Guide to buying a washing machine

The choice of which washing machine to buy depends on a number of factors that need to be considered before you make your purchase. Factors that will influence the best buy for you can be considered in these broad categories

The environment where the appliance is to be installed

The load you will place on the appliance

The water and energy use of the machine

The wash itself

At Myshopping.com.au you can compare a great range of appliances and assess them according to their specifications, brands, prices and vendors.

One of the first choices is whether to purchase a top loading machine or a front-loading machine. While other factors such as water and energy consumption also influence this decision, the most critical factor in today's living environments is the placement of the machine. With shrinking living spaces comes reduced spaces for large and lumbering machinery. And with more condensed living spaces, comes the need for considering the noise a machine might make.

Before you make a decision about which type of machine, measure the space where it will be housed. For a top-loading machine, you need sufficient space above the machine to enable the lid to be lifted. Front loading machines offer the opportunity for a more compact vertical space, often placing a drier in the space above the washer, but there needs to be room in front of the machine for the door to open and to manage the loading and unloading of clothes. Once you know the dimensions of the space, you can limit your choices to the type and physical size of the machine.

Another consideration is the placement of water spuds and the proximity of the drainage. Be sure to measure the distances involved so that the machine will fit the positioning, and hoses have adequate length.

All washing machines make some noise. Some manufacturers specify the expected noise levels in decibels (db). These are often determined under laboratory conditions, so will not necessarily reflect real load conditions. The motor, the pump, the agitator and drum, and the water inlets generate noise, and levels can vary with load levels, spin speeds and water pressure. If noise is a consideration, it may pay to investigate consumer reports of how noisy a given machine is as well as compare manufacturer-published data. Some opinions suggest that front loading machines are generally quieter than top loading machines. This may not necessarily be true. Different machines are fabricated differently, using differing technologies and materials. Noise can be lower in direct-drive machines with well-insulated casings, than in machines with mechanical drives and no cabinet insulation.

The load capacity of washing machines is specified as dry weight of clothes, eg 8kg, 10kg, 12 kg and so on. You can search Myshopping.com.au for different load capacities and make direct comparisons between brands and vendors.

An overloaded machine will not clean clothes as well as one running with an optimum load. Some manufacturers also specify the capacity of the drum, measured by volume in litres. This can be a misleading comparison between front-loading machines and top loading machines. A top loading machine's drum capacity may not take into consideration the space taken up by the agitator, and therefore its promotion may make it appear larger than its true capacity. Front loading machines do not completely fill with water, therefore the specified drum capacity may be considerably more than the volume occupied by the actual load.

Other considerations that impact on the load capacity you require include the number of people whom your household washes for, the frequency with which you wash and the type of soilage you need to deal with.

If one member of the household has regularly heavily soiled clothes, you may be better off with a machine of smaller capacity and making more frequent washes of separated clothes. On the other hand a family with only lightly soiled clothes may be able to bundle more garments into the same wash and could be better served with a machine of larger capacity. Large capacity machines do use more water and more energy, and if you are a frequent washer of small loads, a large capacity machine will be less economical, both at the household level and at the community level.

The cost of your washing machine will vary according to its brand and the package of features it contains. Most machines include a variety of different wash and spin cycles, with varying stages of automation. The more apparent features, usually the more expensive the machine. Sophisticated electronics may offer variety and programmability, but these may not always be desirable. Be sure to consider just how much you may need to vary your wash cycles and choose those cycles that will result in a satisfactory wash for your needs.

Servicing costs may also be a consideration. Sometimes the sophisticated electronics and modern technology break down and can be expensive to repair. Check with manufacturers and consumer magazines and websites about service and repair costs of popular brands and machines.

The most important cost consideration in today's environment however, may well be the cost of the water used by your washing machine. Washing machines use water in their wash cycles and rinse cycles. Most modern machines have some form of suds saving or water recycling component during part of the wash-rinse cycle. Most machines will specify how much water they use during a typical wash cycle based on certain (usually laboratory) conditions. Most State Governments offer generous rebates for purchasers of 'water saving' machines. You can search Myshopping.com.au for machines that qualify for these rebates.

Finally, energy use is a consideration ion the overall cost of your washing machine. Every major manufacturer has their goods tested by Standards Australia and Standards New Zealand and are regulated for energy labelling in Australia. They are also regulated for MEPS (minimum efficiency standards). The results of these tests are published and a label is attached to the product advising of that unit's performance. This performance rating is given a 'star' rating, which enables you to compare different energy consumption levels of different brands, capacities and types of washing machines. Again you can use Myshopping.com.au to make this comparison very easily.

One other area you might want to make comparisons between washing machines is in the wash itself. It is argued that front loading machines are gentler on the clothes than top-loaders because they do not use an agitator. However, it might also be argued that a top-loading machines results in a better wash. To get a better understanding of the differences that might exist, you may find some discussion in Myshopping.com.au in the product review sections of the different brands and models. The Australian Consumers Association (Choice Magazine www.choice.com.au) also publishes reports about the different results from different machines.

Some front-loading machines also specify that you must use a certain type of detergent. It might pay to seek comparative opinion on different performances of different detergents in different washing machines. In any event, regardless of the machine you buy, it may well be worthwhile to conduct some trials in terms of quantity, brand and composition of different detergents, as you may find that a more efficient washing machine action requires considerably less detergent that the quantities recommended by either washing machine manufacturers or the detergent manufacturers.

Another comparison that can affect the performance of washing machines is the spin efficiency of the machine. That is, how much water is extracted from the clothes during the spin cycle. Naturally this can affect drying time (another cost consideration if you are using an indoor drier) and it can also affect the wear and tear on your clothes.

The following points quickly summarise the things that will help you buy the right washing machine for your situation. Use Myshopping.com.au to make comparisons between makes and models of specifications, energy ratings, water consumptions, price and vendors.

Generally, larger machines consume more energy and more water. A model that is too large will waste water and energy. One that is too small could mean extra loads and inefficient washing.

It is generally cheaper to run a small capacity front-loading washing machine than a large top loader. However, a quick check of the water and energy consumption on the label will give you accurate comparison.

Be sure you weigh a number of average wash loads before you begin your selection process, grouped into the different types of wash cycles you may need.

Automatic programming of different cycles may reduce work, but may also increase both the water and energy use and the purchase price.

Look for the water saving rebates discounted off the purchase price offered by the government, and make comparisons of the different water consumptions.

Look for different ways water and suds can be reused in the washing cycle.