Which Brands Make the Most Reliable Washing Machines?

LG accounted for 60 percent of CR members’ purchases in the first three quarters of 2025, bolstered by its top market share across all four washer categories. It represented 73 percent of front-loaders, 70 percent of top-load HE models, 31 percent of top-load agitators, and 29 percent of compact washers.

Top-load agitators were the most competitive category, with GE and Whirlpool following LG with 16 percent market share, Speed Queen at 15 percent, and Maytag at 14 percent. New brands added to our 2025 ratings include Insignia and Crosley in the top-load agitator category.

We also asked washing machine owners to assess the relative importance of three key traits they would consider when buying another machine: quality, reliability, and affordability. Nearly three-quarters (74 percent) ranked reliability as their top priority, with 23 percent naming it their second-highest priority. Fifteen percent said performance took priority, and only 11 percent put price first—but 49 percent placed price second in importance when buying a new machine.

Fifty-five percent of respondents said buying another model from the brand they currently own would be important. Speed Queen had the strongest brand loyalty, followed by Miele, Bosch, LG, and Maytag. Brand loyalty was least important to owners of Hotpoint, Frigidaire, and Amana.

Among the CR members surveyed, the most commonly reported washer problems were tangled or balled-up clothes (10 percent), odor (8 percent), and mold or mildew (7 percent). Other reported problems included clothes not cleaning thoroughly, water drain failure, and excessive vibration developing over time. Each of these problems was reported in 5 percent of washers.

Tangled clothes, a nuisance typically caused by low water levels and high-speed impeller action, were most prevalent in HE top-loaders (14 percent) and top-load agitators (11 percent). Tangles were a big problem for Hotpoint agitators in particular (17 percent). In addition to being a nuisance, tangled clothes can also affect cleaning efficiency. Top-load HE washers were singled out for not cleaning clothes thoroughly, with an 8 percent problem rate, the highest among all washer types. 

Complaints about odors and mold or mildew continue to dog front-load washers (13 percent each). Front-load washers from Kenmore (21 percent), Maytag (19 percent), Electrolux (18 percent) and Whirlpool (16 percent) were more likely to experience mold or mildew than those from most other brands. Mold issues were reported in only 3 percent of Speed Queen front-loaders. 

Among compact washers, Whirlpool had the highest problem rates compared to other washer brands overall. It was more likely to have issues with poor cleaning, leaking, drainage, vibration, clogging, noise, and controls. However, Whirlpool was the least likely of all the compact brands to tangle laundry. GE compacts had the highest rate of problems with tangled clothes and door issues.

Below, CR members can view highlights from our reliability surveys and find washer brands that score well in both the survey and our lab performance tests. When several brands are mentioned, they are listed in descending order by score. If you’re shopping for a new appliance, check our washing machine hub with its buying guide and complete washing machine ratings, which incude details on the 120-plus models we’ve recently tested.

Mold, mildew, and odor complaints still haven’t slowed the popularity of full-sized front-load washers. Buyers of this washer type account for 45 percent of CR member purchases in the first three quarters of 2025. Large capacities, superior cleaning performance, and excellent water and energy efficiency make front-loaders a compelling choice.