that with the front loader. Just hate having to wash them all by hand. I also used my old top loader to wash wool fleece for spinning and I can't do that either. Good thing I have a lifetime's worth of clean wool for spinning.

I'm on my second front loader (first one drowned in a basement flood) but you're all making really good arguments for the HE top loader. My sister has one and loves it.

I have a Maytag Bravio Top Load high efficiency washer and HATE it! I've had it for a couple of years now and am looking to replace it with a standard "old-style" topload.

There are several things I do not like about it:

It does not allow you to soak a load. If you pause the washer when there is water in it, it will automatically drain. Does the same thing if you shut it off when there is water in it.

You cannot fill the washer first so that you can add detergent/bleach etc. directly to the water and then add the clothes. The bleach dispenser functionality is less than perfect, resulting in bleach spots on some items. If I want to soak a load in bleach before agitating, I fill a bucket, add bleach, add laundry, let soak, then pour the whole thing in the washer and start it. Then the washer proceeds to drain the bleach water off the laundry before starting its wash cycle... ARGH!

It ties my clothes in knots, literally. When I take out a load of jeans or shirts, I have to spend 5 minutes untangling the legs/sleeves and untwisting them before I can dry them.

You cannot control the water level or the agitation time. This often results in clothes that are less than clean when the cycle is finished.

And don't even dream about putting anything delicate in it if you want to see it in one piece again!

So... Until I replace it, I'm washing my blouses and delicates by hand in the kitchen sink and using the "drain and spin" cycle in the washer before I dry them.

The fabric softener dispenser "spots" the clothes without fail.

This is not exactly a leap forward in my laundry routine!

Can't do that with a top load HE washer either... My advice (and experience--see above), is to go with an old fashion top load if you want to do things like that.

I have an good ole Kenmore 90 series (Sears) The price was right and I got the largest tub they make. I can adjust the water levels. I can wash my 100 x 120 quilt in it. I let it soak for an hour or so and then wash on gentle cycle. I hang my quilts outside to dry. I can put 7 pairs of mens jeans in this machine and they always come clean. This is the 2nd Kenmore I have had and I loved them both. I had another kind between the two Kenmores and didn't like the other one.

When I bought my Maytag my primary concern was infinte settings for water loads; temps; types of cycles, etc. And the largest capacity I could possibly get. Got as much selection as was available on any machine at the time. I don't use the bleach dispenser any longer and I do, at times, have issues with the softener dispenser spotting clothes as well. I think a big part of the issues that I have with the machine have more to do with the water we have being very 'hard'. Can't tell you how many kitchen faucets we've replaced over the years due to mineral build up and some of the staining we have on countertops/faucets.

I have a Whirlpool Deut front loader and I love. The first load of laundry I did in it I could see that the clothes were cleaner. My water bill is lower every month. I wash my quilts in it and is is pretty gentle. I don't soak things, I don't know it it will do that or not. My DH and DS both have really, really dirty clothes. My DH is a landscaper and my DS is a mechanic. My Dh has had skin cancer so he has to wear long sleeves every day. He wears dress shirts and when he comes home the cuffs and collar are black. I don't pretreat anything and it all comes out clean. He has been wearing the same dress shirts to work in for 2 years and they still look good. You do have to bend over to remove the clothes. That is why they sell the pedestal to put it on. I have gained a lot of counter space in my small laundry room also with the front loader. I would buy one again.

I am on my second HE front loader (our first one was first generation and had a fatal flaw that was too expensive to repair). I love it. I am on septic as well and that is one of the reasons that we purchased this type. I feel that clothes come out with less wrinkles and they are lasting and looking new longer than with the conventional type.

My regular cotton cycle is just under an hour but I do have a speed wash function that goes from 32 minutes up to 36 depending on the soil level it is on. There is also an extra heavy soil level that is an hour and a half. I love it. It also has a sanitizing setting which gets the water super hot. My water is already very hot, I think around 180 degrees so with the sanitizing setting it gets up probably around 212+. I don't use this setting often but once a month I do a load of tea towels, white bathroom towels and then cleaning rags. Or if someone gets a virus-y thing I'll do the towels and sheets on that cycle. Super clean!

The tub fills partially based on weight. So if I have something that I feel needs extra water I get it wet before I put it in and it sort of tricks the machine into thinking it has a larger, heavier load and fills with more water. Also, I have NEVER had any problems with a rancid smell or mold in my machine because when I am done I leave the door open. 100% of the time. No exceptions. Even when the machine is dry I leave the door open. By doing this I avoid the mildew and I don't have to purchase any tub cleaning products. Every once in awhile before I throw in a load of clean rags I take one and just wipe around the seal and that picks up any lint or dog hair (I have a German Shepherd) that may have collected there. My machine is in the basement and I don't have cats or small animals that could climb in but if I did I would still do the same thing and do a quick check before I put a load of laundry in.

I do miss being able to process raw wool. However, being on septic I wouldn't have been able to anyway. Also, I have not had any problem with felting wool for applique either. I throw in some tennis balls and a pair of jeans and everything works just fine.

I have an LG. My choices were somewhat limited because I wanted one that had the controls on the back of the machine like a conventional machine because it matched better with my dryer. A bonus for me is that my toddler can't reach any of the controls. I love my machine. I would and will buy another. If I ever get off of septic I would probably purchase a top loading machine. I really think that you'll like it and the difference in our water and electricity usage has been significant.

I have a top loader HE and love it EXCEPT- I bought it just as I was learning to quilt and did not realize I could not soak quilts in it. I have to use the bathtub for "soaks" and my "spinner/wringer" just ain't as strong as it used to be!