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Dec 17, 2023

8 Best Front

Recommendations are independently chosen by Reviewed's editors. Purchases made

Recommendations are independently chosen by Reviewed's editors. Purchases made through the links below may earn us and our publishing partners a commission.

Reviewed's mission is to help you buy the best stuff and get the most out of what you already own. Our team of product experts thoroughly vet every product we recommend to help you cut through the clutter and find what you need.

This excellent washer tops our best list, and it should top yours. It boasts remarkable cleaning prowess, and is easy to use and see. Read More

The Maytag MHW8630HC is a powerful washer that lets you do laundry on your terms. It's 5.0-cu.-ft. drum can handle just about anything. Read More

If you need to get through tons of laundry, this is the washer for you. It also has some nice smart features, like remote start and notifications. Read More

The Samsung WF53BB8700AT looks great, washes well, has a gigantic 6.1-cubic-foot wash drum, and comes with a ton of other features. Read More

While not the gentlest washer, its Normal and Heavy cycles have very strong cleaning performances and its Quick cycle finishes in 13 minutes. Read More

Updated April 14, 2023

While top-load washers might have a nostalgia factor for some consumers, others have embraced the "new-fangled" front-load washer. It's true that front-loaders have come a long way since their inception: Modern models run more efficiently and get clothes cleaner when compared to top-loaders. Best of all, most front-load washers embrace both form and function, and often have neat features and beautiful finishes to complement their strong cleaning performance.

Once you've decided to buy (or replace) a front-load washer, your next step is to actually pick one out. The process of selecting a front-loader can be daunting since every major appliance manufacturer makes at least one front-load washer.

This is where we come in: We've compiled a list of the best front-load washers available on the market today.

Our current favorite front-load washer is the Electrolux ELFW7637AT (available at Electrolux) because of its incredible cleaning performance and stain removal, a sprinting speed cycle, and a nifty detergent pod dispenser.

The front-loading ELFW7637AT has excellent stain removal performance, a detergent pod dispenser, and a 15-minute Fast wash.

The Electrolux ELFW7637AT has excellent stain removal performance and a 15-minute Fast Wash.

The Electrolux ELFW7637AT checks all the right boxes. First and foremost, it's a great washing machine. During testing, we found that it can deal with various stains, from protein to oil. The internal water heater also adds a lot of versatility, allowing you to sanitize clothing of common diseases, like E. coli, get rid of allergens, and help keep your whites as bright as can be.

Secondly, the ELFW7637AT comes equipped with plenty of features that just make life better. For example, instead of tossing Tide pods in the drum where soap won't get evenly distributed, this washer has a special spot for them in the detergent drawer. There are also options like Extended Refresh that will tumble laundry after a cycle is finished to keep it from getting musty.

Finally, this Electrolux just has a great fit and finish. You can tell that the manufacturing is well done by the clean text on the control panel and the satisfying click on the dial.

After all our testing, we also think the Electrolux ELFW7637AT is perfect for most families. It has the drum capacity, cleaning performance, and features to cover all the major laundry bases. That's why it takes the top spot in our washing machine rankings.

Read our review of the Electrolux ELFW7637AT.

Extraordinary cleaning power

Has its own internal heater

Easy-to-read controls

A few slow cycles

Occasionally smelly gasket

Combining excellent stain removal ability, a massive drum, and a plethora of features, the MHW8630HC is the best Maytag washer we’ve tested to date. The Heavy Duty cycle aced our cleaning tests, dealing with everything from red wine to oil. We also appreciated the MHW8630HC's internal water heater. With it, the Sanitize cycle achieved temperatures of around 130°F, allowing you to easily eliminate the most common illness-causing bacteria.

Cleaning alone does not make a great washer. This Maytag also makes the chore of doing laundry easier. It has an automatic detergent dispenser that holds soap for up to eight loads so you don't need to keep busting out the bottle. In addition, the MHW8630HC comes with Fresh Hold and Overnight Wash & Dry. Both these features tumble the drum after a wash has finished, which means that for full-sized loads, it keeps a musty odor from developing or can wash and dry a shirt or two.

Read our review of the Maytag MHW8630HC.

Power Heavy Duty cycle

High number of features

Streamlined controls

Expensive

Slow cycles

If you need to get through tons of laundry, the LG WM4500HBA should be your go-to front-loader. Its huge 5-cubic-foot drum will help you tumble through piles of dirty clothes, and its automatic detergent and fabric softener dispensers only need to be refilled every 18 cycles. It also has some nice smart features, like remote start and notifications, which can help with accessibility (or for those of us who set a cycle going and then completely forget about it).

