Young House Love

Home Decorating & DIY Tutorials

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The Pros & Cons Of Front Loading Washers And Top Loading Washing Machines

Well, our new washer and dryer have arrived! And we promised to share how the installation went, what we did with the floors under them, and how we like them so far (that’s where things really get interesting). We realized a few days ago that we’ve had a whole bunch of different laundry situations. In our first house we had front loaders with a counter…

Final Laundry Nook After

In our second house we had stacked front loaders with cubbies next to them…

Laundry Progress

… and in this house we’ve had top loaders with cabinetry above them. Here are the new guys sitting pretty (although not quite as pretty as the others since we haven’t tackled the rest of this nook yet).

Laundry After

Honestly, each of these setups have had pros and cons:

  • We loved having a counter over our first house’s front loaders, but it usually ended up cluttered with stuff (it became sort of a dump-this-here-until-we-deal-with-it-later zone). And this setup required the most bending, which wasn’t that bad at the time, but now that we’ve had top loaders a while, we definitely can appreciate less of that.
  • Our stacked loaders were nice because we had cubbies for storing everything we needed, which didn’t tend to get cluttered like the counter (there just wasn’t space to drop grocery bags, returns, and other random items there). There was still a fair amount of bending and lifting when it came to doing laundry, but again – at the time it was just fine, and we really only realized how nice top loaders were once we moved here.
  • The obvious con to top loaders is that there’s no place for a counter, which we did really like having, but we still have the top of the dryer to work with (we can put the laundry basket there for example – or lay things out to air dry). The cabinets might be our favorite storage solution (as compared to open cubbies or pull-up blinds) just because everything is tucked out of view but still really easy-access.

*Note: We got some questions on Friday’s post about why we don’t bring our appliances with us when we move. It seems to be one of those regional things. Here people tend to leave them, but it’s not like you leave nice ones without getting anything in return for them – it’s just factored into the listing price here (a seller can command a higher asking price by saying “there are new top of the line appliances” which obviously add a lot of appeal/value).

But now onto our new washer and dryer! When it came to delivery, the guys were really nice, although I did realize about half-way through it that I needed to lay down a dropcloth to protect the runner, even though they wore those nice little shoe-booties (the runner was getting dripped on by the old appliances as they came down – but it was thankfully nothing I couldn’t just wipe down to remove). With the booties/dropcloth combo it looks like a slip-n-slide situation (I begged them to take off their booties because I was afraid they’d fall) but thankfully they went slow and steady and all was fine. Turns out I’m just a worry wart.

Laundry Men Moving Up Stairs

You might remember that we couldn’t wait to get the old appliances up and out of there so we could finally replace the old pan under the washer and remove the remaining carpet scraps that were sitting under the dryer.

Laundry Clara Before

We decided that laying down some thick 3/4″ plywood (which is the same depth as our hardwoods) would be a nice way to give that particle-board subflooring a more finished look – especially since we could stain it to match the floors so well (we used one coat of Dark Walnut followed by three coats of SafeCoat Acrylacq to seal them). We actually added plywood under our last washer and dryer (more on that here) since we heard it was easier on them to have reinforced flooring (something about them lasting longer) so we’re hoping it gives these a leg-up.

As soon as the guys carried our old appliances downstairs we ran up into the laundry nook for a quick floor presto-change-o, which we did in a blind panic because we knew it would only take them a few minutes to get the old ones downstairs and the new ones upstairs. First we had to remove the old carpeting, which was more secure than we expected (John actually had to scrape up the staples in a mad-dash after we yanked up the carpet and underlayment). Look at him go:

Laundry John Scraping

Then we had to get the boards down. Here’s the first one going in. We had pre-measured them and stained/sealed them beforehand so they were all ready to slide into place when the appliances came up.

