As dorky as it sounds, I was secretly the prospect of buying a new washing machine and dryer excited when we moved into our new home. I was excited for the blow to the wallet, mind you. But I felt, with a new washer and dryer that actually dried my clothes, without her enthusiastic mold.
My excitement was quickly scared, but when I realized how many opportunities are out there for washing machines and dryers. How to buy from any deviceI came to discover, purchase a washer and dryer can be a little 'intimidating.
So to get the spin cycle for your money, I present a brief guide to buying a washing machine and dryer.
Come join us at the point. You're probably wondering, what are the main components and functions. And, unfortunately, I'm going to launch a response very muddy for your kind: It depends. It depends on how much you wash, how to do it and what are your needs. But asking these five questions can helpthings were a little 'less bleak.
First I want a top or front loader?
Charger, the load washing easier (especially in the sitting position), are energy efficient and can usually gentler on your clothes, and many front-loading models look boring compared to the stellar top-loader. Front-loading washing machines can be expensive, especially if you may need to exceed what is most important to you, before you decide. (Also, there are high-efficiency top-loaders nowconserve more water and have higher performance than standard top-loaders but are much pricier, of course.) Not sure which is best for you? Lucky you, there are plenty of product guides out there that help explain what you get with each model.
2. What size is best?
Washers are available in a variety of capacities-and it's important to get one that fits your needs. If you have a large family, a super-capacity washer will save you valuable time because you can tackle larger loads at time. But if there are only two people in your family (and do not expect that to change in the near future), a smaller, stackable washer and dryer can do the trick. One caveat: Make sure that the capacity of your washing machine is fitting that the dryer is not a super-size washer can save considerable time, if the dryer can handle only half!
Third What opportunities does it offer?
For some this means a bare-bones machine and dryer trick. I was not looking for lots of fancy bells and whistles when Iwent shopping, but I knew there were a few must-have options. Look for a washer that allows you to select the water level that best fits the size of your load and adjust the water temperature (even if, like me, you wash pretty much everything on cold). For my dryer, at the top of my list was a model that allowed me to select the right temperature for what I was drying and that had an automatic sensor so the dryer would shut off when the clothes were dry.
4. How quiet is it?
If your laundry room is hidden in the basement this might not be quite as much of a concern, but if your laundry unit is located near your bedroom or the main living areas of your home you'll want to consider noise level. Look for models with additional insulation and reinforced frames.
5. How energy-efficient is it?
This is a big one-making the right decision in this category can save you money and lessen the impact your clothes washing and drying has on the environment. For washers, look for the Energy Star label, which indicates that a washing machine uses 35 to 50 percent less water and 50 percent less energy than other machines. Energy Star does not label dryers because there is little different in the energy use between models, but if you want to save in this category, remember that gas models may cost a bit more upfront but may be more efficient and can save you money in the long run. Or, better yet, air dry as many of your clothes as possible to reduce the amount of energy you use drying.
Want to learn more about washers and dryers before you head to the store? Before I went shopping, I spent a considerable amount of time perusing the Consumer Reports website to learn about their recommendations for washing machines and dryers.
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