What Is a Drum on a Washer?
Last updated October 31, 2026
The drum on a washer is the perforated, rotating cylinder inside the machine that holds your clothes, the part you see when you open the lid or the door. It also goes by wash basket, inner tub or simply basket, and it sits inside a second, solid shell called the outer tub, which is where most of the naming confusion starts.
The drum is the part that actually does the washing, tumbling or agitating the load, and the part that spins water out at the end of the cycle. Its material and its size in cubic feet are what a spec sheet lists, and most drum noises turn out to be a load that settled on one side.
Drum, basket and tub, what the words mean
A washer holds two drums, one inside the other, and they do different jobs. The inner drum, also called the basket or inner tub, is perforated and rotates. It holds the laundry, and the holes let water flow in and out as the drum turns.
The outer tub is solid and watertight. It holds the wash water and does not rotate; it hangs on springs and shock absorbers so the machine can absorb the spin. Water on the floor points to the outer tub or its seal, not to the drum itself.
Front loaders and top loaders use the same two-part arrangement. Only the axis changes: horizontal on a front loader, vertical on a top loader. Keeping the words apart matters when you read a manual or talk to a repair tech, because "tub" gets used loosely for both parts.
How the drum washes and spins
A front-load drum turns on a horizontal axis. Three or four lifters, the paddles molded into the drum wall, carry the clothes up and drop them back through a shallow pool of water at the bottom. The load tumbles rather than soaks.
A top-load drum turns on a vertical axis. With an agitator, a center post twists back and forth about three-quarters of a turn and pushes the clothes through the water. With an impeller, a low, wide disc at the bottom of the drum sets the water moving instead, and the whole drum is free for clothes because there is no center post.
In every type, the basket itself rotates during the spin cycle. The drum spins fast, and centrifugal force throws water through the perforations into the outer tub, which the pump then drains. A faster spin pulls out more water and shortens drying time, which is why spec sheets quote spin speed in RPM and why the fastest machines use stainless steel drums that hold up to it.
What drums are made of
Stainless steel is the most durable option and resists rust. It takes the highest spin speeds, it is standard on most machines sold today, and it adds to the cost while outlasting the alternatives.
Plastic, often reinforced with glass fiber, is common on budget and top-load machines. It will not rust with hard water and is easy to wipe clean, but it cannot take the highest spin speeds and wears sooner.
Porcelain-coated steel keeps the cost down, but the coating can chip. The exposed steel underneath rusts and can leave marks on clothes.
Drum surface design matters too. Plain perforations can abrade fabric as the drum turns, so some drums use a raised or patterned surface, sold under various names, that keeps fabric off the holes. The idea is the same on every one of them: less rubbing, longer-lasting clothes.
Drum size in cubic feet and what actually fits
US capacity is quoted in cubic feet of drum volume, not kilograms. Machines sold in the US run from about 1.9 cu ft on a compact to 5.8 cu ft on a front loader.
Roughly, a compact of 1.5 to 3.4 cu ft holds 4 to 8 lb of laundry, a standard 3.5 to 4.4 cu ft holds 12 to 16 lb, a large 4.5 to 5.0 cu ft holds 16 to 20 lb, and an extra-large 5.1 to 6.2 cu ft holds 20 to 25 lb. In real items, a 4.5 cu ft drum takes about 12 to 14 bath towels, a queen sheet set, or one king comforter. A 6.2 cu ft drum takes about 17 thick bath towels, and a compact of 2.7 cu ft or less takes about six.
The number on the yellow EnergyGuide label is the DOE figure. IEC figures run higher for the same machine, so never compare one against the other.
A center agitator can eat up to about 0.5 cu ft of usable space, so a 4.5 cu ft agitator machine behaves like roughly 4.0 cu ft, and worse than that for one bulky item. To load, fill to about three-quarters of the drum height, lay a flat hand on top, and watch for the load to roll within about 30 seconds of the cycle starting.
The drum by washer type
Drum size and layout follow the machine type, and the differences are worth knowing before you read a spec sheet.
Front-load washers
The drum sits on a horizontal axis and tumbles the load, and front loaders carry the largest drums in the full-size class.
Top-load washers with an agitator
The drum is vertical with a center post, which gives the smallest usable space for the rated volume.
Top-load washers with an impeller
The drum is vertical with no center post, so the whole drum is available for clothes.
Compact and stackable front-load washers
Drums top out around 2.8 cu ft, which is less drum for the footprint you give up.
