Over the past decade, front-load washing machines have become a staple in many households, but I still prefer the best top-load washers. I find top-loaders easier to use and maintain—and they're typically cheaper—and models like the Maytag Smart Top Load Washer with Extra Power offers all the bells and whistles you could ask for on laundry day.
This premium top-load washer from Maytag boasts an extra-large capacity, a powerful agitator to scrub clothes, and high-end features like app connectivity. While it is fairly expensive, it’s still more affordable than low-end front-load models, and I wanted to see how it would stack up in terms of cleaning performance.
I tested the Maytag Smart Top Load Washer with Extra Power in my multi-pet household over a month, and while I was impressed with its ability to handle large loads of laundry, I discovered a few quirks along the way. Here’s what you should know if you’re considering buying this appliance.
Camryn Rabideau has been a freelance product tester for eight years. She’s tested a wide range of home appliances, from coffee machines to ovens. She tested this washing machine over a month at her homestead in Rhode Island, which she and her partner share with two dogs, a cat, and an ever-growing number of farm animals.
Maytag MVW7230HC: Key specs
| Row 0 - Cell 0 | Row 0 - Cell 1 |
| Type | Top-load with agitator |
| Capacity | 5.2 cubic feet |
| Wash cycles | 13 |
| Motor horsepower | 9/10 HP |
| Connectivity | Amazon Alexa, Android, Google Assistant, iOS |
| Energy star? | Yes |
| Dimensions | 27 ¼” x 27 ⅞” x 42 ⅞ inches |
| Weight | 139 lbs |
Maytag MVW7230HC: Price & availability
At full price, the Maytag Smart Top Load Washer with Extra Power retails for $1,125, which is fairly expensive for a top-load washing machine. However, when writing, the machine is available at retailers like Best Buy and Home Depot for a sale price of $800—still slightly higher than basic top-load washers but much more reasonable for a washer of its size and features. You can also purchase the washer directly from Maytag for a similar price.
Maytag MVW7230HC: Setup
Maytag coordinated the delivery of this washing machine to my home, and overall, I was impressed by the ease of the delivery process. After the order was placed, I received an email that prompted me to select a delivery date and time window, and there were a variety of questions to answer regarding things like where the washer would be placed, any obstacles the delivery team might encounter, and so on. My delivery was scheduled for four hours—between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.—and I was informed that shipping company J.B. Hunt would deliver the appliance.
The day before my delivery, the shipping company called to confirm my appointment. They also noted that the driver would likely arrive toward the end of my time window, around 2 p.m. It was nice that they gave me a more specific time window, allowing me to plan my day better.
On the delivery day, J.B. Hunt called me when they were 30 minutes away and arrived right on time, a little before 2 p.m. They carried the washer inside, removed all the packaging, and set the appliance in my laundry room. The whole process went smoothly and took less than 20 minutes, and I was very happy with the delivery service.
My delivery package didn’t include installation (though it is an option for an added fee), so my partner took over hooking up the new washing machine. He attached the cold and warm water lines, set up the drain hose, and leveled the machine on the floor, which took around 10 minutes. Finally, we plugged in the washer and turned it on, and it prompted me to connect the appliance to my smartphone via the Maytag app. I downloaded the app and created an account, and I could sync the two devices in a matter of minutes using Bluetooth.
After everything was set up and I removed all the stickers and packaging from the washer, I noticed a small dent on the machine's front panel. It’s very slight and only noticeable at certain angles, so I did not feel the need to address it with the brand.
Maytag MVW7230HC: Design
The Maytag Top-Load Washer comes in two finishes—white or metallic slate—and I tested the latter option. The darker gray color gives the appliance an elegant and contemporary appearance, and I loved that the top is made from glass, allowing you to see inside the drum as it’s cleaning. Unlike my previous top-load washer, the lid is soft-close, so it doesn’t slam shut when lowered.
This washing machine is an average size, measuring 27 ¼ inches wide, 27 ⅞ inches deep, and 42 ⅞ inches tall. It does require a bit of clearance above the machine, with a max height of 58 ½ inches with the lid open. The appliance fits comfortably in my laundry room alongside my existing dryer. If anything, it’s a few inches smaller than my previous GE washer, which gave me a little more wiggle room with its placement. I also liked that this washing machine is a manageable weight at 139 pounds—my partner and I could easily shift it around when we needed to access the hoses on the back.
The washer’s controls are located on a raised panel at the back of the machine, and they include a large dial that lets you select from 13 wash settings and a 2.4-inch LCD screen with buttons for selecting the spin speed, water temperature, and soil level. The screen also allows you to adjust other settings, like the deep fill or extra rinse option, and you can change the volume level of the cycle signal. The machine’s power button and cycle start/pause button are also located next to its display screen—you have to hold down the start button for a few seconds to begin the cycle, which took some getting used to.
The washer has a pull-out drawer inside the drum where you put detergent and other add-ins. While I think the placement is convenient, I found the drawer to be a little flimsy. It’s made from thin plastic and doesn’t always pull out evenly.
