Which washing machine to buy - tips from the pros
Today, no normal home can be imagined without an automatic washing machine. Demand creates supply, and now the choice is so great that you can get confused. More and more people are wondering which washing machine is best to buy. Experts offer a certain selection algorithm, because a washing machine is not a cheap purchase, and money needs to be spent wisely.
First of all, you need to clearly define your existing budget. Then make a list of requirements for the machine, in particular - determine its exact dimensions with the method of loading laundry, list and write down all the necessary functions, and last of all - study the reviews and decide on the preferred brand and manufacturer. Only after this can you answer the question of where to buy a washing machine that would meet all the requirements.
Why are narrow washing machines interesting?
Narrow washing machines have a width of up to 40 cm, most often 32 cm, which, in comparison with the standard width of 60 cm, is much preferable for small apartments. Most of our citizens live in small apartments, and not everyone has the opportunity to install a washing machine in the bathroom or kitchen. And a narrow washing machine can be installed without compromising the usable space, even in the hallway. However, it should be understood that narrow machines, compared to conventional ones, have a much smaller loading volume. If a standard machine can fit up to 7 kg of laundry, then a narrow machine can fit no more than 3-4.
Among the disadvantages of narrow washing machines is the fact that their model line is much shorter than that of standard ones.However, an undeniable advantage is the space saving, because many of them are vertical loading and do not require additional space to open the door. And front-loading models are so compact that they can be installed directly under the sink.
Another important plus - some narrow washing machines often use direct drive (no belt), which significantly reduces operating noise, vibration and energy consumption. That is, in addition to saving space, a narrow machine also saves money, and this is important for single people and young families without children.
The vast majority of narrow washing machines have a sufficient number of washing programs (7-9). In many models, the heating element is ceramic-coated, which eliminates the formation of scale and premature failure of the machine, and also eliminates the need for frequent use of anti-scale reagents.
The water consumption for the entire washing cycle in such machines is standard and amounts to 48 (from 42 to 60) liters. Thus, the quality of washing in narrow machines is no different from the quality of washing in standard machines, and the spin cycle is even better due to the small radius of the drum and less laundry.
Which loading do you prefer – vertical or front (side)?
A priori, vertical loading was invented for machines that should not take up much space. Everyone knows that during breaks between washes, the machine door should be slightly open, and this is inconvenient in high-traffic areas, and even more so in narrow aisles.
But vertical loading has other important advantages. For example, while working, you can open the lid and throw additional laundry into the machine.This is also an excellent solution for families with small children - after all, the control panel of such machines is located on top, and a small child, no matter how hard they want, simply cannot reach its treasured buttons.
When purchasing a top-loading machine, you should pay attention to the opening angle of the lid. Ideally, it is 180 degrees, that is, when the lid is folded back completely. This is especially important if the machine is planned to be built under the kitchen panel. You should also pay attention to the material from which the drum is made. Preference should be given to models with a stainless steel drum, because they are more reliable and durable, although models made of composites (plastic or metal) may be cheaper.
Which wash class should I choose?
The washing class denotes the ratio of washing quality to the level of electricity consumption. In automatic washing machines, washing classes are designated by letters - from G to A. Minimum power consumption with fairly gentle washing is provided by class A machines, they are considered the best. But class G is the lowest level of machine efficiency.
Spin classes are also designated separately, but in exactly the same way. Although in most modern washing machines the spin speed is manually adjusted, the range is from 400 to 2000 rpm (in conventional machines - 1200). The smallest speeds are indicated for thin and delicate items, the largest – for thick and dense ones. Also, the higher the spin speed, the more water is removed from the laundry, but at the same time, the higher the cost and energy consumption of the machine. What is more important is up to the owner to decide.
Which washing programs are preferable?
Let's look at the most popular and frequently used washing modes.
- Quick wash – designed to freshen laundry, nothing more.
- Soaking and removing stains - for heavily soiled and children's laundry.
