Factors You Must Know Before Buying A Washing Machine
Factors You Must Know Before Buying A Washing Machine. We are living in a rapidly changing world. Technology has brought new inventions into our lives. The washing machine is also one of the inventions which helps in doing laundry smoothly. If you should buy a washing machine or not is your personal decision. Here in this article, we will explain different factors, like size, loading type, auto, or semi-auto, capacity, etc which you should consider before buying a washing machine.
SIZE
The first factor which comes to mind is the space you have in your house to install the washing machine. For example, if you have one BHK flat then you should go for narrower washing machines. The size also matters when you are installing it in your bathroom. In this case, the washing machine will occupy most of the space. In the case of fully automatic washing machines, a top-load machine is narrower than the front load.
FULLY-AUTOMATIC OR SEMI-AUTOMATIC
The difference between fully automatic and semi-automatic machines is that while in fully automatic machines all the processes are done automatically. Whereas in the semi-automatic mode you are provided with two tubs. After one cycle you have to change the tub manually. The only benefit of semi-automatic washing machines is that you can control the washing cycles and hence less water will be used. However, for a smooth and convenient wash, one must go after fully automatic machines, which may increase the cost of the washing machines.
LOADING TYPE
There are two types of loading available in washing machines. One is a top load and another is the front load. The difference between the two is only in the position of the door provided. The pros and cons of the loading type are given below.
| PROS | CONS | |
|---|---|---|
| TOP LOAD | 1. less cost 2. less space requirement 3. Short wash cycle 4. mid cycle laundry addition 5. less vibration | 1. small capacity 2. long dry timing 3. more water and electricity 4. more maintenance |
| FRONT LOAD | 1. large capacity 2. better performance 3. quick and efficient drying 4. more energy and water efficient | 1. more expensive 2. more vibration during drying 3. longer wash cycles 4. cleaning problems |
CAPACITY
Do you have a joint family or a big family? If yes then you will need more capacity for the washing machine. The size of your family and projected daily laundry loads play an important role while deciding the capacity of the washing machine. There are a variety of sizes available, for example, 5 kg, 7kg, 8kg, 10kg, etc. For a family of 5 persons 7 to 8 kg is recommended. The capacity of the machine directly depends upon the loading it has to handle.
CHILD LOCK
If you have small kids who are curious enough to play with the washing machine then you must go for the child lock feature. When you switch to the child lock program, you can’t change or open the machine till it stops. As a result, children will not be able to change the washing program.
ECO FRIENDLY 
The benefits of having an eco-friendly washing machine are double fold. One, it is environmentally friendly, and second, it reduces your bills. Eco-friendly washing machines, initially, are costly compared to normal ones. But in the long term, you will be saving in electricity and water charges. Eco-friendly certification is given regulated by the Burea of Energy Efficiency (BEE), Government of India.
EASE OF USE
If this is your first time buying a washing machine then you should go for one which is easy to use, clean, and maintain. You should see if labels are clearly distinguishable or not, is it easy to put detergent in the machine, how are the programs labeled. You must see if your machine’s control panel works using touch or buttons etc.
SAFETY FEATURES
It is very important to see if the washing machine you are going to buy has certain safety features or not. Some of the features available in different washing machines are self-diagnosis, high low voltage protection, auto imbalance vibration control, foam detection, rat mesh, auto restart, etc.
GENERAL FEATURES
Following are some of the important features about which you should have an idea. Steam- This feature gives you hot water, aqua energie, speed, and settings, wash systems 2D or 3D, Ball valve technology, sensors, etc.
PRICE
The price range of washing machines is huge. Washing machines start from Rs 15000 and some cost Rs 45000. Whenever one of the features is added, the price of the machine goes up drastically. Top load washing machines are cheaper than front load. Also, semi-automatic ones are cheaper compared to automatic ones. Washing machines with inbuilt aqua energie and inbuilt heater system costs more.
Accessories
While installing the washing machine you need some extra accessories which are not provided inside the box. These are the inlet pipe, vibration absorbing stand, cover, and detergent.
These are some of the most important factors which need to consider while buying an affordable washing machine for your family.