What size washing machine do I need?

Why it’s important to get the right size washing machine

You might not give this too much thought at the time of buying, but it soon becomes a factor when you’re stuffing a huge pile of clothes into the machine at 7pm on a Sunday evening!

It’s not just the inconvenience of not being able to fit everything in though; the wrong size washing machine could have other consequences.

Dirty laundry!

If your washing machine drum is too small and you’ve crammed too many clothes in it, it’s highly likely that your clothes won’t be cleaned properly – and no-one wants that!

Your clothes need to be able to move around the drum in order to get thoroughly cleaned. A small, overcrowded drum could also prevent the detergent from being able to get to all areas of your load, resulting in unclean clothes and stains that haven’t been removed. This could also lead to those white detergent marks where it hasn’t been dissolved properly. All of this results in wasted time and energy as you’ll just need to rewash the lot – and life’s just too short for that!

A broken machine

Overloading the washing machine with too many clothes in the drum can also lead to your washing machine breaking. Don’t forget that the load gets much heavier once it’s wet and if it’s too heavy, the drum can come out of line, or the motor can get overworked and break.

A good rule of thumb is to stick your hand in after you’ve put the washing in and see if you can pat the load down a bit. If you can’t, it’s definitely too full.

So what’s the answer to the above problems? Do you split the load down into more washes, or could it be that you don’t actually have the right size washing machine for your needs?

Read on to find out more about which washing machine size is right for you.

Choosing the right washing machine

It’s always worth carrying out some research before buying a key household appliance such as a washing machine. Drum size is an important factor to be taken into consideration, because as discussed above, overloading can result in dirty clothes or a broken machine. Yet at the same time, you wouldn’t want to run a big washing machine with just a few solitary items sloshing around.

Having a machine that’s too big could mean you’re using more water and energy than is necessary per cycle, and as well as being bad for the environment, this will also lead to bigger bills.

So the key is to get the right washing machine size to suit you and your family. This will depend on how many people you’re washing for, what you’re washing and how often. A couple of office workers, for example, will have different requirements to a family of children with activities such as football, rugby and swimming every night of the week.

Different washing machine sizes

Drum sizes are measured according to the weight of dry clothes rather than wet. Here’s a guide to the main sizes available and what you might use them for.

Small washing machine (5kg – 6kg)

The smallest washing machine drums are for 5kg-6kg loads. This size is ideal if you live alone, or with one other person and you don’t need to run the machine more than around four times per week. To give you an idea, a 5kg-6kg drum load could handle 25 to 30 T-shirts, or the equivalent of say five small towels and six tops. A smaller drum means a smaller machine and will save on energy and space. Cycles are generally faster too.

Standard size washing machine (7kg)

The standard washing machine size is 7kg and is ideal for households of three people, or smaller households but where you might need to wash a bit more regularly, say four to six times per week.

A 7kg washing machine can fit around 35 T-shirts in one load, or the equivalent of five small towels and 10 tops. 

Large size washing machine (8kg)

A 8kg washing machine has a larger drum and is more suited to a medium-sized family or household of four people. This can fit around 40 T-shirts in one go, or the equivalent of six towels and 12 tops. It’s also great for getting the entire bed set washed in one go. It suits a household that runs the machine six times per week or more, and can fit more clothes in than the smaller varieties, so you’re using it less.

Extra large washing machine (9kg-12kg)

These are the mother of all machines for those who really mean business! A 9kg washing machine or a 10kg washing machine is great for larger families with lots of washing requirements. Or if you’re managing a small football team, you might want to go even larger with a washing machine size above 10kg. You can get machines up to 12kg for domestic use.

Other factors to consider include washing time – bigger machines take longer to run – and your space requirements.

To conclude

The size of washing machine you need really depends on the size of your household, how often you need to use your machine and what for. It’s important to get the size right though because overloading the machine can mean your clothes don’t get cleaned properly, or in the worst case scenario, your washing machine could buckle under the pressure.

You don’t want to have a smaller machine that’s constantly running because of how many clothes you need to wash, and equally it doesn’t make sense to have a large machine that you only use a couple of times per week for half a load. So choosing the right machine all comes down to your needs, the space you have available and how you can make your usage as energy efficient as possible.

Still not sure? ElectroCare can help

At ElectroCare we stock a wide variety of white goods appliances, including washing machines and everything else you need to do your laundry. We have models in various sizes so we’re sure to have something to suit all households. 

We also understand that there are some household appliances you just can’t be without – washing machines being a prime example – so our ‘plug in now, pay later’ option means you can get what you need straight away.

With ElectroCare’s finance options you can plug in and start washing immediately, then pay back gradually over time. Have a browse round our online store and you can have a new washing machine in no time at all.