Choosing the Best New Washer and Dryer

Side or Top-Loader & General Size

You should always measure the area within which you’ll be placing your washer and dryer, making sure that if you get a side loader, the opening of the doors are accounted for as well. Machines that load in the front are easier for you, position-wise, in terms of physically loading laundry, and are also generally more efficient, conserve more water, more costly, have a larger capacity wash/dry tub, and are gentler on clothes. Front-load washers also tend to have more flexibility in handling delicates and have higher spin speeds. Top-load washers, however, have a shorter cycle time, remove more water and consequently also make drying times much shorter. You won’t need that strong of a floor for top-loaders, as they tend to be lighter, making it more ideal for older apartments in that respect.

You should also consider whether or not you’ll even need a high-load capacity washers and dryer. If you have a large family, it might be worth it in terms of saving time, but if it’s just you and a roommate, for example, maybe a smaller unit that you can stack makes more sense. Whichever types you choose, make sure that both your washer and dryer are equal to one another in terms of capacity.

Energy Efficiency

A washer and dryer’s energy saving capacity can really make a difference to your wallet as well as obviously putting less stress on the environment. An Energy Star label on washing machines indicates that it uses 35 to 50 percent less water and 50 percent less energy than standard machines. You can also check their energy-efficiency scores on consumer reporting sites for even more detailed information. With dryers, gas models, though more costly, are more energy efficient. Especially with larger families, more energy efficient machines will save you money in the long run, even if the machines themselves might cost more upon purchase.

Cycle Options

Be careful which features are actually adding value to your washer or dryer purchase, or even which essential ones are missing. You don’t want to overpay for a bunch of useless settings you won’t use or, conversely, pay very little and receive very little. Here is a list of cycle options to watch for in both cases:

• Sanitizing cycles can help people with allergies in getting rid of dust mites. Though, “bedding” or “active wear” settings don’t really mean anything.
• Heavy-duty, normal, delicate, and whitest white cycles should be the bare minimum of what you need.
• Automatic temperature control, which adjusts the flowing of different temperatures of water, can be expensive, but is essential. Without it, the water used tends to be much too cold.
• Moisture sensors in dryers can control it from running for too long—you’ll be doing a favor for your clothes and your budget by curbing unnecessary energy.
• Descriptions on dryers that state that they have capacities that are “extra large”, “super”, or “super plus” in size are nothing more than hype. Any full-sized dryer will hold a standard load amount.
• Make sure your washer and dryer don’t make an unbearable amount of noise while washing or when the cycles have finished, especially if you’re not sticking them away in a basement. Some end-of-cycle buzzers even have the capability to be turned down or up at will.