by Roxanne Prather, Member Services Representative

Which is best, a washer with agitator or impeller?

This is a question I get asked a lot, and the answer is a front load washer is the  best. It has been proven that front load washers get your clothes the cleanest.

I feel there are some down sides to the front load washer though, some get dirty water trapped in the rubber seal causing it to smell bad; you must clean them regularly and leave them open between washes to dry out. I don’t think they are very user friendly unless you put the front load washer and dryer on a pedestal, you must bend way down to put your clothes in and pull them out wet. If you have bad knees this can be a problem. Most front load washers have longer cycles than top loaders, and they usually cost more money.

As for the top load washer the pros say it is better to buy one without an agitator. We all grew up with a washer with an agitator, so for some it is hard to believe that without one your clothes will come out clean. Change can be  hard.!  You see with an agitator your clothes rub against the agitator and the agitator is moving your clothes up and down to get them clean. A lot of times things get tangled on the agitator or under it and stretched out when you reach in to pull the clothes out. This is hard on your clothes.

A top load washer with an impeller is easier on your clothes because your clothes rub against each other to get clean. Without the agitator there is nothing to get wrapped around, and the impeller moves your cloths back and forth to get them clean.  I have always had a top load with an agitator until last year when I purchased a top load LG set with no agitator. I can honestly say I love it!  There is so much more room for blankets and sheets, and they come out clean and not all tangled up.  

Like everything, not all washers are created equal, you do get what you pay for in most cases. For instance, if you look at a Speed Queen top load washer and take your hand and try to move the inside basket around you will find there is very little movement. Now try the same thing with the other brands. Some will move more than the Speed Queen and then there are some that move all over the place. The ones that move all over are not made as well and usually won’t last as long.