- Economical half load washing – for thrifty housewives, it consumes significantly less water and electricity.
- Extra rinse – for those who don’t like the smell of powder on their clothes.
The choice of preferred washing programs is closely related to the choice of connection method to the water supply. Depending on the usual temperature regime of washing, you should also choose the connection method - to cold water, hot or a mixed method.
When connected to a cold water supply, the water heats up smoothly, but you will need to regularly use water softeners and periodically descale it. Filling with hot water allows you to significantly save energy, but it is not permissible when washing delicate fabrics, both because of the high starting temperature and because of the low quality of hot water, because it is a priori technical.
Additional functions of automatic washing machines
Drying clothes. Many modern washing machines come with a built-in drying function. The apparent convenience of this feature comes with a serious drawback. You can dry only half of the washed laundry inside the machine, that is, you need to take half of it out each time after washing. And often the laundry turns out to be overdried and cannot be ironed, and drying inside the machine is contraindicated for delicate fabrics. Therefore, you should think carefully about whether it is worth paying extra for the additional drying feature.
Noise insulation. It can be different, so you should know that the quietest machines are those with three-phase asynchronous motors (regular machines have commutator motors). A special insulating layer of special material inside the housing also reduces noise.But you shouldn’t pay attention to the bright stickers on the case, which indicate the noise class.
Additional protection against leaks. It is not available in all washing machines; it is installed exclusively at the manufacturer, that is, it will not be possible to buy it at a spare parts store and install it on an existing washing machine. Protection against leaks can be complete or partial. If the machine is equipped with an Aqua Stop control system, then if water gets into any inappropriate place inside the machine body, the water supply automatically stops.
Water control system. There are machines that automatically control parameters such as the weight of loaded laundry, water and electricity consumption. For example, the Aqua Sensor system monitors the degree of water transparency; the dirtier the laundry, the cloudier the water, and the system automatically increases the duration and intensity of rinsing.
Detergent dissolution quality control system. Booble-soaking is an additional system that creates a lot of air bubbles in the water, thanks to which any powder dissolves quickly and 100%.
Automatic selection of washing mode. This function is provided by the Fuzzi Control system, which analyzes the volume of loaded laundry and its type, after which it determines the optimal washing mode and subsequent rinse with spin.
This system also monitors the degree of foam formation and, if it is in excess, takes appropriate measures, for example, turns on an additional rinse and changes the drum rotation speed during spinning.Some other systems work similarly, for example, the Smart and S-systems are used to control foam formation, Fuzzi Logic is used to automatically select the washing mode.
The water cooling system before draining allows you to extend the service life of drainage units and plastic sewers.
The hatch protection system locks the door within 1-3 minutes after washing, during which time the laundry has time to cool down and will not burn your hands.
Anti-crease protection slows down drum rotation at the end of each wash cycle to 30 rpm. Spinning at intervals and the function of stopping the machine with water serve a similar purpose; at this time, unspinned laundry can be taken out and hung to drain on hangers, in which case it will turn out practically without wrinkles. Or, conversely, add additional laundry to the machine.
The start timer allows you to set the start time of washing in the range from 1 to 24 hours. This is a useful feature for those people whose nighttime electricity is much cheaper than daytime electricity.
Washing systems in automatic washing machines
- Traditional. The machine is filled with water without any tricks; the contact between the laundry and the washing solution is at the bottom of the drum.
- AquaSpar and Aqua-Tronic. The drum of such a machine has asymmetrical grips that direct water up the drum; the laundry comes into contact with the detergent both from below and from above the drum.
- 3-DAquaSpar and 3-DAqua-Tronic. The machine is designed so that water is supplied from below, above and from the sides.
- Activa and Jetsystem. Machines with such a system supply water to the drum in the form of a powerful jet, the tank fills quickly, and the laundry undergoes primary processing.
- Direct Spray. During washing, the washing solution is constantly applied to the laundry in the form of a shower.
