Washing machine is one of the many comforts of home. You can’t live without it if you’re living with a family with children. Even if you’re living alone, washing your clothes is not the chores that you’ll love to do. With our modern lifestyle, where can you find the time to wash and dry your clothes? Send them to the laundromat but it is costly in the long run.
If you already have a washing machine, you probably would want for an upgrade to keeping up with the Joneses. Or that the old machine are ailing and are giving you a horrible time and you’ve sent it to the workshop on countless time.
Which Is Right For Me?
When the time come to shop for a washing machine, many questions begin to pop up. There are so many brands, range of models, styles, types and sizes of washing machine available out there. How can you know which one is suitable for your use?
Of course, you would want to choose the one loaded with the latest features and the biggest size on offer, but do you use all these features? What would be the price?
Many things you have to consider when shopping for a washing machine to ensure your choice will be adequate for you or your family’s needs and requirements. No point buying a big washer if you alone will be using it. But if you’re active in sports, they may be a lot of sporting outfits to be washed regularly or you maybe you’re working in an environment where your clothing gets dirty often and there are lots of handwashing to be done.
Is Those Washer Gentle On Your Clothes?
Taking care of the family’s clothing and bedding is one of the reasons you would want to select the right washer. Mom and the daughters’ intimate inner clothing need a dedicated spinner so that the fine and delicate clothes are not damaged after washing. Dad and the sons’ jeans and jackets need more robust washing to get rid of the stains and dirt. So we have your needs and wants and can you find one that has all the features that you want?
Other things that need to consider whether that high-tech and gleaming washer fit into your home? Is there any space constraint?
Your family may have a smaller amount of clothing to be washed and is all right to get a smaller washer if you are going to do the washing daily. If you have unusually large loads every day, you’d certainly required a bigger washing machine.
As mentioned above, if you have cleaning challenges every day, whether it is delicate clothing to be washed or heavily soiled or bulky items, make sure the choice of a washing machine that can do the job well.
Do You Have To Wash Nappies Every day?
Having little babies or toddlers in the house required a constant changing of nappies or soiled clothing. And what if you’ve already started the machine for the day’s washing, do you have to wait for the next day to get it to wash? Choose the right type of washing machine that caters for your needs. Some models allow the washer lid to be opened during washing especially the top load type.
Of course, if money is no object, you can get whatever you want. But, if you have a budget, then decide on what is your priority. You can forgo some of the features but retain the essentials.
Subject to space constraints and ease of use, you have to make a choice between the front loader, top loader, or the combo washer/dryer. Choosing from these loading type is pretty obvious which we going to talk about it later.
Features most people overlook when choosing a washer is the internal drums type. Can it rusts or are able to extract more moisture from the clothes?
Not many people ask if the washer dispenser hold and releases detergents, softeners and bleach automatically at the designed times depending on the type of washing cycle? Or is it done manually? Who wants to do it manually nowadays?
Warm Water Cleans Dirt Faster
Washing clothes in cold water do not help in cleaning the stains or dirt from the fabric of your clothes. If your washer has the automatic temperature control features, it will set to adjust the water to the ideal levels for your wash cycle. Nice to have warm water for your wash. With an extra rinse cycle, it eliminates all the soap residue from your clothes and bedding.
Oh yes, while you are busy with other household chores, you might have forgotten about the clothes you’re washing in the washer. An end-of-cycle signal the machine will alert you when it’s time to move the clothes to dry on the outside or to the dryer. Leaving too long in the washer, the clothes will lose their freshness or they’ll turn dingy.
Top Loading Washing Machine – Suitable For Short People
Short people are often disadvantaged, they often cannot reach for things placed higher up. But they don’t worry very much because a typical top-loading machine measure about 900 mm in height and they can easily retrieve their washed clothes fairly easily from the bottom of the tub.
A front-loading washing machine can handle heavy loads of clothes much better than a front a top load washing machine and in a lesser amount of time.
- Which Is Right For Me?
- Top Loading Washing Machine – Suitable For Short People
- How to Solve Your Hard Water Nightmares?
- The Temperature of Water Matters In Washing
- Top Wash With Agitators And Impeller Wash System
- What On Earth Is a High Efficiency Washer?
