Not only does it let you wash more clothes in one go, it means you can wash larger items, such as duvets.Ī larger drum will also tend to be more efficient, requiring less water and detergent to wash the same amount of clothes as a machine with a smaller drum. For a typical household, a 6kg drum will suffice, but a larger 8kg or 10kg drum can be very useful.
The energy rating changes are refreshingly sensible, and it’s now easier to compare models via the energy rating stickers and estimate energy usage for your household.ĭrum size is quoted as the total weight of dry washing that can be loaded into the machine.
#BEST FRONT LOAD WASHING MACHINE FULL#
The sticker now shows the duration of a full load wash cycle, and each machine’s load capacity for the now mandatory Eco 40-60 wash is also stated clearly. As before, an A-rated washing machine may be slightly more efficient than another A-rated machine, but the differences between similarly labelled appliances are negligible.Įach label also contains a figure for the washing machine’s power consumption rated at kWh per 100 washes (this used to be an annual consumption figure), and the water consumption used per cycle (this used to be measured in litres per year). It has been replaced with a new energy rating scheme that rates efficiency from A to G, with A being the most efficient. As of March 2021, the old and mildly confusing EU Energy Label system, which graded appliances from A+++ down to A, has come to an end. What features should I look out for when buying a washing machine?Įnergy consumption and water use are the two factors that determine how much your washing machine will cost to run per year. If, however, you need the biggest drum capacity possible to cope with a larger household, then you have two choices: spend more on a premium brand model, or settle for a big-capacity model from one of the more affordable brand names. Indeed, if your household can make do with a modest 7kg load capacity, then a ~£400 model from a big-brand manufacturer may be the best-value option. Do away with those features, and you’ll struggle to clean nappies or children’s soiled clothes effectively, and may end up incurring expensive engineer call-out charges every time you forget to empty your pockets.įor reference, the best affordable machine we’ve tested over the last few years is Bosch’s relatively basic Serie 4 machine. Many of the big-name budget brands we’ve tested have failed to impress, and once you drop too far below the £400 mark, you’ll often find that key features such as pre-wash programmes, emergency drain-down features and accessible filters (for removing those coins and buttons that have blocked up the machine) start to disappear.
That’s not to say that you should buy the very cheapest machine you can.
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