Best Washers for $800 or Less - Consumer Reports

These workhorses from CR's tests handle loads of laundry at a low price

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You don’t have to pay $1,000 or more to get a washing machine that cleans well. And though Consumer Reports tests plenty of washers that cost far more, most of us would rather spend less.

“Seventy-five percent of washers sold in the last four quarters ending March 2024 sold for $800 or less,” says Eric Voyer, chief revenue officer at TraQline, a company that tracks trends, market share, and consumer behavior for the retail industry.

While there are fewer washers in this price range than there were a few years ago, you can still find all types at a good price. The cost of front-load washers often tips the scale higher (prices for front-loaders have risen about $100 in the last five years), but 51 percent of these washing machines still cost less than $800, according to TraQline data. Front-load washers have a median cost of around $1,000, while the median cost for top-loaders is $704.

We combed through our washing machine ratings to look for the highest-rated washers that currently sell for $800 or less. We found reasonably priced washers that clean well and are water- and energy-efficient among all the types, even top-load agitators, a more basic type.

CR members can read on for ratings and reviews of nine full-sized top-load agitator models, HE top-loaders, and front-loaders for $800 or less that perform well in our tests. Note that prices fluctuate, and we update this article regularly to help you find good washer deals.

Don’t see what you’re looking for here? CR members can consult our full ratings of more than 110 washing machines. You can also read our washing machine buying guide to learn more about each type and what you should consider when shopping for one.

Top-load agitator washers are usually the least expensive option, starting at around $450. Their cycle times are typically shorter than those of other types of washing machines, but they also tend to be rough on clothes.

High-efficiency top-loaders often earn a very good or excellent rating for cleaning performance in our tests, but their cycle times tend to be on the longer side, often 70 to 110 minutes.

Front-loader washers typically earn an excellent or very good score for cleaning performance in our tests, and they can generally be stacked to save space. Their wash times are often long, however, and they may be more difficult to load.

To test how good a washing machine is at cleaning clothes, CR’s testers use fabric swatches stained with red wine, cocoa, carbon (which is similar to soot), and other hard-to-remove things. They analyze each swatch with a spectrocolorimeter before and after washing. The lighter the stain after laundering, the higher the machine scores in washing performance.

We also evaluate how gentle a washer is on fabrics, and record the amount of water and energy each machine uses. Our testers measure how much vibration the washer transmits to a wood floor, and our panelists judge the washer’s noise levels during the fill, agitate/tumble, drain, and spin cycles.

In addition to the lab test results, we incorporate each washer brand’s reliability and owner satisfaction scores from CR’s member survey into the Overall Score.