7 Affordable Top-Load Washing Machines That Deliver The Perfect Clean

With so many models to choose from, shopping for the best washing machine can be a rather daunting task. Should you opt for a modern front-loader with fancy features like Wi-Fi connectivity and a steamer, or do you want something that’s reliable and more affordable? If you’re leaning toward the latter, you should probably get a top-load washer. Although front-load washers are front and center at appliance stores, top-load machines are still extremely popular.

Excuse the terrible pun, but top-load washing machines offer a laundry list of selling points to their front-loading counterparts. They have faster cycles, aren’t as awkward to load, and they’re easier to keep clean and maintain. In general, they are more affordable and have a longer lifespan, too.

Best Top-Load Washing Machines of 2023

What to Consider

As you begin your hunt to find the best top-load washer for your home, there are a few key considerations to look at:

Agitator Top-Loaders Versus Impeller Washers

First, you’ll need to determine if you want an agitator or an impeller-equipped washing machine. A washing machine with an impeller uses less motion and water than a washer with an agitator, which is why they’re also called high-efficiency (HE) top-loaders. On the plus side, most agitator washers take 50 minutes to wash a load while a HE top-loader takes around 70 minutes. However, impeller washers lessen dry times since they use less water and extract more of it during final spin cycles.

Agitator-style washers oftentimes cost less than HE models, but they’re more likely to cause wear and tear to fabrics, they’re noisier, and they use much more water and energy, so they are more expensive to run, which brings us to our next point.

Efficiency

The more water a washer uses, the more it’ll cost you to operate. Per load, a front-load washing machine uses roughly 10 gallons of water, a high-efficiency top-loader uses around 14 gallons, and a modern agitator-equipped model uses around 20 gallons. Opting for an ENERGY STAR-certified washer could save you about 6 gallons of water per load, which may not sound like a lot, but after a year that adds up to almost three stock tanks worth of water.

Cycles and Customization Options

Lastly, you’ll want to ensure that your top-load washer comes with your most frequently used settings and cycles. Allergy sufferers benefit greatly from a steam cycle, and several users want precise control of water levels and temperature, spin, and soil settings.

How We Picked

We’ve spent over 200 hours researching washing machines. For this guide, in particular, we sifted through over 100 different top-load models, compared their feature sets, and read hundreds of consumer and editorial reviews of them. Our sister site Good Housekeeping tested many models in-house.

We also looked at repair and reliability data from Yale Appliance and Consumer Reports, in addition to J.D. Power's annual Laundry Appliance Satisfaction Study and the ACSI Household Appliance and Electronics Report.

If you’re ready to invest in your laundry room and upgrade one of your most frequently used appliances, check out our recommended top-load washers below so you can find the perfect model for your needs and budget constraints.