Laundry One Plywood Down

The second one went right in after the first, but there’s still a small gap that we have to fill where the molding jutted out too far for us to get a flush result. We hope it’ll look nice and complete once we slide that missing piece in (we’re just going to cut one more slice of plywood and stain it to match). Wish we had time to prime and paint that blue trim hiding in the nook while the old washers were out, but it might have to wait for a rainy day…

Laundry Floor Close UP

When you step a little further back, you can hardly tell it’s not the same hardwood flooring running under those appliances (we didn’t photoshop the crack out of this pic, it’s just barely noticeable from this distance). And we’re really happy with how well the color matches. We also plan to add some nice white folding doors (there were some blue ones hanging there originally) so that’s another reason we thought the subtle flooring change should work really well.

Laundry After

As for leak protection, since these guys are on the second floor (and we REALLY REALLY don’t want them to cause damage to anything below them, we were sure to place the washer in a plastic water-catching basin and also upgraded to those nicer reinforced steel water lines instead of the plastic ones.

The crazy thing is that during installation there was actually a small leak where it was attached to our water line, but we caught it while the installer was still here, and he ducked back there and fixed it by tightening things a little. The lesson? Check those lines!

Laundry After Ironing Board

So now onto the fun stuff: how we like our new washer and dryer! Well, we LOVE the dryer so far. It has been quieter, has a much larger capacity, doesn’t shrink things nearly as much as our older one did (that one practically “burned” things and this one has a heat sensor so it doesn’t over-dry). I also love the charming little chime sound it makes when it’s done (which can still be silenced, but it’s so much better than the loud buzz that our old one made).

We also really like the digital setup of the washer and the dryer. It’s easy to see things, like how long each cycle still has left.

Laundry Dial Detail

The washer’s capacity is also really awesome. It fits a lot more than any of our previous models (especially the old one we were replacing).

Laundry No Middle Agitator

And now for the womp-womp. Remember how I worried that bad things happen in threes? Well, our new washer is broken. I’ll pause for effect, as I quietly weep into my dirty laundry pile. The installation just included starting it to make sure there were no leaks when it filled up, but they didn’t stay to watch it run a full cycle (which is completely understandable… that would be close to an hour of washer-watching time).

So imagine our surprise when we ran our first real load of laundry well after they had pulled out of our driveway and heard a crazy-loud grinding sound during the wash cycle (whenever the agitator is moving, there’s this jarring metal-against-metal sound). You can hear it all the way from downstairs with the TV or radio blaring.

I woefully called Home Depot to tell them we already had a problem and they told us to call Maytag, who told us they could get a tech out in seven days. Ack! A full week without a working washer after buying a new one and expecting it to run without issue? I sweetly asked if they could get that service call moved up a bit since we were expecting a working machine upon delivery (our laundry had built-up a bunch already, so the prospect of another seven days of waiting stunk) and they said we could call Home Depot and see if they could do anything. I explained that I called them first, but would try one more time.

Well, when HD heard it was going to be a week until Maytag could make a service call (which might not even fix things, it might just diagnose that I needed a new machine, which then had to be ordered) – I could feel them trying to work something out for me, which I really appreciated. They had mercy on my sweet laundry-missing soul and agreed to take back the first one and deliver a new one on Thursday.

I’m really happy with Home Depot’s customer service (I’m sure it’s a lot easier for them to just say “call Maytag, it’s a mechanical issue that they’re supposed to handle) and I have to be honest that I wish Maytag had been able to come out for a service call within 48 hours or so, which is what I expected when my brain reached that “oh snap, our brand new washer is broken” moment.

So that’s where we are. Still sleepless in Seattle washerless in Richmond, but we love our dryer and the new flooring under it. And here’s hoping that by Thursday I’ll be whistling while I work that new washer. I’ve never looked forward to doing laundry this much in my life! Have you guys had any unexpected delivery or new-appliance issues? We’re happier than ever that ours have a one-year warranty given this little curve-ball, but we hope this third house snafu means we have all of our bad luck out of the way for a while…

*************************************

Sidenote: We’d love to see you guys this weekend at the Richmond Home & Garden Show! We’re speaking at 2pm on Saturday and Sunday (with a book signing following Saturday’s talk). You can get half-price tickets online right here. Oh and they gave us the shock of our life when we were driving down the highway and saw our giant faces on a billboard.

