Best Black Friday Deals on Washing Machines (Plus Their Matching Dryers)
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It’s never a good time for your washer or dryer to break down beyond repair. But if you had to pick a time, this is a decent one: 2019’s Black Friday deals are here.
“November has been the best time to buy a washer or dryer in the past several years, and this year is no different—the whole month is a Black Friday special,” says Mark Allwood, a senior market analyst covering laundry appliances at CR.
Take Home Depot, for example. The retailer started offering Black Friday appliance deals in early November, and the prices will run through Black Friday (Nov. 29), says Stephanie Meyering, a senior manager in public relations at Home Depot.
No matter where you shop, don’t forget that the price may not represent the entire expense. Note whether there are fees for delivery, haul-away, and basic hook-up.
Below, the best deals we've seen so far on washing machines. The washers are listed in alphabetical order, not in order of CR rank, grouped by category: front-loaders, HE top-loaders, and agitator top-loaders. The wash times stated here are based on the normal wash/heavy-soil setting (the normal-soil setting will require less time).
CR members can click each model name to see complete test results. Keep in mind that prices can fluctuate, and we'll continue updating this list through the month of November as new sales are advertised.
Best Black Friday Deals on Front-Loaders
The best front-loaders we tested outclean agitator top-loaders and most HE top-loaders while using less water and extracting more of it, which cuts dryer time.
Electrolux Front-Loader
The deal: $748 at AJ Madison, Home Depot, Lowe’s, and Sears
CR’s test results: Electrolux EFLW427UIW
This washer sold for $1,000 lately, so at $748, it’s a great deal. Cleaning is impressive, and Electrolux front-loaders earn a Very Good rating in predicted reliability, according to CR’s member survey. Wash time is 90 minutes, and claimed capacity is 4.3 cubic feet.
Matching dryer: Electrolux EFME427UIW (electric) and Electrolux EFMG427UIW (gas). Electrolux gas dryers earn a subpar rating in reliability and CR cannot recommend them at this time.
Kenmore Front-Loader
The deal: $550 at Sears
CR’s test results: Kenmore 41262
Front-loaders are usually the most expensive washer type, and you won’t find many impressive models for less than $700—so this deal stands out. This Kenmore is gentle on fabrics, earning an Excellent rating in this test, and delivers impressive cleaning. Kenmore front-loaders garner a Very Good rating for predicted reliability, according to our member survey. Wash time is 90 minutes, and claimed capacity is 4.5 cubic feet.
Matching dryer: Kenmore 81182 (electric) and Kenmore 91182 (gas)
LG front-loader
The deal: $599 at Best Buy, Home Depot, Lowe’s, and Sears
CR’s test results: LG WM3500CW
High-scoring front-loaders usually cost around $900 or more, so this LG at regular price is already a good deal; a $100 discount on top of that makes it a great deal. It snags an Excellent rating in washing performance. So what's the catch? Wash time is 105 minutes. Claimed capacity is 4.5 cubic feet.
Matching dryer: LG DLE3500W (electric) and LG DLG3501W (gas)
LG Front-Loader
The deal: $698 at AJ Madison, Best Buy, Home Depot, Lowe’s, and Sears
CR’s test results: LG WM3700HWA
This washer performs similarly to the LG above in every test and has the same capacity of 4.5 cubic feet. But this washer is faster, clocking in at 95 minutes in our tests. LG is the most reliable brand of front-loader, according to our member survey, earning an Excellent rating for predicted reliability.
Matching dryer: LG DLEX3700W (electric) and LG DLGX3701W (gas)
LG Front-Loader
The deal: $1,198 at AJ Madison, Best Buy, Home Depot, Lowe’s, and Sears
CR’s test results: LG WM9000HVA
The price for this washer has climbed as high as $1,620. One reason that it’s pricey is its claimed capacity of 5.2 cubic feet—among the largest in our ratings. That means you'll be able to wash a king-size comforter (ditto any washer over 4.5 cubic feet). And it's one of the few front-loaders to rate Excellent in our vibration tests. Cycle time is 105 minutes—the TurboWash option trims time.
