In theory yes, but today's vast array of washing machines can cause confusion. For this reason I thought it might be useful to give you some information and things to look out for when buying a new one.
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| Panasonic VX3 range of washing machines |
Size
One of the first things to look out for with a new machine, and something that sounds fairly obvious, is the physical size. All of the normal machines on the market are designed to fit into a space 600mm wide by 850mm tall. This should be the size of gap that has been left by your kitchen fitters if you have a new kitchen, or the size of gap your existing item is in. There is however the chance that your gap maybe slightly under 600mm wide. this is normally due to errors when fitting the kitchen or the previous machine (that the units were built around) being slightly thinner. For this reason it is always worth double checking.
One dimension that can change quite a bit is the depth (front-back) of the machine. Standard machines will generally be somewhere between 550-650mm. In the past we have had issues in very small galley kitchens where slightly deeper machines can prevent cupboard doors opening properly. If the depth is a problem for you, there are slimline machines from brands like Bosch that are only 450mm deep. These do however have a much smaller wash load.
15-20 Years ago a washing machine was lucky to have a wash load of around 5-5.5kg. People accepted that larger loads such as sheets or blankets may need to go to the laundrette and were happy to do multiple cycles to clear the backlog of washing. Times however have changed. In today's fast paced hectic world of after school sports events, meals out with friends, visiting family, walking the dog & the more mundane everyday things like shopping and working, it seems like we have less time to do the washing. This is one of the reasons why manufacturers have been making larger & larger capacity machine. It is almost normal for a washing machine to now have an 8kg wash load and not surprising to know that 11kg loads are now available.
Having a larger capacity allows you to do less wash cycles per week saving you money on electric, water, detergent & conditioner. Don't worry if you can't always fill the full load though. Most machines now monitor how much washing is in the drum and will adapt their cycles accordingly to be as efficient as possible. Bear in mind though, using the machines to the wash load capacity will minimise your running costs.
Energy Rating
All washing machines being made for sale in the EU now have to provide an "A" rated wash performance so this detail has been removed from the new labels. The new labels give you an idea how much water & electric the average person will use during a years use of the machine. The exact values will vary depending on how you use it, but as all machines are tested in the same way it is a good comparison between models. Currently washing machines can be rated up to "A+++" for their efficiency. Some machines have already attained this level of performance and are likely to become even more efficient in the future too!
Something to bear in mind when were talking about efficiency is the initial cost of the machine. If you're doing a dozen washes per week, spending extra to get a very efficient machine could well save you money in the long run. If you only do a couple of cycles per week it is unlikely you'll recoup the additional cost of choosing an "A+++" machine over an "A" rated machine during its lifespan.
Wash Cycles
Wash cycles have become far more important over that last few years & the machines are now far more tailored to different types of clothes. Some machines will have special cycles for outdoor wear, sports kit, baby clothes or bedding to name a few. If there are any particular types of cycle that you need, check with the sales person to see which machines suit your needs.
The capacity normally refers to a cottons wash only, with all other cycles varying as listed in the instruction book.
If you do overload the drum, the machine will still complete a wash cycle but may have to use more water, more electricity and take significantly longer to finish the load. The clothes are also likely to come out feeling strange to the touch compared to normal. This not only affects your outlay on running costs but you may also find that you have to replace your clothes more often. This is because they are not being taken care of as they as supposed to be.
It can come as a bit of a shock but it's worth thinking about how much the clothes in a wash load could be worth. For example, I've priced up the value of the clothes that a typical wash for cottons could be for an average man. These are prices from Next and as such are neither budget or designer prices.
2 Pairs of Jeans, starting at £45 each, £90
4 Cotton T-Shirts at £25 each, £100
5 Pairs of Cotton Socks, £10
5 Pairs of Cotton Socks, £10
6 Pairs of Boxer Shorts, £40
5 White Work Shirts, £22 each, £110
2 Pairs of Shorts from £22 each, £44
Total, £394
Now I might be a little bit of a skinflint but £394 sounds like a lot of money to be throwing away by not looking after your clothes with the correct wash cycle! It also seems a bit odd to me to trust a £300 washing machine to repeatedly wash loads of up to and over £400!
Special Features
On top of all of the normal wash cycles most machines now have a variety of additional features and functions to help you personalise the machine to your own needs. These features vary from brand to brand but also in their purpose.
Some machines such as the Aqualtis from Hotpoint have steam cycles that allow to clean your clothes with just 200ml of water. Ideal for refreshing clothes that have only been worn once or may have picked up odours from day to day use.
Other machines like the Siemens IQ500 varioPerfect or Panasonic VX3 have speed/eco options. These allow you to either significantly increase the wash time to save you money on electricity or reduce the wash time, by using more power. This means you can either get more washes done when you're home or you can save money when you're at work!
Spin Speed
Washing machines today tend to have spin speeds of 1200-1600rpm. 1800spin machines are available but are few and far between. The need for 1800spin machines has diminished as drum design has become more efficient, allowing water to drain more easily. The spin speed rating is the maximum speed of the drum. Different cycles will spin at different speeds to look after the clothes you are washing. You can generally choose to slow the spin down or even cancel the spin cycle all together. You can't however increase the speed, this is to make sure you don't damage the clothes!
Latest Technology
One of the latest advancements comes from Siemens and their iDos IQ700 washer. This machine has replaced the traditional detergent drawer with a much larger container that will hold enough liquid detergent & conditioner for approximately 20 washes. On top of the normal wash cycles that you would expect to find on a washing machine, this Siemens has 2 Fully Automatic washes too.
These wash cycles literally allow you to put your washing in and press start!
The machine works out how much clothing you have put in the drum, the type of material it is made from, how dirty it is and how hard the water is in your area. Once it has this info the iDos IQ700 works out exactly how much detergent & softener it needs, to the nearest millilitre, to complete the cycle as efficiently and as effectively as possible.
If this wasn't fantastic enough, there is also something called autoStain Removal (ASR). This feature allows you to tell the machine if there is a particular type of stain on the clothes you are washing. This sets the machine in to a slightly different cycle that is designed specifically to remove one of 14 different types of Stain, without the need for extra substances like Vanish. By using all these technologies together the IQ700 is able give you incredible washing results combined with huge savings on detergent, electric, water, softener & stain remover.
All this technology obviously pushes the initial purchase price of the machine upwards. This jump in price may however be largely recouped over the machines life. Siemens have worked out that over 5 years the IQ700 will save you about £275 in running costs. This does not take in to consideration the additional lifespan that the machine will give your clothes by looking after them for longer. Neither does it take in to account the probability that it will last significantly longer than a lower priced machine, reducing the need to replace or repair as often.
In line with this the higher end machines from brands like Panasonic or Siemens are likely to come with longer warranties. Typically these now tend to be 2 years as standard or 5 years during promotional periods. Some machines also carry a 10 year warranty on the motor, again demonstrating the manufacturers faith in their products.
Lastly
When helping you buy a washing machine, the information above forms part of our product knowledge to ensure you get the right machine for your needs. Unlike some of our competitors, we never want to push a higher cost machine onto any of our customers. What we do want to do is make sure that whichever machine you buy you are genuinely happy with.
Our machines are almost always delivered & installed free of charge in the local area, plus we will remove and recycle your old item free of charge too. We are always available either in store or on the phone to help with your queries, both before and after your purchase.
To see our range of Washing Machines, please visit our website
www.HickmansOldTown.com or come & visit us in store.
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