How to choose a brand of washing machine?
To choose brands of washing machines that would completely suit you, you need to approach this issue very seriously. “What is the highest quality machine” or “what are the best machines”, these phrases sound absurd, since such machines do not exist in nature. To make the right choice, you should focus on a whole set of factors and nuances, which we will talk about in this article. In addition, we will offer you information about popular manufacturers and brands of automatic washing machines.
What factors to consider when choosing an automatic machine
First of all, let's discuss what you should pay attention to when choosing an automatic washing machine? It is quite difficult to answer this question right away, since each person values his own group of advantages in a washing machine. For some people, the design and dimensions of household appliances come first; for others, a variety of washing programs are important; for others, safety is important.
In our opinion, this one-sided approach will not allow making the right choice. We suggest approaching the choice of a washing machine professionally and considering most factors and nuances. So, let's list them:
- price;
- brand;
- dimensions and possibility of embedding;
- washing programs;
- design;
- maximum load;
- efficiency;
- noise level;
- presence of drying function;
- presence of direct drive;
- availability of protection against leaks.
Washing machine price. In this case, we are not even talking about the amount of money you can spend on a washing machine. You need to decide on the price ranges and categories of the washing machine models in question and what you pay for within a particular model (for functions, for a brand, exclusive design, etc.).
Brand. Many buyers almost first of all pay attention to the fame and publicity of the manufacturer and give preference to one or another car model based on this. According to experts, this approach is completely unjustified. An item must be assessed objectively, based on its real properties, without relying on the authority of a well-promoted brand. Although few people still listen to this opinion.
Number and composition of washing programs. Housewives have been using automatic washing machines for quite some time and have become accustomed to specific washing programs. And if their home assistant breaks down and they need to choose a new one, attention will be paid to the availability of familiar washing programs. Very popular programs are: “gentle wash”, “quick wash”, “cotton”, “bulky items”, “synthetics” and others.
Dimensions and possibility of embedding. Many people purposefully try to choose a built-in washing machine model of a certain size so that it fits into a pre-prepared place. In this case, such characteristics as the number of programs, drum size, etc. come into the background, as long as it fits in!
Design. The appearance of a washing machine is becoming increasingly important. People are willing to overpay for a stylish machine design, and this changes the structure of supply on the market. They try to choose the machine to match the color of the furniture, walls, flooring, etc.
Note! Washing machines of some brands are available in regular and exclusive designs.Exclusive cars can be 50% more expensive than regular cars.
Maximum load. Practical housewives cannot ignore this factor. There are models of automatic washing machines whose drums do not even include a set of pastel linen and you have to wash the items in this set separately. But there are machine models whose drums can hold up to 12 kg of laundry. Your task is to choose either the maximum option or the golden mean.
Economical. Some automatic washing machine models allow you to save a little on utility bills. We are talking about machines with energy consumption class A and higher and with low water consumption. It’s not difficult to find a model with similar characteristics; the main thing is to pay attention to this point and choose the right one.
Noise level. Many people pay attention to the sounds that the washing machine makes when spinning clothes at high speeds. Buyers reject washing machine models that are too “loud.” To find out the strength of the sound emitted by the washing machine, you need to look at its passport, which indicates the noise level from a working machine in dB. You can also draw conclusions about this by reading consumer reviews and choose the appropriate model.
Drying function. Housewives who value their time prefer to buy washing machines with a drying function. Such automatic machines are much more expensive than conventional ones, but they allow you to automate the process of drying things, eliminating the problem of clotheslines in the apartment. Choosing a suitable model with drying is not easy, so we suggest reading more about this in the article about choosing a washer dryer.
Direct drive available. It is generally accepted that automatic washing machines with direct drive are much more reliable than those with a belt drive. Direct drive gives additional operational advantages to the washing machine. In particular, direct drive extends the life of the motor and saves energy. There are reasons for these statements, which is why some manufacturers produce entire series of washing machines with direct drive technology.
Leak protection. It would also be a good idea for your new automatic washing machine to be protected from leaks. That is, it had such a design of hoses and housing that in case of an accident, shut off the water and prevent flooding of your apartment and the apartment of your neighbors. The “leakage protection” function is very effective and has already saved a lot of money and nerves for a large number of people.
Interesting! Also, some people pay attention to the type of loading of the washing machine (vertical or horizontal), although this aspect has recently been considered less and less by consumers.
