Well, after much Googling, asking of friends and family (and you!), not to mention driving around asking for retail advice and looking at TOO MANY washing machines we settled on a front loader. A huge Electrolux thing. Looks spunky. But, more importantly, here are the reasons we bought a front loader (in no particular order of importance)...and this is just what we have found out so, as per usual, could be wrong!
1. It uses less energy and water than a top loader in the equivalent size - about 2/3 less, to be exact. And that's better for the environment and warms the cockles of my heart.
2. It's not the detergent that washes the clothes in a front loader - it's the turning of the drum and the water. Hence why the wash cycles are longer - it takes time to clean clothes that good! It's the detergent that cleans the clothes in the top loaders...and chemicals aren't good for fabric! The analogy we were told about the front loaders is the throwing of the clothes onto the rock - the motion is almost identical, the only difference is the clothes hit the bottom of the drum and not a rock!
3. Front loaders are gentle on clothes as they don't have an agitator like the top loaders (unless it's a Fisher and Paykel large one). This is better for us - and for the fabric!
4. You can fit more into the same drum size...you haven't got an agitator in the way and it's a turning motion and not a swishing motion.
5. Less washing powder used. Only around half of what you would use on a top loader.
6. Faster spin means dryer clothes at the end of the cycle. I have now bought an ugly clothes horse for the piano room to dry our clothes away from public eyes! This gets wonderful sun in the mornings and hopefully should dry the clothes quite quickly :) - so that means less dryer use and that's another thing better for the environment!
There are other reasons but can't remember them. This whole process made me realise how green I want to be - apart from handwashing! I found that very hard at the start so had to use my Mum's washing machine all week...so this is my way of being greener apart from using my hands...
There's only one last thing...our old washing machine must have taken umbridge at the new chest freezer. Fingers crossed the arrival of the new washing machine doesn't peeve the chest freezer off. And enough of the conking out of electricals in this house!
Thank you for all of your advice to those of you who recommended washing machines etc - it's lovely you took the time to write :)
Oh cool. All my research done in one simple squiz at your blog. The only thing stopping me from buying the front loader is that the top loader hasn't died. I keep saying that when it no longer functions we're buying a front loader, but the damn thing won't die and I can't justify replacing it.
ReplyDeleteDon't will it to die! You'll turn into a weirdo like me...watching things spin in washing machines is quite a relaxing past time :)
ReplyDeleteThanks for visiting my blog again!