Washing and drying your laundry has long been a tedious chore, but picking the right washer and dryer to suit your needs can end up saving you a lot of time and money. This means you can worry less about the dirty clothes and worry more about what new clothes you can buy and throw in next time! Below, The Good Guys appliance experts offers tips to consider when purchasing your next laundry appliance.
- Before purchasing, understand what you want out of your washer or dryer. Differences in capacity, energy and water efficiency, preferred programs and cycles are important considerations for your purchase. Thinking long-term about how you plan to use your appliances will also ensure you get the most out of what you spend.
- Size is the most important factor to consider when purchasing a washing machine. A capacity of 6kg-to-7kg will be enough for a typical family of four but smaller families should opt for more compact models. Do not be tempted by cheaper alternatives; if you are using your appliance twice as much as you expect, it will actually cost you more in the long run.
- Look out for Energy Star Rating and Australia’s Water Efficiency Labelling Scheme (WELS) labels to give you an idea of how energy-efficient and water efficient your appliance is. The higher the number of stars, the more environmentally friendly.
- In terms of the debate between front-load and top-load washers, a front-loader’s greatest claimed advantage is generally improved water and energy efficiency. Top-loaders require enough water to cover all the clothes in its drum. Front loaders require less amounts of water because water sits horizontally in the machine. This means as the drum turns, gravity will consistently submerge your clothes back in the water.
- Typically, front-loaders can be more expensive than traditional top-loaders as they present higher spinning mechanisms. The higher the spin, the less water is left in your laundry, which means shorter drying time and energy saved.
- Only run your appliances with a full load and use cold water in your washing machine whenever possible. In a warm wash, 80 per cent of the energy is associated with heating the water, so cold washing will use less than one-quarter of the energy.
- As much as front-loaders provide you the opportunity to be stacked on a companion dryer, families with limited space in their laundry should consider a washer-dryer combo. However, this means you can’t wash and dry loads of washing at the same time.
- Heat Pump dryers, whilst more expensive, have a six star energy efficiency whereas most other dryers are between one and two stars. If you are a regular dryer user, Heat Pump dryers in the long run are a better option and will save you money over time investing in a more efficient unit.
- Understanding the space you can utilise will restrict the type of dryer you can purchase and whether you need to wall mount the dryer or not – not every model can be mounted. As a result, you might need to opt for a vented (which require plumbing and installation) or condenser dryer. Also, capacity should be a key consideration as the more space around your clothes, the quicker they will dry.
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