Capacity
Drum capacity is measured in kilograms, and there are a lot of options to choose from, starting at 5kg, all the way up to 13kg. Obviously the bigger the capacity the more you are able to wash. 1kg of washing is roughly equivalent to 5 t-shirts/shirts, so a 13kg machine could handle 65 shirts, which is great if you have a large family, but do you then have space to dry all of this, especially in the Winter?
I would say 8kg and above would constitute the beginning of large capacity, although you should still be able to fit a double duvet into a 7kg washing machine.
Large drum benefits:
- Extra space to wash more clothes.
- Gives your clothes more freedom to move around which should result in a better wash and your clothes will come out less creased.
- Possibly wash less often if you have a bigger drum capacity.
Smaller drum benefits:
- Uses less energy and water compared to a big drum.
- Some have slimmer depth, which is great if you are tight on space.
Spin Speed
Most washing machine have a maximum spin speedbetween 1000rpm – 1600rpm. A higher speed will get your clothes dryer, which is also good if you are using a tumble dryer as clothes will dry quicker and you will save some money on your electricity bills, but a higher spin speed will leave clothes more creased and they c
an wear out more quickly. If you continually use your machine at 1600rpm, it could add more wear and tear to the motor, rather than if you were using it on lower spin speed, just think about driving a car, the harder you accelerate the faster you go, but you are wearing the engine more.
Quick Wash
A lot of people like to wash as quick as possible. Unfortunately, to adhere to today’s energy regulations, washing times on the standard wash programmes have increased.
Although washing times have increased on the standard programmes, there are still many qu
ick washes around, as low as 12 minutes. Be aware that most quick washes are for smaller loads and for lightly soiled items, so be sure to read the instruction book before filling up the drum and then wondering why your clothes are not cleaned properly.
Energy
The minimum standard is A, but the majority of today’s washing machines will be at least A+. The best rating is A+++.
A washing machine’s energy efficiency is calculated by the performance of the 40°C and 60°C cotton programmes. So if you do not use these programmes very often, the energy rating is not really something that should influence your new purchase. If these are the main programmes for you, then always check the annual energy consumption to see which models will save you money.
Display
There are many types of displays available from LED to LCD to touchscreen, where you can set your desired temperature and spin speed. The most useful thing these provide is that they let you know how much time it will take until your washing is ready.
You will need to take the time remaining as a bit of an estimate, because as machines have become more advanced they have more sensors which can detect such things as an unbalanced load or if too much detergent is still left in the water and this can add time to the wash programme.
Programmes
No longer is the decision to choose whether you want to wash on the Cottons or Synthetics programme, there are now a plethora or programmes you can choose from. You should think of your current lifestyle and decide if any of these specialprogrammes will be useful for you.
Some of the special programmes that you can look for:
- Baby & toddler (you cannot wash your children in the machine, just their clothes), which is also good for people with allergies.
- Sportswear
- Woollen
- Handwash
- Steam