- My Studio Apartment Is only 200 Sq ft …
- How Do My Washing Machine Stack Up?
- You Want A Dryer To Complement Your Washer
- If You Don't Have The Space For A Full-Sized Laundry Set-Up
- Bottom Line
Occupying less footprint, your little apartment’s utility room might just be suitable for an open-top washer among your brooms and ladders. Frigidaire Fftw4120s 27″ Wide 4.1 Cu. Ft. Capacity Top Loading Washer Shop at Walmart
- Multiple cycle options give you the ability to personalize some options to suit your specific needs and there is also an eco wash option to save energy
- 5 soil levels give you different levels of cleaning saturation from extra light to extra heavy depending on your needs
- Durable long-lasting stainless steel drum ensures consistent performance over a long period of time
How to Solve Your Hard Water Nightmares?
Do your clothes feel stiff and harsh to the skin despite having gone through a thorough wash in the washing machine? No, this is not a technical fault of the washing machine or that all its capabilities are not living up to its top billings. All this is caused by hard water.
Hard water is usually defined as having a high level of calcium and magnesium – the harder the water is it the more concentration of calcium and magnesium are in. If the water is left untreated, the calcium and magnesium will attach itself to the fabrics during a wash and leave your clothes covered with a dull residue that dulls the colour of your clothing.
In excessively hard water condition, the fabric of your clothing can actually break and create holes due to a large amount of mineral coating.
Extra Rinse
That is why some washing machine has an extra rinse cycle just before the washing ends, This is to get rid of the extra residual left on the clothes.
To solve these problems, it is necessary for you to use water softeners system to ease the problem of “hard water”. Whirlpool WHES40E 40,000 Grain Water Softener (For 1-6+ People) Shop at Walmart
Whirlpool water softeners automatically Calculate how much salt and water is required to regenerate and only uses what is necessary, resulting in a significant reduction in salt and water usage.
Whirlpool water softeners employ demand initiated regeneration meaning the system will only regenerate based on your hardness level and how much water you actually use, this results in significant salt and water savings. It will not waste water by regenerating (like competitor models) while you are on vacation and you will not run out of soft water if you use more water than usual.
The Temperature of Water Matters In Washing
How to choose between hot, cold or warm water before you tossed all your clothes into the washing machine? It all depends on whether the clothing is dark colours, light colours, whites and in-between or whether they are heavily soiled clothes or delicate fabrics.
Hot water is around 130 ℉ (54℃); warm water is 90-100℉ (32-38℃), and cold temperature is around 60-80℉ (15-27℃). Below 60℉ (15℃) is considered too cold to wash your clothes.
Setting up the right temperature of your washing machine is key to make the best use of the detergent in the order they work more efficiently on the fabrics thus preserving the texture of your clothes better. How do you know what temperature is suitable for your garment? Simply check on the washing instruction label inside your clothing.
Hot water is best in getting out the stain and dirt in heavily soiled clothes or items. You could do a separate hot water wash for your whites colours and light colours, separate from the other heavily dirty clothes. You rather not mix your whites or light colours clothing with the dark ones, otherwise, if the dark one will bleed and the lighter colours garments would be spoilt.
Optimum Temperature
But for most clothes of any fabric type or whether the colour is light or dark, a mixture of hot and cold water is a good balance for your detergents to work on. At this optimum temperature, shrinking, wrinkling and fading are reduced.
Benefits Of a Cold Wash
You’ll noticed that cold water is not really cold, because the washing machine will add some warm water in it so that detergents could properly dissolve in it.
Coldwater will protect your bright and bold colours garments from running and fading as they could at warmer temperatures.
If you have a washing machine that automatically controls its water temperature according to your setting of fabrics type, it will also set the temperature to rinse. Coldwater will work just fine to rinse off the extra soap residues out of your clothes.
Go Green?
- 7.4 Cu. Ft. NeveRust Stainless Steel Drum
- 14 Cycles | 12 Options | 5 Temperatures
- LG SmartThinQ Compatible
- ColdWash Technology
On certain days, when you don’t have a heavy load of clothes, why not save some energy. Turn off the temperature control cycle and do your washing in cold water. They just work fine if you don’t have to do serious cleaning. LG WM3900HWA White 4.5 cu.ft. Smart wi-fi Enabled Front Load Washer Shop at Walmart
Top Wash With Agitators And Impeller Wash System
Probably, your mother still keeps a top-loading washing machine with a tall vertical structure in the centre of the washing machine. Instead of retiring these machines, manufacturers still continue to produce this type of washing system more than ever today.
