Last year I got a Frigidaire High Efficiency (HE) Energy Star frontloader that replaced my old, 2nd hand, loyal top loading Maytag that had served me faithfully for many years. Probably not as efficient as the LG but bought it at a really great price from Lowes and Consumer Report rated it about average.
I loved that Maytag and
especially its cleanable filter in the center of its tub that was great in collecting gobs of Lab hair, lint, etc. And loved that (after it started) I could keep adding overlooked items that should've been in from the very beginning. And that I could keep altering the length of any cycle while it was running that cycle.
My Frigidaire front loader doesn't have an efficient filter system -- it just pumps the water (with hair & lint) from each cycle out into my home's drain (risking a buildup of fur and clogged pipes) so I jury rigged a filter system out of tulle or fine cloth mesh from a fabric store that I should remember to purge every 4 or 5 loads before it automatically reminds me by backing up and flooding the utility room. But at least that keeps my drain pipes from getting clogged -- or delays that coming RotoRooter day.
I haven't really solved the adding of forgotten items -- I do more thoroughly search but always end up finding things like a sock under the bed, skivvies someplace else, bedding I should've added, etc., which just have to wait their turn until next time.
Oh, and the front loaders usually take a different HE detergent, MUCH more concentrated than the old stuff I was used to using. A normal amount of the new HE detergent is half the former amount making it more difficult to measure precisely. I've adapted to that by using the much larger container from an old Tide laundry detergent, pouring the new HE Tide into that and then diluting it with an equal amount of water so I can keep adding the amounts I'm used to.
Other than those things, I think front loaders may be okay and probably save lots of water and energy.
They
do extract more water than top loaders in their final spin cycle.