Lets talk washing machines AGAIN...Top loader or not?

[jasper]

Please let me know your recommendations or ones to avoid.
Have been lusting over a top loader for years as used by my Canadian family....who are now all switching to front loaders! They claim they are far superior to the top loaders.
I'm confused....

well they still use toploaders over here (Australia) we don't have one but MIL used to and IIRC they used to leave a lot of lint in the wash. But the wash was always a cold one.
funny old world, innit?

We have an old antiquated top loader in the house we are renting in Oz & I find it no different to a front loader, only in the respect that we ahve to remember to put the softener in mid rinse.

It seems to do the job as good as my 2 year old washer I had in England.

Top loaders usually have a far larger capacity than front loaders. So, if you have tons of laundry to do, then it'll certainly be quicker in a top-loader.

However, front-loaders are much more gentle than top-loaders. That's why they're so much slower. So, if you've loads of delicates and woollens to wash, don't go for a top-loader.

There's also the size issue. Top-loaders are big!

To summarise:
Top-loader = fast, large loads, not so good with delicates. need big room to put them in.

Front-loader = slow, good for delicates, will fit under a work-top.

Top loaders are less likely to break down because it's the blades that rotate, not the drum, and they do it vertically, not horizontally (IYSWIM) so there's less strain on the rotating part.

They are less techy than front loaders, I think you just get a choice of cold/warm/hot wash and maybe easy care/delicate/normal.

If you're short you're much less likely to fall into a front loader whilst reaching for the furthest away item.

I've been considering one of those Dyson washing machines, they take a bigger load and I think have a shorter wash time, but I don't think it would fit into our small kitchen. If I had a utility room I would definitely go for it.

They've stopped making it now, bran

There are quite a few machines with bigger drums than 4-5kg though - my standard Bosch is 6kg and there's an LG one which takes 9 I think.