27 Inch Top Load Washer with 4.5 cu. ft. Capacity, 14 Wash Cycles, 800 RPM, Dual Action Agitator, Speed Wash, Deep Water Rinse in White.
Gentle Giant
That is a reason for that. The centre spindle when spin, it twists back and forth with great force, it caused the clothes to rub against it to remove and rinse away loose soils. Don’t worry, modern washing machine with agitators are really gentle with your clothes and will minimize stretching and pulling of your garments. GE Appliances GTW685BSLWS 4.5 cu. ft. 27 Inch Top Load Washer White With Agitator Shop at Walmart
Clothes Rub Against Each Other
In contrast, Impeller or Pulsator type of washing machine still use a centre spindle, but a much low-profile cone or disc. The rotating effect, instead of causing the clothes to rub against the spindle as in the Agitators, spins and rotates to rub clothes against each other to clean them.
The theory comes from the front load washing machine and there are no agitators to rumble and tumble your clothes. Just like the Impeller, it rotates and spins so that the clothes touch and rub against each other to clean them. Now, this technology has moved to the top-loading machine.
More Water Do Not Equates A Cleaner Wash
I know that you are familiar with a full tumbler of water in the Agitators, which to your opinion equates a good wash. But the rather low water levels in an Impeller makes you concern whether it is adequate enough for a thorough wash?
- Capacity: 2.0 CF
- 6 Cycles w/800 RPM Spin
- Portable/Freestanding Application
- Hot and Cold Water Inlets
Top-loading washer and front-loading washer that uses the impellers optimizes their washing by using the friction of the clothes rubbing against each other, and hence it uses a less amount of water and they don’t need a tumbler full of water. With less water, less energy is needed to spin the machine allowing you to save on your electricity and water bill. Avanti 2.0 CF Top Load Washer – Platinum (with a Pulsator) Shop at Walmart
What On Earth Is a High Efficiency Washer?
A High-Efficiency washing machine is a washer that uses a technology to save water, energy and detergent. You can easily recognise it by the HE logo if it is High-Efficiency washing machine.
High-Efficiency washing machine is not the domain of front-loading machine only, the top-loading washing machine has it too.
A High-Efficiency machine does not have an agitator inside the drum, that’s why the drums have an effective 40% bigger volume than that of the traditional top-loading washing machine. It means it can hold up more clothes.
27 Inch Front Load Washer with 4.5 cu. ft. Capacity, 10 Wash Cycles, 1300 RPM, Electronic Controls, Speed Wash, Sanitize Cycle, Bulky/Bedding cycle in White
Without the agitator, it is just an empty drum. The clothes are just tossed around by the impeller in different motions depending on the cycle you’ve chosen for the clothes. By flipping around, the clothes are rub against each other to remove stains. GE Appliances GFW430SSMWW 4.5 cu. ft. 27 Inch Front Load Washer White Shop at Walmart
The bubbles and diamond-shaped notches in the drum aids in the cleaning just like the function of a traditional washing board would do. They are gentle on the clothes and would not stretch and pull your garments as an agitator washer would.
A Much Quieter Machine
They are way far quieter than the traditional washing machine with the central agitator, and more clothes can be stuffed into the drum. Most High-Efficiency washer has a weight sensor which means you’ll never overload the machine. With that, it can determine your weigh-load and be able to determine exactly how long to run each particular wash cycle.
One cool thing about the High-Efficiency washer that they have a higher spin cycle compared with a traditional washing machine. It gets rid of the water and moisture from the clothes more effectively leaving your clothes much drier. It makes work easier when the clothes are transferred to your dryer machine. Magic Chef 1.6 cu.ft. Topload Compact Washer, Dark Gray Shop at Walmart
They don’t use much water, only about 20% of the amount of water in a tradition top-loading washer. With a lesser load, it saves about 65% of energy.
