Any preference from user experience between the two?

A front load on a platform sure is nice for us olds. No bending over to get clothes out. Use a door prop to let the washer dry out to prevent odors. You can find hundreds of different ones on Amazon.

Our washer died last month. Got a speed queen to match the speed queen dryer we've had for a couple of years. The wife is in love.

The mildew with a front load is a neverending battle

Top

been there done that personally & then vicariously back to the 50s
front load seals leak sooner or later
top load washes better and offers more cleaning options upon purchase

The Pilot said:

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Our front loader has a venting feature, don't seem to have smell or mildew issues. Both washer dryer are GE and have pedestals.

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Same here. Our new one vents and does not even need the door open.

We left the door cracked after using our last one and cleaned it maybe three times in 8 years and no problem with it.

In my experience the front load washers take longer to wash a load than the top load ones do.

If you typically do multiple loads per day the top loaders may make more sense.

91AggieLawyer said:

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agdoc2001 said:

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The mildew with a front load is a neverending battle

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Not if you keep the door slightly open.

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This. We've had front loaders for 20 years and never had a mildew or odor problem.

I don't get filthy so my clothes are basically clean when I take them off. They may get the smell of the great outdoors and exhaust when I go riding. I run ours on a short wash cycle for 27 mins. It takes longer to dry than wash. I did notice a lower water bill when we switched to the front loader.

Guess we've been lucky, but have had front load washes for 10+ years and never had mildew issues. About 11 years with front loader in our old house and 6+ months now with a different front loader in our new house.

Other positive about front loaders is the ability to stack. The laundry room in our new house is pretty small. The sellers left the washer and dryer and they're old (probably 15+ years) so pretty soon we're going to replace them with stackable ones to gain room in the laundry room.

I'll always recommend the GE front load washer with their venting technology. I've had one for a few years now and it's been great with no mildew issues. Front load uses less water which is great and all, but the biggest benefit is it can hit higher RPMs on the spin cycle. My clothes are noticeably drier coming out of the wash and take significantly less time in the dryer.

**** front loads.

Wife's family had a high efficiency washer and dryer set that was only like 2 years old and wanted to replace it. They gave it to us about a year ago since our washer and dryer were 20+ year old hand me downs.

The thing is, the newer washer was a front load, and we had so many damn issues with it that we went back to the older washer and dryer. It smelled bad unless you kept the door wide open all the time for it to air out, and you had to clean a filter and the door seal every week or two. Probably unrelated to being a front load, but it also wouldn't consistently spin out a load of clothes and often left them soaking wet when finished. The dryer was just as bad and couldn't figure out that damp was not actually dry when it came to sensor settings.

I have had a GE front load venting washing machine for about 3 years. It stays open all the time yet after about 8/9 loads the clothes start getting musty smell. I end up having to to do a bleach clean or wash whites/bleach twice a month to keep that musty smell down.

Other than that I like it but will get a top load next time.

No issues with Kenmore front load for 10 years or so. I like it more than the top load. Sounds like as long as you stay away from a Samsung or other that an advanced panel you should be good.

GE front load. No issues at all.

Maytag top load with deep fill and an agitator.

91AggieLawyer said:

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agdoc2001 said:

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The mildew with a front load is a neverending battle

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Not if you keep the door slightly open.

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Even that doesn't always work.

91AggieLawyer said:

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agdoc2001 said:

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The mildew with a front load is a neverending battle

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Not if you keep the door slightly open.

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I have an LG - we keep the door wide open all the time. Also have to keep the detergent dispenser door open all the time because it fills with water. Have to drain the little hose on the front at least monthly and wipe the door seals down frequently.

Still have issues with mildew and everything smells musty.

agdoc2001 said:

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91AggieLawyer said:

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agdoc2001 said:

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The mildew with a front load is a neverending battle

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Not if you keep the door slightly open.

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I have an LG - we keep the door wide open all the time. Also have to keep the detergent dispenser door open all the time because it fills with water. Have to drain the little hose on the front at least monthly and wipe the door seals down frequently.

Still have issues with mildew and everything smells musty.

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I can only speak to the Maytag I've had since 2010. I had the musty smell, then we started leaving the door open. Yes, it IS a design flaw. But with the workaround, I have no issues. My clothes are cleaner and have lasted far longer in the front load. I have running shorts and shirts that I bought in the late '90s/early 2000s I still wear that have gotten washed 20-30x a year since! No way they survive anywhere near that time in a washer with an agitator.

I can't speak to washer brands I've never owned. Sorry about your experience.

We have this thing to prop our door open and let it air out. Works well

I bought a Speed Queen based on all the rave reviews. Supposedly easy to fix, last forever. 8 years in my control panel went out and it's $1,100 to fix. Speed Queen doesn't live up to the hype in my experience and I won't be buying another.

Top load lg

I know that this post is long after the OP's original, but had to say my $0.02 worth. Moved to Rockport and bought all new appliances. Got the LG front loads on pedestals. Did not realize that there is like a bovine looking rubber piece that runs across the back of the machine to discharge the water. Years of vibration really weaken this and cause LEAKS! Thought we had a slab leak until we could get them pulled out and plumber finds it is the hose. This hose is a Cast Iron You Know What to fix. Said the heck with it and went back to Maytag Top Loaders, works much better.

we got rid of our front loader after a few years and went back to top load. Never again.