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Laundry

Front Loader

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Introduction

As the name suggests, front loader washing machines are distinguished by the fact that you load the clothes from the front. The big advantage of this design is that it saves a lot of money by using less electricity and a lot less water than top loaders. The disadvantage is that they are more complicated and may be more prone to breakdowns. The advantages of a front loading washing machine include:

** **They use less water.* Because the drum is smaller and rotates horizontally, the clothes can be washed with a smaller amount of water than a top loader.
** **They use less electricity.* The smaller drum is easier to rotate (especially as it is not filled with many gallons of water), which means less energy use while washing and while spinning the load.
** **They use less detergent.* Because they use less water, you need less detergent to clean the wash.
** **Gentler on clothing.* Because there is less need to tumble the clothes to get the wash done, they can be gentler on the clothes.

The disadvantages of a front loading washing machine include:

** **Harder to access.* You have to lean down to reach into the drum to put in or remove your clothes. On many models, the door also require a lot of force to open or close. For older users in particular, leaning down to pick up loads can be a problem.
** **More complex.* Because they require watertight doors, locks and other mechanisms, they are more complex machines than top loaders. This means there are more components to fail.
** **More prone to leaks.* The door seal has to be watertight to prevent leaks, and these do degrade over time. Objects caught in the seal can also lead to leaks.

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