Billboard Ahhhhh

Seriously, we screamed so loud it probably scared other drivers. It’s exciting, unbelievable, and terrifying to see your own mug that big.

Comments

  1. John says

    Wow, if it takes 7 days to get a Maytag tech out to you, maybe those Maytags are not QUITE as wonderful as they would like us to believe!

    Reply

  2. Lynn says

    Hey!

    I wanted to say THANK YOU SO MUCH! For posting a blog about your washer/dryer! We are ‘proud’ :) owners of a 12+ year old washer/dryer and we are watching closely for signs of, well, distress (did I type that…the laundry gods might read it) The choices of front load vs top load, etc etc was an issue for us. Your blog has made our decision so much easier and WAY LESS time consuming! SO thank you! Your weeks without laundry has not gone unnoticed! :)

    Reply

  3. Harriet says

    Make sure you get the extra strong washer hoses instead of the regular rubber ones. We had our washer on the second floor and I always worried about burst hoses. When we had our washer replaced the installer actually removed the metal hoses and put the rubber ones on. I ran out to his truck before he left to get my good hoses back!
    Also, don’t put any kind of lint trap on the drain hose. Our neighbor did that and the drain hose clogged and backed up- big mess!

    Reply

  4. Amy says

    I am sure someone has mentioned this to you, but in the case of…no; did you check for bolts in the washer “drum” (basin part)? Ours had them for transport purpose. It was awful sounding before they were removed. Hopefully the installers removed them. May be something to check. Good Luck!!

    Reply

  5. Maria SR says

    About the floor under the machines (which looks awesome btw) instead of filling the gap in front isn´t it easier to slide all of the boards forward and make a gap in the back were it´s not noticeable anyway? Just a tought.

    Reply

  6. Stephanie says

    I had a new front-loading W/D set installed a few months ago. The installers told me that the warranty would be voided if they put the washer onto a plastic water basin. They said it had to go directly onto the floor. Which makes me really nervous since this is a second floor laundry room. Curious to see if you checked your warranty. LOVE LOVE your site!

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      Really?! The Home Depot installers placed it right in there when they put them down, so maybe it’s ok with this brand or something? Anyone else ever heard that?

      xo
      s

  7. Sherri says

    Did they remove the shipping bar that keeps the tub in place? If not, you will heart an awful noise when going to wash. Just a thought :-) It’s happened to me before

    Reply

  8. lolly says

    I had a similar situation!

    Our washer went kaput so we bought a brand new washer and dryer set from Best Buy. First load of laundry and we realized the washer was broken! We were told the same sort of thing, Samsung will have to come service it, Best Buy can’t do anything, it will be a week before a service call. We also had a dirty laundry surplus and I had been anxiously awaiting the new washer for over a week.

    Well, I guess I am not as shy as you. Particularly, I was not thrilled about starting with a unit that required repair after shelling out close to $1k for the darn thing.

    I spoke with a manager at Best Buy and informed him if I didn’t get a brand new washer within a reasonable time frame, I was going to return it and buy the same washer from HHGregg for cheaper. I had called HHGregg prior to speaking to Best Buy; they told me they could deliver the same washer the next day and beat Best Buy’s price. That got Best Buy in gear. They got us a new washer I think within two days and also reduced the price by 10%.

    Reply

  9. Mary T says

    I read every day, but rarely comment. However, just wanted to chime in to say how much I appreciate y’all keeping it real with such good humor. I am a stay-at-home mom of two little kids and often it feels like everyone is crying/things are breaking/everything is a mess at once. I truly appreciate my little “getaway” to read your blog each day. I am so sorry for the rotten luck of the broken washer on top of the other stuff! Also, how cool that y’all were on a billboard. Your celebrity is well-deserved! You’re so modest and humble even though you all are super rad. Thanks for the inspiration not just in DIY, but in being the best version of myself. I’m proud to be your fan. :)

    Reply

  10. Joseph says

    I heard the commercial for the home and garden show and when they said “guests John and Sherry Petersik on Saturday and Sunday” I was like Ha! That’s awesome.

