Have had front loading washer for almost 10 years. I washes great. Always use HD detergent for front loaders. I perfer Tide. Clothes are clean. My daughter and her family have a front loader, with a teenage son that plays football he comes home very stinky and dirty. His clothes and sock are clean and smell good after washing. Yes, front loaders do a good job. In never use fabric softer when drying a quilt.

Front loaders get clothes cleaner; use less water, electricity, detergent, and are less damaging to the items being washed. If you observe your front-loader, it will fill to what is necessary for the sensor, swish back and forth, sit, swish, sit, etc. It is not necessary to have an abundance of water to clean as it is the sitting/swishing and your soap that do the cleaning.
Most front loaders have variable spin cycles so set it on delicate and cold and you should be fine. I have had mine for two years plus and before that used them continuously at the animal shelter where we were able to sanitize all the bedding etc. They were great!
Front loaders vary in size so check your manual. I can put two king sized blankets and a few extras in mine.

I would never go back to top loading.

I also love my front loader but when I want to soak something I now have to use the big sink in my laundry room. That's the only thing I miss about my top load washer.
But its not a big deal.

thanks so much for the color catcher info!!! Every day, I learn something on this forum...most of the time, it's a lot of somethings!

Made the biggest mistake putting my huge heavy king size in my top load machine (the kind with an aggitator). It chewed the edge of my quilt. Ruined and I could have kicked myself. Won't do that again.

In fact, I told my husband that when my old machine dies, I was getting a front loader because we have so many quilts on beds every day of the year. I use a gentle wash, cold water and spin on high. Throw them in the dryer on high all the time and none have damaged. Depending on the weather (Florida) I will also hang them on the line to get that fresh crisp scent.

I was once told from a quilting guild that one should NEVER WASH A QUILT! and that all the quilts in their museum have never been washed. They are a few hundred years old. I doubt I would want to put one on my bed that's never been cleaned. Now I can almost bet that everyone here washes theirs. Families are too active these days and getting body odor, sand, soil and food stains on a quilt will ruin it more than not washing it at all. Similar to a carpet. Can you imagine taking a huge whiff of one that was never cleaned?

Front loaders get clothes cleaner... part of what makes clothes dingy looking is that top loaders don't get all of the dirty water spun out.
The top loaders I have used all have multiple rinse cycles. My kids whites never looked better, and it took the clay soil out of the clothes better too than any top loader :D:D:D

Joann's also carries something similar called, I believe, a Dye Catcher. It looks and feels like a wash cloth. Can be used up to 30(?) times.

Question for those who use Woolite in front loaders.... is Woolite considered an HD detergent? Is it really safe for front loaders? I love my front loader. I've wondered about using Woolite.

They have a Woolite HE now at least Walmart by me carries it.

can you just soak and spin out quilts in front loaders??

Use my front loader with special quilt wash on "older" quilts on gentle cylce and med to low spin with no problems!