The previous washer was a front loader Maytag which did a great job. However, the manual did not say to leave the door open, wipe out the opening, etc. I ended up with the dreaded black spots after a few years. When we eventually decided to replace it, the top loaders were out due to my height. DH teased I could fall in while retrieving clothes, lol. We ended up with a front loader LG over two years ago. This time, the manual did say to leave the door open after each load. We went with the pedestal drawers which make things easier on the back. No regrets this time.