Buying a new washing machine
When looking for a new washing machine you will no doubt be overwhelmed by all of the options, settings and features now available. It can be a nightmare trying to find the right washing machine for your family’s needs.
One of the first considerations is how many people will it be washing for? When there are so many appliances on the market in all different wash sizes it is hard to know which would be the best one for you. If it will only be washing for 2 people then a 6kg or 7kg wash load would be best suited, but washing bedding or washing for a family of four or more would struggle. That is why the larger wash capacity washing machines like the 9kg, 10kg and even 12kg would be better suited to deal with a greater wash load. Bear in mind that while you can always run more washes to keep up with your laundry load, this will inevitably cost more in terms of water and electricity usage. It won’t help your washer last longer either, so you’re better off getting one with the ideal capacity to start with. If you are still unsure, take a look at a selection of models in person to compare drum sizes before you buy.
Another thing to keep in mind when replacing your washing machine is spin speed. High spin speeds will effectively remove more water from your clothes at the end of the cycle, which will help them dry faster. Conversely, lower spin speeds are ideal for delicate fabrics. With the different spin speeds available today if you were given something washed and spun at 1200 rpm to something washed and spun at 1400 rpm, you wouldn’t really see any difference. A lot of consumers decide that 1400 rpm is best suited to a family household with the ability to reduce the spin speed if required. Models that spin at 1600rpm are available, but this spin speed could damage the clothes.
Electricity consumption is an essential factor to consider, to prevent you running up high energy bills. It is important to check out and compare the estimated annual electricity use and look out for models which are Energy Star Certified. Most washing machines now are rated A+++ which is 60% better than A rated. This has pros and cons when you are thinking of replacing your next appliance. The advantages to it is that you are saving money on electricity and money on water consumption, but the disadvantage is that all the wash times are a lot longer than washing machines used to take. Most washing machines will have quick wash settings so you can get it done quicker if you need your washing done in a hurry.