Published on September 25th, 2023 | by Rebecca D. Walker
05 Important Factors To Consider When Buying a New Washing Machine
Purchasing a new washing machine can be challenging for most people, especially with endless options in stores. It involves more than just walking into a home appliance store and picking out any available washing machine. Instead, you must be well informed of your washing machine features and choice to ensure they meet all your home laundry demands.
Thus, there are certain factors that, when considered, can prove resourceful in the washing machine buying process. This article will delve into those factors, explaining them to your understanding.
Whether you want to purchase your first-ever washing machine or upgrade your old one, reading through these insights will equip you with enough information to ensure you make the perfect purchase.
1. Type
The type of washing machine is the first essential factor that you need to think about when buying a new washing machine. Obviously, there are endless washing machines available on the market to choose from, but the two main classifications they all fall under are the top load and front load washing machines.
It would help if you were well conversant with these types, including the benefits and disadvantages they present before purchasing one.
A top-load washer can have a single tub or twin tubs plus an air dryer like the LG twin washing machine. They are easy to operate, affordable, and are more commonly used. They’re also lighter and easy to move but consume more water.
Thus, it is ideal for you if you’re single and living alone in the city or have an older person operating the machine, as it’s convenient to wash without bending.
Photo by reenakhanna:- https://pixabay.com/illustrations/washing-machine-chore-laundry-7097790/
On the other hand, front-load washers are more expensive and heavy to move but can manage more significant quantities of clothes and consume less water. It’s also more energy efficient and has high spin speeds that help reduce the drying time.
The only drawback is that they have longer wash cycles, louder spin cycles, and are a bit high maintenance. If yours is a big family, a front-load washer is what you should opt for.
2. Energy Efficiency
Saving money on your bills is the most significant consideration when looking at the energy efficiency of an appliance. Still, it also goes a long way toward helping the environment in the long run. Like all appliances, washing machines are subject to the energy efficiency grading of A+++ down to G, with A+++ being the most efficient and G being the least.
It’s argued that the closer you have to an A+++-rated appliance, the more you save, and while this might only amount to a few pence with each wash, it can quickly add up over a year.
In addition, the technology incorporated into a washing machine also plays a vital role in enhancing its efficiency. Thus, if you opt for a washing machine with increased functions, it may come at a cost but will offer energy-saving options.
Moreover, if you reside in an area where the electricity rate is lower during dark hours, you can leverage this to your advantage, saving extra money on your utility bills.
3. Spin Speed
The spin cycle on a washing machine refers to the spins per minute (or revolutions per minute: RPM). Most washing machines now come with various speeds for you to select, helping to protect your more delicate clothes or wring out other clothes more efficiently.
Speeds ranging from 1000 – 1800 rpm are suited to cotton, while speeds between 400 – 800 rpm are better for delicate and synthetic clothes.
Photo by RDNE Stock project:- https://www.pexels.com/photo/person-using-washing-machine-5591460/
Don’t be fooled by thinking that higher speeds will dry your washing faster. Getting a washing machine with an 1800 rpm spin cycle can cost more, but some won’t give you any greater efficiency than if you set it to 1200 rpm.
By spinning the inner drum and creating a centrifugal effect, the clothes are wrung out by sheer force, with the moisture seeping through the small holes in your drum.
4. Size and Measurement
Think about where you’d like your new washing machine to be installed. Is there enough room? Before choosing your new washing machine, the best thing to do is to measure the dimensions of the space you have allocated for the appliance.
It needs to fit comfortably and be located where you can connect the pipes to the wastewater outlet. An easy trick for if your new washing machine is going in the same place as the old one is to measure the old appliance, as you can use this as a rough guide for your next purchase.
Moreover, aside from the fact that you need the appliance to fit into your home, you also need to take note of the drum size. This is important as it will inform how much you can put on to wash. Most washing machine manufacturers will state the drum size in kg, so it’s handy to remember that 1kg is roughly the equivalent of 5 t-shirts.
Photo by Brett_Hondow:- https://pixabay.com/photos/washing-machine-drum-spin-cycle-1446561/
5. Noise
Noise is another factor to check unless you want your washing machine disrupting everyday conversation. Washing machines can build up a lot of noise, mainly when spinning in the cycle’s final stages. As a result, you’re restricted on when to run it, and you don’t want it making a racket while you have guests over.
However, some washing machines are so quiet that they can be run in the early morning without waking the household, which is the cheapest time to do your laundry. Look out for designs with ‘quiet technology’ and vibration reduction and noise ratings, which you can compare.
Conclusion
As you can see, there are various factors like spin speed, energy efficiency, type, and size you must think about when buying a new washing machine. Nonetheless, they are straightforward, and you only need to keep them in mind when shopping for a new washer. And soon, you will have a brand new, beautiful, functional machine at home, and you can return to doing your laundry quickly.
Header photo credit:- https://www.pexels.com/photo/gray-front-load-washing-machines-4700420/
SUCH A AMAZING POST! THANK YOU....