I like that "best high efficiency top loaders". Elitist tripe, that. It shouldn't need to be the highest priced model in the line to do a good job of the machine's basic function, washing clothes. If it fails at that primary task, it's not a washing machine. It's a piece of junk being sold as a washing machine. Price should be a determiner of features and ease of use, not wash quality.
Just remember, their quote, not mine. They make you pay up(I'm considering restarting my membership, going shopping for a fridge when I get back) to see individual machine ratings. That's the thing - One thing CS is highly aware of is that there's big differences between the best and worst performers, even within a class. So all the statement really is what they say. Not getting the 'best' front loader? Well, maybe that top loader you're considering does better because the 'top of the line' model isn't an option for whatever reason.
I'd also want to get into the paid section in order to see how they quantify cleaning quality - it could be that even the nastiest model is clean enough for you, while the cleanest gets rags straight from the mechanic's oil soaked hands clean enough for surgury.
Also, I'm guessing their testing was predicated on automatic cycles.
Per the website - most agressive normal cycle, rating is on the basis of color change for cotton fabric swatches. No special indicators punched.
Going through, 'washing performance' is excellent for about a third of the front loaders, but maxes out at 'very good' for top loaders, which again about a third are at.
Price wise, with some shopping for price performance, a front loader costs ~$100 more for about 5 points better performance from CR.
Whirlpool Duet: $800, 83% vs LG WT1101CW: $700, 77% (First CR 'Best Buy' in each category). One thing I noticed is that cycle time made a real difference - the longer the wash, the better the results.
After using both my parent's and my brother's front loading machines, and my new top loader, I think I can safely say that automatic-detection and low-water-use cycles are crap if you don't use HE-rated detergent, and improve only slightly to terrible if you do use HE detergent.
You do realize this hits me about like a dude complaining his new car doesn't work well with 40 weight oil as opposed to that new-fangled multiweight stuff? All the front loaders I've seen specify HE detergent about like cars specify oil weight(or maybe gasoline octane). Also, how do you rate HE detergent? How much do you use? What's your complaint? Stuff not getting clean, or are you getting residue?
After some trial and error I have also discovered the "Bulky" setting on my new top loader. It magically adds about 10-15% more water to the basket, almost covering the clothes and allowing them to agitate while fully submerged rather than becoming a wad of partially wetted fabric being smunched and smeared around by the agitator.
That's actually one of the problems listed for high-efficiency top-loaders, which are actually something of a US phenonem - Europe went to front loaders almost exclusively. That said. at least today regular top loaders just suck. Due to the differences between orientation, front loaders don't have that specific problem. They have other problems, of course. Why our manufacturers, which are mostly global and have their stuff made in China anyways, screwed up importing functional designs from Europe, I don't know.
Now if I could get it to agree that "Soak" means fill the basket with water and stop, I would be happy. Rather, it runs a pre-cycle, then drains. Meh. Not much of a soak if you ask me. More of a damp.
Bring it up with a sales agent next time.
Of course, when I get technical like that most sales agents don't have a clue. As is you might just have to figure out how long filling the tub takes and remember to swing by and turn it off.
Only problem I've had with my front loader(inherited with house) is that occasionally the door latch won't lock - unplugging and replugging it into the main board fixes the problem, and some electrical cleaning spray fixes the problem for a good long time.
