The Best Front-Load Washer Brand Isn't Samsung, According To Consumer Reports

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Samsung has a mixed reputation when it comes to household appliances. Its refrigerator line has been subject to numerous complaints from owners, and its dishwashers aren't particularly highly rated either. However, Consumer Reports gives a number of Samsung front-load washing machines good scores in its latest rankings, with their washing performance generally being impressive, even if their reliability record is on the patchy side. The highest rated Samsung front-load washing machine just about squeezes into the top ten in the outlet's rankings, but the top nine places in the table are all taken by models from a rival brand.

The brand in question is LG, which receives consistently impressive scores for washing performance from Consumer Reports, as well as strong ratings for owner satisfaction and reliability. That makes the brand's current line of washing machines a safe bet when it comes to picking your new appliance, but there are a few models that are rated particularly highly by the outlet.

Jointly topping the rankings are the LG WM4000HWA, LG Signature WM990HSA, and LG WM3400CW, all of which received the same overall score despite their notably different price points. The WM3400CW is the cheapest of the bunch and is available at Best Buy for a retail price of $749 at the time of writing. Rounding out the top five in CR's rankings are the LG WM8900HBA and LG WM6500HWA.

As well as achieving top scores from Consumer Reports for its front-load washing machines, LG also fares well in a number of other home appliance categories. Although LG missed out on the top spot in the outlet's kitchen appliance reliability rankings, it still earned a second-place finish behind German premium appliance brand Gaggenau. It's also considered to be one of the most reliable air conditioner brands on the market.

Much like Samsung, LG is a Korean brand, although its appliances are made all over the world. Most of its American-market washers and dryers are made in a high-tech manufacturing plant in Tennessee, which can produce one new appliance every 11 seconds. The plant is equipped with more than 300 robots that automate various aspects of the manufacturing process, but it still employs more than 900 workers. LG has said that it intends to expand its Tennessee facility over the coming years, potentially adding a refrigerator manufacturing facility in addition to its current washing machine-making operations.