We've Tested Hundreds of Washing Machines. Here are 15 of the Best Washers You Can Buy Right Now.

Take your pick from among these impressive front-loaders, top-loaders, compacts, and all-in-one models from Consumer Reports’ latest tests

Modern-day washing machines often have features like auto detergent dispensers, remote WiFi controls, or even both washing and drying capabilities.

By Keith Flamer

For CR’s engineers, doing laundry is a mission. By putting hundreds of stained fabric swatches into the machines, they’re able to see how well each machine washes off red wine, cocoa, and soot. Cycle after cycle, they work to determine the best washing machines for every budget and look for innovative features that make doing laundry faster and easier.

“Research shows that consumers say doing laundry takes too much time,” says Allie Chilicki, Consumer Reports’ market analyst for washers and dryers. “Manufacturers have been trying to address this problem with machines that have bigger capacities, shorter speed cycles, built-in pretreat features, or smart technology.”

For a broad look at the washing machine marketplace and to learn about types of washers, features, and brands, check out our washing machine buying guide. If you’re a CR member, you can read on for ratings and reviews of some of the best washers for each type, and view our complete washing machine ratings for even more options. You can also browse our ratings for all-in-one washer-dryer combos.

Best Agitator Top-Load Washers

Agitator top-loaders clean clothes through friction in a twisting motion and generally don’t perform as well as other types of washers. But they remain popular, in part because they cost less than other types of washing machines.

LG WT8405CW

The LG WT8405CW is the top-rated top-load agitator washer in our ratings. Don’t be scared off by its long 90-minute wash cycle—it offers excellent cleaning performance and water efficiency, and a very good energy rating (it’s Energy Star certified). Top-load agitators tend to be rough on clothes, and this one is no different. We also find it a tad noisy, but with its excellent vibration score, you won’t feel it rumbling. It has a 5.3-cubic-foot capacity, which can easily handle large loads, including comforters. It features a stainless steel tub, auto detergent dispensers, an extra rinse cycle, and remote WiFi access so that you can track the timing of your loads from wherever you happen to be.

LG WT7005CW

The LG WT7005CW rates near the top for washing performance, water efficiency, and energy efficiency in our tests, helping it earn our Green Choice designation. It’s not very gentle on clothes, but it will get them clean in a jiffy with a 70-minute wash cycle. With great test results in our labs for vibration and noise, you’ll barely notice this machine running. This LG features auto temperature control, an auto detergent and bleach dispenser, and a deep-fill option. It has a claimed capacity of 4.3 cubic feet, and the 27-inch-wide washer will easily fit in standard laundry areas.

Samsung WA49B5105AW

The Samsung WA49B5105AW washes your clothes in a quick 75-minute cycle, and it won’t disturb the household, considering its above-average noise suppression and stellar vibration control. It cleans your clothes effectively, and it garners very good results in our tests for water and energy efficiency as well. But we find it’s pretty rough on fabric, so you may want to consider the delicate cycle for your best threads. You’ll also want to measure your space because this washer is an inch wider than some others. Features include a 4.9-cubic-foot stainless steel tub, auto temperature control, and auto detergent and fabric softener dispensers.

Best High-Efficiency (HE) Top-Load Washers

High-efficiency top-loaders generally perform well in our tests. Like front-loaders, the absence of a center agitator allows clothes to move more freely about the drum. But top-load HEs tend to tangle clothes more, which can lead to excess residue or some clothes not getting clean.

LG WT8600CB

The LG WT8600CB ranks at the top of the HE washing machines in CR’s tests, primarily for its first-rate cleaning performance, water efficiency, and minimal vibration. It also earns an impressive rating for energy efficiency and has a Energy Star certification. It can handle big loads with its 5.5-cubic-foot stainless steel tub, but you’ll want to be careful when washing your delicates: We find the washer to be a little rough on clothes. LG’s HE washing machines earned top marks for predicted reliability in CR’s latest member survey, indicating that they’re less likely to develop problems or break within the first five years.

LG WT8400CW

The LG WT8400CW is a very good washer overall, and it’s also less expensive than its LG sibling above. If you wash a lot of delicates or fancy fabrics, you should be aware that it’s rough on clothes. But it will get them clean: It aces our tests for washing performance, water efficiency, and vibration. It’s also Energy Star certified, with a sleek design, a stainless steel drum, a capacity of 5.5 cubic feet, and a fairly quick 75-minute wash cycle.

