I confess. I enjoy watching clothes go round in a front loading washer. So I was really bummed when my Kenmore Elite HE3t washer arrived with smoked windows. But given the machine’s stellar performance, I can live with the mysteriously dark windows.  Consumer Reports agrees, and ranks its successor, the HE4t at the top of its ratings. It is expensive (list price $1,500, often on sale), but it super efficient, easy to use, and most impressively, clothes come out of this washer/dryer pair cleaner and remarkably wrinkle-free. (The latter must have more to do with the dryer, but it’s truly remarkable!) Even my painfully non-domestic mother enjoyed doing laundry during her recent visit. That alone was worth the extra $$. 

A word about Kenmore and high-efficiency washers. Kenmore is the private label brand at Sears, manufactured by various appliance makers, such as Whirlpool and GE.  There isn’t always consistency between their products. That said, the top Kenmore products, now marketed as Kenmore Elite, usually rank very highly at Consumer Reports.  Sears is currently promoting a new top-loading high efficiency washer called the Oasis HE, which includes among its features, a clear lid on the washer, a clear door on the dryer, and a light in the dryer that turns on during operation.
Clearly, I’m not the only one who likes to sit on the laundry room floor and, um, meditate. I bought Sears’ first high efficiency top-loader, the Calypso about 5 years ago. And while I’ve had no trouble with it, that new agitator-less technology was plagued with problems and a class action lawsuit.  I can’t recommend racing out to get the new Oasis HE, despite the viewing features and the more affordable price. If price is a sticking point, check out the Kenmore HE2. Consumer Reports rates it a best buy. And whichever you buy, be sure you buy a Buyer’s Advantage membership first. It’s the best extended warantee program available.

High efficiency washers save money and the environment in many ways. In addition to using less water, detergent and energy, they generally spin faster, extracting more water from your clothes, making your dryer more efficient. And they’re gentler on your clothes, so those last longer. Some utility companies offer rebates for these machines; even if yours doesn’t, for the sake of your clothes and the planet, if not the meditative value, it’s worth getting one.