The WM4500HBA has average cleaning performance, which is more than enough for lightly-soiled laundry, but it might struggle with scrubbing out significant stains. Still, we believe this machine succeeds at what it's trying to do, which is clean lots of laundry very quickly. As such, we'd mainly recommend this washer for large families, those who pile up their beds with comforters or warm blankets, or anyone who has trouble keeping up with the sheer volume of their laundry.

Read our review of the LG WM4500HBA.

Matching dryer: LG DLEX4500B

Large capacity drum

Fast cycle times

Smart features

Average cleaning power

Expensive

The Samsung WF53BB8700AT brings the popular Bespoke line of appliances to your laundry room, to impressive results.

Not only does the WF53BB8700AT have faster cycles that scrub out more stains, you’ll also get the Bespoke line's attention to aesthetic detail, with a clean, modern look and intuitive controls.

Where the Samsung WF53BB8700AT distinguishes itself is with its feature set, which starts with a huge 6.1-cubic-foot drum. This giant wash drum is about 33% larger than the average washer's drum, which means you’ll need to run fewer wash cycles each week—those with larger families stand to gain the most benefit here.

The WF53BB8700AT also has a ton of other features to help sweeten the deal, from a full set of steam cycles to help sanitize your laundry and remove wrinkles, an interior LED for easier loading in dim laundry rooms, a self-cleaning mode to cut down on odors, and quiet cycles.

Those with limited space will love its ability to stack up with its paired dryer and still be able to fit inside a laundry closet.

Read our review of the Samsung WF53BB8700AT.

Fast, effective wash cycles

Large wash drum

Steam, stackable, other features

On-board controls can be difficult to read

Loud chime has no volume controls, just on and off

Long-time fans of Maytag washing machines won't be disappointed with the Maytag MHW6630HC. In addition to the Normal and Heavy cycles, which both have very strong cleaning performances, this washer also has a speedy, highly effective 13-minute-long Quick cycle.

While our testing indicates that this washer is less gentle with clothes than we’d hoped, we think that the MHW6630HC makes up for it with some neat features. You can't go wrong with a steam option, an extended tumble cycle to keep post-wash clothes from clumping and wrinkling, and the "Extra Power" button, which can help get tough stains out of family-sized loads of laundry. If you need tough stains removed in a short time span, check out the Maytag MHW6630HC front-load washer.

Read our review of the Maytag MHW6630HC.

Matching dryer: Maytag MED6630HC

Streamlined interface

Strong cleaning performance

Fast Quick cycle

HIgher than average wear and tear on Normal and Delicates cycles

There's a lot to like about the Samsung WF45R6100AW washer. Not only does it have an amazing number of cycle options (water temperature, load dirtiness, number of rinses, etc.), but its Heavy cycle is near-perfect, and one of the best stain removing cycles we’ve ever seen during lab testing. While we found that this washer was a little harder, wear-and-tear-wise, on clothes than we usually prefer, we think that the trade-off with its amazing stain removal ability is worth it.

Like all of the more recent Samsung front-load washers, the WF45R6100AW has one additional feature that you’ll really appreciate: instead of having one or two specific steam cycles, this washer uses steam cleaning in half of the available cycles, including Normal, Heavy, and Sanitize. If you need a washer to tackle your toughest, dirtiest laundry, the WF45R6100AW won't let you down.

Read our review of the Samsung WF45R6100AW.

Matching dryer: Samsung DVE45R6100W

Great cleaning performance

Intuitive controls

Adds a lot of wear and tear to clothes

The GE GFW850SPNRS is a feature-packed, high-performing washing machine that won't break the bank. This washer debuts GE's take on the smelly washing machine problem, which involves a door gasket that incorporates Microban antibacterial materials and a through-door vent system that doubles as a dryer for small laundry loads. With built-in WiFi, a reversible door, a stunning sapphire blue finish, automatic detergent dispensing, and a steam cycle, this washer is really pushing the envelope when it comes to useful features.

While the features are nice, what you really need in a washer is performance, and this washing machine doesn't disappoint. Its stain removal abilities were strong across the board for the four cycles we tested (Normal, PowerWash, Quick Wash, and Delicates), and it exhibited relatively low wear and tear on our test laundry. Its 21-minute-long Quick Wash cycle will get your laundry clean in the blink of an eye. For a washing machine that's tough on stains and that you won't mind showing off to visitors, check out the GE GFW850SPNRS.

Read our review of the GE GFW850SPNRS.

Matching dryer: GE GFD85ESPNRS

Good stain removal

Venting system controls odors

Excellent sanitize feature

Poor Quick Dry and Bulky/Bedding cycle

Expensive

Younger, tech-savvy families will definitely appreciate the Whirlpool WFW9620HC washer. With its automatic detergent dispenser, touchscreen control panel, and large 5.0-cu.-ft. capacity, you’ll be able to get a lot of laundry done in very little time. Additionally, for those who want to be able to monitor your laundry without checking on it manually, you can easily start, stop, and track the cycles for this smart washer in the Whirlpool app.

