A washing machine is an amazing appliance that takes all the pain of washing and drying your clothes while you can relax or do your work without any hassle. So, which washing machine should you buy in India? Well, let’s have a deep dive into this buying guide for washing machines to know your needs and what will satiate them.
Also Read: Best Fully Automatic Washing Machines In India
Washing Machine Buying Guide
1. Decide on the Type of Washing Machine that best suits you
In India, you can get your hands on various types of washing machines irrespective of the size or price. Here are two major types of machines that you will have to choose from along with their pros and cons.
Semi-Automatic Washing Machines
A semi-automatic washing machine is something you will find in the majority of households because it is much cheaper and consumes less water than the fully-automatic one. These machines are equipped with two drums where the first one is for washing and another is for drying. A semi-automatic washing machine performs basic tasks on its own but requires manual work too.
You have to fill in the tub with water, and use the drain settings to remove water from the tub once the washing is done. The next step is to move the clothes from one tub to another for drying purposes which is again a manual process at first and then the appliance takes over.
A semi-automatic washing machine is always top-loading, consumes less energy, and is easy to operate. Once you fill in water into the tub, you don’t have to continuously run the water through. There are pre-defined settings where the washing drum will stop intermittently to soak and start over. Additionally, these are way cheaper than their automatic counterpart including the fact that their energy consumption is on the slower side.
Fully-Automatic Washing Machines
Unlike semi-automatic washing machines, a fully-automatic washing machine is basically automatic in a true sense. All you have to do is to put all your clothes in and remove them after the machine completes the washing process. Everything from pouring water to washing and then drying is taken care of by the machine itself. It has a single tub responsible for both washing and drying. Interestingly, it is easy to use and has effective results after the end of each cycle.
A fully-automatic washing machine is available in two types that are explained below.
Top-Load Washing Machines
As the name suggests, this is a top-loading fully-automatic washing machine where you can put all the clothes from the top. The single drum is placed facing upwards allowing you to easily put and remove clothes after a session. A top-loading machine requires less energy and is light in weight. The detergent used is a specific one for top-load washing machines and that can be in the form of a liquid or powder.
Front-Load Washing Machines
There’s a front-load variant of the fully-automatic washing machines that allow users to simply put clothes from the front. The drum is vertical and faces the door at the front. All you have to do is to put the clothes in, add detergent and everything else is taken care of including feeding water, rinsing after washing, and so on without any manual intervention.
In fact, front-load machines have excellent wash quality compared to the other two in the series. However, it is expensive so if you have a tight budget, a front-loader might not be the best option. Plus the repair and maintenance cost of front load washing machines is on the higher side so keep in mind before buying this.
Also read: Best Washing Machine Brands To Fight Tough Stains
Which Type of Washing Machine is Best for me?
If you are someone who is looking for budget options, typically under Rs. 10,000; and have a limited water supply in your area then a semi-automatic washing machine is something that is meant for you. Along with the low initial investment, the cost of detergent is also usually less as the type of detergent used in an automatic washing machine is generally much more expensive compared to the ones used in semi-automatic.
If you are looking to fully automate your laundry process then the below-mentioned comparison will help.
2. Top Vs Front-Load Washing Machines
Sometimes, it becomes confusing simply whether to go for a Top-Load or a Front-Load fully-automatic washing machine even if your budget is flexible. It is because each comes with its pros and cons of which some were already listed in their respective definition. With that being said, let’s see how they both compete against each other.
When putting both front and top-load washing machines against each other, both don’t need any human intervention as all you have to do is to put the clothes and remove them once done. However, a front-load offers higher wash quality than the top-load option although the latter isn’t bad in any sense. The front-load appliance is expensive as well whereas a top-load is slightly affordable (but more expensive than a semi-automatic model).
Apparently, most of the new features first port to the front-load machines which means if you buy the latest model, you will be literally on top of the game. Although these features trickle down to top load and semi options too, the front gets a head start. A front-load can have as many as 100 wash programs whereas a top-load would have 10 to 14 or somewhat more.
As said, front-load machines are comparatively expensive because their water consumption is low, noise levels are very low, and power consumption is low while producing a higher wash quality. On the other hand, a top load will take a bit more water, will be slightly noisy, and the wash quality will be high (but not higher).
For context, the top-load semi-automatic option has medium water consumption, 3 to 6 wash programs, less noise and wash quality is medium but these machines are way cheaper than any of the types of washing machines mentioned above.
