What's the best type of washing machine to buy?

[simon43]

I am ignorant on these matters.

I see three types of WM:

- Twin tubs: You wash the clothes, then transfer them to the spin tub.

- Top loader: You wash and spin the clothes in the same large drum

- Front loader: You wash, spin and tumble-dry the clothes in the same, front-loading drum.

I will use this WM mainly to daily-wash white bed-sheets and coloured towels, with a cold water supply only.

If it's sunny, then I can hang the bed-linen outside to dry completely, but of course I cannot guarantee the weather.

Will a front-loader completely dry the clothes using its tumble-dry function? Is this greedy on electricity?

Advice from WM experts is appreciated.

[Seastallion]

Top loader is greener and quicker. less power consumption. Front loader will dry, and that is an advantage. Having said that, my new LG top loader does have a spin and airing function that will dry clothes (eventually).

Twin tub is bothersome, and doesn't dry.

[opalred]

a thai woman

[Seastallion]

a thai woman

I had an old washing machine that would always drip after I put in a load......is it the same with your suggestion?

[thailiketoo]

I have a Pansonic top loader. Hardly uses any electricity. Sheets one or two king size at a time. Gets unbalanced and jumps around and turns off. Lint filter is a little bag that gets clogged quickly and I don't know how or where to buy a replacement. It's gentle on clothes but I don't think gets them very clean. Hand wash difficult stains first. I dry sheets indoors on a 6 foot aluminum ladder with a fan blowing. It also makes a nice evaporative cooler.

[giddyup]

Top loader is greener and quicker. less power consumption. Front loader will dry, and that is an advantage. Having said that, my new LG top loader does have a spin and airing function that will dry clothes (eventually).

Twin tub is bothersome, and doesn't dry.

I thought front loaders were more economical and use less water.

[opalred]

you foget to close front flaps after finishing loading ?

[KhunBENQ]

Top loader is greener and quicker. less power consumption. Front loader will dry, and that is an advantage. Having said that, my new LG top loader does have a spin and airing function that will dry clothes (eventually).

Twin tub is bothersome, and doesn't dry.

I thought front loaders were more economical and use less water.

Those antiquated top loader waste a lot of water. No "green" at all.

Front loader for us, no question.

[ignis]

Top loader is greener and quicker. less power consumption. Front loader will dry, and that is an advantage. Having said that, my new LG top loader does have a spin and airing function that will dry clothes (eventually).

Twin tub is bothersome, and doesn't dry.

I thought front loaders were more economical and use less water.

Now-a-day most electric things have stickers on them as to how much they cost to run...

Bought 11 years ago a 9 KG LG top loader, was OK, when it broke it was not worth repairing again [3rd time],

So bought a waste of time top loader 11 KG Electrolux [NOT cheap but told was made in Thailand and all part cheap Ha Ha Ha] did not last 2 years with 3 repairs and then the control panel went, new one cost 7,000 baht !!

Present washing machine is also a top loader and real superb... never had clothes so clean.. 14 KG Toshiba model AW-DC1500-WT... on the sticker was a lot more economical than a front loader........ was fed up with top loaders and intended to buy a Hitachi front loader, but this Toshiba Top Loader is great.

[h90]

Have a Samsung front loader, fill it in the evening and program it that it starts early morning.

rotates with 800 rpm. Things are not dry of course.

Very satisfied.

[Pomthai]

Big top loading Panasonic 11 or 13kg can't remember. Brilliant machine. Can do king size duvets no problems. Stubborn stain on kids school clothes need a bit of attention by hand first otherwise everything just gets chucked in.

Edited August 4, 2014 by Pomthai

[dominique355]

The obvious advantage of a front loader is that you can put another machine on top, such as a dryer/tumbler. I highly appreciate our dryer, especially during the rainy season when things hardly ever get dry without the help of a dryer.

The quality of the machines have been greatly reduced lately. We used to have an Electrolux washing machine, which lasted almost 10 years. When it finally met its creator, we decided to replace it with another Electrolux. But that was a bad decision, lots of problems and expensive repairs until less than 2 years later we gave up and bought a Siemens, one that was built in Germany. Since then no more trouble, just like the good old Electrolux, which I presume, was also built in Europe.

Based on that experience we also got a Siemens dish washer, also built in Germany. So far so good...

[Morakot]

What's the best type of washing machine to buy?

A front loader that has sophisticated enough programming to differentiate between the type of fabrics that will be washed.

Tumble drying in Thailand might not be necessary, as cloth tend to try within a day.

Vertical axis devices have a spinning wheel at the bottom to move the cloth mechanically around for cleaning. Whereas horizontal axis devices (like front loaders and some top loaders) lift the cloth and let the fall them into the water through gravity. The latter process is much more gentle and makes your cloth last considerable longer. However because of this the washing time for the latter is usually twice as long.

A modern front loader cleans much better as it heats the water in a dedicated cycle to the exact specification. It uses considerable less water and detergent, can use less electricity, and makes less noise, than a horizontal axis top loader. A modern front loader costs considerably more the buy.

Edited August 4, 2014 by Morakot

[giddyup]

Had our 11kg LG for nearly 5 years, gets used nearly every day, never missed a beat. Bought from Homeworks for about 8000 baht, would buy the same brand again if and when it carks it.

[enuff said]

.

If you know how to operate a semi-automatic (some times called two-tub) machine, they can be very economical and long lasting. Fully auto machines have lots of relays, transmissions, pumps, valves, servos and belts that break down. High maintenance, low reliability.

My granny used a Maytag semi-automatic for 20 years before the AC plug wore out. She replaced it and used it 20 more. 9 kids and grandpa. Whew!

