Gets a lot clean all at once!

I purchased my LG WM2455 Front Load Washer (in white) just over a week ago. When deciding which washer to buy, I did a lot of research and ended up choosing this one based on generally good reviews and the fact that it has a built-in water heater.

What's the purpose of a built-in water heater, you ask? Well, the idea is that front load washers take longer to wash than top loaders and over the time that it takes to do a full load, the water that came in hot from your pipe will cool down. Unless, of course, you have a built-in water heater. This keeps the temperature of the water in your washer more constant, allowing detergent to work better and clothes to come out cleaner.

So far, that seems to hold true. We're just moving into a new home, which involves lots of cleaning, painting, yard work, etc., so our clothes are dirty at the end of the day. The LG delivers every time.

I find it very easy to use. The controls are quite intuitive. Just dial to the type of wash you want to do (sanitary, bulky, cotton/normal, permanent press, baby, delicate, hand wash, speed wash, drain & spin) and then make adjustments to the spin speed, water level, water temperature and soil level if you want. The washer is so smart - it won't let you ruin your clothes. So, for example, it only lets you raise the temperature to a certain point on the delicates wash to avoid shrinkage.

And a great side benefit (which I didn't really take into account when I purchased the washer) is the ultra-large capacity! Just the other day I did a single load of laundry that contained 4 pairs of pants (2 of them jeans), 6 shirts, 3 full-size bath towels and a futon slip cover. The washer had no problem keeping up and everything came out clean. It was also nice to see the futon cover *not* a tangled up mess, like it used to be when using a top loader.

But not only does the washer do large loads, it does small loads just as well. The washer actually senses how much laundry is in the drum and adjusts the water level and the length of the cycle automatically. So you don't have to feel bad about washing just a couple of things (you're not "wasting" water or energy).

One thing I was concerned about with buying a front loader was the issue of vibration. Other reviews note that vibration can be a problem when the washer is installed on a floor other than a cement slab (i.e. in the basement). Our laundry room is on the 1st floor and has ceramic tile for flooring, so I was a little nervous. But even with the large loads (as described above), vibration has not been a problem. Other than the water squirting in at the start of a cycle, I can hardly hear the machine run.

Be advised that cycles do take longer with a front loader than with a top loader. For example, the large load that included the futon took 57 minutes. Last night, a smaller load with just t-shirts, shorts and socks still took 45 minutes. However, my clothes come out drier than they did in a top loader thanks to the great spinning action, so that cuts down on the drying time. Plus, saving water and energy is worth it to me to take a little longer to get a load done.

A few last pieces of advice for making your front loader experience a good one:
*Read the instruction manual-especially the part about how much detergent to use and what kind.
*Wipe out the seal around the opening and the door after every wash to prevent mildew build-up.
*Enjoy saving money on water and energy bills!

**UPDATE - The first water/sewer (we get a combined bill) and electric bills after having this washer going for a full month are in. Note that we also purchased the matching dryer, which is likely more efficient than our old dryer. But between the 2, we saved about $25 on electric and about $30 on water/sewer. With those savings, this thing will pay for itself quickly!!**