Consumer Reports’ tough tests continue to reveal that some laundry detergents clean only slightly better than water and that some washers use lots of water yet leave clothes dirty and dingy. And some dryers have a tough time doing their job, too, taking longer than usual to completely dry a load.
Such unimpressive performance means that you'll be throwing money down the drain by doing extra loads or running up your energy bill.
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Laundry appliances that don't stand the test of time will cost you, too. That’s why CR now incorporates lab test results, predicted reliability, and owner satisfaction into one Overall Score in CR's ratings of washers and dryers.
Washing machines
The Electrolux EFL317TlW, $650, is currently the lowest-rated model of the dozens of front-loaders tested. It earns a Very Good rating in washing performance but is the roughest on fabrics, earning a Poor rating in gentleness. It's also the noisiest and vibrates more than most CR tested.
Among compact front-loading washers CR tested, the Whirlpool WFW5090GW, $1,150, is the worst at cleaning, rating only a Fair.
High-efficiency top-loaders
The Samsung WA40J3000AW, $500, uses the most water of the dozens of HE top-loaders CR tested, yet it still leaves stains on fabrics, rating a Fair in washing performance and earning an Overall Score of 46 out of 100. The Whirlpool WTW4850HW doesn't stand out for subpar ratings in any single test, but its middling scores across the board land it just one notch above the Samsung, with an Overall Score of 56, as you’ll see in CR's HE top-loader ratings.
Agitator top-loaders
Many agitator top-loaders CR tests rate a Good in washing performance, meaning they do a decent job cleaning, though they may have trouble with heavily stained items. (Pretreating will help.)
The GE GTW330ASKWW, $565, and Fisher & Paykel WA3927G1, $800, however, earn just a Fair rating in washing performance. They left many of the stains on CR's test fabrics. So did the Roper RTW4516FW, Amana NTW4516FW, and Whirlpool WTW4616FW, despite using more water than a number of the other agitator machines.
In fact, these three machines earned a rating of Poor for water efficiency. All cost around $400. The Kenmore 20232 has similar problems: It earns a Good rating in washing but earns a Poor for both energy efficiency and water efficiency.
It’s not every day that a washer earns a Poor rating in washing performance, but that’s what happened with the Speed Queen TR7000WN, $1,100. It ranks dead last, with an Overall Score of 31. Check out CR's Speed Queen TR7 review for more details.
And based on CR's member survey, Fisher & Paykel is the least reliable brand of agitator top-loaders, earning a Poor rating in brand reliability. CR can't currently recommend this brand of agitator washers.
Clothes dryers
Any dryer will get the job done—eventually. But a money-wasting dryer might take longer, use higher heat, or overdry laundry when you want clothes a bit damp.
All of this is harder on fabrics and uses more energy. The LG WM3997HWA, $1,800, and the Kenmore Elite 41002, $1,600, score a Poor in drying. Both are all-in-one washer-dryer machines.
Even when a dryer performs well in CR's tests, consider the brand’s predicted reliability. CR's member survey shows that full-sized Hotpoint and Fisher & Paykel electric dryers earn a Poor rating, and Samsung, Frigidaire, and Roper receive only a Fair rating. CR doesn’t recommend these five brands at present.
Among gas dryers, CR can't currently recommend Fisher & Paykel, Electrolux, Hotpoint, and GE gas dryers because they earn a subpar rating, a Fair in brand reliability. CR's dryer ratings offer all the details.
Laundry detergents
With laundry detergents, you can waste money a couple of ways. Detergents that don’t clean well might require you to redo a load. And if you don’t measure the detergent, you might end up using more than you need.
And then there are detergents that are no match for common stains such as body oil, dirt, and grass. Among liquid detergents, Xtra ScentSations and Trader Joe’s Liquid Laundry HE detergent clean only slightly better than plain water, each earning an Overall Score of 33 out of 100. You can also skip Xtra Plus OxiClean and Sun Triple Clean. You'll find much better options in CR's laundry detergent ratings.
How to wash your clothes like a scientist
Want to protect your favorite clothes from fading and shrinking in the laundry? On the "Consumer 101" TV show, James Dickerson, Consumer Reports' chief scientific officer, reveals tips for prolonging the life of your wardrobe.