Best Washers for $800 or Less
These workhorses from CR's tests handle loads of laundry at a relatively low price
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It’s spring cleaning season, but if you’re springing for a new washer, pick one that won’t clean out your wallet. Washing machines can cost well over $2,000, but you don’t need to pour that much money down the drain to find one that runs efficiently and gets your clothes clean. Knowing when and what to buy can save you money and time.
Last spring, the cost of laundry appliances rose nearly 2 percent, meaning a $1,000 washer cost roughly $20 more for the same model, says Allie Chilicki, CR’s analyst for washers and dryers. That trend is on track in 2026 too, according to OpenBrand’s latest consumer price index. The market intelligence firm expects laundry prices to increase the most from April to May, with a forecasted price increase of 1.8 percent and 2.4 percent, respectively. The firm also predicts laundry prices will stabilize through the summer, before a 1.4 percent decrease during the November Black Friday promotional period.
- Best for Under $800: Front-Load Washers Top-Load Agitator Washers HE Top-Load Washers
- How CR Tests Washing Machines
Best Front-Loaders for $800 or Less
Front-load washers typically earn an excellent or very good score for cleaning performance in our tests, and many can be stacked with a dryer to save space. But their wash times are often long, and they require stooping down to load. In addition, front-loader prices have been creeping up in recent years. Only seven of the 35 front-loaders in our ratings are currently priced at $800 or less.
Best Top-Load Agitator Washers for $800 or Less
Top-load agitator washers are typically the most budget-friendly option, starting at around $380. Eighty-one percent (34 models) in our ratings are priced at less than $800. Their cycle times are typically shorter than those of other washing machines, but they also use more water and tend to be rough on clothes. More than half of the agitator models in our ratings offer middling-to-mediocre washing performance, according to our tests, and brand reliability is often just adequate.
Best HE Top-Loaders for $800 or Less
Many high-efficiency top-loaders earn a very good or excellent rating for cleaning performance in our tests, but their cycle times tend to be on the longer side, typically ranging from 70 to 105 minutes. In our ratings, 75 percent of these washers retail for less than $800 (21 models).
How CR Tests Washing Machines
To test how well a washing machine cleans clothes, CR’s testers use fabric swatches stained with red wine, cocoa, carbon (similar to soot), and other difficult-to-remove substances. They analyze each swatch with a spectrocolorimeter before and after washing. The lighter the stain after laundering, the higher the machine’s washing performance score.
We also evaluate how gentle a washer is on fabric, and record the amount of water and energy each machine uses. Our testers measure the amount of vibration the washer transmits to a wood floor, and our panelists evaluate the washer’s noise levels during the fill, agitate/tumble, drain, and spin cycles.
In addition to our lab test results, we incorporate each washer brand’s reliability and owner satisfaction scores from CR’s member survey into the Overall Score.
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