    I got a shock when a flyer showed up in the mail for the YMCA Monument 10K training team and had my picture on the front.

    Reply

  11. Nancy says

    Seems for me every time I get a new appliance something is wrong! New Kitchen Aide range had a wobbly fan in the convection setting. Sears just replaced it with a new one. It took 3 times to get the correct refrigerator! Two washing machines to get one without a dent! Don’t know why it seems so hard to get delivery of undamaged, working appliances!

    Reply

  12. Shey says

    I’m wondering if you had to pay extra for the little drip pan under the washer? Ours didn’t come with it, and it’s only $25, but at that point I was screaming about being nickel-and-dimed to death.

    Reply

  13. Sharon says

    Can’t believe you had to get ANOTHER one. Go Home Depot, though! Home Depot is the best, when I was building a new entry way coat rack, I approached a guy at HD telling him I wanted a pretty banged up looking, knotted up piece of wood for my coat rack and he said, “I have to tell you, all my years here, that’s the first time anyone has asked me that.” He happily obliged and was excited for me to come back and share how my project turned out. Nice folks. Here’s that coat rack:

    http://houseconfetti.com/make-your-own-coat-rack-and-welcome-art/

    P.S. I have to say, Carlton made my day. :)

    Reply

  14. Courtney Carll says

    Nooooo! That’s so sad. We had a similar experience when our brand new washing machine was delivered and it brought a flashback of the Christmas morning when I got Baby Alive. I was so beyond excited and I fed her right away and…nothing. Baby Alive was…constipated. I remember crying (cut me some slack, I was 3 haha) and saying she should go to the hospital. Back to toys R us we went and they were all sold out and back ordered on Baby Alive(and “moving”). Devastating. So many feels. Can’t wait for your washer to get here! Also, is it a little bit Murphy’s law that you can’t really use teh dryer without the washer (where as you can wash and hang clothes on a drying rack) so you don’t even really get to play with EITHER new toy?

    Reply

  15. Laura says

    It sounds like they forgot to remove the safety bolt from the wash basin… That actually happened to us when Lowes came to install our new washer. There is a bolt holding the basin in place so when they move it the mechanics aren’t jostled around.

    ANNOYING! Sorry friends!

    Reply

  16. Cynthia says

    Good customer service is everything. I’ve been permanently put off Sears (after a long history of buying Kenmore appliances and Craftsman tools) because of the way I was treated when my Kenmore microwave stopped working five months after purchase. Over the course of six weeks, 13 phone calls lasting a minimum of 20 minutes each, hours of online research, and two trips to Sears, I emailed a final copy of my warranty and sales receipt to Sears Customer Solutions and told the representative that if the warranty wasn’t honored, my next step would be small claims court. Two days later an assistant store manager from Sears called, invited me to take the microwave in for a refund, and said he had no idea why I was turned away earlier and told a host of conflicting stories. I had a deep attachment to Sears before this, but can’t allow sentimentality to trump abusive experience. Sadly, Sears now has all the class and customer service of a guy selling counterfeit merchandise out of the trunk of his car.

    Reply

  17. PK says

    Skip the bifold doors. I redid my washer dryer area two years ago and used the folding doors. They were a pain to constantly move in and out of the way. Got rid of them last week and put up shower rod, with grommet curtains and I can’t believe I waited so long to do it. Much happier with this set up.

    Reply

  18. crissa says

    Hey guys – I’m not a regular commentor, buuuuuut since you are having issues with your machines I wanted to send you a note. My husband and I bought that same washer and dryer combo 5 years ago for all the same reasons you guys mentioned (top loader more comfortable, big load capacity, etc., Maytag, etc.) – and 5 years ago, they were about $900 a pop (yikes!). Wellll, fast forward 5 years and our washer quit working. It would fill up, then decide it was overloaded (even when empty) and then drain. We called Maytag, but no cigar…our warranty had long expired. We called a repairman and when we described our problem, he cut us off midstream, pegged exactly the brand/model we had (before we end told him) and said, “it’s not worth fixing.” We called another repairman, same deal. He said he’d never recommend that brand/model. So, fingers crossed this isn’t an issue you end up having…but if you have the chance to find something else, this might be your “out.” We ended up buying a cheapish ($450) front loader from Kenmore and so far have loved it. And I figure if it breaks in 5 years I won’t be quite so upset. On the other hand…we LOVE the Maytag dryer – love the steam setting, etc. and knock on wood, have had zero problems with it – it’s just the top loading, high E washers that the repairman said always have issues…Good luck!

