HEAVY DUTY WASHING MACHINE BUYING GUIDE

A washing machine may be considered heavy duty when it features extra durable components. Commercial-grade parts, like a durable motor and galvanized steel panels, all contribute to a washer that can take on frequent, large or heavily soiled loads.

Some standard washers already include a handful of commercial-grade parts, like the direct drive motor and stainless steel wash basket found on select Maytag^® washers, but heavy duty models often build on that foundation with extra reinforcement. As you compare washers, it helps to look at capacity, wash action and build quality to determine whether a model is heavy duty.

Washing machines are considered large capacity once they reach about 4.5 cubic feet and larger, which often provides enough room to wash bulky items like comforters or roughly 11-21 towels in a single load. For a household running heavy loads often, capacity is one of the first features worth checking.

Keep these general capacity ranges in mind as you compare models:

• Large capacity washers: Typically run 4.5 to about 5 cu. ft. and handle about 11 to 19 full-size bath towels per load.
• Extra-large capacity washers: These are over 5 cu. ft. and can reach up to 7.0 cu. ft., with plenty of room for bulkier items like king-size comforters.
• Top load vs. front load capacity: Top load models tend to offer the largest capacities overall, while front load models generally run under 5 cu. ft.

Whether you’re stacking a front load pair or looking for top load models for your laundry room, discover large capacity models from Maytag brand. Select Maytag^® top load models help you tackle your largest loads with 5.3 cubic feet of capacity, and many Maytag^® washers also feature a Stainless Steel Wash Basket designed for years of washes and built with sturdy materials to last for the long haul.

A washer’s lifespan can be enhanced by its design and parts. Commercial-grade residential washers often use parts built to endure hard use. For instance, select Maytag brand commercial-grade residential units feature thick steel panels, premium bearings and a powerful ½ horsepower motor, which helps them stand up to frequent, heavy use.

A few components worth checking before you buy include:

• Motor: Start with a direct drive motor; it’s the same commercial-grade part found on many Maytag^® washers. On commercial-grade residential models, that motor often features a 1/2 horsepower rating with a sturdy drive system built to push through large loads.
• Wash basket: A stainless steel wash basket, like those found on select Maytag^® models, is designed for years of washes and built with sturdy materials to last for the long haul.
• Bearings and cabinet: Commercial-grade residential models, such as select models offered by Maytag brand, often use premium bearings and thick, galvanized steel panels, built to hold up under heavy duty use over time.

Pairing these heavy duty parts with powerful features can help you get the most out of your washer on laundry day. For instance, select Maytag^® washers include features like Extra Power, which boosts stain-fighting on any wash cycle, and the Deep Fill Option, which gives you more water when you want it to give heavily soiled loads a thorough soak.

Agitator washers use a central post that twists back and forth to rub against clothes, while impeller washers use a low-profile disc that lets clothes rub against each other. Agitator washers tend to operate with higher water levels and faster cycle times, while impeller washers often feature high spin speeds that help extract more water.

Here's how the two wash actions compare:

Top load washers generally offer larger capacities and a familiar design with less bending required, while front load washers tend to run smaller and stack easily with a matching dryer. Either style can handle heavy duty use—the right choice comes down to space and loading preference.

Use this side-by-side comparison to help narrow down your options:

Commercial-grade residential washers use similarly durable parts and features as some commercial machines, but they’re designed and sized for a home laundry room. Though they aren’t the same as the machines used in laundromats, they often share some similar components.

True commercial machines are built for high-volume settings like laundromats, hotels or shared laundry rooms, where standard residential washers may not be able to keep up. A commercial-grade residential washer is the middle ground: home-sized, but reinforced for tough, frequent use.

A washer’s warranty can be a helpful signal of how a manufacturer expects the machine to hold up over time. Longer parts coverage on key components, like the wash basket and motor, often points to a machine built for tough, frequent use.

Maytag brand backs select commercial-grade residential washers with a 5-year all parts and labor warranty plus a 10-year limited parts warranty on the basket and motor.^{1 2} Visit Maytag.com for warranty details. Always check the specific product warranty details for the model you’re considering before you buy.

If you’re still in the thick of comparing heavy duty washing machines, you may have more questions. Explore answers to common questions about heavy duty washers below.