5 Best Washing Machines

Before we delve into the really fun parts of this washing machine review, we’d like to cover the basics – you know size, speed, and ability to do its job well. We think you’ll be pleasantly surprised.

Firstly, the 5.2 cu. ft. of space is generous and many users can’t justify much more. It operates at 1300 rpm and while we would have expected its energy efficiency to drop a little more than 120 annual kilowatt hours, that’s really not bad. Water efficiency is also great.

You get 14 preset cycles (including bedding and Allergine) and an additional 13 options. It’s difficult to find a residential washing machine that can do more. Still, it’s gentle on clothes and users love the way it cleans silently.

In terms of size, it’s bigger than the old standard of 27” which isn’t a problem for everyone, but it won’t fit every laundry nook. And, although it’s stackable, that may not be a possibility with the SideKick.

Additionally, that’s one of the things we really like about this (and all LG front loaders). This add-on mini-washing machine allows you to wash small loads or wash two totally separate loads at once. Now, that’s a serious time saver. Of course, you will pay for the add-on, but… you’ll want one once you realize what it can do. And, how it works.

Plus, there’s also the Smart ThinQ programming that allows you to control your washing machine through your phone. Options include: remote start, smart grid, download cycle, smart diagnosis, cycle set, laundry starts, smart message, and energy monitor.

Basically, this washing machine does everything well, but it’s not cheap.

Load access: Stackable front loader with tumble action

Color: Metallic

Display and controls: Electronic LCD on the door panel

Wash cycles: 14: normal, permanent press, delicate, speed wash, TubClean, sanitary, Allergiene, heavy duty, BrightWhites, towels, rinse & spin, download, jumbo Wash, bedding – this is an absolutely fantastic range of cycles and we can’t imagine that you would need more. Many buyers will see the bedding cycle and not worry about the rest.

Number of water temperatures: Automatic Temperature control

Dispensers: 4: detergent, fabric softener, prewash, bleach – this is more than the average and a decent selection.

Maximum spin speed: 1300 rpm – this is one of the highest available speeds and the best on this list. You probably won’t need more than this.

Kilowatt hours (per year): 120 – given the great spin speed, we would have expected this machine to use less energy, but it’s not the worst. Perhaps future models will pull this closer to 100.

Dimensions: 29”W x 33.75”D x 41.25”H. It weighs 227.1 pounds – that’s heavy. Make sure you book someone to install this for you.

Interior capacity: 5.2 cu. ft. – this is slightly better than average. Sure, it’s not the biggest, but it’s really rather generous.

Price: The MSRP for the washing machine itself is $1,800. If you add a SideKick at the MSRP, you’ll pay $2,530. That’s a shocker, we know. But, you should pay about $1,850 at the moment… yes, for both. And you’ll also receive limited warranties with that; we recommend bumping up your protection.

This washing machine is the reason this list is so small. It fits into four categories – best budget machine (on list price and realistic selling price; we’ve seen it $700 in the recent past), best compact washing machine, most energy efficient washing machine, and best washing machine for seriously dirty kids (erm, for fighting stains).

Until November 2016, we would have had a difficult time (and a slightly longer list) as the Samsung WA45H7000AW Washing Machine competes on price and size, but that particular model is part of a recall due to lids flying off while in use.

That’s not to say other washing machines aren’t good; it’s more that this Maytag is the best in all three categories.

As for compact, it’s 27”W x 32.94”D x 39”H. Not only will it fit in the standard space, it’s not so tall that stacking your appliances makes it difficult to reach into the upper one. It can only accommodate 4.5 cu. ft. of laundry, which is small. But it’s only small given the recent trend towards gigantic machines. If you don’t have a lot of laundry, you won’t even notice – you can still fit an entire hamper inside.

As for energy efficient, this baby hits the ultimate Tier III efficiency rating with an energy factor of 2.92 and a water factor of 3.2. You want that. Indeed, you may even qualify for an efficiency rebate if your state offers it.

And, if you can get it for $700-800, you absolutely should. Of course, the MSRP is $1,100, which isn’t bad, but you shouldn’t expect to pay that price.

