The loads keep on spinning in the Consumer Reports washing-machine lab

The folks who test and rate washing machines for Consumer Reports have been doing a ton of laundry. Make that almost two tons over the past five months, as they measure the cleaning performance, water and energy efficiency, and other criteria of the machines in our continuously updated ratings of front-loaders and top-loaders (available to subscribers).

Among the washing machines we've recently covered for our Inside Consumer Tests Labs posts are the:

• Maytag MVWC6ES, which determines how much water is needed for a load;

• Estate ETW4400W, Whirlpool Cabrio WTW6500W, and Whirlpool Duet Sport WFW8400T, all of which proved tough on laundry;

• LG WM2010C[W], a real mover and shaker;

• Frigidaire FTW3014K[W], which automatically advances a load from the soak or prewash cycle to the wash and extra rinse cycles;

• LG SteamWasher WM2801H[W]A, which can hold a whopping 21 pounds of laundry; and

• Whirlpool Duet Steam WFW9750W[W] and Duet Sport WFW9150W[W] and Maytag Performance Series MHWE950W[W], which are designed to prevent laundry from developing an odor in case you've left it sitting in the washer.

As the testing continues for our February 2010 report on washing machines, we'd like you to tell us what you love and hate about your washer, speak about the features that matter most to you or seem superfluous, inform us of which cycles and detergent you use, and describe your dream machine. Leave your detailed comments below.—Kimberly Janeway | e-mail | Twitter | Forums | Facebook

Essential information: Check out our free buyer's guides to washing machines and dryers and find the best laundry detergent. If you're in the market for new laundry appliances, learn about the $300 million State Energy Efficient Appliance Rebate Program, aka cash for clunkers for appliances.

Getting out that damned spot with new iPhone app from Tide

Now there's an iPhone/iPod Touch app for just about every stain.

The new Tide Stain Brain app from Proctor & Gamble, one of the latest home-related iPhone/iPodTouch applications, allows you to find and share stain-fighting solutions for all kinds of messes. If you don't have an iPhone or iPod Touch, you can access the information on the Tide Web site.

No surprise, but the free app takes every opportunity to push Tide laundry products. For example, the first action recommended for common stains like chocolate, dirt, and grass is to "Try Tide Stain Release. Just add it to your wash along with your regular detergent." But other advice is more generic, plus the app and Web interfaces allow you to vote on the stain-fighting solution. For instance, as of late last week, 54 users gave Tide's blood-removal treatment a thumbs down, compared with 35 who approved. You can also submit your own remedies.

No matter the source of the mess, use these general stain-fighting tips:

Act fast. Quick treatment is often the key to stain removal.

Blot, don't scrub. Scrubbing can damage fabrics. Instead, blot with a paper towel or clean cloth. Gently scrape semisolid fabrics with the edge of rounded spoon.

Do a colorfastness test. When using a recommended cleaning agent, always pretest it in an inconspicuous area, such as the back of a tie or an inside seam.

Be patient. It could takes several passes to remove a stain. Always start with the mildest option before moving on to more-aggressive cleaning agents.—Daniel DiClerico | e-mail | Twitter | Forums | Facebook

Essential information: Read our specific tips for tackling common holiday stains, including wine, lipstick, and candle wax. And to see how Tide laundry products perform, read our latest report on laundry detergents (ratings available to subscribers).

Inside Consumer Reports Test Labs: Latest washing-machine reviews

Tests of the Frigidaire Affinity FAFW3511K[W] and LG SteamWasher WM2801H[W]A front-loaders and GE Profile WPRE8150K[WT] and Speed Queen AWN542 top-loaders

Four washers, four price tags, and a mountain of laundry. Our experts washed 265 pounds of laundry to find out just how well the Frigidaire Affinity FAFW3511K[W], LG SteamWasher WM2801H[W]A, GE Profile WPRE8150K[WT] HE, Speed Queen AWN542 perform. Once again, they found that spending more doesn't guarantee you'll get a better washer. Here are the details:

At $700, the Frigidaire Affinity FAFW3511K[W] is one of the lower-priced front-loaders in our continuously updated ratings of front-loading and top-loading washing machines (available to subscribers). But unlike most front-loaders we test, which are very good or excellent at washing, this Frigidaire was mediocre. It does have a short cycle time, 50 minutes compared with 65 to 105 minutes for other front-loaders.

