Washing Machines

Choosing the right washing machine comes down to your laundry needs, available space and personal preferences. Here’s a breakdown of the three main types to help you decide:

• Top Loader Washing Machine – With a vertical drum design, top loaders are easy to load and don’t require bending down. They’re great for busy households and those who prefer shorter wash cycles. Top loader options from brands like Fisher & Paykel and LG offer great efficiency and capacity.

• Front Loader Washing Machine – These machines are known for their water and energy efficiency, making them ideal for eco-conscious households. They often include advanced wash cycles and faster spin speeds for better drying. Popular choices include models from Samsung and Bosch.

• Auto Dosing Washing Machine – These washing machines automatically dispense the right amount of detergent for each load, helping to reduce waste and improve wash quality. Brands like Miele and Bosch offer advanced auto dosing models.

• Washer Dryer Combo - Combines washing and drying functions in a single, space saving appliance. Available from brands like LG, Miele and Fisher & Paykel, these units offer convenient features such as energy-efficient cycles and Wi-Fi connectivity.

Front Load and Top Load Washers can have similar wash capacities, however Front Load Washing Machines are physically smaller but often with the same, if not larger wash capacity and you can stack a Dryer on top if space allows. Top Load Washing Machines have a top opening lid for ease of loading, but in a Front Loader you’ll need to crouch down to load clothes in.

A Front Loader is generally more efficient to run, gentler on garments and tougher on stains with their washing action. Some Auto Dose and dispense detergent to suit the load's size and soiled level, while most Top Loaders require manual amounts. To compensate for all of this Top Loaders are usually cheaper upfront, so if you're only doing a minimal amount of washing it may be the best option.

For Washing flexibility, Front Loaders have higher max spin speeds to wring out more moisture before drying, often have express cycles for smaller loads or germ fighting options like UV lights or steam cycles. Outside of express cycles, you'll be waiting longer for a load to finish than a Top Loader.

The Energy Rating indicates a washer’s efficiency by the number of stars, with more stars indicating a higher rating and lower electricity consumption. You can also estimate the annual running cost from the Australian Government’s Energy Rating website, simply multiply the kilowatt hours (kWh) noted on the energy label by the cost of electricity in your area.

Front Loaders are very efficient often with higher Energy Ratings compared to Top Loaders of the same capacity, especially larger sizes. Find Front Load Washer with a 5 Star rating from brands like Bosch, Electrolux, Samsung or LG. Remember, always compare Washing Machines of the same load size for a like-for-like comparison and stick to the capacity best suited to your household to keep running costs make sense.

A Smart Washing Machine is essentially a washing machine with built-in Wi-Fi. This allows it to connect to home Wi-Fi and access smart features via an app on a Mobile Phone or Tablet. These can recommend the best cycle for the load, download extra programs, troubleshoot and even start the machine while monitoring progress remotely.

Many Washers now have Wi-Fi connectivity and can save time and guesswork too with Smart AI syncing to matching Dryers so the best Drying cycle is auto selected at Wash completion. Some Washers even allow control using your voice via compatible Smart Home products like a Smart Speaker and Google, Amazon, Apple or Samsung voice assistants.

The all-important question! Get the Wash capacity right and you’ll save time, effort and water / electricity consumption by washing more in fewer loads. Similarly, you don’t want a Washing Machine with capacity greater than your needs.

To simplify this, consider the number of people in your home and think of the wash load size as either Small, Medium or Large. Small is around 6kg of dry clothes for 1-2 people, Medium around 7.5 to 8.5kg for 3-4 people and Large as Machines of 9kg capacity and higher for five people or more households.

If you regularly wash quilts, heavy sheets and towels then you might need a larger size drum to adequately wash and care for these, irrespective of your household size. Physically speaking if space is a constraint and you require a washer and a dryer, the best size compromise could be a Washer Dryer Combo.