What is a top loading washing machine?
Most washing machines you will come across have the door on the front. This is called a front loading machine. A top loading washer has the door on the top, making it easier for you to load and unload your laundry.
In addition to the location of the door, there are a number of differences between top loading and front loading washers. The size is one example. Top loaders are slightly taller, but also a lot narrower than regular washing machines. This also means that they have a relatively small drum. They have a width of 40cm and a height of 90cm. A front loader is about 60 cm wide and 85 cm high. As a result, the top loader takes up very little space in your home.
Top loaders are slightly taller than front loaders. This difference seems small, but for people with back problems, this can make a lot of difference! Because the door is at the top of the washer, you won’t have to bend down as much to get your laundry out of the drum.
You should note that because the door is at the top of the washer, you can’t put your dryer on top of a top loading washer.
Best top loading washing machine of 2024
If you are looking for the best top loading washing machine on the market right now, you have come to the right place! In the following list, you’ll find the best top loading washing machine models of 2024, carefully selected by us. In making this selection, we have compared several top loading models based on factors such as the speed, noise level of spinning, energy class, all different wash modes and customer reviews. These top loading models came out best in the test. Miele and AEG are known as two expert brands when it comes to washing machines, so a guaranteed success! Is your new washing machine among them?
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Best top loading washing machine
The Samsung WA50M7450AW is a top load washer featuring a massive maximum load capacity of 5.0 cu. ft. so you can wash mountains and mountains of laundry in less loads. It comes in two beautiful colors: Platinum or White. Even with the huge load capacity, this washer only weighs 141.1 lbs. and measures 29.3 inches deep, 44.5 inches high and 27 inches wide. Pair it with the matching dryer (DVG50M7450W/A3) for that perfect look in your laundry room.
This machine is Energy Star Certified, consuming only 165kWh or energy per year. The maximum spin speed is clocked at 800 RPM, ensuring adequate extraction of extra moisture at the end of the cycle, so your clothes come out drier and spend less time in the tumble dryer or the clothesline. With 11 different wash cycle options, any laundry can have the wash they need, from delicates to heavy duty.
Enjoy Samsung technology must-haves. The VRT Plus™ technology reduces vibration even more than the standard VRT by 40%, so you can enjoy quieter washing. Self Clean keeps your washer and tub clean by using motions, vibration and high spin speeds to remove dirt and bacteria in every nook and cranny. It sends you a reminder every 20 washes, so you never forget. Smart Care saves you from a call to the service center because you can troubleshoot most issues you have using a smartphone app. The Diamond Drum design in combination with special sensors, is specifically constructed to keep heavy loads balanced even at high spin speeds. The EZ Drawer dispenser is conveniently placed and dispenses detergent, bleach, or fabric softener at the proper time during the cycle to ensure maximum cleaning power. Love all these with standard features like control lock, cycle status indicator, delay start, and much more!
The Samsung WA50M7450AW comes with a power cord.
The Samsung WA50M7450AW is a top load washer featuring a massive maximum load capacity of 5.0 cu. ft. so you can wash mountains and mountains of laundry in less loads. It comes in two beautiful colors: the fingerprint resistant Black Stainless Steel or classic White. Even with the huge load capacity, this washer only weighs 130.1. and measures 29.4 inches deep, 44.6 inches high and 27.5 inches wide. Pair it with the matching dryer (DVG50R5400W) for that perfect look in your laundry room.
This machine is Energy Star Certified, consuming only 165kWh or energy per year. The maximum spin speed is clocked at 750 RPM, ensuring adequate extraction of extra moisture at the end of the cycle, so your clothes come out drier and spend less time in the tumble dryer or the clothesline. With 12 different wash cycle options, any laundry can have the wash they need, from delicates to heavy duty.
Enjoy Samsung technology must-haves. The Active WaterJet is a Built-in water faucet lets you easily pretreat soiled or heavily stained clothes with a press of a button. The VRT Plus™ technology reduces vibration even more than the standard VRT by 40%, so you can enjoy quieter washing. Self Clean keeps your washer and tub clean by using motions, vibration and high spin speeds to remove dirt and bacteria in every nook and cranny. It sends you a reminder every 20 washes, so you never forget. Super Speed allows you to finish a full load in as little as 36 minutes without sacrificing the wash quality. Maximize the water level used during your washing cycle by selecting the Deep Fill option before starting your laundry. The new EZ Access tub is shallower without sacrificing capacity, so you can easily reach the bottom of the tub to remove clothes after the cycle finishes. With Smart Care, issues with your washer are no longer a big hassle. Troubleshoot right from your phone
Affordable and efficient, the Whirlpool WTW5000DW is a top load washer that delivers. The 4.3 cu. ft. maximum capacity is enough to fit in large items like bedding, comforters or jackets. The measurements are 27 inches deep, 42 inches high and 27.5 inches wide and weights just 135 lbs. It’s compact so it will fit in the smallest laundry spaces and closets. The Smooth Wave stainless steel wash basket gently guides clothes and helps protect fabrics from fraying and snags. It consumes at little as 179kWh or energy per year while delivering great cleaning load after load.
