Perhaps you've walked past the front-loading washing machines in home improvement stores, marveling over their sleek, modern look. Or maybe you've admired one in a model home, or the new house in the neighborhood with the appliance upgrade.

Front loading washing machines are not a new concept; they have long been used in commercial laundries. They have only been practical for home use, though, for a few years. Most department and home improvement stores now carry at least one, and usually several, models.

With front-loading washing machines gain in popularity, consumers are asking questions. They want to know what the differences are between a front-loading washing machine and a conventional, top-loading machine. They may have heard that front-loading machines save energy, and want to know how. Consumers are also looking for the latest innovations in appliance technology, and want to know if front-loading machines are available with the features they are looking for.

Why is the Door on the Front?

Front-loading washing machines and their top-loading cousins use entirely different mechanisms for washing clothes. They both use water and detergent, and spin at the end of the wash to remove water, but that's where the similarities end.

Conventional, top-loading washing machines wash clothes by using a large agitator to force clothes back and forth through soapy water, and then again through clean water to rinse out detergent. These machines are also known as vertical-axis washers, because the tub spins vertically.

Front load washers work in an entirely different way. They spin horizontally, and are sometimes called horizontal-axis washers. There is no agitator to move the clothes through the water; the tub itself moves, causing the clothes to be repeatedly lifted out of the water and plunged back in.