However, the use of less water, means it would result in more detergents being used to achieve a thorough clean, especially when the High-efficiency carry a much bigger load. Putting a larger amount of detergent is not enough, but it has to be of high quality, that is specially formulated with low-sudsing and made especially for High-Efficiency washers. Tide Spring & Renewal HE, 89 Loads Liquid Laundry Detergent 138 fl oz Shop at Walmart
10X cleaning power (Stain removal of one Tide PODS® in quick cycle vs. 10 doses of the leading bargain liquid detergent, base variant, in normal wash cycle)
Warning!
Do Not Underdose Or Overdose Your Detergent
When using a high-efficiency washing machine, use the correct amount of efficiency detergents. Do not put more or less than what is required for a good wash.
The amount of weight load of clothes you are washing will determine how much is required for that particular wash.
If you overdose your detergents, there’ll be lots of detergents residual left on your clothing and machine. Your clothes will appear rather drab and gloomy. On the other hand, if less amount of detergents are used, the clothes will not be properly clean. It will not smell nice and you got the feeling that your clothes don’t give you the shine as it should.
But, as a consolation, the most washing machine now is equipped with an automatic detergents dispenser that releases accordingly to your washer cycle, so that you don’t have to look over it all the time.
My Studio Apartment Is only 200 Sq ft …
Most of us do not have the luxury of space, especially if you are living in an urban town or cities. However, you can still own a smaller combo all-in-one washing machine that has all the convenience of the normal-sized washer.
You can put in the dirty clothes and in a few hours, you get your clothes are washed and dried. This combo can never match their separate counterparts, but nevertheless, it got the job done. The washer and dryer function independently of each other. You can either do your washing or dryer. independently. You don’t have to do the washing and drying together.
These combo washers are compact and are much smaller in size than the traditional washing machine and can easily fit under a kitchen bench.
The washing performance is comparable to that of the stand-alone washing machine, but the drying time may take a longer time.
One thing is that these washers will work perfectly well with all types and brands of powered or liquid detergents. Magic Chef 2.7 cu ft Washer Dryer Combo, White Shop at Walmart
How Do My Washing Machine Stack Up?
Do not attempt to stack up against any washing machine even it is of the same brand. They are only compatible when the manufacturers design them so. Follow the instructions in the manual or website. Most manufactures will include its stack kit for your assembly. They are the usual metal brackets used to secure the stacking of your appliances.
Stacking helps your laundry room feel roomier, better organized and utilized your limited space to the maximum.
Normally, a stacking combo washers are two standalone machine of normal size but have the benefit of stacking one on top of another due to its compatibility. They are mostly front-loading machine but some models have top-loading but the washer’s top lid can only open up at 45°.
This 24 front load washer with steam by GE comes with 25 cu ft capacity and is Energy Star qualified It also features stainless steel basket electronic touch controls 14 wash cycles 1400 RPM and an internal water heater.
The washer is usually placed at the bottom, whereas the dryer is placed on the top because when the washer is filled with clothes and water, they weigh much more than a dryer with wet clothing. Front-load Compact GFW148SSMWW 24 Washer with GFD14ESSNWW Shop at Walmart
But this Stack-Up Is Unitized
If your apartment-sized and budget didn’t permit you to have the full-sized washing machine, you can consider down-sizing to a smaller compact unitized stack unit. Due to its smaller size, it can fit into the RV or motorhomes.
The washer is top-loading while the dryer is front loading. The tub will be smaller and therefore, it can only wash a smaller load. The dryer sits on top of the washer and is easily accessible.
With a smaller tub, you can only wash a few items at a time, and is most suitable for two people, like newlyweds where you yet have babies. Frigidaire Ffle3900u 27″ Wide Stacked Electric Washer/Dryer Combo – White Shop at Walmart
- 3.9 cu. ft. washer and 5.5 cu. ft. dryer allows you to get your laundry done without taking up too much space
- Ten washer cycles with three temperature settings
- Six dryer cycles with three temperature settings
- Turn knob controls to easily select the cycle
You Want A Dryer To Complement Your Washer
If hanging out your heavy wet clothes to the clothesline to dry seems a formidable task, it’s time to invest in a dryer to stop all those muscles ache and tired legs.
Hard luck, dryer mostly are front-loading and you’ll have to bend a bit. A typical dryer will be able to most remove moisture from your clothes.
