How to Pick a Best Washing Machine for Your Home

Whether you have a large family or a small one, a washing machine is one of the most important appliances every home must have. With these machines, you do not need to spend a lot of time washing the clothes. The good thing about them is that they are able to remove even the toughest stains. Again, they have different setting for various types of clothes.

However, finding a good washing machine can be very challenging and if you are not careful, you may end up spending your money in a low-quality machine. In this article, we shall discuss some of the things you should check when searching for the best washing machine for home.

Top features to check when buying a washing machine

Capacity- This is the most important thing you must think of before buying a washing machine. The load capacity of a washing machine is usually measured in Kg. If you have a big family, you need a spacious machine which can accommodate many clothes. In case you are still not sure which one you should pick, you should consider the following.

* 1-2 people - 5-6 kg

* 2-3 members - 6.5- 7kg

* 4-5 members - 8 kg

* More than 5 people - 8.5 kg- 9 kg

Size – Another important thing you need to consider is the available space in your house. Since these machines are available in different sizes, some will require a lot of space which means that they may not be the best for those with a limited space. Therefore, you need to check the dimensions to ensure that the machine will fit perfectly on the available space.

Price- These machines are available in different prices. In case you are searching for an advanced machine, a front load washing machine will be the best. These machines are a bit expensive but they are worth the price. For those who are on a budget, a top load-washing machine will be the most suitable.

Power consumption- You dont need a machine that consumes a lot of power. To en-sure that you are buying the right one, you should check the power rating on the ma-chine. A machine with a 5-star rating means that it saves more power than a 4 stars and 3 star washing machines. In short, you should consider one with the highest rat-ing. However, most of these machines are a bit expensive but they will save you a lot of money in the long run as compared to cheaper models that consumes a lot of power.

Temperature control- This feature allows you to control the water temperatures to re-move even the toughest stains. It is a very important feature when cleaning baby clothes on daily basis. When buying, you should look for a machine that comes with inbuilt heaters.

Type of drum- Most of the washing machine drums are made of either stainless steel or plastic. As compared to the stainless-steel drums, plastic drums are the best be-cause they are resistant to corrosion. On the other hand, stainless steel drums are very easy to clean and they keep your clothes safe from damages.

Direct Drive Technology- This technology ensures that the motor does not have chains, belts and gearboxes. Instead, it is connected directly to the drum of the washing ma-chine which means that it rotates the drum directly. As a result, it boosts energy effi-ciency and ensures that the machine is less noisy. It also uses few moving parts to prevent wear and tear.

Hard water compatibility- Using hard water to clean clothes can be very challenging because the detergent may not dissolve completely which affects the cleaning pro-cess. Again, hard water deposits salt on the drum as well as the drainpipes. This is very dangerous because it can even damage the machine. Therefore, you need to look for a machine that is able to convert hand water to soft water in case you dont have a water softener in your home. This will protect your machine from chocking and will also prevent damages.

Smart Inverter Technology- This feature enables the machine to clean your clothes at a speed that suits the amount of clothes you have put in the unit. As a result, it saves a lot of energy when cleaning.

Delay start Feature- The delay start feature is a very useful feature because it allows you to set when you would like the machine to start the cleaning process may be a few hours later. You can choose between 6 to 36 hours after you have put the laun-dry in the machine.

Warranty- Whether you are buying a fully automatic or semi automatic washing ma-chine, you need to ensure that the machine has a reasonable warranty. This means that you should read the warranty terms and what it covers. A good washing machine should have a warranty of at least 3 years.

Washing programs- These machines come with different cleaning programs. Some of the programs you should check include:

* Quick wash- These programs are available in most of the fully automatic ma-chines. It is a very important function which enables the machine to clean your clothes within a very short period of time. This means that they can clean and dry the clothes with 15 to 30 minutes.

* Daily wash- This program is for clothes you wear every day such as the under-garments. When cleaning, the machine uses less water and takes less time to clean those clothes you wash every day.

* Pre-soak- You can use this feature for cleaning heavily soiled clothes. After you have set this feature, the machine will first soak the clothes and stir them up before it begins the normal cleaning process.

* Delicate clothes- Some clothes are very delicate to be washed in a machine. When cleaning such clothes, the machine uses low temperatures with less drum rotation which prevents wear and tear.

* Cotton clothes- When you want to clean cotton clothes, this feature will give you the best results. It uses hot water to clean the clothes thoroughly.

Type- Washing machines are available in two types which are top load and front load washing machines.

* Top load washing machines- Just as the names suggest, you load the clothes from the top when using these machines. They are normally connected to a water supply and they also feature a single tub for washing and drying. If you are on a budget, these machines are the best due to their affordable price. An-other awesome thing about them is that you do not need to bend when putting the clothes in the machine.

* Front load cleaning machines- These ones are the most advanced and the most expensive washing machines. They also come with extra features which you cannot find in the top load models. In terms of performance, they provide the best cleaning performance. Another benefit of using these machines is that they consume less electricity and water as compared to the top load models.

Other features- You may also need to check the following features;

* LED display- An LED display allows you to check important details about the wash program you are using. It also display various details such as remaining time and the cleaning status.

* Bubble wash- This feature produces very small bubbles which goes deeper into the fabric for thorough cleaning. Different brands have different names for the feature. For instance, Panasonic models calls it Active Foamwhile Sam-sung refers to it as Eco Bubble.

* Dryer- This feature dries your clothes completely after cleaning. This means that you can wear them immediately after you have removed them from the ma-chine.

* Fuzzy logic- Fuzzy logic is an artificial intelligence for washing machines. It uses different sensors which enables it the machine to provide the best clean-ing performance. For example, it is able to add the required amount of water, time required and the amount of detergent according to the weight of clothes you have placed in the machine. Washing machines with this feature are the easiest to use because you will only need to press a button and allow the ma-chine to do the cleaning.

* Smart diagnosis and control– Some advanced models allow you to check the status of the machine through apps. You will only need to download their app and in case the machine encounters some problems, you will be notified through your phone. Other models allow you to control the machine through a Smart Control App.

Wrapping up

Buying a washing machine is one of the best investments you can ever make whether you have a large family or a small one. With this machine, you dont need to worry about cleaning very dirty laundry which may take a lot of time and energy. You just need to put the clothes in the machine and allow the machine to do the rest.

Some machines are also able to wash and then dry the clothes which means that you can wear them after you have removed them from the machine. It is our hope that after reading this guide, it will be easy for you to find a machine that suits your needs.

(Disclaimer: This is a branded content)