You see, the wash tub can be extra large and heavy duty because it doesn't have to spin around. The extractor tub can be light because it doesn't have to hold gallons of water. PLUS you can use BOTH at once! Washing in one while spin drying in the other. And the extractor, being a specialized unit, removes more water from the items than an automatic. Clothes dry in half the time. Sheets dry in 20 minutes in the sun.

I bought a 2nd hand Singer 6 years ago for 2500bt. Still runs like a champ. My house keeper uses it and irons dress shirts and trousers damp right out of the extractor. They come out perfect.

If you really want to save you can use the rinse water from the first load to wash the second load.

Up to you.

'nuff said

~

[giddyup]

Twin tubs are OK I guess if you have limited space, but I wouldn't use one if you gave it to me, they tangle the clothes horribly. Hardly automatic either as you have to transfer the clothes from the tub to the spin dryer. Don't bother.

Edited August 4, 2014 by giddyup

[bangsaenguy]

Can't speak for anyone else but we've had a Siemens front loader for about 13 years with service only once. The Siemens guy told me, that if I ever had to replace it, to buy the base model. The only problems he ever sees are with the gadgets on the top models. Not cheap, mind you.

[ukrules]

I use a front loader washing machine with a separate front loading tumble dryer.

You can be drying one load of washing while another load it still being washed this way.

I've always done it this way and it works well. Strangely enough I think the dryer cost quite a bit more than the washing machine when I bought it, back in the UK it was always the other way around.

The main difference between most of the the top loading machines and the front loaders is the termperature control. Dirty white cotton sheets - just wash at 90 degrees in the front loader and they will be clean.

The drying machine will probably consume more electricity than your air conditioner.

[Cypress Hill]

Top loaders are harder on fabric. They DON'T use less electricity.

It's why giving your clothes to the average laundry service here culminates in a brand new shirt looking two years old after 2 or 3 washes.

[h90]

The obvious advantage of a front loader is that you can put another machine on top, such as a dryer/tumbler. I highly appreciate our dryer, especially during the rainy season when things hardly ever get dry without the help of a dryer.

The quality of the machines have been greatly reduced lately. We used to have an Electrolux washing machine, which lasted almost 10 years. When it finally met its creator, we decided to replace it with another Electrolux. But that was a bad decision, lots of problems and expensive repairs until less than 2 years later we gave up and bought a Siemens, one that was built in Germany. Since then no more trouble, just like the good old Electrolux, which I presume, was also built in Europe.

Based on that experience we also got a Siemens dish washer, also built in Germany. So far so good...

our front loader is vibrating a lot, I wouldn't put something on top of it.

[brimacthai]

It will depend on how old she is.

But seriously, I have a top loader and two twin tubs units. They all have their benefits. I like the twin tub (I have a small one in my apartment) as it's easier to do small loads.

We have a larger twin tub at the family home which is good for washing the heavier loads. (three grandsons is a good reason).

The top load automatic is good because you can load the laundry and when it's completed all you have to do is hang the clothes to dry.

Really it's all about what you like.

I do have a front loader in Australia which does save a lot on water, water is expensive there but here in Thailand not so much. But the only reason we bought the front loader was to save money on water.

[surfinglife]

About 5'1" 42 kg. Front loader but willing to do back or top loading as well.....

[Danbit]

Secondary request.

What soap to use with cold water, I expect it must have some enzymes but are not able to see it ?

[ukrules]

Secondary request.

What soap to use with cold water, I expect it must have some enzymes but are not able to see it ?

It is a different soap for cold water but it's the normal one you get everywhere here. I don't know what's in it that makes it work in cold water but whatever it is, it's been around for a long time.

From that point of view you need to buy a special type of powder to use in a machine that uses hot water - the front loaders. It's my understanding that there's only a handful of machine powders that are suitable for hot washes.

[StefanBBK]

Don't care much for WM without heating. Bed linen should be washed hot, same as towels. Otherwise front loader, Electrolux.

[klauskunkel]

I have a Siemens front loader (9kg) and a Siemens dryer, which sits on top. They are three years old and no problems at all. I use the dryer basically only for towels, it dries a full load in about 30min, sucking the moisture out, similar principle to aircon. Very quiet operation and autobalance.

[giddyup]

Secondary request.

What soap to use with cold water, I expect it must have some enzymes but are not able to see it ?

It is a different soap for cold water but it's the normal one you get everywhere here. I don't know what's in it that makes it work in cold water but whatever it is, it's been around for a long time.

From that point of view you need to buy a special type of powder to use in a machine that uses hot water - the front loaders. It's my understanding that there's only a handful of machine powders that are suitable for hot washes.

The water is rarely what you could call cold in Thailand, tepid or lukewarm maybe.

[Anon999]

A front loading Siemens there are a number of different capacities. Having had a problem with a new Samsung that had been repaired and failed again I ask the shop what make she would buy instead, LG or Panasonic? Her reply was Siemens. I do have a 26 year old Samsung I originally bought in England and shipped here.

[krisb]

Love watching a bunch of blokes arguing over what the best washing machine is!

You're all so metrosexual

I use a Whirpool front load btw. Really gets out those stubborn ground in stains.

[besth]

Hi simon43,

As someone has already said, twin tubs can work well for family needs.

From previous posts I've seen from you and the OP itself, I think you

are looking for quite a heavy load on a daily basis.

Almost all brands are fine but my advice is do not buy one machine

for both washing and drying.

Washing gets best results when the machine is loaded to full capacity

(not air tight, don't push it).

Drying works best with bigger machines, for the simple reason that the

air circulates better.

Getting two separate machines, if you have the space and

natural drying is not an option you can risk because of the weather,

will save you a lot of money in electricity bills in not a very long time.