High-efficiency (HE) top-load washers are like the middle child of laundry appliances. They’re not as popular as top-load agitator washers and not as cool-looking as those sleek front-loaders. HE top-loaders fly below the radar with little appreciation, but the best ones have earned a little love, with ample positives to warrant regular recommendations by Consumer Reports.
The HE top-loaders that are recommended by CR are some of the most reliable washers you’ll find, and they’ll beat the dirt out of your clothes with great efficiency. But they can be a little rougher on clothes than front-load washers, Consumer Reports’ tests found.
In this article
- HE Top-Load Washers: Best Worst
- How HE Top-Load Washers Work
- HE Top-Load Washers: Advantages Disadvantages
To learn more about the performance and features of today’s high-efficiency top-load washing machines, see our washing machine buying guide and full HE top-loader ratings. CR members with digital access can read on for details on the best and worst high-efficiency top-load washers in our ratings.
Best HE Top-Load Washers
The best HE top-load washers in our ratings all hail from LG, a brand that receives a top-notch reliability rating and an above-average owner satisfaction rating in our member surveys. All three machines hit our washing and water-efficiency tests out of the park.
Worst HE Top-Load Washers
These three HE top-load washing machines didn’t perform well in their main job of washing off stains, and our testers also found that they use a lot of water in the washing process.
How HE Top-Load Washers Work
Top-load HEs operate differently from front-loaders and top-load agitator models. High-efficiency top-loaders use an impeller (a low-profile disc with fins in the bottom of the drum) to clean clothes by rotating and rubbing fabrics against each other using minimal water (an average of 13 gallons per load).
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That’s why some top-rated HEs achieve an eco-friendly Green Choice status, CR’s exclusive designation for washers that have less of an impact on the environment.
This compares with top-load agitators that deep-fill the tub with 20 or more gallons of water and clean clothes using a twisting center spindle. Front-loaders gently spin the drum clockwise, then counterclockwise to flip clothes in and out of even less water, about 10 gallons per load.
If clothes inside an HE top-loader get out of balance, the machine will attempt to rebalance the load by adding more water to improve circulation and even things out. If that doesn’t work, you’ll get an error message alerting you to manually rebalance the load.
“HEs use less water than top-load agitators but more than front-loaders,” says Rich Handel, CR’s laundry expert. “They are more gentle on your laundry than agitators but more aggressive than front-loaders. So sometimes they tangle the items up.”
Advantages of HE Top-Load Washers
HE top-loaders are a happy medium between top-load agitators and front-loaders, hitting the sweet spot in terms of price, size, and convenience. So if you’re looking to get an upper hand on inflation, a high-efficiency top-load washer could be a good choice for the following reasons:
- They’re easy to load. Compared with cramped top-load agitator machines and back-bending front-loaders, it’s easy to load these larger machines from the top.
- They’re reasonably priced. Most HE top-load washers cost $500 to $1,100—$200 to $300 less than typical front-loaders and only $100 more than typical top-load agitator washers.
- They’re efficient in water usage. Thanks to faster-spinning drums, HE top-load machines offer better water efficiency and water extraction.
- They’re faster than front-loaders. Their wash times fall in between that of top-load agitators and front-loaders, generally 60 to 80 minutes using the heavy-soil setting.
- They can tackle large loads. Like front-loaders, most HE washers have no problem with big loads of beach towels and comforters, thanks to a high-capacity tub of up to 5.5 cubic feet. Just know that if you stuff it full, you may sacrifice a little on washing performance.
Disadvantages of HE Top-Load Washers
Our member surveys and tests find that high-efficiency top-load machines may have issues with washing and inconsistent cleaning, and some have the tendency to twist items.
- Your laundry may get tangled. According to our 2022 survey, CR members cited tangled or balled-up laundry as their biggest issue with high-efficiency washers, especially among five brands: GE, Kenmore, Maytag, Samsung, and Whirlpool. This may be why most HE top-load washers receive middling ratings for customer satisfaction in our survey. Running an extra rinse cycle can remove residual detergent from twisted clothes. But you’ll save both money and water if you simply dial back on your detergent use a bit. “If you use the correct amount of detergent, an extra rinse may not be necessary,” Handel says. “If you are sensitive to detergent residue, it’s an extra precaution.”
- Your clothes may not get thoroughly cleaned. The same five brands were called out on this problem. Based on our lab tests, HE washers appear less effective in cleaning clothes than front-loaders but more effective than top-load agitator machines.
Keith Flamer
Keith Flamer has been a multimedia content creator at Consumer Reports since 2021, covering laundry, cleaning, small appliances, and home trends. Fascinated by interior design, architecture, technology, and all things mechanical, he translates CR’s testing engineers’ work into content that helps readers live better, smarter lives. Prior to CR, Keith covered luxury accessories and real estate, most recently at Forbes, with a focus on residential homes, interior design, home security, and pop culture trends.