This washer scored a very good overall, as it aced our energy- and water-efficiency tests, excelled in extracting water, and notched a very good score for gentleness. The stainless-steel tub holds 17 pounds of laundry, earning it an excellent in capacity. While the FAFW3511K[W] earned a very good in our vibration tests, you might not want this machine adjacent to main living areas, as it's relatively noisy.

LG touts that its $1,200 LG SteamWasher WM2801H[W]A front-loader (shown) offers "ultra capacity." Indeed, the stainless-steel tub on this front-loader holds 21 pounds, giving it an excellent score for capacity. Overall, it's a very good washer, performing very good in our washing and vibration tests and excelling in our extraction and energy- and water-efficiency tests. Cycle time is 100 minutes, and while that longer cycle time could lead to frayed fabrics, this LG scored very good in gentleness. It is a relatively noisy appliance, however. Features include a steam function designed to refresh garments and reduce wrinkles.

You won't find an agitator in the $650 GE Profile WPRE8150K[WT] high-efficiency top-loader, which allows this washer to hold 16 pounds of laundry, more than most conventional top-loaders. The WPRE8150K[WT] was very good overall and provides very good washing. Typical of HE washers, it uses less water over its 50-minute cycle because it fills only partly. It aced our water-efficiency tests but was mediocre in our tests for gentleness, noise, energy efficiency, and extraction. Features include a stainless-steel tub, a sensor that determines how much water is needed, and second-rinse and extended-spin cycles.

Conventional top-loaders, in which a tall center post like an agitator swirls the laundry, are the least expensive type of washing machine but tend to perform less impressively as a group. The Speed Queen AWN542 costs $800, more than twice the price of some conventional top-loaders, and was just good overall, ranking near the bottom of our ratings. The AWN542 was mediocre in washing, energy and water efficiency, extraction, and noise, though it did excel in our vibration test. Its stainless-steel tub holds 12 pounds of laundry, earning it only a fair in capacity.—Kimberly Janeway | e-mail | Twitter | Forums | Facebook

Essential reading: Check out or free buyer’s guides to washers and dryers and find the best laundry detergent to use. If you're in the market for new, more-efficient appliances, read our FAQ on the $300 million State Energy Efficient Appliance Rebate Program, aka cash for clunkers for appliances.

What’s new in Consumer Reports: Home content from the November 2009 issue

Carbon-monoxide and smoke alarms: Daylight-saving time, which ends on November 1 this year, is the traditional date to check and change batteries on carbon-monoxide and fire alarms. If you haven’t replaced your carbon-monoxide alarm in five years or your smoke alarm in a decade, it’s time for a change. We also found that no one device, like a combination smoke-and-carbon-monoxide alarms, we found that can offer complete protection.

Cordless drills and tool kits: Prices are down and performance is up among these household mainstays, always a popular holiday gift. We found an excellent drill for $100 and a capable cordless drill set for $160. Watch this video to see how our tests show performance under real-world stresses.

Best products for the home: Whether you want to give a memorable gift or need to replace an appliances, it’s hard to go wrong by picking one of the many home or garden products that made it into the 398 Top Products special in the November 2009 issue of Consumer Reports. The story covers top-performing dishwashers, vacuums, coffeemakers, slow cookers, sewing machines, and more. (See the video above for more tips on smart appliance-buying.

Home(wreckers) for the holidays: Our experts offer advice and videos instructions for dealing with household spills and other miscues like furniture stains and dripping wax. Videos on removing cranberry, gravy and wine and soda stains and low-cost alternatives to expensive cleaners are also available.