Score: 4.5 out of 5
Maytag MVW7230HC: Performance
I tested the Maytag Smart Top Load Washer for over a month, using it to wash several loads of laundry weekly, including clothing, bedding, and towels. The 5.2-cubic-foot drum is quite spacious and could easily accommodate my largest loads—it has no problem fitting eight full-size bath towels—and it’s easy to customize the washer’s settings to the task at hand. The dial on the control panel lets you select from 13 settings, including:
- Regular
- Heavy-duty
- Whites
- Sanitize with oxy
- Towels
- Bulky items
- Quick wash
- Delicates
- Wrinkle control
- Colors
- Drain and spin
- Custom cycle
- Clean washer
In addition to these options, the digital display allows you to select five temperature settings, four water levels, five soil levels, and three spin speeds. The Extra Power button uses a dual-temperature wash to help with stain removal.
During testing, I tried out a variety of cycles, including the normal, heavy-duty colors, towels, and bulky settings, and overall, I was pleased with the washer’s cleaning performance. Clothes and linens came out smelling fresh, and loads were much drier at the end of the spin cycle than with my previous washing machine. For one test, I weighed the load before washing and again after the spin cycle—it was 4.6 pounds while dry and 6.8 pounds after the spin cycle, so there was only minimal water left behind in the garments.
I created stains on an old white T-shirt to test the washer's stain-removal abilities. On a standard warm cycle with regular detergent, the washer could remove coffee, chocolate, and mud stains, but it didn’t do much against tough stains like mustard, tomato sauce, and grass. I repeated the tests with the Extra Power setting, and the results were similar, though it did a slightly better job on the mustard and wine. For best results, you’ll still need to pre-treat stains with a stain remover to help lift out the discoloration.
I only encountered problems with the Maytag Smart Top Load Washer when I washed bed blankets. I often wash two queen-size quilts at a time, but because they’re so heavy when wet, the blankets must be perfectly arranged within the washer drum—otherwise, they get off-balance and stop themselves during the spin cycle. The appliance has a self-balancing feature, but it’s ineffective when just a few heavy items are in the drum. I would have to go in and manually rearrange the blankets, and it would often take me a few tries to get it balanced enough that the washer could finish spinning without banging around.
It’s also worth noting that I found the Maytag washer to be a bit more disruptive than my previous top-load washing machine. It’s loudest during the washing cycle as it agitates clothes, making a mechanical whirring noise that registers around 60 decibels. I often heard it from several rooms away, even with the laundry room door closed.
Maytag MVW7230HC: App
This washing machine can be synced to the Maytag app, allowing you to monitor its status and cycle from your phone. When the washer runs, the app shows you all the current settings and lets you pause or cancel the cycle. It also monitors your washer’s health and cleanliness, letting you know when maintenance is needed. You can select what push notifications you want—I opted to receive alerts when the wash cycle finished and if a mid-cycle error ever needed my attention.
The other main feature of the Maytag app is a stain guide, which provides information about removing different stains. It allows you to select the type of stain and fabric, and the app provides step-by-step guidance on removing the mark. As someone who regularly stains her clothing, this section proved helpful and saved me a lot of Googling.
Should you buy the Maytag MVW7230HC?
| Attribute | Notes | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| Capacity | spacious 5.2-cubic-foot drum; acommodates 8 full-size bath towels | 9/10 |
| Efficiency | Good water extraction | 8/10 |
| Wash Cycles | wide variety of customizable wash cycles and settings | 9/10 |
| Agitator | good cleaning performance; some issues with balancing heavy items like blankets during the spin cycle | 8/10 |
| Reliability and Durability | Good overall construction and setup; small dent on the front panel; detergent drawer a bit flimsy | 7/10 |
Buy it if...
Don't buy it if...
How does the Maytag MVW7230HC compare?
My previous washing machine was the GE Agitator Top-Load Washer, which is a basic, budget-friendly option that costs around $500. It has a smaller capacity of 4 cubic feet and offers fewer features overall.
While I was always pleased with its cleaning performance, the GE washer’s spin cycle isn’t as efficient as the Maytag’s, and its detergent dispenser, which is in the center of the agitator, often got gunky and needed to be cleaned. The GE also didn’t automatically stop its wash cycle if the load was off-balance and would bang around until manually paused. Still, if you’re looking for a more affordable top-load washer, the GE will get the job done—it has fewer bells and whistles.
If you have limited space, another option is the LG Mega Capacity Smart Front Load All-in-One Ventless Washer/Dryer Combo, a washer and dryer all in one. Not only does it take up less space than a washer-dryer set, but this appliance also saves you from transferring clothes from one appliance to the other, helping streamline the process. It has an impressive 31-cycle option, and in testing, it was efficient for washing clothing and linens and removing pet hair from garments. However, it is quite pricey at $2,999, and its ventless design struggles to dry bulky items like blankets.
How I tested the Maytag MVW7230HC
I tested the Maytag Smart Top Load Washer with Extra Power for around a month in my home, doing several loads of laundry each week. I connected the appliance to my home’s Wi-Fi to test its smart capabilities, and I tried out all of its most popular settings, using the machine to wash clothing, bedding, towels, and more. I also ran several more structured tests to assess the washer’s spin abilities, stain removal, and noise level during use.
Read more about how we test.
