Front loaders are definitely better than top loaders because they consume less water, wash much more better due to construction of their drum (with internal outsets), and due to vertical position of the drum. In this case the clothes are rolled up and slammed down to the drum's inner walls, making an effect closer to hand washing, or that of 'river washing' which was very effective in the past when there were no washing machines. In the top loaders the clothes are just spinning round and round providing less washing effect, though more delicate (front loaders have special modes for delicate clothes). Top loaders are older concepts than the front loaders, they are cheaper and bigger. And the frond loading is the only type used in professional commercial laundries.