LG WT7900HBA

The LG WT7900HBA combines excellent scores in washing performance, water efficiency, and vibration with our eco-friendly Green Choice designation. It has the largest capacity among our HE-rated models, at 5.5 cubic feet—plenty of room for a large family load. It also features a stainless steel tub, auto temperature control, auto detergent and bleach dispensers, an extra rinse cycle, a steam option, and WiFi. This model is also energy-efficient, backed by Energy Star certification. Its wash cycle is 70 minutes. LG’s HE top-loaders get an excellent score for reliability and a very good score for owner satisfaction.

Best Front-Load Washers

Full-sized and compact front-loaders perform best in our comprehensive tests. They tangle clothes less than top-loaders and generally have higher performance scores. However, these washers are more prone to mold and mildew if not cleaned routinely.

LG WM4000HWA

The LG WM4000HWA cleans like a champ, winning the trifecta of excellent ratings for washing performance, energy efficiency, and water efficiency. This front-loader also takes it easy on your energy bill and the environment; it earns our Green Choice designation. Wash time is 85 minutes, relatively speedy for a front-loader. With a claimed capacity of 4.5 cubic feet, it can tackle big loads (even a king-size comforter). It has an extra rinse cycle to help wash away any extra residue before you remove those heavy beddings. The WiFi-enabled washer produces little noise, so you can feel confident about placing it near a living area. It’s stackable with its companion dryer, the DLEX4000W. This model performs similarly to the LG WM3900HWA washing machine but costs hundreds less.

LG WM3400CW

Like its CR-tested brandmate, the now-discontinued LG WM3500CW, we expect that you’ll be able to count on the LG WM3400CW for similarly excellent washing performance. As an Energy Star certified washer that also has the CR Green Choice designation, it’ll save you money down the road with its high reliability and excellent water and energy efficiency. But it’s not as gentle on fabric as some other front-loaders in our tests. Wash time is a pokey 105 minutes, but we recommend using the normal-soil setting, which is sufficient for most loads and takes less time. The machine’s claimed capacity is 4.5 cubic feet, just big enough for a king-size comforter. This model is equipped with auto detergent and bleach dispensers, a stainless steel drum, an end-of-cycle signal, and an extra rinse cycle to rid your clothes of excess detergent residue. It comes in white with a standard 39-inch height and 27-inch width, and it’s stackable.

LG WM8900HBA

The LG WM8900HBA is an exceptional washer despite its long 105-minute cycle time. It’s slightly larger than most washers in our ratings, measuring 41 inches high, 29 inches wide, and 33 inches deep. Its 5.2-cubic-foot drum can easily tackle your family’s biggest loads. Like all LG front-load washers, its predicted reliability is first-rate, along with its washing performance, water efficiency, and energy efficiency. Its gentleness on clothes is a notch higher than many other front-loaders. If the price is too steep, the Green Choice LG WM3600HWA rates similarly, but you’ll sacrifice on capacity.

Best Compact Front-Load Washers

A compact washer paired with a compact dryer may be your only choice if your laundry area can’t accommodate full-sized machines. These space-saving machines represent a tiny market share, but they’re gaining in popularity among downsizing retirees as well as younger urban/suburban dwellers organizing their townhouses and condos. 

Miele WXI860WCS

In our tests, the Miele WXI860WCS exhibits excellent washing performance as well as top-of-the-line water and energy efficiency. It’s Energy Star certified and earns our Green Choice designation. This little 2.3-cubic-foot workhorse may vibrate some over its 100-minute cycle, but it’s gentle on clothing. The stackable machine comes with a durable stainless steel tub that allows spinning at faster speeds, as well as auto dispensers for detergent, bleach, and fabric softener. It also has an end-of-cycle signal, an extra rinse cycle, a steam cycle, and WiFi capability. For a few hundred dollars less, consider the Miele WXF660WCS, which we expect to perform similarly. Miele compact washers get top scores for satisfaction and reliability from our members.

LG WM1455HWA

Compacts can run upward of $2,000, but why pay that much if you can get similar performance for much less? The LG WM1455HWA is roughly half the cost of the compacts above. It’s a first-rate washer with excellent reliability, performance, and water efficiency. You’ll just sacrifice on a so-so owner satisfaction score, and like most compacts, it vibrates a lot. But it’s a great value, loaded with many of the features of pricier compact washers: auto dispensers, a stainless steel drum, a steam option, an extra rinse cycle, WiFi, and Energy Star certification. It’s even stackable. From our member survey, LG compact washers received an excellent rating for predicted reliability and a midrange rating for owner satisfaction.

