When it comes time to change household appliances or buy it for the first time, you often need to analyze a large amount of information. This article presents systematized information, having studied which you decide for yourself, what qualities a washing machine should have for you.

Size matters!

The washing machine should be chosen according to the volume of the place in which it will be installed. It would be foolish to purchase a maxi size machine if you plan to squeeze it in the bathroom into a free space under the sink, in a room with a total area of ​​2 square meters. Determine the installation site.

Modern models have the same width of 60 cm, the height is within 80-85 centimeters, the depth depends on the maximum load and is in the interval from 33 to 45 cm. There are models with front loading for installation under the sink: they will not be more than 70 cm, their width varies from 45 to 52 cm, and they are only 45-50 centimeters deep.

When choosing the location, you need to consider the possibility of opening the hatch in front - it's still 30-40 centimeters to the depth meter of the automatic machine.

Possibility of embedding in furniture

You can also choose a device by the type of embedding in furniture. They are:

• Standing alone.
• Fully recessed.
• Under the countertop.

Models that stand alone can be put in any room: in the bathroom, in the kitchen, but hide them from the human eye will not work, if only to hang curtains.

Devices that are fully integrated can be installed in the kitchen. They have a groove for the skirting rear and a special door, the design of which implies the front of the facade, it will be indistinguishable from the rest of the furniture (as if there was another locker). Also, the top is removed from the top, which allows you to mount the machine directly under the countertop.

Models "under the countertop" assume only a removable top panel. In the front, the machine has exactly the same hatch as the models with a separate installation.

Capacity

In the shops there are cars with front loading for every taste: from 3 to 10 kilograms of cotton things can be washed in one run. To find out the capacity of things from synthetic fabric, this figure must be divided 2 times, and if it is supposed that things from delicate fabrics and wool will be erased, then you can load the washing unit only by 25% of the maximum possible.

How to choose capacity depending on the number of people in the family:

• For the average family (4 people) it will be enough to buy an aggregate with a load of, kg.
• If you are supposed to wash one person's things, then the minimum (3 kg) loading will come in handy.
• If your family is bigger, the reserve in roominess does not hurt - safely buy a washing machine with the maximum possible load.

Classes of washing machines

Usually the washing machine is labeled with classes of three types:

• Energy-saving class
• Class of washing
• Spin class

Energy-saving class characterizes the power consumption for 1 hour of washing cotton goods at a water temperature of 60 degrees. They are denoted by the letters of the Latin alphabet. The most energy-saving "A the most energy-consuming - "G" (until the classes "A +" and even "A ++" were released). Machines class "A" consume energy of electricity about 1 kW per hour.

The washing class is set on a scale of Latin letters: from "A" to "G". The quality of the washing of pollutants is classified as such. In the store you are unlikely to meet the unit with the class "B" and below. It is unprofitable for producers to establish serial production of such models. So choose any - washing class "A" is almost guaranteed.

The squeeze class denotes the remaining water in the laundry after the spin cycle. On the quality of washing, this indicator is not reflected in any way, only at the time of drying clothes. 40% of moisture remains in front-loading machines with class "A 50% for "B" class, 60% for class "C" ("S" class is rare in shops).

Programs and Modes

Machines of modern production are equipped with 6-20 programs for various types of washing (half of them are used less often than once a month). For different manufacturers of machines with front loading, only the names can differ, and the settings are approximately the same ("Delicate" and "Hand wash wool" - the principle is the same).

The following programs are obligatory in the purchased model:

• Cotton
• Synthetics
• Delicate fabric
• Economy mode
• Additional Rinse
• Prewash
• Manual Data Entry

For the modern housewife, these functions are enough.

You can select a front-loading washing machine with the following additional modes.

