Top loader washing machines – agitator or impeller?

So you’ve decided to invest in a new top load washing machine for your laundry. Good choice! Not only are these reliable washing machines easy to load and unload without bending over and straining your back, but they’re also simple to use and - perhaps most importantly - you can always toss in a forgotten sock mid-cycle!

Something to think about when choosing a top loader is whether to opt for a model that washes using a central agitator, or one that uses an impeller.

Let's take a quick look at the differences between agitators, impellers and low profile agitators.

No, it’s not a disgruntled individual organising protests against The Establishment.

In a top load washing machine, an agitator is a vertical column found in the centre of the washer’s bowl, often with protruding fins in a corkscrew design. By twisting back and forth while the machine is running, it moves around or 'agitates' your clothes, so that every surface of every garment can receive an even amount of water and detergent, resulting in a thoroughly cleaned wash.

However, an agitator takes up valuable space inside your washing machine’s drum, which can make it tricky to fit large loads of laundry into the machine, especially when laundering items such as doonas and blankets.

The powerful washing action of an agitator can also be rough on your delicate clothes, and there’s a risk of your garments catching on the central column and stretching or tearing as it spins.

Top loader washing machines that don’t use an agitator typically include another part called an impeller or pulsator, which performs a similar function but in a different way.

The low-profile impeller often resembles the propeller of a boat’s outboard motor, and functions in a similar way to an agitator; spinning back and forth to further churn the water (sometimes referred to as a 'pulsing' action).

This helps to rotate and spin your clothes for an even wash, while being gentle on your delicate clothes. The low-profile design means you can fit more items of laundry into each wash load.

However, while using an impeller means that your clothes won’t get caught on the agitator, there remains a risk of your clothes getting tangled with each other. This can in turn throw the unit out of balance as these clumps of tangled clothes start spinning together.

Finally, while impellers are often gentler on your clothes than agitators, this gentler action can mean your clothes won’t get as thorough a clean, or that an equally thorough wash cycle may take longer to complete.

In recent years, there has been a move towards low-profile agitators, which combine some features of both traditional agitators and impellers. A low-profile agitator is shorter than a traditional agitator and provides a balance between the vigorous action of a full-sized agitator and the gentler washing motion of an impeller.

Like impellers, low-profile agitators take up less space in the drum compared to traditional agitators, allowing for larger and bulkier loads (like those doonas and blankets) while still giving a thorough clean.

Although this style of agitator is less likely to cause wear and tear on delicate fabrics than a traditional agitator might, it can still be a bit rougher on clothes than an impeller.