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
If you are in the market for a new top load washer, the Maytag MVW6200KW might be the right one for you. It features a large total maximum capacity of 4.8 cu. ft., saving you a trip to the laundromat when washing larger loads and bulky items like comforters, beddings and jackets. Perfect for smaller laundry spaces with measurements of 27.5 inches deep, 42 inches high and 27.25 inches wide. This machine weighs just 150 lbs. The stainless-steel wash basket is designed for years of washes and built with sturdy materials to last for the long haul. The slow-close glass lid offers a clear view of the inside of your machine and the laundry at any time.
Get rid of stubborn stains and dirt while consuming just 340kWh or energy per year. The maximum spin speed of 750 RPM removes excess moisture on fabrics so your clothes come out dryer at the end of the cycle and spend less time hanging outside in the clothesline or your tumble dryer. A total of 10 different wash cycles are available to choose from, giving you the freedom to wash all sorts of laundry from delicates to bulky items.
Equipped with Maytag’s over 100 years of expertise in the industry. Special features like the Deep Fill option lets you fill the wash basket with more water when you want to effectively break down tough dirt and stains. Tackle small loads in as little as 30 minutes with the Quick Wash cycle. Maytag’s Advanced Vibration Control™ effectively reduces vibration to keep noise to a minimum. The Wrinkle Control cycle is specially designed to prevent creases by using warm water and a low spin speed. The Power™ Impeller takes on tough stains with a reverse wash motion and triple action spray that keeps clothes saturated with water and detergent throughout the cycle. Auto Sensing adjusts each the ideal water level for each load for optimal cleaning. Sanitize your washing machine every 30 washes with the Clean Washer with AFFRESH® cycle using the dedicated AFFRESH® cleaner tablet or liquid chlorine bleach. Other essential features like automatic temperature control, control lock and more are available.
The Maytag MVW6200KW comes with a power cord.
Affordable and efficient, the Whirlpool WTW4816FW is a top load washer that delivers. The 3.5 cu. ft. maximum capacity is enough to handle your daily laundry needs. The measurements are 27 inches deep, 42 inches high and 27.5 inches wide and weights just 160 lbs. It’s compact so it will fit in the smallest laundry spaces and closets. This wash basket is made of smooth, white porcelain designed specifically to help prevent even the most delicate fabric from snagging. It consumes at little as 274kWh 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 Bulky Items/Sheets cycle takes care of bedding as well as those bulky winter jackets. The washer fills with enough water to wet down the load before the wash cycle begins, then uses a higher water level than other cycles. Save time with the Quick Wash cycle that's designed to clean small, lightly soiled loads in 30 minutes. Choose the water level you need for the cycle you want. No matter which cycle you choose, Water Level Selection lets you select Auto Fill to adjust water based on load size or the Deep Water Wash option to help break down loose soils with more water. Use the washing machine’s maximum spin speed of up to 700 RPM to remove excess moisture on fabric so your clothes can spend less time in the dryer or hanging in the clothesline. Take on your toughest loads. The traditional dual action spiral agitator provides the wash action and cleaning performance to give your clothes the clean it needs. Don't worry if you left a few of your items behind with Add-A-Garment. Extra time before the spin cycle starts lets you toss in any missed or forgotten items.
The Whirlpool WTW4816FWdoes comes with a drain hose.
Look no further than the Amana NTW4516FW for your next budget-friendly and no-nonsense top load washer. Get the cleaning power you need without the extra bells and whistles that just drive the prices up. The 3.5 cu. ft. maximum load capacity is ample enough to take on your daily laundry needs. It weighs just 133 lbs. and it’s compact, with measurements of 27 inches deep, 42 inches high and 27.5 inches wide, so it will fit in most smaller laundry spaces. The porcelain tub is not only durable but also helps protect fabrics from snags.
Handle dirty laundry daily while saving money because this machine only uses 162kWH of energy per year. The maximum spin speed of 680 RPM ensures that extra moisture is removed from your clothes’ fabrics at the end of the cycle, so drying time will also be faster. The 8 wash cycle options provide you with a variety of choices without overcomplicating things. Provide a gentle, effective wash for your sensitive items with the dedicated delicates cycle. The deep water wash option lets you add water enough to fill the tub so you can wash bulky items and bigger loads more effectively. Even the most sensitive skins are protected with Extra Rinse. Remove excess detergent, fabric softener, and other laundry chemicals with the extra rinse option. Don’t worry if you forgot to add a piece of clothing before pressing “start” because the late lid lock gives you some extra time to throw in any missed items before the spin cycle starts. Some soils clean better in cold water while some clean better in warm water. With 5 separate temperature settings, you have the ability to choose the right temperature for every load, for any type of dirt.
Amana washers are proudly designed, engineered and assembled in the United States of America.
The Amana NTW4516FW comes with a drain hose.
General Electronics gives you the GE GTW720BPNDG top load washer. With a large maximum capacity of 4.8 cu. ft., it’s 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, 46 inches high and 27 inches wide. The compact measurements ensure it will fit in most smaller laundry spaces or closets.
It delivers a maximum spin speed of up to 800 revolutions per minute (RPM) while consuming only 162kWh of energy per year. The 800 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 12 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. Wash your laundry your way with 6 different water temperature options. 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. The Autosoak option lets you set a timer from 15 minutes to 2 hours before the cycle begins so you can loosen stains for optimal cleaning. The GE GTW720BPNDG features the Sanitize with Oxi cycle, which can remove up to 99.9% of bacteria using the dedicated Oxi additive to boost your detergent’s cleaning and disinfecting power. FlexDispense® takes one step out of doing laundry by automatically releasing detergent, fabric softener and even detergent pods at the right time. Enjoy a quieter wash and reduced vibration thanks to innovative Dynamic Balancing Technology. With the Stain Removal guide, you can easily remove five of the most common stains with preset modifications available on each wash cycle. Discover all these GE features and more.
The GE GTW720BPNDG does not come with accessories.
The LG WT7800CW is a great looking top load washer, available in the stylish Graphite Steel color or the classic White. Wash piles and piles of laundry in less loads with its massive 5.5 cu. ft. maximum capacity. The large capacity surprisingly takes the form of a satisfactorily sized body at 28.383 inches deep, 44.5 inches high, and 27inches wide, weighing only 134 lbs.!
This machine is Energy Star certified boasting a Tier I Rating and consuming a measly 130kWh of energy per year. It delivers on features and function, too. The ample 950 RPM maximum spin speed will not leave you wishing for more because it removes excess moisture effectively, so your clothes come out dryer and spend less time in the clothesline or the tumble dryer. 14 unique wash cycle options are available for your choosing including waterproof and bedding.
Let’s talk about all the LG goodness packed in this washer, starting with the fabric care features. The exclusive TurboWash3D™ technology rotates the tub and motor in opposite directions while a powerful jet sprays water during the wash cycle, delivering cleaning like no other before it. This same jet is used in the SmartRinse™ Jet Spray System which forces water to penetrate through and into the close as the tub spins for quick and thorough rinsing. The SenseClean™ System Automatically sets the water level and wash time for each load based upon the weight of your clothes. The ColdWash™ Option uses cold water to clean clothes with warm water performance. Convenience features include the TrueBalance™ Anti-Vibration System and the LoDecibel™ Quiet Operation which lets you enjoy a quiet wash. Standard must-have features like end of cycle signal, child lock, status indicator, add garment, and other are not left out. Enjoy smart device convenience with ThinQ® features like SmartDiagnosis™ which saves you from a call to the service center and much, much more.
The LG WT7800CW 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.
