How to choose a washing machine

Efficiency of washing, comfort and safety during operation, noise level, design of washing machines are constantly being improved.

The market offers updated models to customers several times a year. However, a truly happy owner can be called the one who has a washing machine working properly, having managed to become outdated morally.

The choice of a washing machine is a responsible event.

The personal experience of most buyers is based on the operation of the previous machine, and it is not enough for a rational choice. The pace of technological progress is so great that the functionality of new models of household appliances is shocking: leather protection, touch screen with 10 languages, 3D-Washing technology and much more.

The article provides practical tips to help you make an informed choice.

Determine the price category

The price of household appliances is affected by a large number of its characteristics. A similar set of functions have washing machines in different price categories. A high price is not always an indicator of high quality, but the general trend is obvious: you have to pay more for quality.

Everyone chooses a washing machine based on personal beliefs, goals and opportunities. Before searching for a specific model, it is rational for you to establish a purchase budget. Having decided on the maximum price, you can begin to choose the options of interest and, accordingly, the model.

Machine type

The most common type of machine is a machine. Such machines have a drum mechanism, a set of programs for different washing scenarios, depending on the fabric, pollution, the amount of laundry, and the user's wishes.

The washing machine is easy to operate, comfortable to operate. A variety of models covers a wide range of options and allows you to meet the needs of a wide range of customers.

Less popular, but indispensable for some, the type is a semiautomatic device. In a semi-automatic washing machine, there is a reservoir, inside of which there are blades, and outside - a motor. The motor activates the blades and they mix the laundry in the tank.

Such a machine does not connect to the water supply system, does not heat water. You need to pour warm or hot water into it yourself, and also drain it yourself. Such machines were indispensable helpers in the household until they were replaced by automatic ones. Today, semi-automatic machines are popular for summer houses where there is no centralized water supply and where it is a pity to carry an expensive automatic machine.

Choose a washing machine

Design selection

The washing machine may have a vertical or front loading. Both types of construction have a comparable service life. The type of construction does not directly affect the quality of the wash and the useful life.

The choice depends on the installation location of the machine and on personal preferences. When choosing a design, the following conditions must be taken into account:

dimensions that are suitable for the installation site: with vertical loading they are smaller than with front loading;
free space for opening the door: it must be sufficient so that the hatch does not accidentally abut when opened in hanging towels, pipes, shelves, laundry baskets, etc .;
the need to use the surface of the machine: with front loading on the machine, you can fold and put a bunch of things;
desire to observe the washing process: through a transparent door with front loading, you can timely detect foreign objects in the machine.

Loading volume

It is advisable to choose this parameter based on personal experience, as well as the experience of relatives and friends.

The choice is affected by the number of people who will be serving the washing machine, as well as the established tradition of washing. Someone washes clothes accumulated over a week in one day. Someone prefers not to save, but to wash in a day or two.

Some are forced to regularly tidy workwear sets. For most families with small children, daily laundry is normal, especially in rainy weather.

It is very important that the actual load matches or is close to that provided by the manufacturer. There is no need to constantly weigh the laundry. It is enough to visually verify that the drum is full, but you do not have to push and push anything.

Important! When choosing a washing machine, you must take into account the weight of the largest curtains, plaids or rugs that you expect to machine wash. When choosing home textiles, it is also advisable to consider the load volume of your machine, already installed or planned for purchase.

For proper operation and a satisfactory result, the linen should be evenly distributed over the drum. This is only possible with proper loading. Regular overloading or underloading of the machine reduces its life and washing quality.

Programs and modes

The basic set of programs has most washing machines: cotton, synthetics, delicate washing, prewash, short wash, wool, rinse, spin, drain, drain.

As a rule, there is a choice according to the temperature regime and the number of revolutions per minute during the spin cycle.

Let us dwell on more rare programs.

jeans - ordinary washing at 30-40 ° C with an extraction at very low speeds;
sport implies severe contamination of clothing, respectively, an intensive program with prewash;
sneakers - A very convenient program for maintaining the cleanliness of sports shoes;

Attention! It must be remembered that not all shoes can be machine washed: machine washable fits textile sneakers without scuffs and holes, with securely stitched seams. Leather, suede sneakers, as well as fragile, will lose their appearance after a machine wash. Sneakers with mechanical damage can ruin the car (if, for example, a small piece of foam gets into the drum)!

cold wash not everyone needs it, but some in the wardrobe have things that the care instructions simply require;
easy ironing implies less crumpled laundry after washing; this effect is achieved due to more water during rinsing and fewer revolutions during the spin cycle; as a result, more moisture remains in the laundry;
handwash even more gentle than delicate; with its help you can wash clothes with a tag that prohibits machine wash;

Attention! When using the program "hand wash", you may doubt whether the machine is working properly. Wait a few minutes to verify this. That is how much the drum can remain stationary when washing by hand.

business suitable for washing shirts, this program is more gentle than synthetics or cotton, but more intense than delicate washing;
3D-washing - washing in three dimensions means uniform movement of the laundry throughout the drum, which ensures uniform contact of the laundry with the detergent;
night program takes care of rest at night: washing and rinsing take place as usual, and then the machine soaks the linen in clean water; in the morning it remains to start the spin, and the linen is ready;
leather protection - the function available on the new models of Swiss V-Zug washing machines will in the foreseeable future become available to a wide range of consumers and will provide the opportunity for gentle washing of leather products.

