Not long ago, washing machines were considered a luxury item reserved for wealthy folks. But now, it's seen as a necessity that saves you valuable time and energy. Given we will soon be in the middle of winter, and, washing clothes will be torture. We figured you'd consider getting a washing machine, and a buying guide would sure be helpful. So here are the basics!

Washing Machine Buying Guide

The washing machine is rather simple to understand. And buying one shouldn't be complex either. So, before getting one, you can only consider two aspects: its type, and, its capacity. Easy! Now, let's get into it in more detail, shall we?

Types of Washing Machines

There are many types of washing machines available in the market. And, like everything else, the choices are rather limited here in Nepal. However, this isn't to say that the available choices aren't enough! Here in Nepal, we get two types of washing machines: semi-automatic, and automatic a.k.a fully-automatic.

Semi-automatic

These are usually the entry-level goodies, that take a lot of labour off of your shoulders. They come with two separate compartments in them. One for the washer, where you wash your clothes, and the other for rinsing and drying. Firstly, you load your clothes into the washer, put some detergent, then press some buttons, and let it be. It then takes some time and does the washing. After it's done, you'll then have to manually shift the washed clothes to the other compartment to do the rinsing and drying. Here, first, it will rinse the clothes off then it will do the drying. Thus, a semi-automatic washing machine requires some manual labour along with quite a bit of your attention. However, they are pretty water-efficient and budget-friendly. Finally, talking of the price tag, this type of washing machine costs you anywhere between NPR 12,000 to NPR 40,000.

Pros

• Affordable
• More control over the laundry process

Cons

• Separate compartments for washing, and rinsing and drying
• Requires manual labour and attention

Fully-automatic

Now, the fully-automatic washing machines are a few steps ahead of their semi-automatic counterparts. This is to say, that these machines cut out almost all the labour from your laundry process. Here, with the automatic washing machines, you just have to load the clothes, add in your detergent, and press some buttons. THAT'S IT! It does the rest, all the way from washing to drying. Now, fully automatic washing machines are available in two types: Top load, and front load.

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Top Load

As the name suggests, with this type of washing machine you load the clothes from the top. They have a single compartment with a vertically placed tube, which does all the washing and drying. Due to this vertical alignment of the tube, the design of the entire machine gets to be rather slim. As a result, top-load washing machines are quite space-friendly. However, top loads usually require more detergent while offering lesser stain-removing prowess than the front loads. Furthermore, it is also known for not being very water efficient. Nevertheless, you can work around this problem, thanks to its unique feature. The said feature allows you to pause the laundry process. As a result, you can pause the machine midway and manually add water, giving you much more control over the water usage. You can also add more clothes to wash, using this same feature. Meanwhile, they are more electricity efficient and offer faster laundry cycles. The top-load washing machines are available to purchase at a price range of NPR 30,000 to NPR 180,000. Besides, you can also get a mini version of these at around NPR 4,000 to NPR 7,000.

Pros

• Relatively affordable
• Requires less work
• Electricity efficient
• Space-friendly
• Faster laundry cycles
• Added flexibility with pausing feature

Cons

• Consumes more water and detergent
• Less stain-removing capability

Front Load

Similarly, front-load washing machines also have a single compartment, however, it is horizontally placed. Such that, they have a door on the front, from where you load your clothes to do the laundry. This is the main differentiating factor from its top-loading counterpart. As a result of this horizontal tube alignment, the front-load washing machines are a bit bulky in size and need more space. These washing machines are more advanced than the top loads and, hence, are more water efficient. Moreover, they also offer a cleaner wash with less detergent, thanks to the faster torque and added range of motion. On the other hand, the front-load washing machine consumes more electricity and has a longer wash cycle compared to its other companions. You also miss out on the pausing feature that you get on the top-load washing machines. In terms of cost, these washing machines start from NPR 40,000 and can go up to NPR 250,000.

Pros

• Water efficient
• Better cleaning of clothes
• More advanced

Cons

• On the expensive end
• Bulkier
• Consumes more electricity
• Less flexible
• Requires timely maintenance (cleaning)

Capacity of Washing Machines

Now, that we've covered the types of washing machines, let's look into the other major aspect — capacity! Understanding the capacity of a washing machine is fairly simple. You can see a certain weight assigned to the washing machine like 6 Kg, 7.5 Kg, 8.2 Kg, and so on. This number represents the capacity of the washing machine, i.e. the weight of dry clothes you can safely load into your machine at once. Simply put, the higher the number, the more clothes you can wash at the same time. Here, I will be listing out the capacity of the washing machine and also the size of the family it is ideal for: Now that we have covered both the main aspects of a “washer”, you are well-equipped to find the one of your dreams! Nevertheless, here are some curated “pro tips” bundled with this washing machine buying guide to further help you out!

Pro Tips

• It's better to get a washing machine from a well-known brand as they offer a better quality product as well as a superior after-sales service.
• The above-explained aspects cover most of what you need when choosing a suitable machine for you. However, you should take a deeper look into the features and nuances like the warranty of the machine to better suit your needs.
• You need a dedicated tap for water intake as well as proper drainage when setting up your machine. However, you can work around the necessity of a dedicated tap with the semi-automatic, and the top-load washing machine.
• Use a detergent formulated for the type of your machine to get optimum results.
• Washing machines are ideal for moderately dirty clothes. With this in mind, if your clothes have a deep stain, it's recommended to manually deal with it.
• Don't overload laundry into your machine, in order to ensure better cleaning and longevity of your machine. Such that, getting a scale for weighing the laundry is a good idea.
• Separate your laundry according to the type of fabric, and colour so that you can avoid lint and colour contamination.
• And finally, the clothes aren't ready to wear dry when you take them out from the washing machine. They are about 80% of the way there and need a little more time to fully dry.

Conclusion

I hope that this washing machine buying guide was helpful to you. And you will choose one that's best for you, saving yourself a lot of time and effort. Also, do let us know if you'd like more buying guides like these! Till then, stay warm, and stay tidy! CHEERS! Meanwhile, check out these best budget washing machines to buy in Nepal