Detergent

• While top- and front-loading washing machines both use laundry detergent, each washer type uses a different kind of detergent. For example, a conventional top-loader uses a traditional, high-foaming detergent, but a front-loader uses a high-efficiency (HE) detergent that’s formulated especially for front-loading washing machine to produce fewer suds. If you try to run a front-loading washing machine with traditional detergent, the washer will over-sud and water may leak from the door.
  
  

Function

• Front-loading washing machines clean laundry more effectively than top-loading models. A front-loading model lifts clothes and rotates them in and out of water, so water and soap easily penetrate fabrics, whereas top-loading washers rely on an agitator in the tub to spin clothes together with water and soap to clean them. In addition, front-loading washing machines spin faster than top-loading washers to wring clothes of water. The accelerated spin rate of a front-loading washer lessons the amount of dry time clothing requires after the washing cycle finishes.
  
  

Noise

• A drawback to front-loading washing machines is they’re usually nosier than top-loading washing machines. Although no washing machine, regardless of type, is entirely quiet, a front-loading washer is more likely to vibrate when it spins, causing the washer to squeak or thump against floors and walls. For this reason, a front-loader is a less ideal washing machine choice for installing in a space near a home’s main living area compared to a top-loader that generally makes less noise.
  
  

Cost

• Top-loading washing machines often cost less than front-loading washing machine with the same capacity. Depending on the brand and features, a top-loading washing machine can cost hundreds of dollars less to purchase than a front-loader. However, while upfront costs can differ between the two washing machine types, the cost of using each machine also varies. An energy efficient front-loading washing machine that meets the federal government’s Energy Star criteria uses 11 percent less energy and 20 percent less water than a standard top-loading washing machine, according to Consumer Reports.