Enjoy the 12 different wash cycle options. Wash any type of laundry from delicates to bulky items and ensure that they are getting the clean and care they need. The Quick Wash cycle can wash small loads in as little as 28 minutes, using the washing machine’s maximum spin speed of up to 660 RPM to remove excess moisture on fabric so your clothes can spend less time in the dryer or hanging in the clothesline. Fight deep-seated dirt with the Deep Water Wash cycle which adds even more water in the drum to help break down stains and improve the ability to rinse away soils. The Presoak option lets you do away with soaking outside of the washer. It adds time before the cycle to let your clothes soak and starts washing when the timer is done. The Whirlpool WTW5000DW features the Clean Washer Cycle with AFFRESH® Washer Cleaner. This cycle fills your washing machine with water enough to reach areas that aren’t normally reached by everyday cycles and cleans every nook and cranny to ensure your washing machine is squeaky clean. Add the AFFRESH® Washer Cleaner tablet to the Clean Washer cycle for best results, but a bleach solution will also work fine.
The Whirlpool WTW5000DW does not come with any accessories.
If you want a washer with a large maximum capacity, you must consider the GE GTW500ASNWS top load washer. The ultra large 4.6 cu. ft. capacity is enough to take on large loads and bulky items like beddings and jackets, but it takes the form of a sleek looking washer at 147 lbs., and measurements of 27 inches deep, 44 inches high and 27 inches wide.
Being Energy Star Qualified and consuming only 152kWh of energy per year, you are guaranteed savings on your power bill. The maximum spin speed is 800 RPM, ensuring extra moisture is extracted at the end of the cycle so that your laundry comes out drier and spends less time in the tumble dryer. You have the option of 13 different wash cycles, so every type of laundry gets the care it requires.
Fight four of the most common stains with Stain PreTreat, featuring preprogrammed settings to give tough dirt the tough care it needs. The Deep Clean Cycle features powerful motions to deliver up to 67% more cleaning power than the most used cycles. For more water when you want it, choose the Deep Fill option to fill the wash basket with a maximum water level. Speed Wash lets you save time by cleaning smaller loads and lightly soiled items in a hurry. Ensure that clothes are free from excess detergent, fabric softener and other laundry chemicals with Deep Rinse. If that isn’t enough, have a go with the 2nd Rinse Option, which lets your laundry stay for a second round of rinsing, just to be sure that there’s no more leftover additives. The GE GTW500ASNWS’s Efficient Infusor optimizes energy efficiency without sacrificing wash performance. Take full control of your wash cycle with 5 different soil levels, from extra light to extra heavy. Some stains require cooler temperatures for effective removal while some require warmer temperatures. Give your laundry the care they require with 6 water temperature options.
The GE GTW500ASNWS is proudly made in the USA. It comes with a power cord.
General Electronics brings you the GE GTW465ASNWW top load washer. With a large maximum capacity of 4.5 cu. ft., enough to fit in bulky items like beddings, comforters and jackets and allowing you to do more laundry in less loads. It weighs just 147 lbs., with measurements of 27 inches deep, 44 inches high and 27 inches wide. The compact measurement ensures it will fit in most smaller laundry spaces or closets.
It delivers a maximum spin speed of up to 750 revolutions per minute (RPM) while consuming only 284kWh of energy per year. The 750 RPM draws out excess moisture from your clothes at the end of the cycle, so the clothes dry faster in the tumble dryer or the clothesline.
