5 Things to Know About High-Efficiency Top-Loaders

HE top-loaders don’t have a center-post agitator like traditional top-load machines but instead use a rotating mechanism called an impeller at the bottom to get clothes clean. They’re generally more expensive than agitators, but you save money long-term because they use less water and help save energy by spinning clothes really dry at the end of a cycle.

“The HE top-loader’s drum spins faster than an agitator machine’s, extracting more water and shortening dryer time,” says CR tester Rich Handel, who oversees our laundry lab.

HE top-loaders also have some advantages over their energy-saving siblings, front-load washers. These top-loaders take 60 to 80 minutes to wash a load, instead of a front-loader’s 75 to 120 minutes. They don’t vibrate, and according to a survey of CR members, just 3 percent of HE top-loader owners say it developed mold or mildew, compared with 17 percent of people who own a front-loader.

Of course, what matters most is how clean your clothes come out. CR’s testers use a spectrocolorimeter to analyze fabric swatches stained with red wine, cocoa, and carbon (which is similar to soot), among other stains, before and after washing. The lighter the stain after laundering, the higher the machine scores in cleaning. This test is meant to challenge the washer so that we can detect real differences among the machines.

Think an HE top-loader might be right for you? Here are the key factors to consider. And CR members can read on, below, for five impressive HE top-loaders from our tests. Consult our washing machine buying guide as you shop. Plus, our washing machine ratings offer details on more than 100 HE top-loaders, agitator top-loaders, and front-loaders, including compacts.

When you make a major purchase, you want to be sure that what you’re buying is worth the price. The same is true for stocks—especially for investors that are taking a long view. 

So, before you buy, do a little homework and ask yourself these questions:

• What do you know about the company or industry?
• Is it an older, established company or a start-up? 
• Is the company profitable, or does it seem to be in trouble?
• Does the company pay dividends or reinvest its profits?
• Does the stock have a high growth rate?
• If the price is low, do you know why? Is it because investors and/or advisors expect poor earnings in the future?
• Is the stock trading at a discount, and if so, why?

Now that you’ve answered these questions, it’s time to get a little more specific. 

Consider total returns

Some investors are tempted to evaluate a stock based on its returns from the start of the year. But that’s not the most accurate method. Put simply, it’s too short a time. Instead, research its performance over different periods, including:

• year to date (YTD)
• 52 weeks
• average annual return
• 5-year average annual return

Compare the stock’s performance to the overall market

If a stock has generated a 10% return, is it a good investment? That depends. Compare its return to the rest of the market with market indexes (Dow Jones Industrial Average, S&P 500). If this stock’s returns are on average less than the returns of the major market indexes, you may want to evaluate the risk of betting on one stock rather than a market-tracker. 

Compare it to the competition

You’ll want to know if the stock is doing as well, better or not as well as others in the same industry. Even if a stock is outperforming the market, it could be underperforming compared to competitors, and that could be a red flag. 

Tip: Make sure you’re comparing the stock to similar competitors. For example, don’t compare a small company to a large one with a much longer history.  

Two simple tools that may help are:

• Stock symbol lookup at marketwatch.com 
• Comparison tool at barchart.com

Enjoy easier investing

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