Matching dryer: LG DLEX9000V (electric) and LG DLGX9001V (gas)
Maytag Front-Loader
The deal: $698 at AJ Madison, Best Buy, Home Depot, and Lowe’s
CR’s test results: Maytag MHW6630HW
We’ve seen this washer sell for $900 recently. It aces our washing performance tests, and vibration (a problem for some front-loaders) isn’t an issue. Maytag front-loaders garner a Very Good rating for predicted reliability. Cycle time is 95 minutes, and claimed capacity is 4.8 cubic feet.
Matching dryer: Maytag MED6630HW (electric) and Maytag MGD6630HW
Maytag Front-Loader
The deal: $648 at Best Buy, Home Depot, and Lowe’s
CR’s test results: Maytag MHW5630HW
This is a CR Best Buy when it’s at its usual price of $810. At $648, it’s a great deal. It performs similarly to the Maytag above in most tests, also earning a Very Good rating in our noise tests. You’ll hear it working, but it shouldn’t disturb you with annoying, sustained noise.
Matching dryer: Maytag MED5630HW (electric) and Maytag MGD5630HW (gas)
Best Black Friday Deals on HE Top-Loaders
Lift the lid on an HE top-loader and you’ll see there isn’t a center post agitator. As a group, HE top-loaders deliver better cleaning while using less water than less-expensive agitator top-loaders. HE washers aren’t usually gentle on fabrics, but many are gentler than the churning of the agitator washer.
Kenmore HE Top-Loader
The deal: $800 at Sears
CR’s test results: Kenmore Elite 31552
The price for this Kenmore Elite peaked at around $976 in the past year. This washer is among the most water-efficient in its category, snagging an Excellent rating in this test. It gets the job done in 75 minutes. The Accela Wash option trims time, and our tests found that it cleans just as well. Claimed capacity is a generous 5.2 cubic feet.
Matching dryer: Kenmore Elite 61552 (electric) and Kenmore Elite 71552 (gas)
LG HE Top-Loader
The deal: $580 at Best Buy, Home Depot, Lowe’s, and Sears
CR’s test results: LG WT7100CW
At its usual price of $720, this washer is a CR Best Buy, combining impressive performance and an appealing price. At $580, it’s even more appealing. This HE top-loader is one of the few tested to earn an Excellent rating in washing performance. Wash time is 75 minutes, and claimed capacity is 4.5 cubic feet.
Matching dryer: LG DLE7100W (electric) and LG DLG7101W (gas)
Best Black Friday Deals on Agitator Top-Loaders
Agitator top-loaders, as a group, aren’t the best washers we’ve tested, but they remain the most popular. They’re usually noisy and rough on fabrics.
GE Agitator Top-Loader
The deal: $449 at Sears
CR’s test results: GE GTW465ASNWW
Most washers under $500 in our ratings aren’t worth calling out. This GE, however, is usually around $650, and it earns a Good rating in washing performance, as many in this category do. But where it really stands out is speed. It takes just 35 minutes to do a load—half the time of some. Claimed capacity is 4.5 cubic feet.
Matching dryer: GE GTD45EASJWS (electric) and GE GTD45GASJWS (gas). Note that GE’s gas dryers cannot be recommended at this time because of a subpar predicted reliability rating.
Kenmore Agitator Top-Loader
The deal: $530 at Sears
CR’s test results: Kenmore 22352
With $80 knocked off its recent price, this washer gains some appeal. It uses less water than many in this category, and it cleans about as well as many agitator washers we’ve evaluated. Kenmore agitator washers earn a Good rating in predicted reliability. Wash time is 55 minutes, and claimed capacity is 4.2 cubic feet. We did not test the matching dryer, the Kenmore 60372 (electric) or the Kenmore 70372 (gas).
Maytag Agitator Top-Loader
The deal: $648 at AJ Madison, Best Buy, Home Depot, and Lowe’s
CR’s test results: Maytag MVWB865GW
This Maytag has been selling for $900 lately, so take a look at it now. It earns a Good rating in washing performance, meaning it can handle most loads well but has a tougher time with heavy stains. Unlike most in this category, the Maytag offers impressive water and energy efficiency, extracting much of the water from laundry so that drying time is faster. The 5.2-cubic-foot capacity and the 70-minute wash time are more typical of an HE top-loader.
Matching dryer: Maytag MEDB835DW (electric) and Maytag MGDB835DW (gas)
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