You have the freedom of choice with 14 different wash cycles. Wash every type of laundry from delicates to jeans, to towels and sheets. Enjoy total control and customization of your water levels with a touch of a button. Add just a little extra water or fill the tub, it’s up to you. Take out the guesswork with PreciseFill which lets you have the option to automatically set the right water level. Wash your laundry your way with 6 different water temperature options. The Deep Clean Cycle allows you to achieve the ultimate clean for your toughest laundry loads, delivering up to 67% more cleaning power than regular cycles. Use the Speed Wash cycle when you are in a hurry to wash lightly soiled items. Deep Rinse ensures that clothes are cleaned from detergent, fabric softener and other chemicals. If that isn’t enough, enjoy 2nd Rinse to further ensure the removal of additives like bleach. The Autosoak option let’s you set a timer from 15 minutes to 2 hours before the cycle begins so you can loosen stains for optimal cleaning. The GE GTW465ASNWW features a dual-action agitator which enables a reversing powerful wash action. Discover all these GE features and more.
The GE GTW465ASNWW comes with a power cord.
Buying a top loading washing machine; what to look for
There are far fewer top loading washing machines available than front loading ones. Therefore, your choice in these is not very large. Nevertheless, there are always a number of models on the market that you have to choose from. What exactly is important when choosing the right top loading washing machine for your household?
Fill weight
The more fill weight a washing machine has, the more laundry it can fit into the drum. For this reason, the fill weight is also known as the washing capacity of the washing machine. Because top loading models are a lot narrower, they also have a small drum. Most top loaders have a 6kg capacity. Some top loading machines have a 7kg capacity. How much fill weight you need depends on several factors. In general, it is recommended that a 1 or 2 person household should have a 6 or 7kg capacity. Are you considering a top loading machine, but your household is larger than 2 people? Then we recommend that you look at front loading washing machines, as these often have a capacity of over 7kg. It is important that the amount of fill weight corresponds to the size of your household, otherwise you will be using your washing machines very frequently and this will consume unnecessary water and energy.
Energy Rating
Energy rating is also known as energy label. This indicates how economically a washing machine uses electricity. To be considered an ‘energy efficient washing machine’, the appliance must have energy class A, B or C. Unfortunately, most top loading models have energy class D or F. However, for the environmentally conscious people and the people who like to keep their energy bills low, there are top loading machines on the market that have energy class C, but the prices of these machines are slightly higher. However, you will often pay this off in the long run, as these energy efficient washing machines will cost you much less in consumption.
RPM
The RPM of a washing machine tells you how many rounds the drum spins per minute while it is spinning. The faster the spin is, the drier your laundry will come out of the washer. If you want your laundry to be as dry as possible, you need a 1600 rpm washing machine. However, there is no top loading washing machine that can reach this RPM. Most top loading models make 1200 rpm (rounds per minute), and some 1300 rpm. At 1200 rpm your laundry will be dry enough for you to hang it up. At 1300 rpm it will be slightly drier.
Split RPM Noise Level
The spin on a washing machine can be quite noisy. If you want to know how loud your new washing machine is, look at its noise level. This tells you, in decibels (dB), how much noise the top loading washer produces when it is at its loudest – when the spin cycle is on. 78 dB or more is considered loud, 74 dB to 77 dB is considered normal, 72 dB and 73 dB is considered quiet, and 71 dB and below is considered extra quiet. A top loading washing machine can fall under any noise level.
Ease of Use
Washers seem to be offering more and more options by the day to make it easier for us to wash. For a top loading washing machine, think about features such as a load sensor, residual time indicator, start delay and add laundry in between. Would these features help you in your laundry?
Wash programs
There are an increasing number of different wash programs for all kinds of items and laundry. Depending on what is hanging in your wardrobe, you may need such specific wash programs. For example, special wash programs for down, jeans, shirts, sportswear or because of allergies.
Benefits and drawbacks top loading washing machines
For some people a top loading machine is perfect, but for others there are some drawbacks. We have covered all the pros and cons of top loading models in this article. In conclusion, we would like to summarize it again for you in the following two rows.
Advantages top loading washer
- A top loading washer is a small washer and takes up less space. They are only 40cm wide.
- The top loading model is taller and the fill opening is at the top, making it easier to reach the drum and less bending over.
- Top loading models have a 6kg or 7kg fill weight, making them perfect for a small household with 1 or 2 people.
Disadvantages top loading washing machine
- Most washing machines sold are front loaders. This gives you fewer options if you have your sights set on a top loading washer.
- You will have fewer options in terms of fill weight, the wash capacity of this type of washer is a maximum of 7kg.
- Because the fill opening is on top, you will not be able to fit a dryer on it.
- Top loading models often have a lower speed, usually only 1200 rpm, sometimes 1300 rpm.
- Top loading models are not the most energy efficient. Energy class A and B do not exist, energy class C does.