- Combiwash.A combined washing system, when delicate laundry is washed “in the shower”, and normal laundry is washed, as usual, in water. Moreover, the shower is extraordinary, with air bubbles that gently knock dirt out of the fabric.
Which brand of washing machine and which manufacturer should I choose?
It should be understood that products assembled at branch factories of a well-known brand, whose head office is located in another country, will in any case be of worse quality than the original ones. The very location of assembly shops closer to consumers is evidence of the manufacturer’s desire to reduce production costs. And such a policy is manifested in everything, including the use of cheaper and lower quality components. Therefore, the service life of such machines is steadily decreasing.
But this has its own advantage, because the closer the assembly shop, the more accessible the spare parts are. The only question is how often you agree to make repairs. Most often, washing machines of the lowest price category last no more than 5 years, many do not reach this period, after which there are endless repairs. This primarily applies to Chinese washing machines and Russian clones of European brands.
Machines in the mid-price category are distinguished by a large number of washing programs, a spin speed of 1200 revolutions, the presence of additional functions, and lower noise and vibration levels. The service life of such machines without breakdowns is at least 8 years. The most expensive and “advanced” machines last at least 15 years and have a full set of additional functions. And if you calculate the savings from careful washing of the most expensive items, the savings in detergents and electricity, and the lack of repairs, it turns out that the overpayment upon purchase pays off quite quickly.
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19 reader comments
I liked the article, it was clear and understandable.
Thank you! Very useful information available to everyone!
I liked the article because the material on washing machines was accessible and comprehensive. I, as a user, am interested. Thank you!
A very necessary, useful article. Now we are deciding which machine to take. We learned a lot, thank you very much for the information.
Here, probably, depending on your luck. My Indesit was assembled in Russia, despite the fact that the company is Italian. And I have no problems with him. Maybe it’s a very successful model, I don’t know, but I’m happy with everything.
My Indesit machine worked for 20 years without breakdowns. Assembly - Italy. It's very sad to part with her, but apparently the time has come.
Thanks to you, we chose Hotpoint. Before your articles, we had heard almost nothing about them, we are very pleased with the choice! Thank you!
Indesit is not a quality washing machine. Operates no more than 3 years.
“Friend”, haha! My Indesit has been in service for more than 10 years without any breakdowns 🙂 I wish that something had already broken, so that I could simply exchange it for a new thing.
Leah, you’re kind of unkind, I’ve been working with Indesit for 7 years, not 10 years. And let him continue working, pah-pah! Why spend extra money? 🙂
My Siemens plowed for 21 years without repair, after repair for another 3 years! So you are all far from reaching records!
We have an Indesit machine for 13 years. There was a small problem with the loading hatch. Cool machine.
Good day, the “wash”, “stripes”, “spin/drain”, and “service” diodes are lit. What kind of error is this?
My Indesit's heating element burned out two years after purchase, after repair it worked for another 13 years, but now it's time to replace it with another one. The drum began to knock, the service department said it was most likely the bearings. Repairs are expensive.
My Indesit machine worked for 16 years without breakdowns. Assembly - Italy. I broke up only because I was 4 kg lighter and needed more :)
I have an Atlant, it worked for 13 years without any breakdowns
My Indesit worked for 21 years without breakdowns, but the time has come to choose another machine.
Good day everyone!
I have a Samsung machine but the assembly is Russian 🙁
She's only a week old, so I can't say anything yet. But let's hope.
And the article is absolutely fire!
If I had read it earlier, it would have influenced the choice of washing machine assembly.
But all you have to do is believe :)
I have had a “Hansa Comfort 800” for 16 years; the bearing was changed 10 years ago. I'm happy with everything: quiet, washes cleanly. But today the programs crashed. I’m waiting for the technician, my husband said: “buy a new one, this one worked.”Even if you have to buy, it’s a shame, in the current situation you don’t know what to choose. Prices have doubled, there is no choice of European assembly, China is not satisfactory.