A clothes washer is an electric appliance that washes and spin-dries clothes. Of the two common varieties — top-loading washers and front-loading washers — the U.S. market leans heavily toward the top-loading variety. In Europe, stricter environmental standards mean customers prefer front loaders, which use less power and water but have longer wash cycles. Top-loaders tend to be cheaper, starting at about 300 USD, whereas front-loaders start at about 650 USD.
Given the amount of energy required for a 30-minute wash cycle, the main concern with washers is their energy efficiency, so look for machines with small-load settings and low-temperature wash cycles. A good start is to check for and Energy Star label, which indicates that the appliance uses 15-percent less energy than the maximum value set by the U.S. Department of Energy.
Those with a small kitchen or laundry room, or who are fitting out an RV, might be attracted to compact washer models which are available with capacities of down to around 2.5 cubic feet. This is significantly smaller than the 4 cubic feet seen in some conventional machines.
Combined washer and dryer units are also available, allowing users with space constraints the luxury of having a dryer rather than relying on line drying. These aren’t very common, however, and tend to leave clothes slightly damp.
Read our buying guide articles for more information on washers, dryers, and other household appliances.