Brief overview of popular companies
Now let's talk about the companies that produce washing machines, about their distinctive features and characteristics. Which company can be singled out? There are quite a few such companies, so we will focus only on the main ones.
- Miele. Expensive but very reliable washing machines from Germany. This company does not produce equipment in the low price category, but their automatic machines can easily last 20-30 years.
- LG. This company produces washing machines of all price categories, from low to high. This is the first company that began producing direct drive machines and continues to introduce the most advanced technologies in the production of its products.
- Samsung. A Korean company that produces a huge number of different household appliances and electronics.Their washing machines are distinguished by their low price, long service life and intuitive control system.
- Bosch. Another manufacturer from Germany, which, unlike the previous one, operates in different price segments of the market. It is worth noting that even the cheapest models of automatic machines from Bosch turn out to be very reliable and of high quality.
- Siemens. Also a German company that assembles washing machines around the world. The quality of their products often depends on the country where the assembly took place (even despite quality control). European-assembled automatic cars are often much better than “Asian” ones, although recently the situation has changed for the better. This company produces only high-tech products; in particular, they were one of the first to implement detergent dosing technology in their machines.
- Indesit. An Italian company that produces and supplies washing machines to most countries of the world. Their equipment is distinguished by a wide variety of washing programs, as well as dimensions. Some of the best built-in and narrow washing machines are produced by this company, answering the question of which equipment to choose.
- Zanussi. Another Italian company that is famous for the low cost and quality of its products. The design of washing machines from this company is somewhat simple. But this is a very easy to use and reliable technique that will last for years.
- Electrolux. This company from Sweden has a wide variety of offers. Their washing machine models can be found at all three price points, and their variety of features is amazing, not to mention high quality.
- Gorenje. A company from Slovenia that produces quite expensive washing machines.At the same time, the technical solutions that this company uses in the production of washing machines are very impressive. This is the only company that mass-produces washing machines that operate not from a central water supply, but from an autonomous tank.
Note! Any of the above companies produces fairly high-quality equipment, so special attention should be paid not to the manufacturer, but to the specific model of the automatic washing machine that it produces.
Review of washing machine models in three price categories
To understand the question of which washing machine models can be called the best, experts decided to compare many of their models with each other according to the criteria specified in the first subtitle of our article. As a result, we were able to select several interesting models of automatic washing machines with characteristics that we will discuss.
Bosch WLG20265O.E. This washing machine model can truly be called an almost ideal price-quality ratio. With an average price of 400 USD. (best price), which puts it in the low price category, this machine contains a very decent list of functions. Add here impeccable German quality, and you will get the best technology in its class.
This model can be called economical - energy consumption class A, and water consumption is only 40 liters per wash. There are imbalance control and leakage protection systems. The machine has 9 main washing programs (nothing superfluous), but do not forget that you can program a custom mode. For some this is very convenient.
This machine is also distinguished by the presence of functions for adding laundry during washing, delay start, accelerated washing and adjusting the spin speed.The drum of the machine is quite spacious, loading laundry up to 5 kg. Not noisy. What brand of inexpensive washing machines offers such a set of functions - you still need to look.
Samsung WW90H7410EW/L.P. This mid-price washing machine from a well-known manufacturer is, firstly, distinguished by an innovative wide and capacious drum, from which it is very convenient to remove things. Secondly, bubble washing technology, which almost doubles the effectiveness of detergents, allowing you to wash even very difficult stains. Thirdly, an intelligent system that allows you to identify almost any malfunction and receive recommendations for eliminating it. This machine also has:
- ability to operate at speeds of 1400 rpm;
- almost silent engine;
- great design and beautiful lighting;
- large drum, laundry load up to 9 kg.
Note! Any Samsung equipment is distinguished by its excellent design (it’s hard to find anything better) and very high-quality software - washing machines are no exception.
LG F14B3PDS7. This model of washing machine is from a famous Korean manufacturer can be called an example of the serial application of high technology. This is not a cheap model (high price category), but its capabilities are simply amazing. Let's start with the main thing, this model implements a technology that can be briefly described as “steam washing”. In the tank of this machine there is a container in which water is heated to the state of steam, and then this steam can be poured over dirty clothes, improving the quality of washing.
In addition, the machine is distinguished by a very spacious drum (loading up to 8 kg), a low-noise engine and extremely low energy consumption.Add here high reliability, an innovative bubble drum, 14 washing programs that start with automatic weighing of laundry, and you get another “masterpiece” from LG, embodied in the body of an automatic washing machine.