Claim Check—Tide Total Care: We followed up our July 2009 report on laundry detergents by putting Project Runway star Tim Gunn’s TV-ad claims about Tide Total Care’s ability to retain colors to the test.—Gian Trotta | e-mail | Twitter | Forums | Facebook

Essential information: Discuss products you feel are worthy of recognition or reprobation in our revamped appliances and home-and-garden forums.

Inside Consumer Reports Test Labs: Frigidaire FTW3014K[W] top-loader doesn't top our charts

Conventional top-loading washing machines are less expensive than high-efficiency top-loaders and front-loaders, but they typically use more water and tend to be relatively noisy. These same drawbacks beset the Frigidaire FTW3014K[W] top-loading washing machine, $550, which we recently tested for our continuously updated ratings of top-loaders and front-loaders (available to subscribers).

The FTW3014K[W] was only good overall, delivering mediocre cleaning, water extraction, and energy and water efficiency. This machine, which has a center-post agitator, scored a good in gentleness tests and, despite the addition of what the manufacturer calls "Sound Silencer Plus" technology, was noisy. While claimed capacity is 3 cubic feet, the plastic wash basket on the FTW3014K[W] held only a 12-pound load, on the low end for top-loaders. Cycle time was 50 minutes.

The FTW3014K[W] did excel in our vibration tests and offers PowerPlus Clean, a convenient feature that automatically advances a load from the soak or prewash cycle to the wash and extra rinse cycles. This option means you can start a load and not have to manually advance the machine from soak or prewash, which you might use when you're tackling heavily stained loads.

Conventional top-loaders perform the least impressively of all washer types, but as the ratings show, you can find a model that delivers very good or excellent washing performance for the same price as the Frigidaire. Or spend $100 more for the Frigidaire Gallery GLTF2940F(S), an impressive CR Best Buy front-loader.—Kimberly Janeway | e-mail | Twitter | Forums | Facebook

Essential information: Check out our free buyer's guides to washers and dryers and review of the best laundry detergents. And read our recent looks at the LG WM2010C[W] and the Estate ETW4400W, Whirlpool Cabrio WTW6500W, and Whirlpool Duet Sport WFW8400T washing machines.

San Francisco Giants seek the best record—environmentally, if not in the standings

The San Francisco Giants aren't cleaning up in this year's division race. The Giants are 7.5 games behind the NL West-leading Los Angeles Dodgers, and even after last night's fine pitching performance by their young ace Tim Lincecum, remain 3.5 games back of the wild-card-leading Colorado Rockies and have only a 14.2 percent chance of making the playoffs, according to CoolStandings.com.

While its attention is clearly on the Major League Baseball playoffs, the club has also focused on greener cleaning for its uniforms, having abandoned laundry detergents with phosphates, chemicals that can boost cleaning performance but also promote harmful algae growth in waterways. The team's official supplier of laundry detergent is Vaska Products, a Berkeley, California, manufacturer that claims all its cleaning products are free of phosphates. (The Giants use a commercial product.) Read our latest report on laundry detergents, in which we note that manufacturers can make green claims without any checks or federal standards. The full story and ratings are available to subscribers.

"We want the very best for our players and for the environment, and when Vaska demonstrated that their approach effectively cleans tough game stains, left the uniforms softer and smelling better than ever, and is gray-water safe, we did not hesitate to use their products in our clubhouse," Mike Murphy, the Giants clubhouse manager, told Treehugger.com.

Switching to a phosphate-free detergent is part of a broader green initiative by the Giants at their AT&T Park (shown). The team has incorporated solar technology throughout the stadium, replaced hundreds of incandescent bulbs with energy-efficient compact fluorescent lightbulbs, and installed a new irrigation system designed to reduce water use for the field by up to 50 percent.

Phosphates were banned from use in consumer powdered laundry detergents by the mid-1990s, and liquid laundry detergents have never contained them. But it's a different story for dishwasher detergents, many of which still contain phosphates. Some states have banned dishwasher detergents with phosphates.

