If you decided to dive in and purchase a front-loading washer, you will see a significant drop in your water bills, because most front-loaders (including the one in this post) are "High Efficiency" washers. I took the plunge earlier this year when my old model front loader died, and I've never looked back. Not only do I save water (and Colorado, where I live, is a drought state), the clothes come out of the wash just damp, not dripping wet, and so they require a much lower drying time.
Unfortunately, once you convert to a high efficiency front loader, you can no longer use your regular detergent. Yes folks, the one downside to using a front loader is that you have to give your best friend all that regular detergent you've been diligently stockpiling (or better yet, donate it to your local mikvah) because since you will be using less water, you will need to use the special low-sudsing detergent that is labeled "HE." I've found that most HE detergents are slightly more expensive than regular detergents, with one notable exception. Purex has a few low-sudsing HE versions that are consistently cheaper than most others.
If you live near a Rite Aid, right now you can get Purex for $1.99 for a 50 oz. bottle, which is about as cheap as it gets. Make sure the bottle is marked "HE," as not all types of Purex are ok for front loaders. I just stocked up and bought (gulp) 19 bottles of the stuff (and I'm considering buying more...my husband thinks I'm nuts). You can also use the Purex 3-in-1 sheets in HE washers, and here's a coupon to get you started.
Sadly, my HE is a top loader with a detergent dispenser which doesn't allow me the luxury of using the 3 in 1's. But, I do use vinegar instead of fabric softener, so wouldn't use those on a regular basis anyway. I do, so love my HE machine :)
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