A dryer uses heat, air, and motion to dry your clothes. The heating element in your heater can either fueled by natural gas, propane gas, or electricity.
You’d realized that with a gentle breeze the clothes that you have left out to dry in the sun dried faster than it is on an overcast day. The same principle applies in a dryer. The dryer is designed for the drum to separate out the wet clothes and tumble the clothes so that circulation of the hot air is possible.
Auto Dry vs Time Dry
The most basic drying system is time dry and it simply uses a timer to run to dry for as long as you specify. The drawback is that there is no specify sensing of exhaust temperature or moisture of the fabrics and the clothing can easily be over or under dried.
Whirlpool WED85HEFW 7.4 cu. ft. Electric Dryer w/ Quick Dry Cycle More Laundry, Less Energy With the Whirlpool 7.4 cu. ft. Electric Dryer w/ Quick Dry Cycle.
Multiple dry cycles, including those dedicated to both bulky items and delicates, let you customize your drying routine to keep your clothing, linens and other household items in tip-top shape
Most dryer system has Auto dry and this is more accurate than time dry because it uses a thermostat to control the temperature of the air through its various sensors. Whirlpool WED85HEFW 7.4 cu. ft. Electric Dryer w/ Quick Dry Cycle Shop at Walmart
If You Don’t Have The Space For A Full-Sized Laundry Set-Up
Having a big family on a long RV and camping trip can be challenging when the clothes get dirty and there’s no laundromat insight. You can wash them by the stream but there’s a lot of hard work. Who wants to slog while out vacationing? Learn more about camping tents here.
- Ideal for small loads and delicate
- Portable Mini Compact Twin Tub Washing Machine
- Transparent lid allows you to see the wash and dry
- Easy operation
- Note: gravity drain
- Rated Washing Capacity: 11 lbs
- 11 lbs. wash, 6.6 lbs. spin
- 15 min. wash, 5 min. spin
- Spinner Power:110W
- Spinner RPM: 1300
If there are water and electricity supply, you can hook up a portable compact washing machine. A typical portable washing machine is small in size and can fit inside a small laundry room and an RV. It has a washing capacity of about 11 lbs and either you have to fill up the water manually or you can connect it your kitchen faucet. Once you’ve finished washing, the dirty water can be drained out at the bottom. Costway 17.6lb Portable Mini Compact Twin Tub Washing Machine Washer Shop at Walmart
Bottom Line
Why buy a washing machine? Do you like hand-wash your clothes? It’s not the most favourite choice of chores and your mother can attest to it.
Today you’ll have a spoil of choice of so many brands, types, styles and features available. Is your washing machine or are you looking for a specific feature or an upgrade, or maybe you’re leaving home and begin your life in college for the next few years. Your college dorm do not permit a large washer.
You can choose between a front-load or a top-load washing machine. Will it be a High-efficiency (HE) or a regular washer?
Which brand offers the best cost-effective features? Is adding a dryer complement my washing?
Dimension
I know that the first thing you should do before you click the button is to check the washer and dryer size dimension in the product’s specification. This is to ensure they can fit in the space in your home.
Everyone would love a full-sized washing machine and dryer but you’re buying on budget constraints and space limiting, go for the compact, combo or the unitized type of machine. Though it may have not all the bells and whistle, nevertheless, with the right choice, it can still give a good wash and dry.
Size Matters
The size you’ll choose for your washing machine will depend on the load of the clothes you’ll be washing. Whether you wash on a regular basis and how much of clothing you’ll wash each time will determine what size you want.
Convenience and ease of use is another consideration you would like to think about. If bending is not your forte, don’t go for the front-loader. Your mum will thank you for that.
On the other hand, shorter people may find it hard to hard to reach the bottom of some top-loaders to retrieve clothes. A small stool will come in handy.
Internet Of Things (IoT)
Lots of us are very internet-savvy and loved every electrical appliance in the house link on the internet. Most people would like to control your washing machine, like the time to start your washer or control the various wash cycle with the convenience of your mobile phone. Modern home today are serviced by wi-fi and can be hooked up with any appliances imaginable and you are able to control every command at your fingertips even if you’re miles away.
“When I said “I do” I didn’t mean the laundry.”
said the wife to the husband just after their honeymoon
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