For our latest report on dishwasher detergents (ratings available to subscribers), we tested several phosphate-free products. Several performed worse than cleaners with phosphates, but phosphate-free Method Smarty Dish did score very good overall.—Daniel DiClerico | e-mail | Twitter | Forums | Facebook

Essential information: Read the October 2009 issue of Consumer Reports and our new Energy Saving & Green Living guide for more advice on lowering your utility bills, including an in-depth look at solar water heaters and wood-pellet stoves.

Inside Consumer Reports Test Labs: The LG WM2010C[W] front-loading washer is a real mover and shaker

Because front-loading washing machines spin so rapidly—up to 1,200 revolutions per minute—and their drums rotate on a horizontal axis, the vibration and noise these machines produce can be a nuisance for users, especially when a front-loader is used near main living areas or on a second floor in a home.

Our testers have seen plenty of front-loaders that produce a lot of vibration and noise, though no front-loader has ever actually moved from its spot during our vibration testing. Until now. In a recent vibration test on a wood floor, the $550 LG WM2010C[W] front-loader turned on an angle and moved forward about three inches when it had an 8-pound evenly distributed load. And when we repeated the test with a 1-pound unbalanced load, the LG again slid forward several inches.

LG offers a solution with the “SpinSense” function, which the manufacturer says “can be used to help reduce or eliminate vibrations, especially on wood floor installations.” When our testers turned on the SpinSense mode, the WM2010C[W] didn’t vibrate and stayed put. The trade-off is that the machine extracted about 20 percent less water from the load. In practical terms, that means more time and energy are required to dry a load.

On the performance front, this LG front-loader delivered only good cleaning, unusual for front-loading machines, which typically get a very good or excellent score in our tests. The WM2010C[W] does offers excellent capacity, with a claimed capacity of 3.5-cubic-foot in its stainless-steel wash basket. It was gentle on laundry and excelled in energy- and water efficiency, though, again, if you use the SpinSense function you’ll use more energy drying. Cycle time is 90 minutes, and the model is stackable and includes a child lock.

While this LG is inexpensive for a front-loader—many cost $1,000 and up—other models, including the Frigidaire Gallery GLTF2940F, $650, deliver better washing performance without the vibration concerns. See our continuously updated ratings (available to subscribers) for more details on this and dozens of other washers.—Kimberly Janeway | e-mail | Twitter | Forums | Facebook

Essential information: Check out our free buyer’s guides to washing machines and dryers, our latest report on laundry detergents, and our advice for placing laundry rooms near living spaces.

By the Numbers: Washing machine capacities grow, but efficiency rises

9 percent

Amount the capacity of the average washing machine sold today has grown since 2000, according to the Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers. Despite that larger capacity, today’s average washer consumes 64 percent less energy than those sold nine years ago. Consider the Energy Star-qualified GE WBVH5300K[WW], covered recently in this Inside Consumer Reports Test Labs post. This $700 front-loader aced our energy- and water-efficiency tests and cleaned capably and quickly (cycle time was a brisk 69 minutes). e-mail | Twitter | Forums | Facebook

Essential information: Use our free buyer's guide to washing machines and buyer's guide to dryers for expert advice on buying these laundry appliances. Get your clothes cleaner with the best performers from our latest report on laundry detergents. And read these tips for setting up a laundry room near living space.

Inside Consumer Reports Test Labs: New washer reviews—Estate ETW4400W, Whirlpool Cabrio WTW6500W, Whirlpool Duet Sport WFW8400T

Our latest ongoing tests of washing machines included three very different washers yet they had two things in common: All are made by Whirlpool and, more notable, they were tough on our test loads. See our newly updated ratings (available to subscribers) for more details on these and dozens of other top- and front-loading models and use our free buyer's guide to washing machines for more expert advice.

Check out our July 24 post on three other recently tested washers. And look for more Inside Consumer Reports Tests Labs posts on washers, dishwashers, and vacuums in the coming weeks as we continue to test models on a rolling basis, providing you with information on the latest innovations and the newest models to hit showrooms.

