Everything You Need To Know About Buying The Right Washing Machine

Monday, 27 September 2021

Buying a washing machine seems like an easy task, but with so many products on the market, it can be tough to choose. So, we've put together this blog post to show you exactly what you need to know when buying your next washing machine.

What you need to know

The first thing that you'll need to know about when you're thinking about buying a washer is its energy efficiency scores. The energy efficiency score is going to provide some insight into how well your washing machine is going to work for you. The way that the scoring system works is on an A-G scale, washing machines are graded with A being the highest-rated score and G being the lowest-rated score. The scores take into the cumulative sum of resources needed to power the machine. For example, a G-rated machine would be relatively energy inefficient and use a lot of water whereas an A-rated machine would be energy efficient and use less water.

The quality of your washer will directly affect the dryer you'll need, and the amount of time it will take for your clothes to dry. So, the more water that the washer extracts, the easier it is going to be for your dryer to do its job. With that in mind, you're going to want to take into consideration the amount of water the machine extracts when looking at options. If you're thinking about buying a cheap washing machine and a more expensive dryer, we would recommend flipping your thinking. When you have a "cheap" washing machine, not only is it going to be energy inefficient, but it also will leave significantly more water on the clothes. Leading to increased dryer times.

Most washers are 27 inches wide, but manufacturers are starting to make them wider to increase capacity. So, if you have a bigger family and find that you'll need to do lots of laundries, you will likely want to look into bigger washing machines with increased capacity.

Types of Washing Machines

There are three types of washing machines currently available on the market. Top Loaders with Agitators, High-Efficiency Loaders, and Front Loaders.

Top Loaders with Agitators

Top Loaders with agitators are the top-selling and cheapest washing machines on the market, but they have the most drawbacks. There is an agitator in the center of the machine that circulates your laundry, but it can be tough on your clothes when compared to high-efficiency machines. Not only can it be tough on your clothes, but they often don't clean as well or extract as much water as High-Efficiency Loaders. This means more work for your dryer. Top Loaders with Agitators typically cost between $275 - $1,000.

High-Efficiency Top Loaders

High-efficiency loaders look like regular top loaders from the outside, but they don't have an agitator. Instead, they spin your laundry during the washing cycle. They are more energy-efficient and use less water than top-loaders with agitators. Meaning that your dryer won't have to work as hard to dry the same amount of laundry. Since there is no agitator, you can fit more laundry into your washing machine. Approximately 17-28lbs per load! This means that you are going to have to do fewer loads of laundry while saving money. Although these are a great option, they tend to cost just about as much as front loaders at $400 - $1,450, can tangle up your clothes, and generally have longer cycle times.

Front Loaders

Front Loaders are the best of the best when it comes to washing machines. As the name implies, Front-Loaders are machines where you put your laundry in the front of a machine (much like the look of a dryer). Front Loaders are the best at cleaning your clothes, are gentle, efficient, and can handle 17-28lbs of laundry per load. The main drawbacks of front loaders are their price points at between $500 - $2,450.

Useful tips

1. Measure the space where your appliances are going to go. You're going to want to measure the L x W x H that you have available plus a couple of inches on either side to give space between appliances.

2. Make sure that there is enough space for clearance. You want there to be enough space for the door, dryer vents, and dryer hookups

3. Focus on the washer more than your dryer. A better washer means that your clothes will be cleaner and last longer. Again, the more water that your washer extracts, the easier it is going to be for your dryer to do its job.