How Washington Ruined Your Washing Machine

"The federal government first issued energy standards for washers in the early 1990s. When the Department of Energy ratcheted them up a decade later, it was the beginning of the end for top-loaders. Their costlier and harder-to-use rivals—front-loading washing machines—were poised to dominate."

Sam Kazman: How Washington Ruined Your Washing Machine - WSJ.com