Plus, you will find this does an impeccable job with clothes. Between the PowerWash system and the steam for stains options, you’ll find your clothes look as good as new for a long, long time. Okay, it’s not as gentle as a few other machines might be, but it’s super tough on stains. It gets an excellent stain-fighting seal of approval from just about everyone, including Consumer Reports.

A couple more features separate this washing machine from the rest – it offers a memory option so you can easily get back to your fave program and the FreshHold option will keep clothes fresh with an internal fan and tumbling that runs for up to 12 hours after your load finishes.

So, why isn’t this the number one machine? It’s the smaller capacity and the heavier weight. It’s also that it doesn’t perform quite as well in terms of noise and vibrations – with this machine, it’s a little more noticeable. Plus, it’s nowhere near as good looking as some of the competitive machines. Luckily, you can tuck it away in the laundry room, so looks don’t matter quite as much.

Load access: Stackable front loader with wash plate action

Color: White

Display and controls: Electronic readout with dial and buttons on the front facing

Wash cycles: 11: allergen, bedding, clean washer with Affresh, cold wash, delicates, drain & spin, normal, Powerwash, rapid wash, sanitize, wrinkle control – that’s really not bad at all, is it?

Number of water temperatures: 5

Dispensers: 3: detergent, fabric softener, bleach – this is the standard.

Maximum spin speed: 1200 rpm – this is the second highest speed on the list and we’re not certain you would need more, especially when you consider the energy usage.

Kilowatt hours (per year): 89 – this is one of the best out there. It’s definitely the lowest on this list. And, we think this is an absolutely stunning number given the appliance you’ll get with it.

Dimensions: 27”W x 32.94”D x 39”H. It weighs 235 pounds – low and heavy. This is a low and heavy machine. If you’re quite tall or suffer with back pain or mobility issues, you may want to consider risers.

Interior capacity: 4.5 cu. ft. – okay, it’s small. The average is about 5.0 cu. ft. Now, not everyone needs such huge capacities. Given the performance and price of this puppy, you can probably talk yourself out of the bigger is better adage.

Price: Along with whatever you pay for this machine, you get a 10-year limited parts warranty and your standard 1-year limited warranty. The MSRP is $1100, but you’ll probably pay $800-900. We’ve seen it as low as $700. Now that’s a seriously, seriously good deal.

Unlike many machines with large drums, this appliance will fit into the snug 27” you have for it. As a top loader, though, it is rather tall. So, if you’re on the short side, you may struggle to reach the bottom of the barrel.

And, we’ll deal with the downsides first – just to get them out of the way. When comparing specs with specs, you’ll find it difficult to find anything outstanding about this machine. It has just 3 dispensers and the energy and water efficiency levels are good, but not excellent. Same goes for noise levels – it won’t sound as if you’re working with a 1980s appliance or anything; it’s just that it could be quieter. More importantly – at least for some users – is its overall gentleness on clothes. It’s really not bad, but this top loader is built for families (as many of these models are); if you really want to protect your super-expensive clothing, we do suggest moving along. It’s just not as gentle as front loaders, but it is better than most top loaders.

Now, for the good stuff…

Not only is this a good looking machine, it’s sold at a terrific price. It has nine amazing wash cycles, including bedding. The LG Steam technology does an incredible job with super dirty clothes. The display panel lights up to tell you what’s going on – and interrupting the load to add the sock that fell out on your walk to the laundry room is about as easy as lifting the glass lid.

And then there are the options. Of course, you won’t have any idea what these are because some of them sound as though they perform the same tasks. (They don’t; and that’s why you have a manual.) There’s also an Allergine cycle that, while it takes more than 2 hours to complete, will be a total benefit to babies and those with skin sensitivities.

Finally, although this article relates specifically to washing machines, it’s worth noting that this appliance’s matching tumble dryer is absolutely incredible (DLEX5680V). When you buy them together you’ll be ever so happy with yourself.

