Pros and Cons of Front and Top Load Washing Machines

Laundromat owners, multi-housing and on-premise laundry managers often struggle deciding between top and front load washers. Which model works best in my laundry room design? Which machine will help lower my monthly utility bill? What type of machine increases productivity and is user-friendly? Front and top load washing machines offer unique benefits – weighing the pros and cons will help you make the right decision.

Front Load Washers

Pros

Easy to stack: The front-load design and front-facing controls leave the top unimpeded making it easy to stack these washers to save space in a crowded laundry room.
Larger drum capacity: The front-load design offers a bigger drum capacity allowing you to fit bulkier items and larger loads per cycle.
High extraction rate: The high spin speed extract removes more moisture from items per cycle helping cut down on dryer time.
Power efficiency: Energy Star compliant front load washers provide 20 percent more power efficiency than standard machines helping cut down on monthly utility bills.

Cons

More expensive: Front load washers are designed with advanced technology and special features resulting in higher initial costs however, these features improve overall efficiency.
Trapped water: The side machine drum design makes it a little more difficult for water to drain which can result in musty odors.

Top Load Washers

Pros

Easier to use: Not only are top load washers easier to load because users don’t have to bend over but the controls are much more user-friendly without complicated settings and programs.
Shorter wash cycles: Top load washers offer shorter wash cycles helping save time and money however, the shorter cycle makes it more difficult to fully clean heavily soiled items.
Better drain: The vertical drum lets gravity take over which removes much more water after each wash compared to the front load washer reducing potential for musty odors to buildup.

Cons

Smaller drum capacity: The small drum capacity makes it more difficult to run a fully packed top load washer or fit items like comforters and large blankets.
No specialty programs: Without specialty wash programs it is difficult to receive a deep clean on extremely dirty items.

BDS Laundry offers a wide variety of top and front load washers to outfit your vended laundry and multi-housing or on-premise laundry room. Reach out to our team of experts to find the perfect machine to match your needs. Contact us online or call 1-800-688-0020 today.