Electrolux ELFW4222AW

The stackable Electrolux ELFW4222AW nabs a top score for washing performance and rates above average for vibration and gentleness (meaning less wear and tear on your clothing). It’s also a Green Choice model, with excellent and very good ratings for water and energy efficiency, respectively. In our member survey, respondents gave the brand a top rating for predicted reliability and a middling rating for owner satisfaction.

Best All-in-One Washer-Dryer Combos

An all-in-one washer-dryer combo is a single front-load machine that washes and dries clothes in the same sealed drum, with programmed controls that perform both functions in tandem or individually. These dual-function machines take a load off laundry day by eliminating a major hassle—transferring wet, heavy clothes from washer to dryer. But our tests reveal that these machines tend to wash better than they dry, and take much more time to dry clothes than a stand-alone dryer. 

Samsung WD53DBA900HZ

The Samsung WD53DBA900HZ Washer-Dryer Combo is our top-rated all-in-one machine. It offers top-notch washing performance and energy and water efficiency. However, like most machines of this type, its dryer performance is less than satisfactory, and it does not have a moisture sensor. It’s a quiet machine that produces little noise or vibration in either mode. Its claimed capacity of 5.3 cubic feet is the largest of the combo machines we’ve tested.

LG WM6998HBA

If you’re going the all-in-one route, the LG WM6998HBA is not a bad choice—with the caveat that its drying performance, like all the combos we tested, is substandard. This model got high marks for energy and water efficiency in its washing mode, but it tended to vibrate and wasn’t the most gentle on clothing. In drying mode, it was quiet and convenient to operate. Its stainless steel drum has a capacity of 5 cubic feet.

GE Profile PFQ97HSPVDS

This GE all-in-one is an attractive, sleek carbon graphite machine with 4.8 cubic feet of capacity, enough room for a comforter and large loads. But at over 300 pounds and nearly 47 inches tall (8 inches taller than the other models we test), it’s a haul to install or move. It has a stainless steel drum, smart dispensers, and a moisture sensor, which is typically better than a thermostat at judging whether clothes are dry. We found that the WiFi-connected washer performs very well, with excellent efficiency over a 105-minute cycle, but a very deliberate dry cycle contradicts its “UltraFast” moniker. (Even when we combine cycles, this machine doesn’t complete an 8-pound load within 2 hours as claimed. Drying time alone took 2 hours, 20 minutes.)

What Is the Most Reliable Washing Machine Brand?

Washing machines typically last a decade or more. No matter its cleaning capability, a washer that doesn’t stand the test of time is no winner. So we also incorporate survey data for predicted reliability and owner satisfaction into our washer ratings (as well as our dryer ratings). Our surveys indicate that LG is the most reliable brand that makes front-load and top-load HE washers, while Speed Queen is the most reliable brand for top-load agitators. Electrolux, LG, and Miele shine among compact front-load washers.

If you’re wondering whether you should repair or replace your current washer, we have you covered there, too, with our interactive repair or replace calculator. It takes the guesswork out of that decision based on how much you paid for your washer, how old it is, and how expensive it’s going to be to fix.

How CR Tests Washing Machines

We test top-loaders with agitators, high-efficiency (HE) top-loaders (the type without a vertical spindle), and front-loaders, including compact front-loaders. We also test all-in-one washer-dryers, a relatively new option in the market. The machines are from familiar brands such as Amana, Electrolux, Frigidaire, GE, LG, Maytag, Samsung, and Whirlpool, as well as lesser-known brands like Fisher & Paykel and Miele.

Our Green Choice designation helps you identify the most eco-friendly washers in our ratings. Identified by a green leaf icon, Green Choice washers earn superior marks for water efficiency, energy efficiency, brand reliability, and gentleness on fabric. Our designation considers a washer’s overall environmental impact, including its weight, volume, and entire life cycle.

Consumer Reports is an independent, nonprofit organization that works side by side with consumers to create a fairer, safer, and healthier world. CR does not endorse products or services, and does not accept advertising. Copyright © 2024, Consumer Reports, Inc.

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