About the advantages of expensive models of washing machines
We can talk about the advantages of expensive models of washing machines for a very long time. The manufacturer tests the most advanced developments using such equipment, which significantly make the life of those who use them easier. When buying an expensive washing machine, you undoubtedly take a risk, because it’s not a fact that such equipment, even with all the innovations, is worth the money? However, statistics from leading retail chains selling household appliances indicate the opposite.
What developments and technologies are we talking about? Let's give specific examples.
- Steam washing technology. We have already talked about it briefly above, so we will not repeat it.
- Intelligent drying/drying with ironing effect. According to manufacturers, this function can practically replace ironing. In fact, this is not entirely true, but, nevertheless, this function is very interesting. Available in expensive machines with built-in clothes dryer.
- Wash with lots of air. As is known, The more oxygen in the water, the better it removes dirt. Accordingly, if you force oxygen into the drum of the machine, the laundry will be washed much better.
- Washing quality control. Interestingly, the latest washing machines already have a pollution control system. The system itself determines whether the item has been washed or not and adjusts the washing program based on this.
- Communication with external devices.Connect your machine to your smartphone, and it will notify you that the wash is finished or there are some problems. This is very convenient when you need to go away and leave the “washing machine” unattended.
Note! If you don’t have the means to buy expensive models of washing machines for the sake of new technologies, it doesn’t matter, wait a couple of years when these technologies begin to be introduced en masse into washing machines of the middle and low price category.
To summarize, we note that it is very difficult to figure out which brand of washing machine to give preference to. It’s impossible to even answer the question of which brand is better, because each company has its own group of advantages. However, if you objectively evaluate specific models of washing machines, you can draw quite clear conclusions. Good luck with your choice!
Interesting:
13 reader comments
Add a comment
Categories
Washing machine repair
For buyers
For users
Dishwasher
Thank you for “enlightening” my brain) It’s difficult to optimize the choice without the help of a specialist, thank you!
In terms of our finances, you can’t think of anything better than Indesit. And for the money it works great. But it’s always interesting to read such articles!
Indesit is good, I don’t argue, although I’ve been using Hotpoint for the last few years, it also washes very well and doesn’t leave any powder behind.
But Hotpoint and I were not lucky at all... I will never buy it again in my life! The computer crashed almost immediately! The heating element burned out, replaced it! The bearing fell apart, replaced it! Started to rust near the powder drawer! The bearing fell apart again... and on top of all this there was a stink of rotten water coming from the sink when draining the machine! And all this in 6 years of work!
Maybe you have a defective Hotpoint? This happens, it’s just bad luck 🙁 Because, to be honest, I don’t remember much negativity about this company from my friends.
I have had a Hotpoint washing machine for 6 years now. Never had any problems with the washer. It never even needed repairs. We bought it in an online store.
God, what crazy designs there are for washing machines! My Whirlpool looks noble and classic. I like these better :)
After reading the article, we can conclude that all companies use only advanced technologies and the washing machines are just so reliable. You can take any typewriter and you won’t go wrong. What nonsense? Apparently, either the author does not live in Russia, or these reliable machines are not supplied to us! Repair shops are filled to capacity with equipment. In the very first week of operation, it breaks down, etc., and an authoritative specialist rubs it into us about the absolute reliability of all equipment.
I also chose a washing machine from this company, but the consultant persuaded me to take Indesit. Of course, I had doubts, but during use they all disappeared :)
I have an Ardo-600 machine. Since 1999 it has washed flawlessly!!!
My Mila is 12 years old. Pah-pah – I couldn’t be happier.I called a repairman today, the leak was my fault. We need to check our pockets - the needle has pierced something there. I talked with the mechanic about the machines - he recommends Miele, Bosch and Ardo. Dryers should be taken either from Mile or expensive Bosch - the drum rotates in different directions. It is very important that the laundry does not curl into a ram's horn. Cheap Bosch ones - they spin in one direction. They won't tell you about this in the store.
My second LG died, the last one worked for 7 years, I don’t want this company anymore. I don’t know which one to take.
I have a Zanussi. It worked for 16 years, now it has stalled and is starting to rumble. He draws water and falls silent. 5 masters watched. They took the money. But they can’t repair it. I want Bosch.