The units that have the washer and dryer stacked (but connected), and the single units that do it all. Are they efficient? If they are, which ones are better? I can’t find good sources from which to write a short article, but here are a few links to pages that have reviews of both the stacked and the all-in-one units:

THIS page favors the all-in-one units, but it has several stacked unit as well.

Again THIS page seems to favor the all-in-ones, but it’s got some different stacked units too.

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When you are looking to buy a new washing machine one thing to remember, if your budget allows, is that options are GOOD! For example, take a look at the spin speed: if you have a separate dryer then you will probably need a spin speed only up to 800 rpm; however, if you don’t have a dryer, you’ll want a spin speed of at least 1000 rpm.

Adjustable water levels are also a convenience on many newer washer models. This is very nice when you have an extra small loads. Along with adjustable speeds, and water levels, many washers have cycle time options: cycles for delicate clothing, anti-wrinkling, heavy clothing, etc.

Automatic temperature control is another good option. The water is heated to just the right temperature for the setting, and it doesn’t matter what temperature it is when it reaches the washer.

These are just a few of the many options that are currently available on many washing machine models. Of course, the options you get will be dependent on your budget, household, and convenience requirements.

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I’ll just jump right in here, and start off by saying that almost all of us have thrown something or other into our old top-loading washers once the cycle had started. This would most likely be impossible with front-loading washers because many models actually lock the door so that you can’t accidentally open it during the cycle and spill water everywhere. However, there are a few front-loading models that allow you to toss things in mid-cycle because the water level never reaches the door.

Okay, next point. Front-loading washers are usually much gentler than top-loaders. Top-loaders have agitators which push, pull, and poke the clothes clean, but front-loaders gently lift the clothes and use gravity to tumble them around. This can be an even gentler way to wash clothes than hand washing them! No agitator means more room. More room means fewer loads. Fewer loads means laundry is done faster!!!

Top-loading washers use about three times as much water as front-loading washers. Switching from as top-loader to a front-loader can realize very significant savings in the water bill! Because they use less water, front-loaders use less energy to heat the water, thus realizing savings in the energy department as well.

One thing we haven’t touched on here is space. Front-loaders can be huge space savers when paired with companion dryers because they can be stacked. Now, this doesn’t help anything if you suffer from back problems and don’t like to bend down to load/unload the washer; the washer still has to go on the bottom of the stack because it is so much heavier than the dryer. However, front-loaders shouldn’t be much more difficult to load and unload than unloading clothes out of the bottom of a top-loader.

Now for the biggie. Cost. Well, there’s no doubt about it; you’re going to pay more for a front-loading washer. You’re going to pay significantly more. A good front-loader is $800 or more compared to a good top-loader’s $350 price tag. Your budget is definitely going to have a say in this decision, but with all though the initial purchase is quite a bit more, the energy savings that come from having a front-loading washer is such that it will pay for itself in a very few years.

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What are MEF and WF, and what do they have to do with choosing an energy efficient clothes washer? Those are the questions we will try to answer today.

The Modified Energy Factor, or MEF, is the quotient of the volume of the tub in the washer and the total clothes washer and dryer energy consumption as determinted through laboratory test procedure. In other words, it takes into account the amount of dryer energy used to remove the remaining moisture content from the washed items.

The efficiency of clothes washers, along with other household appliances, was once rated with the energy factor (EF), but was modified to account for the final spin speed. The higher the MEF is the more efficient the washer is. Clothes washers sold in the United States are now required to have a MEF rating as high as or higher than 1.26, and for it to be qualified for the Energy Star the MEF must be 1.72 or greater.

The Water Factor, or WF, is the number of gallons per cycle per cubic foot that the clothes washer uses. For example, if a washer uses 30 gallons of water per cycle and has a tub volume of 3.0 then the water factor is 10.0. So, the lower the WF, the more efficient the washer. The United Stated does not currently have a requirement for the water factor, but the goal is for all washers to have a water factor of less than or equal to 9.5 by January 1, 2011. For a washer to be Energy Star approved however, it must have a water factor no greater than 8.0.

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