You don’t have to pay $1,000 or more to get a washing machine that cleans well. And though Consumer Reports tests plenty of washers that cost far more, most of us would rather spend less.

The LG WT8405CW is part of the Washing Machines test program at Consumer Reports. In our lab tests, Top-Load Agitator Washers models like the WT8405CW are rated on multiple criteria, such as those ...