Laundry Whiteware Buying Guide
Choosing the right washer & dryer combination can be difficult, but we hope this guide can give you some helpful information to lead you in the right direction!
Washing Machines
Top Loader vs Front Loader - which one is best for you?
Front Loader
Clothes are piled in at the front and then rung by a spinning drum.
Front Loader benefits
- They can use up to a third less water and energy compared to top loaders
- More comprehensive settings
- Better for small spaces
- More water and energy efficient
- Less wear & tear on clothes
- Shorter drying times due to faster spin speeds
- Some front loaders include an add-wash function, allowing you to add to the load mid-cycle
Top Loader
Top loaders wash clothes in two ways:
Agitator: Clothes are moved around by a central pole (agitator) in the middle of the drum.
Impeller: This whips up the water to move clothes using a propeller-like device at the bottom of the machine.
Top Loader benefits
- Lower purchase price
- Faster wash cycles
- Larger capacity
- Can open the washer mid-cycle to add clothes
Size & Capacity
There are a lot of options when it comes to picking a washing machine and it could become overwhelming weighing up the options. A good starting point to make the process easier would be matching the size of a washing machine to the size of your family. This useful guideline will help you decide. While a larger capacity machine will typically most more upfront, a larger capacity machine will be more suited towards larger families and will save you time, energy, and money.
- 1-2 people = <6kgs
- 3-4 people = 6-8kgs
- 5+ people = >8.5kgs
Additional Features
Spin speeds between 400 - 1800 will give you more customised options for the different materials you are washing. A quicker spin speed means more water is drained so faster drying times
Wool or delicate cycles automatically adjust temperature and spin cycles to perfectly wash your clothes
Delay functions allow you to wash clothes in time for you to get home
Self-cleaning cycles wash the drum at an extremely high temperature to kill bugs and mould
Auto-balancing automatically adjusts the load to consistently wash and spin
Wi-Fi or app enabled gives you the freedom to start and stop your washing when it suits you
Cold-only washing machines are more energy efficient as they heat the cold water as it comes into the washing machine, meaning you don’t have to use your own hot water supply.
Dryers
Types of dryers
Vented: Vented dryers intake air from inside the room, heat it up and tumble it through your clothes, and then pushes the hot, wet air outside through a duct. A simple and cheap option but good ventilation or kit is required.
Condensing: Condensing dryers use a heat exchanger to remove moisture from warm air that has heated your clothes. The water is stored in a tank or drained away.
Heat pump: Heat pump dryers work in a closed loop - air is heated and tumbled through the clothes, and then cooled with the water drained off, and then reheated again to go back through the clothes. No moisture is released into the air.
Size & Capacity
Like with the washing machine, it’s a great idea to look at your family or household size and match your drying needs to this. The guide below will give you an idea:
- 1-2 people = <6kgs
- 3-4 people = 6-8kgs
- 5+ people = >8.5kgs
Additional Features
Anti-wrinkle technology reduces the need to iron your clothes
Delay start functions give you the freedom to run your dryer during low-cost hours
Sensor drying technology stops dryer once clothes are dry to increase energy efficiency
Digital displays tend to have more drying options than knobs
Wi-Fi or app-enabled allows you to track your energy usage and how long the dryer has been running, amongst other features
Washer Dryer Combo
A washer dryer combo combines a front loader washer and a sensor dryer in one compact machine.
Choose a washer dryer combo for
Compact design, perfect for those with limited space
Wash and dry clothes while you are out without moving clothes from washer to dryer
Water efficient