A convenient appliance to have around the home or business needing laundry washed such as hotels or guest houses. Automatic washing machines reduce the work by a great margin, the user puts the clothes in and sets the cycle. The machine goes through the motions and beeps when the work is done, giving users time to go about other tasks.

Convenience of a washing machine

One of the more common household appliances, you wouldn't think so till your washing machine goes bad and a few days of laundry piles up. It has made washing clothes so much easier in comparison to washing clothes with your hands. The automatic washing machine has taken this a step further, allowing you to just throw in the clothes set the cycle and take them out after a wash and spin. The spin reduces the amount of water inside, the ones with a dryer do even more by blowing warm air as they spin making the clothes dry off. The Servis Selectronic was first shown to members of AMDEA (Association of Manufacturers of Domestic Electrical Appliances) in 1976, it is the first computerised washing machine.

Washing machines & front-loaders Vs top-loaders

While the debate continues more people agree the front-loading machines perform better over a longer time. They conserve water and are not as harsh for the clothes as the clothes touch the water in parts during the cycle. Front-loaders are also considerably quieter than the top-loaders due to the positioning of the drum. The usual hindrance being that the initial cost is higher with front-loaders.

The many features of automatic washing machines

Washing machines come with many options that you can set to your preference and depending on what clothes you are washing. Inverter machines are becoming more common which after sensing weight loaded operate the motor at varying speeds, it is more efficient with what amount of clothing is in the machine and thus help conserve energy. A big plus as electricity is an expensive resource. The same sensors also allow the machine to gauge how many clothes are in the drum and use the right amount of water. Models also have the direct-drive method, this makes for smoother running and can reach higher RPMs making for a faster spin and a lot less wear and tear compared to the belt-driven drums. Various brands have their own versions of turbo wash, using jet sprays to improve cleaning and reduce cycle time. With the smart device era, you can find machines that allow you to connect to them with your smartphone to diagnose any issues and get troubleshooting tips. Automatic washing machines come with many modes, generally, up to 3 are enough to cover all your washing needs. This lets you wash cotton sheets different from woollen clothes. The woollen clothes need a gentle wash while cotton would need more power to clean.

Size of washing machine

Another variation is the amount of clothes the machine can handle which can be anywhere from 7kg to 20kgs, ahead of that the machines are usually commercial level machines.

What size and which washing machine to buy for your house or business, of course, is a matter of how many people are using one machine and budget; as with most thing the ones with newer features come at a higher price point. The known brands that have been tested by the market over the past few decades are LG, Samsung, Electrolux, Super Asia, Kenwood, Dawlance, Hitachi, Whirlpool, Maytag, Bosch, Haier and GE.