The listed list is extensive, but due to technological progress, not exhaustive. In the selection process, do not spare time for consultations with sellers and for reading the instructions of the models you like.

Drying or steam mode

Modern models of washing machines offer drying and steam generation functions. It is advisable to weigh all the arguments for and against such an acquisition.

Drying advantages:

lack of need to hang clothes on dryers;
dust localization;
the time from the start of washing to the readiness of the laundry to wear is significantly reduced.

Cons of drying:

the cost of the model is higher than without drying;
energy costs increase significantly (be sure to read the energy consumption in the operating instructions);
to fully dry the laundry, the drum should be loaded only half of its nominal capacity.

Pros of steam generation:

the possibility of steam treatment after washing, which provides a more efficient cleaning, both from dirt and detergent;
the possibility of steam treatment instead of washing: acceptable for minor contaminants;
the ability to remove stains with steam;
heat treatment, in most cases, able to replace ironing;
saving detergent.

Cons of steam generation:

high cost of the car;
energy costs increase significantly (be sure to read the energy consumption in the operating instructions);
you still have to dry clothes after steaming.

To summarize the above advantages and disadvantages of heat-treated models, their most rational acquisition is:

families with children when there is not enough time and effort to dry and iron;
cars with drying are suitable for families with limited space in the apartment, when there is no place to dry clothes;
The option of steam generation is indispensable for wealthy people who do not want to do ironing.

Tank and engine

A tank is a container that holds a drum. It can be stainless or plastic. If you are not going to use the machine for more than 20 years, and the likelihood that it will often be dropped is not great, there is no fundamental difference in material.

Stainless steel is much more expensive, so plastic tanks are increasingly found in modern cars. They are not inferior in consumer properties to their stainless counterparts. Plastic is less resistant to shock and less durable, but for the drum this property is not critical.

Plastic, in principle, provides better sound insulation than stainless steel. However, at the moment, stainless tanks are installed in washing machines of the middle and above the middle price segment. Their manufacturers provide sound insulation of stainless structures no worse than plastic.

Tanks are collapsible and monolithic. Bearings are installed inside the tank, which tend to wear out. With a collapsible tank, replacement will require a small amount of time and will be inexpensive. A monolithic tank must be completely replaced, which is much more expensive than individual bearings. It is possible to cut the tank with the subsequent replacement of bearings and sealing the tank. This is a time-consuming and expensive work, the quality of which may be doubtful.

During the warranty period for the washing machine, a monolithic tank will not cause much trouble. If necessary, the service center will completely replace it. However, machines generally last longer than the warranty. Most owners are faced with a post-warranty replacement of bearings.

Important! The tank of the washing machine is not visible from the outside, and the store is unlikely to agree to dismantle the surface to show it. Consultants rarely know about the design of the tank, and there is no information in the accompanying documents.

There are not many opportunities to find out what is inside, but they are:

contact the official representative of the manufacturer; in the age of the Internet it is not difficult;
if you have a familiar car repairman, get advice from him, although he may not have sufficient knowledge about the chosen model;
go to the store in the company of a strong man who can tilt the car; on most models, the tank can be seen from below. If for some reason you can’t tilt the car enough to view the tank, you can tilt a little and take pictures of internal fragments on the phone. The collapsible tank is easy to identify by connecting bolts, they are quite massive.

Motors in modern machines are installed mainly of two types: collector and direct drive (they are also called brushless or inverter).

Each type has its advantages and disadvantages.

Advantages of collector motors:

simple design available for widespread use;
moderate dimensions;
affordable price.

Disadvantages of collector motors:

loud noise;
the presence in the design of brushes that are subject to rapid wear; as a result, the need for repair.

Advantages of direct drive:

the design is even simpler than the collector motor;
compact dimensions;
high efficiency;
lack of spare parts requiring frequent replacement (brushes);
low noise level;
durability.

The drawback of direct drive is perhaps the only one: high price due to the complex technological process of installing such an engine.

In old and cheap models of cars you can find an induction motor.

Its advantages:

simplicity of design;
low noise
low cost.

Disadvantages of an induction motor - large size and low efficiency - determined its obsolescence. In modern automatic machines is not found.

Power usage

The most efficient cars have an energy class "A". Manufacturers that significantly exceeded the standard indicate "A +" ... "A +++".