The Estate ETW4400W[Q] top-loader, $330 (right in the photo), merited the lowest gentleness score of these machines—a poor—causing fabrics to fray. The Estate's overall washing performance was very good—impressive considering that most conventional top-loaders we see tend to be mediocre at washing. Cycle time was 48 minutes, comparable to other top-loaders with agitators. And while this machine offers very good capacity—it has a claimed capacity of 3.2 cubic feet in its porcelain wash basket—it was only good in our energy- and water-efficiency tests.

We also tested the Whirlpool Cabrio WTW6500W[W], $750 (left in the photo), a high-efficiency top-loader with Energy Star qualification. It lacks a center-post agitator and its cycle time of 62 minutes isn't unusually long but still managed to cause some wear and tear on the loads we cleaned, scoring only a fair in gentleness. This Whirlpool aced the water-efficiency tests but was just good in the energy-efficiency tests. It has a claimed 5.0-cubic-foot stainless-steel wash basket and provides 14 different automatic cycles.

Front-loaders typically offer superior cleaning performance and efficiency at a price of $750 and up. The Energy Star-qualified Whirlpool Duet Sport WFW8400T[W] delivers top washing performance and water efficiency; at $750, it costs somewhat  less than many other front-loaders. Its claimed 3.7-cubic-foot stainless-steel wash basket holds an impressive 18 pounds of laundry, and its 102-minute cycle time is longer than most, which probably accounted for its fair gentleness score.—Kimberly Janeway | e-mail | Twitter | Forums | Facebook

Essential information: If you're replacing your dryer along with your washer, check out our free buyer's guide to dryers. And get your clothes cleaner by using the best performers from our latest report on laundry detergents.

Inside Consumer Reports Test Labs: $700 GE WBVH5300K front-loader heads up the latest models added to ratings

You can easily pay $1,000-plus for the added performance and efficiency of a front-loading washing machine. At just $700, GE's new Energy Star-qualified WBVH5300K (shown below), costs no more than many top-loading washers (we tested the white WBVH5300K[WW] model). And in our latest, ongoing tests show, it washed capably and quickly.

Cycle time was a relatively brisk 69 minutes instead of the 100 minutes or longer we're seeing for many machines as manufacturers try to wring out more energy savings and meet tougher federal energy-use standards and Energy Star qualifications. (Load times typically stretch out as efficiency requirements toughen.)

Besides saving you time, shorter cycles tend to be easier on clothes. The GE was impressive in our gentleness tests and aced our energy- and water-efficiency tests. A plus for big loads: Its excellent score for capacity bears out the manufacturer's king-size claims for its stainless-steel tub.

Our newly updated ratings (available to subscribers) also include a pricey new front-loader with a steam-cleaning feature and a low-priced top-loader that's not a standout when it comes to efficiency. Also check out our latest report on washers and watch the video buying guide (above).

The $1,200 front-loading Whirlpool Duet Steam WFM9550W performed well overall (we tested the white WFM9550W[W] model). Its cycle time is about 98 minutes per 8-pound load, longer than the BVH5300K's 69 minutes.

The steam feature adds to the price of this washer. While past tests have revealed that steam settings helped do a better job removing stains, we've also found that the best washers did well without it.

This Whirlpool also has a TumbleFresh option that, claims the manufacturer, will keep clothes fresh with intermittent tumbling after the cycle completes, helping reduce odor-causing bacteria while preventing wrinkles. We did not test that feature. In our ratings you'll find models that clean better, use less energy, and cost less.

Unlike most conventional top-loaders, the $550 Maytag MVWC6ES determines how much water is needed to do a load (we tested the white MVWC6ES[W] model). While this Maytag proved very good overall with excellent washing performance, it earned a poor energy-efficiency score despite its Energy Star qualification. We also found this Maytag tough on clothes.—Kimberly Janeway | e-mail | Twitter | Forums | Facebook

Essential information: Our free buyer's guide to washing machines offers lots of helpful tips. If you're replacing your dryer too, check out our buyer's guide to dryers. And get your clothes cleaner by using the best performers from our latest report on laundry detergents.