Our Favorite Washing Machine

LARGE APPLIANCES · Washing Machines

Our Favorite Washing Machine

For endless laundry, the washer we chose is the Samsung 5.5 cu. ft. — the big drum eats a weekend's worth in fewer loads. Here's what we bought, plus a few others we seriously considered.

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What We Chose

Samsung 5.5 cu. ft. Smart Top Load Washer

Samsung 5.5 cu. ft. Smart Top Load Washer

Brand: Samsung

Washing Machines

$849.00

Mom loves: a 5.5 cu ft drum eats a weekend of laundry for eight in fewer loads.

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Also considered:

Kenmore 4.5 cu. ft. Top Load Washer

Kenmore 4.5 cu. ft. Top Load Washer

Brand: Kenmore

Washing Machines

$649.99

Dad loves: a no-frills full-size top-loader that just works, at the best price here.

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Also considered:

GE Profile 4.8 cu. ft. Smart Front Load Washer

GE Profile 4.8 cu. ft. Smart Front Load Washer

Brand: GE Profile

Washing Machines

$799.00

Our oldest says: the front-loader's steam cycle actually gets grass stains out.

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Also considered:

Kenmore 4.5 cu. ft. Front Load Washer with Steam

Kenmore 4.5 cu. ft. Front Load Washer with Steam

Brand: Kenmore

Washing Machines

$802.75

Mom loves: the steam treatment on stubborn stains means a lot less re-washing.

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Also considered:

COSTWAY Portable Twin Tub Washing Machine

COSTWAY Portable Twin Tub Washing Machine

Brand: COSTWAY

Washing Machines

$127.49

Grandma says: the little twin-tub is light and perfect for small loads at her place.

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Also considered:

BLACK+DECKER Small Portable Washer

BLACK+DECKER Small Portable Washer

Brand: BLACK+DECKER

Washing Machines

$386.09

The kids love: the apartment-size washer is small enough they can run it themselves.

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Also considered:

COMFEE' 2.4 cu. ft. Portable Washing Machine

COMFEE' 2.4 cu. ft. Portable Washing Machine

Brand: COMFEE'

Washing Machines

$372.99

Dad loves: 2.4 cu ft of portable capacity that rolls away when we're done.

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Also considered:

Samsung Smart Top Load Washer & Electric Dryer Set

Samsung Smart Top Load Washer & Electric Dryer Set

Brand: Samsung

Washing Machines

$1,588.00

Our oldest says: the matching washer-and-dryer set is the splurge dream upgrade.

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From Our Family

Why We Chose It

Laundry in a family of eight is not a chore, it is a lifestyle. There is the everyday pile, the bedding pile, the mystery-stain pile, and the sports gear that our 8-year-old somehow returns muddier than seemed physically possible. On a bad week the baskets stack up like a small mountain range in the hallway, and a standard-size drum meant running load after load after load just to see the floor again.

What finally turned the tide was the Samsung 5.5 cubic foot top load washer. That oversized drum is the whole point—a weekend of laundry for eight gets done in far fewer, bigger loads, so we spend less of our life walking back and forth to start the next one. It handles the heavy stuff like comforters and towels in one go, but it is still gentle enough that we trust it with the everyday clothes and the little ones’ softer things.

We compared it against a couple of front loaders and some smaller top-load options, and a few were cheaper up front. But the smaller drums would have meant more cycles per week, which is the opposite of what a house this size needs, and the door-height on some front loaders was rough on Mom’s back during the endless loading. The Samsung hit the sweet spot: enough capacity to actually shrink the mountain, controls simple enough that even our oldest can run a load, and a build that has held up to being used basically every single day. Fewer loads, less waiting—that was the win we were after.

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