Answer
Sep 29, 2025 - 03:46 PM
Traditional top-load washers use an "agitator," a large post in the center of the drum which rocks and turns your clothes through soapy water until they are clean. Part of the cleaning action comes from the friction generated between your clothes and the hard plastic post itself.
Many modern top-load washers replace this with an "impeller", a low profile disk on the bottom of the drum that generates a powerful water current, circulating upward and outwards. Some manufacturers may also refer to this part as a "washplate". The cleaning action is created partly through water turbulence and partly through friction between clothes, eliminating the heavier friction employed by the agitator. This is considered to be softer on your clothes, allowing them to last longer. Furthermore, the lack of agitator opens more space in the drum, nominally increasing load capacity, with nothing to snag the clothes on loading and unloading.
However, there isn't universal consensus that an impeller is better. Some find the extra friction of an agitator necessary for a satisfactory clean, especially if the clothes are very dirty or stained. Furthermore, some users report that impellers require careful placement of the load to ensure effective washing and avoid tangling, rendering moot some of the conveniences of removing the agitator.