Portable and mini washers
Baskets are small, often plastic or stainless, typically in the 1 to 2 cu ft range and below the compact class. Read the listed capacity first.
All-in-one washer-dryer combos
One perforated drum does both jobs, so the dry load has to be smaller than the wash load. Combos reach about 5.3 cu ft.
When the drum is the problem
Most drum complaints trace back to the load or the suspension before they trace back to the drum itself, and a few checks narrow it down.
Banging or thumping during the spin
This is usually an unbalanced load. Open the lid, redistribute the clothes, and run a spin-only cycle. If the noise persists, suspect the counterweight or the suspension.
Grinding or roaring that rises with spin speed
That points to the drum bearings. Unplug the machine, open the door, and rock the drum by hand: about a quarter inch of play or less is normal, and more than that, or a clunk, means worn bearings.
The drum will not spin
Check the belt, the motor, the lid switch, the control board and the drain. A machine that cannot drain often will not spin either.
Clothes still dripping after the cycle
A clogged drain, a worn belt or an unbalanced load that stopped the spin will all leave the load wet.
Violent shaking or walking
An unbalanced load, a machine that is not level, or worn suspension causes it. The vibration stresses the bearings and the outer tub, so fix it early.
Front-loader drum failure
The star-shaped arm that joins the drum to the shaft is aluminum on most front loaders. In soapy water it corrodes against the stainless drum and the steel shaft, the drum starts to roar, and eventually it fails.
Repair or replace
Drum and bearing work is the most labor-intensive washer repair, a near-complete teardown of two to four hours. Replace rather than repair when the machine is 12 or more years old, when the repair approaches half the cost of a new washer, or when there have been other recent repairs.
Keeping the drum healthy
Clean the drum about once a month with a hot, empty cycle. For odor, spread a baking soda paste on the drum, leave it 15 to 30 minutes, then run a hot rinse. Leave the door or lid open overnight so the drum dries.
Leave the door or lid open after every wash, not just on cleaning day. Do not overload: the three-quarters rule keeps the drum turning freely and the bearings under less stress. Empty pockets before loading, since coins, keys and hairpins scratch the drum or jam between the two drums. Measure detergent rather than pouring freely, because excess suds leave residue that feeds odor.
The drum is the perforated basket that holds and moves your clothes, and it sits inside a solid outer tub that holds the water. On a spec sheet, what the drum is made of and how many cubic feet it holds tell you most of what matters. When the drum starts making noise, check the load balance before you suspect the bearings.
Frequently asked questions
Drum questions usually come down to size, material and noise, and the answers depend on which part of the machine you are looking at.
What is the drum on a washer in one sentence?
It is the perforated cylinder that holds the laundry and turns during the wash and the spin. Everything else in the machine supports it, feeds it water or drains what it throws off.
Is the drum the same as the tub or the wash basket?
Basket and inner tub mean the same thing as drum. The outer tub is a separate part: a solid, watertight shell that surrounds the drum and holds the water without turning.
What is the difference between the drum and the tub?
The drum has holes and rotates with the clothes inside it. The tub is closed, stays still, and holds the water the drum splashes through. A leak usually comes from the tub side, not the drum.
What is a washer drum made of?
Stainless steel, plastic or porcelain-coated steel. Steel resists rust and handles fast spins, plastic will not rust and suits budget machines, and porcelain coating is affordable but can chip and expose steel that rusts.
Is a stainless steel drum worth it?
It lasts longer than plastic or coated steel and takes the higher spin speeds that pull more water out of the load, which cuts drying time. The trade-off is that it adds to what the machine costs.
How can I tell whether my washer's drum bearings are worn?
With the machine unplugged and the door open, push the drum up and down by hand. A little movement, roughly a quarter inch or less, is normal. Noticeably more than that, or a clunk as it shifts, points to worn bearings, which is also the usual cause of a grinding or roaring sound that gets louder as spin speed climbs.
Do front-load and top-load washers use the same kind of drum?
Yes. Both use the same two-part arrangement, a perforated inner drum that holds the laundry and turns, sitting inside a solid outer tub that holds the water and stays still. The only difference is the axis: the drum turns on a horizontal axis in a front loader and a vertical axis in a top loader.
Can a washer drum be replaced?
Yes, but the job means taking most of the machine apart, and it takes hours of labor. On an older washer, the money often goes further toward a new machine.
Is a washer drum the same as a dryer drum?
No. A dryer drum is a plain, usually non-perforated cylinder with baffles that tumble clothes through warm air, and it has no watertight tub around it. A washer drum has holes and sits inside an outer tub full of water.