Washing machines are available in all shapes and sizes, so it’s important to decide on one that completely suits your household’s needs.


If you decide on a washer that’s too small for your family, you'll waste time and energy running multiple cycles. But if you decide on an oversized appliance, you’ll lose money on increased running costs for power and water that you’re not using.


Figuring out the correct size washer for your household will be tricky, whether you’re shopping online or going to a store to purchase. Online, you've got to depend on the measurements and specifications provided by the manufacturer, and these will be tricky to visualise in your own situation. And in-store, you’ll get a chance to look at new appliances head to head, but you cannot bring a pile of laundry with you to test-drive machines of various sizes.


So, before buying a washing machine, you must check the following and decide which one suits you best.

 

  • What does a washer’s capacity in kilograms mean?


If you see a washer described as a 5kg machine, or a 7.5kg washer, or a 10kg appliance, this specification doesn't discuss the load of the machine itself!


Instead, this figure describes the load of the laundry that the machine can comfortably and efficiently clean, without using excess power or water, or taking on an excessive amount of time.


Keep in mind that higher-capacity washing machines are larger and heavier than smaller-capacity designs – do double-check a washer’s dimensions before you get, to confirm whether it'll fit into your laundry room!

 

  • How many items of clothing structure each kilogram of laundry?



While washer capacity is measured in kilograms, we don’t always think about our laundry loads regarding weight (unless we’re carrying them!).


One way to figure out what size washer will fit your house is to seek out the burden of your average laundry load and explore for washers with an identical capacity. You'll try this either by weighing each item on a kitchen scale and adding up their total mass, or by standing on a collection of weighing scales while carrying a full wash load during a basket, and subtracting your weight.


But for a fast and easy alternative that doesn’t involve scales, use the subsequent guideline (based on information from AO.com, Which.co.uk and H2G2) to estimate your load size:


1kg of laundry = 5 shirts OR 1 shirt + 1 pair of denim jeans OR 2 bath towels


So by following this guideline, a 6kg washer should be able to efficiently clean a load of around 30 shirts, or a dozen bath towels.


Use these measurements as general guidelines. After all, clothes are available in all manner of shapes, sizes and designs, and it’s pretty rare for anyone’s laundry load to contain only 1 style of garment.

 

  • A note on Big Things


Bulky items like blankets, curtains and doonas need plenty of room to clean properly. A washer with a smaller capacity- like a top loader with a central agitator- might not only give your bulky items a nasty clean, but it could also damage your items if they were to catch, tangle, stretch or tear.


As a general guideline, you’ll desire a washer with a capacity of a minimum of 6kg to efficiently wash the doona from a single-sized bed. Doubles will need 7kg, Queens 8kg, and Kings 9kg. And for a full-sized set of floor-to-ceiling curtains, you’ll need a washer with a capacity of a minimum of 10kg to wash them well.

 

  • We’re here to assist


If you’re still slightly confused and wish help figuring out the proper size, make and model of washer, otherwise you simply have a matter that needs answering, we are here to help! Check out our impressive range of high-quality washing machines online at attractive prices with offers & cashback. We also deliver the washing machines to your doorstep. 

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