This information is marked on a bright sticker that is hard to miss. Less efficient models are class B, C, D, E, F, G. The difference between the power consumption of A +++ and G is more than 2 times. With frequent washing, the difference in the electricity bill will be significant.

Additional functions

Additional functions make using the machine more comfortable, but you will have to pay extra for them:

intelligent washing control: the machine itself scans the level of contamination, selects the appropriate program, temperature, amount of powder;
child protection: a certain combination of keys blocks the electronic system, preventing an accidental malfunction and accidental injuries of the child;
leakage protection: when a leak occurs in the machine, the water supply or the operation of the machine stops;
protection against power surges: machine performance over a wide voltage range;
delayed start allows you to schedule a wash that will end at a certain moment, while washing clean linen will not lie for hours in an airtight drum;
balance control: the machine does not start spinning until it distributes the laundry evenly across the drum; it reduces vibration and wear of the mechanism;
the ability to connect to hot water supply: economic benefits are possible depending on utility tariffs, and most importantly, the absence of scale due to heating.

How to choose a top-loading washing machine

From the point of view of washing quality, there is no fundamental difference between a vertical loading machine and a front loading machine.

The choice is influenced by the dimensions of the room in which the machine will stand, and the individual aesthetic perception of the buyer.

Advantages of vertical washing machines:

compact dimensions;
ease of loading through the top;
the ability to add linen during washing.

Size and designs

Top-loading washing machines have almost the same dimensions and look very similar. Their width is always 40 cm, depth - 60-65, height about 90.

Which brand of washing machine to choose

The list of brands in any store with household appliances will require some time to read it, not to mention the choice. Most buyers have their own “white list” of brands.We offer you to familiarize yourself with the list of brands that have proven themselves from the best side.

Inexpensive

Gorenje - A manufacturer from Slovenia, has been producing washing machines since 1964. Differs in reliability, profitability and rational design.

LG - South Korean company, founded in 1958. Due to the volume of production, it is able to present low-cost models that are comparable in quality to samples from higher price segments. LG invented an inverter motor, which was a real breakthrough in the field of washing technology.

Atlant - Belarusian plant, founded in 1962. Launched washing machines in the 90s. The technique is notable for its laconic design, increased durability and affordable price.

Indesit - An Italian company with a rich history. Founded in 1930, in 1993 - opened a representative office in Lipetsk. The favorable ratio of price and quality of washing machines provides them with high demand.

BEKO - Turkish manufacturer of household appliances, traditionally supporting sports events. It has been sold in Russia since 1997; its own factory in Kirzhach was opened in 2006. Washing machines have a restrained design, mainly a set of basic functions, are characterized by a low price.

Mid-priced

Bosh - A large German company, founded in 1886. The release of household appliances began in 1928. Historically, Bosh symbolizes high quality. Over the past decades, the plant has opened many representative offices in different countries of the world. Some of them are introducing cheaper technologies. Thanks to this step, washing machines are widely represented in the middle price segment.

LG - already mentioned in the list of inexpensive brands, LG produces a large number of models for the middle price category. Such washing machines have a wider range of functions, as well as the possibility of a larger drum loading.

Samsung - South Korean brand, founded in 1938. High quality technology and continuous innovation determine Samsung among the world leaders in its field.

Siemens - The German concern, founded in 1847, began manufacturing washing machines in the 1920s. Siemens washing machines have a fairly concise design, economical, easy to operate.

Zanussi - Italian company, operating since 1916. It is distinguished by constant innovation, simple design, high quality, reasonable price.

Costly

Miele - German manufacturer, manufactures equipment since 1899. Has an impeccable reputation. Washing machines are made exclusively of high quality materials, have increased strength, operate quietly and economically.

Whirlpool - was founded in 1911, since then it has been producing washing machines. Uses the latest technology. Cars are of high quality, wide range of functions, user-friendly interface.

Electrolux is a Swedish company founded in 1910. It is characterized by a wide range of washing machines, high quality, stylish design.

Asko - Swedish company, opened in 1950. Initially, it produced washing machines, and later expanded the range of household appliances. High washing quality, latest technology and high price are the distinguishing features of Asko. The company introduced the first washing machine without a rubber cuff. It is believed that such a machine is more hygienic and less prone to leakage.

Recommendations for choosing a washing machine - what to look for

The choice is an individual matter. We hope that among these tips found useful for you.

Attention! Having decided on the set of options and the model of the washing model, make sure that the description on which you based your choice is reliable!

Characteristics on the description in catalogs, on the pages of online stores, in ads often have typos. Some suppliers insure themselves with a statement that the information on such media is for reference only.

Before buying, it is advisable to read the manufacturer's instructions. At the retail store, instructions can be obtained from sales consultants. In online stores there are links to instructions available for download. If this is not the case, you can find the instructions on the manufacturer’s website, indicating exactly the model and modification of the washing machine you are interested in.