Front-Loading Washing Machines
The aptly named front-load washers feature a door on the front panel through which you can load your clothes. A relatively new design, front-loaders are generally more efficient both in their use of water and power. In fact, all front-load washers are High-Efficiency machines, meaning they use up to 80% less water and 40% less energy than low-efficiency top-loaders. Those savings add up fast, offsetting a higher upfront cost.
Top-Loading Washing Machines
The classic washing machine design features a door on its top panel. These machines are appropriately called top-loading washers. Many use a cylindrical agitator in the center of the tub that massages your clothes to clean them. The first High-Efficiency (HE) top-loaders to hit the market replaced the agitator with an impeller, a smaller rotating hub that rubs clothes against one another for a gentler, more efficient wash. These days, you can find HE top-loaders with an agitator or an impeller. In fact, almost every washing machine sold today is a High-Efficency model.
