ClothesWasherDryers
Clothes Washers & Dryers
Summary
Washers and dryers are top-loading or front-loading. Energy considerations are switching the market to the European front-loading standard, which is anyway easier on your clothes. Reducing water consumption reduces the amount of electricity required to heat water during the hot-water cycle, and reduces the amount of detergent needed. Eliminating hull openings is important but experience has shown that vented dryers perform much better. For performance, look for around 10-20-pound (lbPound weight) loads and water consumption of around 0.7 to 0.9 gallons (galGallon) per pound of load.
Introduction
Clothes washer/dryers use a lot of water and electricity, so they have been a focus of regulators and energy-saving programs. Washers come in full-size and compact, with stand-alone, stackable and combination models.
Washers are top-loading or front-loading. Top-loading has long been the USA standard, but energy considerations are switching the market to the European front-loading standard. These are also called horizontal-axis washers.
Energy Efficiency
There are several ways of making a washer more energy efficient:
- Reduce water consumption
- Reduce electrical consumption
- Increase the spin speed
Reducing water consumption is a big winner, because it also reduces the amount of electricity required to heat water during the hot-water cycle, and reduces the amount of detergent needed. Reducing the detergent reduces the water needed for rinsing. Higher spin speeds eliminate more water and detergent from the clothes, so they require less time in the dryer, and are softer. Front-loading washers win on all of these accounts.
Types
Top-loading machines use an agitator to swish the clothes back and forth in a big bucket of water, at a fairly slow speed. The clothes tend to tangle and clump together, impeding the washing action. The agitation is tough on clothes, and wears out fabric. After the wash cycle, the clothes are soaked in rinse water.
Front-loading machines use less than 50%percent of the water for the same size. They tumble the clothes through the air into a small pool of water, at speeds over 1000 rpmRevolutions per minute. The clothes don't clump together, which means a better wash. The tumble action also rinses better, and is gentler on clothes. Front-loading machines are also stackable, and easier for the infirm to use.
Compact washer/dryers are available separately or as combination units, in vented and unvented models. Interestingly, the unvented combination models use hot water during the drying cycle. While eliminating hull openings is a big priority, experience has shown that the vented types perform much better and, of course, reduce water consumption.
Combination units have a key disadvantage: you have to wait for the entire wash cycle to finish before the drying cycle starts.
What to Look For
Right sizing is the most important decision -- washers are most efficient when fully loaded. National (USA) average is eight loads per week for a family of three, or about 60 lb per week per adult, or three loads per week per adult. Some other things to look for are:
- Stainless steel drum
- Zinc-coated galvanized steel
- Suspension system to reduce vibration
- High-pressure spray for extra rinsing
- Built-in water heater
- Multiple rinse cycles
- Sanitation cycle
Models
Washer/dryer technology keeps evolving so keep an eye on best of the year awards, but note that sites such as this are skewed to models on the USA market.
Energy efficient models include Splendide and Specialized Appliances combinations; and separate units like Bosch Nexxt, Staber, Spin-X, and Fisher & Paykel. For performance, look for around 10-20 lb loads and water consumption of around 0.7 to 0.9 gals per pound of load.
Some commercial units are available for up to 80-lb loads. They have the additional advantage of stainless steel wash baskets, and zinc-coated galvanized steel construction. Plus, because of their large size they have less tendency to shake rattle and roll.
Spin-X is a high-speed centrifugal dryer for removing water and detergents from clothes before they are put into a normal hot air, tumble dryer. Tumble dryers turn around 1200-2800 rpm while Spin-X turns at more than 4000.
AAmpere (amp), SI unit of electrical current clothes washer-dryer will consume around 3 kWhKiloWatt hour (see also ElectricalCapacityAC).
