Consumer Reports
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- Better efficiency can mean longer wash times: The most efficient washing machines save about $1,400 over a 10 year span and use approximately 110,000 fewer gallons of water than a 10 year old top loader with a center agitator. Another plus to these new machines is that they are better at extracting water so drying time is reduced as are electrical costs. Although these machines clean very well, they typically have longer wash cycles ranging from 65-115 minutes on average, with front-loaders taking longer than top loaders. Washers are increasingly offering ‘quick cycles’ for smaller loads or lightly soiled loads. Consumer Reports tests found that Kenmore’s Accela-Wash, LG’s TurboWash, and Samsung’s SuperSpeed shaved off about 15-20 minutes from a normal load while still cleaning well.
- Washers are deeper and/or wider: Many manufacturers are making an effort to cut down on the amount of time consumers spend doing laundry by making the washers taller and deeper to increase capacity. This can be a problem for people on the shorter side because it may make getting loads out of the washer a difficult task. When shopping, be sure to reach into the washer; if you can’t reach the bottom consider investing in a different model. Also, many washers are now wider than before so if your laundry room is tight, be sure to measure before you buy.
- Waterproof items can create problems: High efficiency top loaders spin quicker and extract more water than regular top loaders, however, water can become trapped in rain coats and other waterproof items, causing the load to become unbalanced. When this happens, the machine can shake too much which can cause damage to the washer and laundry area. Some brands (Maytag and Whirlpool) say their machines can safely handle waterproof items while others (LG) warn against washing these items. Be sure to check the owner’s manual before buying.
- No high efficiency dryers yet: Dissimilar to washers, dryers have typically used similar amounts of energy, even the HE dryers, according to Energy Star. Although not here yet, Energy Star-qualified dryers may hit stores soon.
- Maybe you don’t need a new dryer afterall… Although they look different, new dryers and old dryers pretty much still work the same way. They both use moisture sensors to determine how damp the laundry is and it adjusts the drying time accordingly. If your current dryer has a sensor and you don’t mind having a washer and dryer that don’t match, you can save money and keep your existing dryer until it breaks.Here’s a tip though: dryers with sensors are meant to handle full loads. When you dry just a few items at a time, the dryer may shut off before things are dry because the items didn’t touch the sensor frequently enough. To avoid this problem, use a timed cycle for smaller loads. Also, dryers with thermostats are not efficient since they dry for a set amount of time, even if the clothes are dry before the timer is up.