Anonymous wrote:I grew up in Italy where basically, as far as I have seen, no other option is available. Never felt any smell from the machine and never heard anybody complaining so vehemently about it. How do you explain it? 🤔

Maybe because cold-water washing isn’t a thing there.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I almost bought a Speed Queen last month, but went with an LG front loader instead. I've owned SQ at a previous house and it was fine, but they are water hogs. Things do get clean, but they are rough on clothes. I got to use a couple more at the laundromat and from the number of signs, they certainly do break down (I hear repairs are less expensive, though). Anyway so far so good.

Clothes need water to really get clean though.

I find front loaders to be rough on clothes; in front loaders the clothes are constantly in contact with the drum, dropping up and now in it, instead of floating in water with top loader (and this ties back to water use--clothed are rubbing against each other in a damp state. Causing damage to fabric)

But an adequate amount of detergent makes the water slippery and so reduces friction.

Vinegar in every wash (bleach dispenser), 2 extra rinse cycles for towels, keep the door open

I'm 5'2" and moved from a house with a mold-stained front loader to a house with a Whirlpool top loader (no agitator, just an impeller). I have no problem getting clothes in and out (in fact, even my kids can do it, although haha my 6 year old almost fell in head first once).

The top loader did take some getting used to - I think the front loader cleaned better, but now I use Oxyclean first, then the clothes, then the detergent (we use all free & clear). The Oxyclean makes a huge difference.

I have a front loader and love it but I think most top loaders these days don’t have an agitator in the barrel…the entire barrel rotators (and is empty). At least I remember seeing several like this. That would avoid the horrors that agitators can wreak on clothes. I once had numerous shirts and bras ruined in one wash at a friends place in a top loader with agitator. Never!

The new GE front loaders have microban lining on the gasket and dispenser to solve this exact problem. Washer #s are 550, 650, 850 I believe.

Anonymous wrote:I love my front loader but if your washing machine is making your clothes stink it's not exactly doing its job, is it? I think you should bite the bullet and replace it and not feel guilty about it.

I'll add that the reason I think this is that from everything I've heard, once a front loader gets gross that's pretty much it. I've never heard of somebody being able to reverse it. When we were considering our purchase DH and I went down a rabbit hole of YouTube videos where people were trying to un-gross their front loader and it was just fail after fail.

I love my front loader but if your washing machine is making your clothes stink it's not exactly doing its job, is it? I think you should bite the bullet and replace it and not feel guilty about it.

I grew up in Italy where basically, as far as I have seen, no other option is available. Never felt any smell from the machine and never heard anybody complaining so vehemently about it. How do you explain it? 🤔

Don’t forget to drain the tank!! There’s a small door on the bottom of front loaders with a tube. It needs to be drained every couple of months. Watch videos in YouTube for how to do this. The water that emerges reeks!!’

Anonymous wrote:Front loaders are awful. You don't have to participate in this nonsense.

I bought a speed queen top loader and am living my best life.

If you have grey hair and shop at small appliance stores, you'll get steered to SQ--luddite appeal and high commission. That customer will be happy, but try to find a review that confirms they work better and aren't inordinately hard on clothes.

Anonymous wrote:Front loaders are awful. You don't have to participate in this nonsense.

I bought a speed queen top loader and am living my best life.

+1