    Reply

  19. Andrea says

    We have a top loader as well and twice I have had that grinding noise when the agitator spins. Both times the cause was a quarter that had become lodged in the small space between the agitator and drum. Once it was so lodged I had to use pliers to get it out! Luckily it has never caused any permanent damage to the machine but I thought I would pass along my experience in case it helps. Good luck!

    Reply

  21. Sassafras says

    Holy CRAP!!! That billboard thing would’ve made me swerve off the road!! :D Congrats on being HIGHlighted!

    I’ve had the folding door thing on the washing machine area. While I liked the out of sight thing, the whole door is in the way deal was a pain in de’ ol’patumpkus!!!

    Hate that your new machine is kaputs upon arrival. AwSucks, mates. Can you take advantage of it and move it out of the way to get that pesky trim taken care of while it’s fresh on your minds??

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      I would love to tackle that if I have the energy for those 4 coats (I hate baseboard the most since I’m dragging my pregnant body around on the floor, so we’ll have to see, haha!).

      xo
      s

  22. Sassafras says

    Oh and did you realize that when your pages come up the viewees are getting tracked by 14 different trackers? AyeAyeAye Ah Carumba Batman. I use Ghostery a free stop tracking app. I’m sure at least some of these you know about and want for monetary purposes. In case you didn’t know here’s the ones showing up this a.m.: Amazon Associates, Content.ad, DoubleClick, Facebook Social Plugins, Google+1, Google AdSense, Google AJAX Search API, Google Analytics, Gravatar, New Relic, Pinterest, Quantcast,Scorecard Research Beacon, WordPress Stats.

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      Thanks so much for the tip! We don’t know anything about tracking (she says as she blushes and hides behind her hands) so I think that’s just happening automatically? We don’t have agreements to let anyone track for money or anything like that – so we’ll have to get Ghostery going asap to block that! Thanks!

      xo
      s

  23. Sassafras says

    I think Ghostery will just work on ‘our’ end. I think. Don’t know what a body does on your end of the dealywho!!! I LOVE your blogs, hate the trackers! :( A bit of a ‘privacy is essential’ kinda person over here as perhaps you can tell by now. :)

    Reply

  24. Amanda says

    First time leaving a comment and I’ve been a daily reader since 2010! We bought our new home in November of last year and after lots of homework we decided on this exact same washer and dryer! We waited a couple of weeks to move into to our new home until these were delivered and installed and like you, we had mounds of laundry (we also have a 3 year old). That first night, with our first load running, I heard an odd water sound and went running to our laundry room to find it flooded!!! Apparently our old cast iron plumbing could keep up with the output of the older appliances but these new high efficiency ones dump out water so fast the plumbing couldn’t keep up. After a few plumbers attempts to fix the issue temporarily, they finally had to knock out a hole in our concrete wall and replace the plumbing to PVC (that was actually done just yesterday). Thank goodness the previous owner left us with a one year home warranty. We had a $75 service charge and after that everything has been covered! We LOVE this washer and dryer and hope that your second one works just as well as ours. Thanks for having such an awesome family and home and sharing your adventures with us all. My days would feel incomplete without you guys!

    Reply

  25. My Crappy House says

    I feel like they never should have suggested a repair visit. A BRAND NEW WASHER should work right from the start. If I paid for new, I would want new. Not repaired from the get go. I’m glad you’re getting the right result.

    As for being excited to do laundry – I lived in an apartment for 12 years. Laundromat ciy. When I bought my house, I described myself as being the proud owner of a used washer and dryer with attached house. Yeah… I get it!