Also Read: Best Samsung Washing Machines In India
3. Pick The Right Washing Machines Capacity
When buying washing machines, capacity becomes an integral part wherein you should consider a few things before finalizing the right capacity to buy. Here’s an apt capacity based on family members and approx load.
| Family Type | Members | Recommended Load (or Capacity) | Approximate Load |
| Individual/Couple | 1-2 | 5-6 Kgs | 2x Small towels 2x Pillowcases 1x Bedsheet 2x Shirts 2x Adult Jeans |
| Small Family | 3-4 | 6-7 Kgs | 2x Small Towels 1x Child Jeans 2x Pillowcases 1x Bedsheet 3x Shirts 2x Adult Jeans 3x Dish Towels |
| Large Family | 5-6 | 7-8 Kgs | 3x Small Towels 3x Pillowcases 2x Bedsheet 3x Shirts 3x Adult Jeans 3x Dish Towels |
| Very Large Family | More than 6 | 9 Kgs+ | 3x Small Towels 6x Pillowcases 3x Bedsheet 4x Shirts 3x Adult Jeans 4x Dish Towels |
Note: These are the apt recommended capacity for the said number of members and approximate load where both the values can differ widely. Additionally, if your family has larger laundry needs or does laundry occasionally, you would need a larger capacity washing machine to carry out its functions swiftly.
4. Washing Machine Buying Guide in India: Pricing
Different appliance makers may charge different prices for their washing machine models based on the type, capacity, and features it brings onboard. For instance, a semi-automatic washing machine is available at a price range between Rs. 6,000 to Rs. 15,000.
Switch to the fully-automatic mode and you have two options – top-load and front-load each with its own pricing range. The top-load fully-auto washing machine comes at the second position in terms of pricing with a range of roughly Rs. 15,000 to Rs. 40,000. On the contrary, a front-load will damage your bank account in a range of Rs. 25,000 to Rs. 50,000. Again, these pricings are indicative of the overall trend and may vary based on what models and features you choose with your unit.
Some of the popular washing machine brands to load out for are Bosch, IFB, Samsung, Siemens, Haier, and Samsung. Additionally, you can compare pricing between online and offline channels to get the best deals possible.
Also read: 5 Best Onida Washing Machines In India
5. Features To Look Out For
Every washing machine maker offers some features with the appliances be it for semi or fully-automatic options. Let’s dive into some of these features that you can look out for based on your requisites.
Fuzzy Logic: Applicable for the fully-automatic machines, it automatically selects the wash program based on the load and pours the appropriate amount of water and soap for washing.
LED Display: Want to know the status of your wash programs? Well, an LED display comes with it and it gives you information on the program and the washing cycle among other details.
Time Delay: A time delay mode lets you delay the time of the wash cycle so that it is ready in time when you are ready to take out the clothes.
Temperature Control: A semi-automatic washing machine doesn’t have temperature control. However, a fully-automatic washing machine may have an additional feature called ‘Temperature Control’ where you can adjust the temperature settings by making the water cooler or hotter based on your requirements. For example, cotton clothes are best when washed in water at a higher temperature so that’s the logic behind it.
RPM Choice: Again, a setting that users can tweak on an automatic washing machine that lets you change the RPM or revolutions per minute of the drum. For instance, some types of clothes may require higher RPM so that the water is squeezed out of them with ease while other types would need lower revolutions.
Pre-soak settings: Sometimes, you need to soak the clothes for an extra duration before commencing a wash cycle. You can always put all the clothes in and wait for some time to start the wash program. Alternatively, pre-soak settings allow users to simply set that buffer time allowing the clothes to soak properly before a selected wash program is run.
Wash programs: If you have read this entire buying guide on washing machines, you would have read about wash programs as well. These are pre-recorded settings riding between delicate to normal to heavy and more allowing users to select any of the settings apt for the load for the best cleaning experience. A front-load fully-auto washing machine gives you more than 100 wash programs whereas a semi-auto model will have fewer wash programs.
6. Additional Information To Keep In Mind Before Buying A Washing Machine
Under the ‘Capacity’ table, you will see the number of members, approx load, and the apt capacity of the washing machine to choose from. It will give you an idea of what capacity of washing machine you would need based on your requirements.
When choosing a washing machine, always ask for the drum build quality. You will find stainless steel, plastic or porcelain-enamel drums out there each come with its pros and cons. Here, plastic will last longer and stainless steel will withstand higher RPMs and more brute force than either of the options so that’s what you can pick up.
Be it the semi-auto or fully-auto types of washing machines, each has its pros and cons that we have specified in detail in the respective sections above for better understanding.
Also Read: Best Haier Washing Machines In India