For the most bang for your buck, use the Normal cycle, which did a good job of cleaning our test load, and only took about 40 minutes to finish. While the Quick cycle didn't do as well cleaning-wise, it clocked in at a shockingly short 13 minutes; if you only need to wash a couple of lightly-soiled outfits, this washer will get you out the door in record time. While it still left the clothes a bit damper than we were expecting at the end of the cycle, well, that's what a dryer is for. If you want a washer that does its best to solve common laundry pain points, the Whirlpool WFW9620HC may be the right washer for you.

Read our review of the Whirlpool WFW9620HC.

Matching dryer: Whirlpool WED9620HC

Very fast quick wash

Intuitive app

Cycles finish with very wet laundry

Not very gentle

Expensive

Hi there! We're Reviewed's appliance testing team. Between us, we've spent many years testing major appliances including washers, dryers, refrigerators, and dishwashers. We have plenty of experience testing these products in the lab, but we've also used them like normal people would in the course of their daily lives, which means that we have a great sense for what appliances are bargains at their price points, and which appliances have really useful extra features (as opposed to the kitchen-sink approach to features).

Unlike a top-load washer, a front-load washer does not have to fill a tub with water.

Every washing machine that comes into Reviewed's labs gets put through the same testing regimen, which addresses both performance and user-friendliness. We test for stain removal power, wear and tear on clothes, water retention and the spin cycle, and cycle duration. The best washers have solid stain removal abilities, do not damage your clothes, retain little water, and have short cycle times.

Beyond these performance tests, we also assess the usability of each washing machine. Our main goal is to get the answer to one question: How easy is it to actually use this washing machine?

By combining the performance data with our own observations, we can make solid recommendations for someone looking for any type of washing machine at any price point.

Front-load washers are exactly what they sound like—instead of lifting up your washer's lid and arranging your clothes in a circle around a pole agitator or impeller, the door opens from the front, and you put your laundry in from the side of the machine.

Where you put your laundry may not seem like a big deal, but it really makes a difference in terms of the appliance's engineering. Additionally, front-loaders tend to outpace top-loaders when it comes to cleaning performance and efficiency.

Some studies, including our own, indicate that front-loaders may do a better job at cleaning dirty laundry than top-load washers do. This may have to do with the dynamics of a horizontally-oriented washer drum: in a top-loader, stains are removed from clothes by being in contact with the pole agitator (the big spiral column in the middle), the outside of the washer drum, or rubbing against other nearby laundry.

In a front-loader, the stain removal happens when clothing interacts with the wash drum and when it spins to the top of the wash drum and then falls down onto the laundry at the bottom of the drum. Because each piece of laundry will go through this process multiple times, there's an increased likelihood that stains will be removed from all of your laundry.

Unlike a top-load washer, a front-load washer does not have to fill a tub with water. Because the drum is oriented horizontally, the washer relies on the fact that your load of laundry is going to be mingling with all of the other laundry a lot, whether they're spun on the drum together or whether they're squished together when wet laundry falls from the top of the wash drum.

Front-loaders use water much more efficiently than top-loaders, because all they have to do is spray water while spinning the drum. This gets all of the clothes wet in two ways: firstly, most of the clothes will get wet because of the water spray, and secondly, those that don't get hit with the initial spray will absorb water from other wet clothes during the spinning-and-falling process.

By using less water in each wash cycle, front-loaders are typically more efficient (i.e. they cost less to operate on a per cycle and per year basis) than top-load washers.

Mark Brezinski

Senior Writer

Mark Brezinski works on the Home Team, reviewing refrigerators, minifridges, dishwashers, washing machines, dryers, air conditioners, air purifiers, and fans.

Jonathan Chan

Senior Manager of Lab Operations

Jonathan Chan currently serves as the Lab Manager at Reviewed. If you clean with it, it's likely that Jon oversees its testing. Since joining the Reviewed in 2012, Jon has helped launch the company's efforts in reviewing laptops, vacuums, and outdoor gear. He thinks he's a pretty big deal. In the pursuit of data, he's plunged his hands into freezing cold water, consented to be literally dragged through the mud, and watched paint dry. Jon demands you have a nice day.

Julia MacDougall

Senior Scientist

Julia is the Senior Scientist at Reviewed, which means that she oversees (and continually updates) the testing of products in Reviewed's core categories such as televisions, washing machines, refrigerators, and more. She also determines the testing methods and standards for Reviewed's "The Best Right Now" articles.

Our team is here for one purpose: to help you buy the best stuff and love what you own. Our writers, editors, and lab technicians obsess over the products we cover to make sure you're confident and satisfied. Have a different opinion about something we recommend? Email us and we'll compare notes.