Samsung hits industry high in washer capacity

Top-loading washers too deep for easy emptying have been a recent topic of user-reviews for a number of our more petite readers, some of whom use tongs to retrieve socks and other small items from the bottom of the tub. But Samsung announced last week a washer that should solve the problem—while hitting a new high for capacity in the process.

Manufacturers have been boosting the tub sizes of some washers, which has resulted in ever-deeper tubs. But for the $1,399 Samsung WA9000, the company made the tub notably shallower—yet wider. While doing so may seem like a wash, with the two conflicting modifications canceling each another out. Yet the resulting tub is 5.6-cubic-feet, which is .4-cubic-feet larger than LG's largest top-loading washer, the LG WT5680HV, $1,099, which has attractions of its own. Samsung claims its top loader can handle two king-size comforters at once.

Available in white or stainless platinum, the washer includes a steam-cleaning option, along with sanitize and allergen cycles. The washer and its matching dryer, the DV9000, $1,399, should be available by the spring.

With a 9.5-cubic-foot capacity, the DV9000 dryer also outdoes LG's largest new dryer, the 9.0-cubic-foot LG DLEX8500V, $1,499, for tub space. It has an Eco Mode that is claimed to offer 25-percent energy savings, steam cycles, a "VentSensor" feature that can text you if the vent is blocked, and a "SmartCare" feature for diagnosing error codes using your smart phone.

Among front-load washers, Samsung also offers a 5.6-cubic-foot model, the $1,599 WF9100, with a matching, same-priced 9.5-cubic-foot dryer. LG and Samsung are the most reliable of front-loader washer brands in our reader surveys.

We hope to get these washers and dryers in for testing as soon as they're available. But if you need a new washer or dryer now, especially if you do laundry for a busy household, time is of the essence. Don't miss our Ratings of 166 top- and front-loading washers and 275 electric and gas dryers, but be sure to read our buying guides for washers and dryers before heading out to the store.

—Ed Perratore