Washing machine questions, technology, explained

Choosing a washing machine is not so difficult, knowing the basic differences and characteristics, it is quite easy to choose a washing machine that will meet all your needs, and will be convenient to use. Of course, an important issue is the service life of the washing machine, the more reliable the washing machine, the less you have to spend on its maintenance or repair.

What are the washing machines

Now everyone is used to the fact that washing machines themselves perform all cycles of washing, you only need to put the laundry add detergent, now there are washing machines, which use cartridges with detergent and washing machine itself adds detergent depending on the load and type of laundry. But cartridges are expensive, which should be considered when choosing a washing machine. The appearance of washing machines, only the design changes. Let’s see what kinds of washing machines there are.

• Front-loading washing machines
• Washing machines with vertical loading
• Complete washing machines, that is, when the set includes a dryer

Washing machines with front loading

Front-loading washing machines, that is, when the door for loading the laundry is at the front. You need to consider which way the hatch opens and whether there is enough room for the washing machine when the hatch is open.

Vertical loading washing machines

In these machines, the laundry is loaded from the top, you will need less space near the washing machine.

Washing machine sets

These kits come with a washer and dryer. Pay attention to the dryers, they can be electric or gas. If you buy a gas one, there should be a connection to the gas line at the point of installation. Also, in some models, the control can be combined and the washer and dryer.

Technical features

Of the innovations can be noted the discontinuation of the production of washing machine tanks made of stainless steel, 90% of washing machine tanks are made of polymers. The drum in which the laundry is placed is usually made of stainless steel for greater reliability.

Direct Drive Washing Machine

By using a motor that is rigidly connected to the drum (the drum stands on the motor axis), these washing machines are called direct-drive (DD) washing machines. They have less vibration and are less noisy.

Washing quality, laundry

The quality of washing is now almost the same in all washing machines, the principle of washing has not changed for decades. To a greater extent, the quality of washing depends on the detergent.

Normal washing – the laundry in the drum rotates with a small amount of water, due to the large number of cycles of the drum rotation, the laundry is crumpled and the dirt is separated from the fibers of the laundry. Additional technologies such as bubbles and steam are used to improve the dirt separation process. Separately, there are washing machines that produce active oxygen. As a strong oxidizer, it copes well with dirt, but shortens the life of laundry by destroying the fibers of laundry, especially natural fabrics.

The number of washing programs

Although washing machines have many programs for washing, but they all boil down to three basic programs. Washing, rinse, spin. Then come combinations, washing intensity, laundry time, number of rinses, spin speed. To make it easier to choose, manufacturers make washing programs, such as jeans, shirts, cotton, synthetics, silk and so on. You can ignore this when choosing a washing machine.

Saving resources with washing machines

The energy efficiency type, indicated by the letters A – G, shows how much energy it takes to wash 1 kg of dry laundry, as well as other parameters that affect washing comfort, and the following components are taken into account

• total energy consumption per cycle
• quality of washing – with A to G class
• quality of spin – with A to G class
• Maximum speed of rotation in rpm
• Maximum load in kg of cotton
• water consumption in liters
• noise during washing and spinning in decibels

Washing machine quality

How long will your washing machine last is not an unimportant question. Reliability is largely influenced by the quality of manufacture of parts and assemblies. Before buying, it is best to read customer reviews. There are very good washing machines, but it happens that in any model a defect is found. You should also pay attention to the quality of detergents used. As an acquaintance of mine who works in a service center told me, washing machines that used liquid detergents had a better interior appearance after use for several years. That’s why I recommend using liquid detergents rather than powder.

Washing Machine Price

The price is an important parameter that affects the choice of washing machine, the lowest price are the washing machines of the classic type with a minimal set of functions. A washing machine with mechanical control will cost cheaper, with electronic control – more expensive, but it performs the same functions and washes the same clothes. Additional additions such as a timer for delayed start, dosing of detergent depending on the weight of dry laundry, detection of detergent residue. In case the rest exceeds the norm, the additional start of one more rinse, the use of a ceramic heating element, the possibility of connection to the Internet and the smart home system raises the price of washing machines on a large scale, the difference in price between models of the same manufacturer can differ significantly.

Repairability of the washing machine

Most manufacturers of cheap washing machines are very loyal to the supply of parts to repair washing machines, the parts are sold any. In this way, a marketing tactic of saturating the market with appliances and simple affordable service is used. The buyer can choose one or another manufacturer, knowing that in the case of a washing machine breakdown, repairs can be made quickly and not expensive. This policy is supported by Samsung, LG and most European manufacturers.

The second type of repair policy is when spare parts are not freely available, but are only available at an authorized service center. Of course, there are no failures to repair after the warranty period, but the cost of spare parts and repairs is very high, and sometimes you have to wait several months for the necessary part to arrive. Sometimes it is cheaper to throw out the broken washing machine and buy a new one.