    Reply

  26. robyns says

    SEVEN DAYS?!! After all those Maytag commercials that showed the repair guys bored because they had no machines to fix? Talk about no truth in advertising….

    Reply

  29. sammy says

    As someone who grew up with frontloaders, toploaders are practically unheard of here, why are so many people here groaning about bending over? I just crouch down for the few seconds it takes to load and unload the washing machine, problem solved.

    Also I don’t know how deep top loaders are but wouldn’t I also have to bend down to get the laundry at the bottom of the machine (I’m really short though haha)?

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      I think it’s all personal preference! We didn’t have tip loaders for eight years and only realized how nice they were until we moved here 8 months ago. But someone else might prefer front loaders too!

      xo
      s

  30. Dianne Phillips says

    Wow, you’ve done it once again! And in only two posts. I realize it has taken so much planning, designing, painting/staining and installing – but honestly the drawers and bookshelves look like they were born in Barnacle’s room. I was curious how you were going to make the “tower” shaped drawers look built-in, but you made them look comfortable in their respective corners. Another project checked off your list in anticipation of Barnacle’s arrival – Clara’s future play-mate. Such anticipation on my part to see how Sherry styles the shelves.

    Trying to decide on a wood floor and cannot find (on your blog) the “specific brand/color” from Lumber Liquidators you put down in the upstairs of your current home. Would you kindly reference? Thank you!

    Reply

  31. Maria says

    Oh no!! Well, based on all of your extremely thorough research and John’s really cool diagram with arrows, we bought the SAME washer and dryer this afternoon! Hopefully we will have better luck…it has fab reviews! Home Depot had them priced at $799 (washer) and $899 (gas dryer)…no special pricing…boo. However, after showing them the screenshot I took of the diagram, the kind sales guy was impressed and matched all of that pricing! Okay, I may have pleaded a bit and said “well, my virtual blogging friends got THIS deal when they bought theirs”…anyway, it worked! Ours are being delivered on the 11th, so I will be anxiously awaiting the update on your new one. We sold our old ones on CL, and they are being picked up on Saturday, so that will give me time to paint and hang some cabinets;)…thanks again for posting about your research!

    Reply

  32. Whitney says

    Hey quick question! Are you guys signing books on Sunday? Thats when we were coming but if not well wanna come Saturday.

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      The signing is only on Saturday (after our chat). I guess setting up for one of those on both days (and having a book vendor there, etc) made less sense than picking one day for that, so Sat is the day :)

      xo
      s

  34. Rebecca says

    Since you love a bargain, I just wanted to make sure you know that when you buy something using American Express, that they automatically double your warranty. For example, if you have a 1-year warranty on a new washing machine, AmEx covers it for 2 years.

    I don’t have any affiliation with AmEx–I just use it to pay for everything (and pay it in full at the end of the month) to get the extra warranty (and cash back).

    Reply

  35. Lindsay O. says

    Just my two cents, but from experience, I would recommend against using folding doors for the laundry closet. You lose 4-6 inches on either side when the doors fold up, and it becomes a real pain to work around then and into your space. We replaced our folding doors with two regular doors, and presto/chango! No more fighting and frustration!

    Reply

  37. Cathy Siegel says

    Glad you got a new W/D but I wanted to tell you but that pan under that washing machine does nothing if you get a leak. My friend’s washer last week, she was out of town & got a phone call & was told that water was pouring out of her 2nd floor from a pipe which was the overflow pipe for the washer drain pan. Well, the braided stainless steel hose had come out of the pipe. The entire 1st floor, the finished bsmt, part of the 2nd floor of her home is ALL in the process of being gutted to the studs, total reno. So beware, cut the water off at the washer EVERY time after you use the machine!!

    Reply

  38. Candice says

    Any updates? We *literally* just purchased this exact Bravos model (both washer and dryer last night from HD. We got 20% off (yay!) but are terrified it’s not going to fit in our freakishly small laundry room/half bath. With four kiddos, we have to do 1-3 loads daily (!!!) to keep up, and we’re hoping y’all are loving these appliances still….

    Thanks!

    Reply

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