subject: Which washing machine is right for you? [print this page] Which washing machine is right for you? Which washing machine is right for you?
This article sets out tohelp guide people in their choice of buying a new washing machine.
How Big Is your Washing Machine?
5kg to 11kg load sizes are now available
Spin Speeds 800 rpm 1600 rpm on some washing machines
Performance Ratings Given for overall wash and spin performance on each machine from A (best) to G
Water Consumption
This may be useful to know if you are paying for your water on a meter.
The Energy Consumption Rating
This is handy for comparing the running costs of different machines
Wash Times This can vary from 30 minutes for a quick wash to 120 minutes for a heavy duty wash
Noise 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 washing 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!
