Are the advantages of top-loaders worth the excess water and energy use?
Below I list the main reasons immigrants choose to import a top-loading American machine, typically a Maytag. • Maytags last longer. That may be true, but they are much more expensive. Parts and repairs also cost more. Of course, your smaller European machine will end up in a landfill faster. • More clothes can fit into the top-loader. I did not notice a big difference, because the Maytag’s agitator is large and requires clothes to be stacked loosely. A huge amount can fit in a standard front loader, especially when using a regular cycle. • The Maytag cycle is faster. This is true, and the switch to a front-loader requires a readjustment. But with planning you don’t need to sit and wait for laundry to finish—you can do other things. And the front-loader squeezes out more water so clothes dry faster, whether on the line or in a dryer. The length of the cycle also depends on whether you heat the water (see next point). • Top-loading Maytags are connected to both hot and cold water faucet
