Washing Machines: w/agitator or w/o??
 

Replacing mine. I want a top loader. My choices are the old standard agitator or try the new ones w/o the agitator. Supposedly conserves water. But how does it clean??

sandy

My sister loves hers.

which one???

Sandy

We just got an LG, not a top of the line model, either. It uses 1/2 the amount of detergent and the clothes are cleaner. It cleans by moving the entire tub to agitate the clothes. There is a rinse and spin cycle that I use for fabric. It sings a little song when it is done.

My daughter has a Maytag without an agitator and she loves it. She says the clothers are spun dryer so less time in the dryer, less detergent and uses less water.

Hmmm, top loader without agitator? that would be great. I still like top loaders because I usually like to soak my quilts. front loaders don't have that option i believe.

I have a Bosch washer and dryer. They do conserve water and soap. My biggest complaint is with the king size sheets. It rolls them into a tight cylinder, especially in the dryer. Occasionally I have to stop the machine and shake out the sheet so it will dry thoroughly. I've vowed I won't get another Bosch. My daughter had Whirlpool w/d and loved them.

I have the LG with the diamond tub- such a good machine. And it has a soak cycle too, along with loads of other options. My only comment would be that is you are vertically challenged, it might be difficult to reach into the bottom to retrieve items. I am 5'6" and can reach fine, but any shorter and it might be a problem.

guess I'm not up with the times give me my good ole top loader for same reason I like the soak feature and almost always I will find something laying around that I can throw in the washer nice that I can pick up the lid and throw it in, I think the newer ones don't have that feature once it starts you can't open it don't like that.

I have this one too and love it. My daughter is 5'4" and has to just about lower half her body in to get to the bottom. On the other hand, that's a lot of laundry in one load. ;)

I'll be in the hunt for a new washer soon & this is good to know! I definately want a top loader & will be looking at ones with no agitator but at 5'2 I'll be sure to check I can reach the bottom! I have the same problem with furniture & my feet reaching the floor. We once bought a couch that I hadn't checked carefully enough & my feet didn't touch the floor when seated. The whole time we had it I used a small footstool!

That is the same one I got when we updated, love it and in fact we got out daughter the same set we got the matching dryer too. Love that it sings and it works so well, less water and cleaner clothtes.

I have a newer set by Samsung. Top loading washer. They work alright, but I do miss the soak feature.

I guess I'm old school love,love top load washer with agitator my new one I don't like at all it has all n bells and whistles on it every time I stop it the thing drains all the water,detergents out don't like it at all. Now that the weather is nice I love using my old Wranger washer outside,,,,, Just Saying

Too solve the problem of us shorter ladies (I am under 5'), my Dad (bless his heart) cut off an old broom handle he had. Made sure both ends were rounded and I use that with my old agitator washer. Hate when washcloths and socks are on bottom and can't reach :( . Just grab that broom handle and move the item to where I can reach it.
Maybe they (vertically challenged - I just say I am short!) ladies can use this idea.
I should also add initially the handle was for the old ringer washer I had.
Where there is a will....there is a way :)

I have the top loader with no agitator. I had angst for the first month. It is great, clothes are clean, saves water, soap and softener. At its last yearly check up the serviceman cut my soap back to only 4 tablespoons. Clothes are still clean. Good luck.

I have a stacked top loader energy efficient Frigidaire and don't really like it. I'm glad not to have an agitator but not sure the clothes seem as clean and fresh smelling and the cycles takes longer. I find myself setting the dryer for 1 1/2 hrs to get a load dry and I'm NOT overloading it. Missing my old washer/dryer. :(

I have a Maytag Bravos top loader without an agitator and I love it. It's high efficiency, so it uses less water and less detergent, and it cleans wonderfully.

I love it without the agitator, you can get big quilts and lots washed and the fabric does get super clean but not beat up

I have a top loading Maytag (now owned by Whirlpool, we were told when we bought it) with no agitator and I like it. It does use less detergent, we have super soft water from a community well and aerobic septic system so I have to watch and not use to much soap. The lids locks when you push the "ON" button but I can stop it by punching a button that unlocks it so you can put something else in. It wrings out a lot of water so less drying time. It does have a deep tub and I am short but manageable.

I have top load, no agitator and love it. We live in an area where water is quite expensive so really like the water saver aspect of the washer. Clothes come out clean. I use cold water for everything and not that much detergent. I don't like how the sheets twist but that is minor. You can open the lid if you pause the cycle so if you forget something that is an option but you have to wait for it to stop and hear the click of the lid unlocking. I would buy it again.

i have used both types, I like to soak.

I have a top load without an agitator and I really like it for washing large quilts. Yes, it will twist the quilts kind of like a doughnut with the top stretched out and curled under (dare I say it but like a condom) but, it cleans great. My old machine would twist them around like they were being wringed out. The only thing I have noticed is that I do need to use "Refresh" about once every 3 months or it gets a musty smell. I guess it holds water somewhere. Ours made a terrible grinding noise and we called the repair man who showed us a little "nut" that unscrewed off the bolt and fell on the floor. It made it off balance. He found the nut in the bottom of the washer and told DH how to fix it in case it happens again.

