We just dumped an HE front loader for an old style top load agitator machine. You can actually get enough water in it to clean your clothes.
A front loader doesn't need anywhere near as much water to wash clothes. That is by design. If you watch it work, it will add a little water and it will turn to get the limited water (and soap) into the clothes, then it pauses and allows the liquid to run through the clothes on its own. Then it turns the opposite direction and does the same. It senses the water level all the time, and will add more and more until it is the ideal amount to run through the clothing but not so much as to be unnecessary. This not only saves water and electricity and detergent (and fabric softener if you use that), it means the soap is more concentrated (less diluted). So it cleans better. It is also far less wear on the clothes because it is not twisting and agitating them (wet fibers are far more fragile). I have found it really does clean much better than conventional top-loaders and clothes last longer.
It also means there is much more space for clothes because it doesn't need so much water. A top loader will not clean clothes unless there is a ton of water so all the clothes can float and move freely. That is not the case with a front-loader. So you can literally "stuff" a front loader, filling every inch of the tub with clothing, and it will clean them just as effectively. I can wash a king-sized comforter in my home front-loader, which is amazing. I can also wash two large bath towels, two hand towels, two rags, two king-sized pillow cases, a king-sized fitted sheet, AND a king-sized top sheet in one load and still have room for more.
Now there is one caveat to front loaders- although they CLEAN better in the wash cycle, they don't RINSE as effectively through that tactic. So most machines will have a "second rinse" option, and I always use that (mine will remember the setting). But even with that active, it still uses less than half the water and retains all the other positives.
Two other tips with front-loaders: When you go to wash a cloth or rag, get it wet and wipe the seal to keep it clean. Also, ALWAYS leave the door cracked significantly OPEN when you are done with laundry, to prevent mildew. And a tip for drying: never use high heat, use low heat instead. And don't "over dry", this is easy to prevent with any modern dryer that has auto-sensing. Both will stress clothes more, while also wasting power.
Yes, it is apparent that I have spent far too much time analyzing washing machines
