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Main Features
You may want to consider some or all of the following when deciding on your priorities:
Load Sizes 5kg to 7kg load sizes are now availableSpin Speeds 800 rpm – 1600 rpm on some machinesPerformance Ratings Given for overall wash and spin performance on each machine from A (best) to GWater Consumption This may be useful to know if you are paying for your water on a meterEnergy Consumption Rating Handy for comparing the running costs of different machinesWash Times This can vary from 30 minutes for a quick wash to 120 minutes for a heavy duty washNoise Levels Quoted in decibels. Handy for comparing the noise levels of one machine against another
Load Sizes
Until recently 5kg wash loads were the norm. 6kg is now available almost everywhere. 7kg load sizes are available on some larger machines with 8kg now on the way. You need to think about how much washing you will be doing and whether you would wash in large or smaller batches. A large family who do their washing twice a week might benefit from a 7kg model even given the higher cost of buying this type of model. Whereas fewer people make less washing so might not benefit from a larger drum size. A 6kg load is about an average laundry bin full.
Spin Speeds.
These will vary a lot depending on the machine. You might prefer a machine that spins at 1600 rpm to reduce the drying time. If this is not a priority though, 1100 rpm spin speed would suit most every day loads. Remember that lower spin speeds can be a useful option when spinning more delicate items such as woollens. High spin speeds on delicates can leave cloths looking wrung out.
Performance Ratings
These can be a useful way of comparing different machines although generally speaking the better the rating the higher the cost of the machine. There may not be much difference in price between say machines rated A and B but there would almost certainly be a bigger difference between machines rated say A and G. If you won’t be washing for a house full of people three times week, it may not be worth your while investing in a machine with a higher performance rating. If you are a keen energy conservationist though you may always want to opt for the more energy-efficient model.
Water Consumption
This is usually quoted in litres per cycle for each machine. If you are paying for your water on a meter if may be useful to know which machines use more water than others. There have been strong moves in recent years to “encourage” manufacturers to make machines that use less water. This may also be useful to know if your machine will be emptying into a cess pit and not into mains drainage as the amount of water wastage may have a direct impact on your fill-up rates!
Energy Consumption Rating
This figure will be shown in kilowatts per hour (KWh) for each machine. To find out the running costs of a machine, find out its Energy Consumption Rating in Kilowatts per hour (KWh) and multiply this figure by the cost of your electricity per hour (£/KWh) which is on your bill. This way you can compare the running costs of different machines. Remember though to compare like machines for like to get an accurate picture. For example a machine with a larger wash load may have higher running costs than a smaller one but it may be a price you consider worth while.
Wash Times
This can vary enormously between a 30 minute and 120 minutes. Some machines’ handbooks claim to do a standard wash in 30 minutes whilst others state that a 30 minute wash is a “quick wash”. If you have very grubby children the chances of finding a machine that gets your clothes really clean in 30 minutes is slim! Whereas one or two adults may find that there cloths never really need a 120 minute super wash. And a “boil wash” is something that you may or may not find handy. Whilst it’s good to have choices, too many variables in wash times can be an expensive option on a machine that you just don’t need.
Noise Levels
This is something that could make a big difference depending on where your machine is likely to be. If it’s going to be in the garage or utility room out of the way, you may not mind how much noise it makes. However, if it’s going to be in an open-plan kitchen/family room you may want to opt for a quieter model. Noise Levels on washing machines are given in decibels: the higher the decibels the louder the noise so it’s worth comparing them if you think this could be an issue.
Other optional extras that you might like to think about:
- Economy Wash (reduces wash temperature)
- Half load button
- Child (or pet) proof lock
- Ease of loading (top loader or standard)
- Hand-Washing setting for delicates
- Fuzzy Logic – This is a term used for machines that “think” for you as well. They adjust the wash cycle times, water and detergent input etc to suit the load automatically! Can also automatically self-correct it if the load becomes imbalanced during the wash/spin cycle thereby saving wear and tear on the machine. This may be a useful feature to you or maybe an unnecessary extra.
- Delayed Start Timer This might be useful if you want to take advantage of cheaper night time electricity, or you could just buy a manual timer clock for under £10.00!
- Crease Guard Option This uses a gentler washing action and a shorter spin cycle to reduce creasing in the finished wash. Handy if you loathe ironing but only really useful if you are going to unload the machine immediately after the wash has finished.
- Anti-Leak Detector. This may prevent a flood if the machine is leaking giving you peace of mind if you are going to be out of the house a lot when the machine is on.
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