Washing machine shoppers have plenty of options these days, with venerable American appliance brands facing competition from Korean, European and Chinese manufacturers. Unfortunately, most of those options aren’t very good—appliance makers are increasingly relying on low-quality parts to trim their costs.
Veteran appliance repairman and reviewer Ben Schlichter recently surveyed hundreds of his fellow appliance technicians…consolidated online reviews from washing machine buyers…studied appliance reviews from independent reviewers…and examined dozens of washers himself to determine which are worth buying now.
Two things to keep in mind when shopping: First, Energy Star–certified washers use about 20% less energy and 30% less water than regular washers. Second, shoppers tend to get the best prices during sales over three-day holiday weekends, including Presidents Day, July 4th and Labor Day, and on Black Friday (the Friday after Thanksgiving).
Schlichter’s picks for best washers now…
Best Top-Load Washer
If you want a top-load washer, consider LG or Speed Queen…
Speed Queen TC5 and TC7 are relatively simple 3.2-cubic-foot washers revered by appliance technicians for reliability. The TC5 has manual controls (manufacturer’s suggested list price: $1,479…recent retail price: $1,399). The TC7 has digital controls (manufacturer’s suggested list price: $1,669…recent retail price: $1,499). But keep in mind: Speed Queen machines are inefficient with water and electricity and somewhat pricey…and it can be tough to find Speed Queen technicians in some parts of the country when repairs are needed.
LG is the only company that currently comes close to matching Speed Queen’s reliability and overall desirability. Numerous LG top-loaders land near the very top of technicians’ and consumers’ rankings. Each of the following models offers slightly different features, but all are likely to be more water- and energy-efficient than Speed Queens, with lower prices and easier-to-obtain service.
LG WT8600 (5.5 cubic feet, Energy Star). Manufacturer’s suggested list price: $1,349…recent retail price: $1,098.
LG WT8400/8405 (5.5 cubic feet, Energy Star). Manufacturer’s suggested list price: $1,199…recent retail price: $848.
LG WT7150/7155 (5.0 cubic feet). Manufacturer’s suggested list price: $999…recent retail price: $798.
LG WT7000/70005 (4.3 cubic feet). Manufacturer’s suggested list price: $899 list…recent retail price: $699.
Among lower-priced washers: LG WT6105 (4.1 cubic feet). Manufacturer’s suggested list price: $799…recent retail price: $529.
Don’t buy: Maytag top-loaders. The formerly desirable brand has dramatically reduced the quality of parts in its top-loaders over the past 15 years, resulting in massive dependability problems. Many Samsung and some Whirlpool top-loaders are unreliable as well. And it is best to skip discount brands such as Midea, Insignia, Criterion, Hisense and Element—the quality of these brands isn’t necessarily terrible relative to their low prices, but it can be difficult or impossible to get parts or service for them when they break.
Best Front-Load Washer
If you want a front-load washer, buy an LG or an Electrolux…
LG WM4000 (4.5 cubic feet) in particular stands atop the front-loader pack, according to service technicians. Manufacturer’s suggested list price: $1,149…recent retail price: $849.
If you’d prefer different features or capacity, many other LGs rank nearly as high, including…
LG WM5500 (4.5 cubic feet, Energy Star). Manufacturer’s suggested list price: $1,349…recent retail price: $999.
LG WM3400 (4.5 cubic feet, Energy Star). Manufacturer’s suggested list price: $949…recent retail price: $698.
LG WM5700 (4.5 cubic feet). Manufacturer’s suggested list price: $1,449…recent retail price: $1,049.
LG WM6500 (5.0 cubic feet, Energy Star). Manufacturer’s suggested list price: $1,449…recent retail price: $1,099 recent retail price.
LG WM8900 (5.2 cubic feet). Manufacturer’s suggested list price: $1,549…recent retail price: $1,299.
LG WM6700 (5.0 cubic feet). Manufacturer’s suggested list price: $1,549…recent retail price: $1,299.
LG WM9500 (5.8 cubic feet). Manufacturer’s suggested list price: $1,999…recent retail price: $1,599.
If you focus on the opinions of consumers rather than repair people, a pair of Electrolux front-loaders actually edge out the LGs…
ELFW7637 (4.5 cubic feet, Energy Star). Manufacturer’s suggested list price: $1,249…recent retail price: $928.
ELFW7537 (4.5 cubic feet, Energy Star). Manufacturer’s suggested list price: $1,249…recent retail price: $878.
Why the difference? Consumers often base their ratings on their initial opinions of an appliance, while technicians tend to base theirs on long-term reliability. These Electrolux models are relatively new, so their long-term reliability hasn’t yet been fully established, though they’ve certainly made a great first impression.
Don’t buy: GE and Samsung front-loaders, which have low reliability scores—GE’s issues mainly involve the washers’ electronics. Also avoid high-end Whirlpool front-loaders, though lower-end Whirlpools featuring physical dials rather than digital control boards are reasonably reliable. Avoid discount brands, too—as above, it can be difficult to get parts or service for those.
Best Washer Dryer Combo
If you want a “combo” unit that provides washing and drying in the same tub, your best bet is…wait. The latest generation of these use heat pumps to dry clothes, which is a major leap forward from earlier combo units that suffered from unimpressive drying performance. But this heat-pump tech remains relatively new, unproven and expensive, so the prudent move is to give the appliance makers a few more years to work out the kinks before buying. Heat-pump dryers also require a significant amount of upkeep, such as regularly cleaning multiple filters.
If you’re willing to gamble on the new tech and do the upkeep, your best bets are…
LG WM6998 (5.0 cubic feet). Manufacturer’s suggested list price: $3,049…recent retail price: $1,999.
Samsung WD53DBA900HZ (5.3 cubic feet) Manufacturer’s suggested list price: $3,299…recent retail price: $2,199.
Don’t buy: Any combo unit that doesn’t feature heat-pump technology. The drying tech in earlier combo units didn’t work well, and that is why it’s rapidly being replaced by heat pumps.
Laundry Centers
If you want a washer/dryer where the dryer is stacked above the washer to save floorspace, two options that receive high marks from both technicians and consumers are…
LG WKEX200 (4.5 cubic feet washer/7.4 cubic feet dryer). Manufacturer’s suggested list price: $2,699…recent retail price: $1,999.
Electrolux ELTE7600 (4.5 cubic feet washer/8 cubic feet dryer, Energy Star). Manufacturer’s suggested list price: $2,499…recent retail price: $1,898.
Don’t buy: Any laundry center featuring a top-load washer—those always seem to be poorly made.
