What Is an Impeller Washer? Here’s What to Know

If you’re in the market for a new washing machine, you may focus more on features like capacity, front-load or top-load designs, and gas or electric models. However, you can also consider an agitator or impeller design. 

But what is an impeller washer? It’s a design that uses a low-profile cone or disc at the bottom of the drum to create friction that serves as the cleaning action. The agitator design uses a tall arm that rotates back and forth to create friction to clean the clothes. 

What Is an Impeller Washer and How Is It Used?

Among the parts of a washing machine that help identify the impeller design is the cone or disc at the back or bottom of the drum. Unlike an agitator washer, an impeller design offers a wide-open space. There’s no arm or post sitting in the middle of the drum.

The cone or disc rotates back and forth, vigorously moving the water in the drum. The pieces of clothing move with the water, creating friction that cleans them.

The impeller washer’s design appears more often on newer machines than the agitator design. Front-load washers that use the impeller design have also grown in popularity. 

Some of the advantages of using an impeller washer include:

• More room inside the drum because there’s no agitator arm, allowing for larger loads.

• It cleans clothes more gently than an agitator washer.

• It doesn’t require as much detergent, energy, or water to operate.

• It can operate with faster spin cycles to drain more water and speed up drying times.

As a disadvantage of this design, sometimes the clothing twists together during the wash cycle. This could damage clothing or may affect the cleanliness of the twisted clothing items.

What Washing Machines Use an Impeller Design?

Among the different types of washing machines, both front-load and top-load washers can use an impeller design. Gas or electric washers can also use an impeller design.

High-efficiency washers always use impeller designs because they need to use less water and energy than a traditional washing machine. 

The impeller design allows this reduction in energy and water use. The impeller cone or disc only needs a little bit of water to generate the friction inside the drum that cleans the clothing.

How Do I Know If an Impeller Washer Will Work for Me?

An impeller washer is a good choice if you’re looking for a gentle way to clean your clothes while also reducing your energy use. If you have a large household, an impeller washer will do a great job handling those large loads of laundry. 

Impeller washers can work in just about any laundry room as long as it fits in the space. Top-load impeller machines are no larger than top-load agitator machines. A front-loading impeller washer, though, will be a few inches deeper and shorter than a top-loading impeller washer or agitator washer. 

Before buying any laundry appliances, always take note of the washer and dryer dimensions and compare them to the space available.

What Does It Cost to Install an Impeller Washer?

Impeller washers cost between $600 and $1,400 on average for the unit itself. However, the appliance installation cost is about the same as installing an agitator washer. As long as you have the water hookups in place and the proper electrical outlets or gas hookups, a local appliance installer can do the job for you. Labor fees for the washer installation cost between $50 and $175. 

If you have to move your washer’s location, you should factor in extra costs for plumbing, electrical, and vent work, which can add $700 to $2,000 to your total price.