• Quick wash. With this function, the operating time of the machine is reduced, remember that it is necessary to load the washing machine with this mode no more than a quarter of the maximum value. So you can quickly refresh some things. For a cycle of such washing, different manufacturers take from 16 to 30 minutes. There may be an increase in temperature, which will result in an addition to the claimed time of 10-15 minutes.
• Prewash. This is an analog of soaking (in some machines this cycle has exactly this name). Under this regime, the laundry is held in a detergent solution for about 2 hours with a water temperature of about 30 degrees. Such a cycle can be used either separately or with an add-on to the main program.
• Bio-phase. It takes some time to activate the enzymes, it is this time that provides such an additional option in the automatic machine. This phase lasts about 10 minutes, and the temperature is set at 40 degrees.
• Eco mode. Used for not so polluted linen. There is a decrease in the temperature of the washing solution, which reduces both the washing time and the amount of water used and the electricity consumed.
• Delicate. This gentle mode can be used for things that are not allowed to use machines when washing. The drum rotates at reduced speed, and spinning can occur both on minimal rotations, and completely without it.
• Additional rinse. It makes it even better to remove detergent residues from the surface of things (actual with children or people prone to an allergic reaction).
• Kids' things. Minimizes the use of detergents, replacing it with a higher water temperature. Installing an additional rinse is not needed - this program is already in the mode.
• Relief of ironing. There is a more delicate spin with a different drum rotation sequence (allows more uniform distribution of laundry), pre-spin is turned off. It is possible without any damage to replace the spinach at minimum speed.
• Silver or steaming. An additional function for disinfecting products is relevant if there is a child in the house.

Spin speed

The spin speed varies from 800 to 2000 on different models. Most washing machines have a rotational speed of the drum when spinning 800-1000 revolutions, which is quite enough for home washing.

To buy a washing machine with front loading with the speed of rotation of the drum when spinning more than 1000 revolutions is not advisable: most types of tissues are squeezed at 1000 revolutions, some delicate things are categorically forbidden to squeeze at a speed greater than 400.

In practice, higher speed modes will be used only for terry things or dense bedspreads. Models with speeds above 1200 are an order of magnitude higher, and this function will be used several times a month. The conclusion is the optimal speed - 800-1000 turns.

Start timer

In the case of cheaper electricity at night, this function will save money. You can use this option so that to your return from work the cycle has already been completed - it is very convenient, since you will only hang the laundry to dry, and not wait until it is washed. It is possible to transfer the start of the launch for a period of time from a couple of hours to one day.

Drying

Some manufacturers offer 2 units in one: a washing machine and a drying machine. With such a function, the cost of the machine increases by tens of percent, but it still costs is cheaper than an individual dryer, which takes up as much space as washing the machine. When using this function, the products are blown with warm air directly in the machine, and from it you get absolutely dry linen.

It must be remembered that the loading of the unit should be reduced by exactly half if it is intended to use this option.

Drum and tank material

There are models with 2 materials of tank manufacturing:

• Polymer.
• Stainless steel.

Tanks made of polymers (plastic) have increased noise insulation, are chemically inactive, light and thermally insulated. Stainless steel tanks will last longer, but you will hardly appreciate it, due to the failure of the machine itself (this will happen much earlier).

Drums of all models are made of stainless steel.

Imbalance control in the drum

This function allows you to evenly distribute things in the case when they are lost in a ball (there is a multidirectional movement of the drum). If you do not get things evenly distributed, the spinning is carried out at low revolutions of the drum, which allows you to extend the life of the machine and reduce the level of vibration and noise.

Other important details

• Protection against leakage. There is complete protection or partial. Clippers are equipped with valves in hoses and body. If one of them is damaged, the water supply will stop. Overfill protection is possible - thanks to the sensors inside the machine, the water supply will turn off when it reaches a certain level. It is better to choose a model of the machine with front loading with both types of protection.
• Protection from children. Too quite useful function. With its help, the possibility of changing the parameters of the machine operation is blocked. Disables all buttons except shutdown (in some models, this key is disabled). Simultaneously press several buttons.
• Controlling foaming. It is possible to stop the machine before the foam settles down due to its abundant formation.
• Electronic scoreboard. Electronic display makes it easy to install programs, in addition - it keeps counting the time until the end of the program, which is very convenient. If the device does not provide such a device, then the quality of the work done by the machine will not be affected, except for this, it will be possible to save a little (a car without a scoreboard can be bought a little cheaper).
• Direct drive. Silent fans will benefit from models with direct drive - from them not only noise is less, but reliability of such units is higher due to fewer details.
• Place of assembly. From the place where the washing machine was assembled, the durability of its work depends. The main producers are the following countries: Sweden, Germany, Austria, Korea, China, Italy. The most reliable, as practice shows, are the aggregates assembled in Sweden, the rest of Europe is on the list. Many people do not trust the Chinese assemblers of complex household appliances, but it will also last for years.

So, the main thing when choosing a car is to determine the place where it will stand. Then you need to select several suitable models for this size, determine the load of the machine. Of the remaining, we must weed out those that are inappropriate for the options and producers. Having done this selection, only 2-3 models will remain, which need to be evaluated in terms of price and design. Such a calculation does not take much time, and it will be a pleasure for you to use your au pair for a long time.