Load access: Top loader with wash plate action

Color: Granite

Display and controls: Electronic LED with a dial and option buttons

Wash cycles: 9: permanent press, whites, heavy duty, delicate, normal, steam, speed, bedding, presoak – this is definitely more than average given the price. And, many will appreciate the explicit bedding cycle.

Number of water temperatures: Automatic

Dispensers: 3: detergent, fabric softener, bleach – this is the minimum standard.

Maximum spin speed: 1100 rpm – this is about average. You can certainly get more speed than this machine offers, which will bring down the kilowatt hours, but you may not find a need for it.

Kilowatt hours (per year): 135 – it’s not the worst, but it’s also far from the best.

Dimensions: 27”W x 28.375”D x 46”H. It weighs 146 pounds. This is a top loader and it’s definitely one of the tallest machines out there. You’ll need to reach to pull clothes out of the bottom; if you’re on the shorter side, this may not be the one for you.

Interior capacity: 5.2 cu. ft. – this is big, but not the biggest on the market. Still, you probably won’t find much call for a larger machine.

Price: The MSRP is $1.200, but you’ll pay between $800 and $1,000. With that, you get a 1-year parts and labor warranty and a 10-year motor warranty. Not too shabby!

If you firmly believe that bigger is better and your laundry room is the size of a bedroom, this is the machine you want. If you have a smaller space to work with, you’ll want to consider the dimensions of this washing machine before getting too excited about this washing machine. It’s huge. The dimensions of this front loader washing machine are 30”W x 32.5”D x 42.625”H. You’ll need 5′ across to put this side-by-side with a dryer. And if you want to stack your appliances, you’ll quickly realize that 7′ is really, really tall.

Okay, once you’ve gotten over the size of this baby, the details are really what matter.

Firstly, you can fit 28 pounds of dirty laundry inside the 5.6 cu. ft. of this washing machine. Keep in mind that the average size load is +/-8 pounds. You should be able to fit a soccer team’s worth of clothing inside and still have room for more.

And, yet, it does an impeccable job of getting clothes clean. Washing large loads is aided by PowerFoam technology. The SuperSpeed option will take about 15 or 20 minutes off of load time – and you’ll probably end up doing so for most loads as there doesn’t seem to be a discernible difference in the cleaning ability. The normal cycle is already rather swift at about 45 minutes and the average time is about 65 minutes.

This Samsung uses less water and less energy than most machines and still operates with a high rpm speed. But the best feature, as the folks at Good Housekeeping are quick to point out, is the Self Clean+ option. Using steam, to reduce mold and mildew, you won’t have to spend a lot of time on cleaning the appliance itself.

And, in case you’re wondering, front loading washing machines were not part of Samsung’s November 2016 recall, so you don’t need to worry about the door flying off its hinges. You should, however, use low-sudsing detergent, as recommended by the manufacturer.

Load access: Stackable front loader with tumble action

Color: Onyx

Display and controls: Electronic display with a dial and option buttons

Wash cycles: 6: permanent press, whites, heavy duty, normal, rinse & spin, wool

Number of water temperatures: Automatic temperature control

Dispensers: 5: detergent, prewash, fabric softener, bleach, oxygenated additive. This is the highest number of dispensers. And, while you may not need them all, some of the fancy ones are really nice to have.

Maximum spin speed: 1300 rpm – this is the highest rpm speed on the list. Once again, you may not need it, but it will definitely speed up drying.

Kilowatt hours (per year): 100 – this is exceptional. It’s not the absolute best but this is definitely the range you want to be in – if you can afford it.

Dimensions: 30”W x 32.5”D x 42.625”H. It weighs 267 pounds – this is one of the heaviest machines. Don’t attempt to set this up without some assistance.

Interior capacity: 5.6 cu. ft – this is definitely one of the biggest capacities you can get – and certainly the largest on this list. You can throw a whole lot at this baby. Not everyone needs it, but if you have a lot of laundry to get through, you’ll appreciate it.

Price: You’ll get a 1-year limited warranty built into the price of this Samsung washing machine – and extras are up to you. Fortunately, you shouldn’t have to pay the $1,700 MSRP. $1,100 to $1,200 is more reasonable and what you’ll normally find.