If you do any felting, non-agitator machines won't work. If you don't felt, the non-agitators are great.

It sounds like everyone loves their top loader without agitator. I HAtE mine. Yes the clothes come out clean. Whites take 79 minutes. The bulky setting does add lots more water but doesn't clean well at all. I cannot soak, not enough water. My husband is tall so when I remove a load of jeans, it is a long twisted mess. I have never had so much lint, I think it beats up my clothes. I thought I would get used to it but I mourn my front loader every time I use it. It's the Maytag Bravo and not the bottom model.

How dirty are your clothes?? If you work where you get really dirty the low water machines do not work as well. If you clothes are not really dirty, just need to be freshened up, then they are fine. I HATE the low water machines as my husband works on antique cars and gets really greasy. NO low water machines here and I like the agitator as always.

No agitator not for me
 

I have a newer non agitating washer and it my save water but my detergent does not rinse out leaving streaks on my cloths.

I have a top load no agitator water-conserving machine. It cleans fine, but I don't feel like things are rinsed really well, and you can't do things I used to do with the old machine like fill it and soak clothing . It won't let you do that because of the water saving feature. I can't say I've noticed a difference in our water usage, but if I were to have to replace it, I'd go back to the the kind you that you can control the water level. As far as the agitator, I have like not having that as straps and things don't get caught and wrapped around it.

i have one without the agitator and don't care for it, either.
the lack of agitator is not the issue.
it's the lack of water.
it flat does not wash as well.
i don't often need to soak, but - dagnabit! - that ought to be up to me ... not the machine.

i am sick of machines that make all our decisions for us. :mad:

that said, it's good to read that there are modern makes and models that do work well.
should i ever decide to upgrade i now have hope it wouldn't be a total waste of time as long as i do the research before i choose what to get. i relied on my satisfaction with the make of my previous machine. so much for that concept. LOL

Need to add----- DH bought me a small stool to stand on after I nearly fell in.������

I have a 32 year old Maytag top loader with agitator. I love it. I prefer the agitator. I love a good sloshy wash! Edie

Agitators clean better. I had the fancy Magtag Neptune. lasted 10 years. I went back to a basic model.

I'll go against the grain, I have a front loader and wouldn't trade it. It uses less water, less detergent and spins the clothes drier. It then takes less time for the dryer to work. Good luck finding what you want -- there is something for everyone!

The new washers that swish is the greatest for washing fabric. No raveling. I have a handwash cycle and I can wash precuts with no mishaping or raveling. If you wash oily, dirty, stained clothes I wouldn't recommend it. But for everyday laundry no agitating will keep your clothes looking new longer. Mine is a top loader, I wanted to be able to open the lid while washing to check if my quilting fabric was bleeding or not. It uses as much water as you set it too. From auto by weight or by volume. I use the detergent pods and just toss one in per load. I don't wash more then a small load. I don't like having a big load of laundry to deal with at one time. Just makes me go agggggg to see a big load of laundry to fold and put up. Life is too short to have agggggg in it.

I bought a Samsung top loader without an agitator a couple of months ago. Absolutely love it. Best washer I have ever had.

The one that has the tidal wave action.

I decided to go with the non-agitator Maytag Centennial. According to their info it shoots water into the drum from the bottom. I never soak anything and for the most part, our clothes are "clean" except for DH clothes from his outdoor activities. (Lawn work, etc). I am excited to give it a whirl. I did not think to reach in to see if I fall in! LOL! I am 5'2"! I have a small stool if the depth is an issue. We are on well/septic so the less water used made sense.

The set gets delivered on Monday. We shall see!

thanks for all of the great input !

sandy

I just bought a Maytag top loading energy efficiency machine(one with no agitator). I really like it ,I did not want anything fancy. That is almost impossible, but I got mine with minimal gadgets. I do like that it has a hand wash cycle on it. I had my other Maytag washer and dryer 26 years, so I hope this one last that long, it will out live me. Also we only gave $100 more for this set than we did for the one we purchased 26 years ago and we got it from Lowe's they were the only ones that would deliver for free also. Also if you want you can fill it up instead of using just the small amount of water

I downloaded and read the owners' manual on my new machine. You CAN soak clothes and there s a PAUSE button to interrupt the cycle and unlock the lid. Reading the Troubleshooting section really expains a lot of scenarios and how to remedy some of the "challenges" mentioned in this thread. I actually look forward to doing laundry! Well.....maybe.;)

it is a Maytag Bravo with "Centennial" on the control panel....for what it is worth.

sandy

I prefer to set the water level higher on most all my loads, I just can not see how a couple gallons of water will actually clean a load of bedding. A relative had a washer repairman tell her to stay with the 'real' agitator.