Washing Machine Buying Guide In India 2023

Washing Machine Buying Guide: Washing Machines have become an integral part of our occupied lives, so it is necessary to have a washing machine in the home but selecting a great performing washing machine in the Indian market is cumbersome.

Choosing from various brands, different types, semi-automatic or fully automatic, and tons of other additional features, i,e. Wash program, quick wash, temperature control, digital display, child lock, protective rat mat, etc. is really a difficult task.

So to make your life easier we (the BangaloreToday team) have done thorough research on all available washing machine brands, features, specifications, online reviews, and also enquired offline stores and here we’ve come up with a comprehensive guide on “How to select a washing machine in India”.

Hi there Rahul G here, in this article I’m gonna walk you through the “Washing Machine Buying Guide In India 2023”. I hope you’ll like this comprehensive buying guide, by the end of this article you will be able to select a suitable washing machine according to your needs.

Key Differentiating Factors Of Washing Machines:

Automation: When you talk about the automation level of washing machines, you can find 2 different options 1. Semi-Automatic washing machines and 2. Fully automatic washing machines. we’ve elaborate on the difference between these two types of machines here.
Loading type: Under the fully automatic machines there are two different classifications of washing machines namely 1. Top-load washing machine and 2. Front-load washing machine. Both types have their own advantages and disadvantages and I’ll come into that later in the guide.
Loading Capacity: It refers to the maximum kilograms of clothes that you can load into the machine in one washing cycle and it completely depends on how many people are there in your family and how many clothes they’ll put into the machines for a day. There is a golden rule to defining what capacity washing machine you should buy according to your family’s needs.

Also read: Best Washing Machines Under 25000 in India 2023

Washing Machine Buying Guide In India 2023

01. On Which Budget You Can Get The Value For Money Washing Machine?

Before you buy any washing machine available on market, you must set a budget for your purchase and you need to stick to that budget

Because for every Rs.500 – Rs.1000 difference there are new features available in the washing machine most of them are useful and deciding factors.

But some of the features are just marketing techniques adopted by the brands to influence their customers to buy their products.

You being a Bangaloretoday.in articles reader should not fall into the marketing gimmicks of the brands, rather you must buy a washing machine according to your usage and budget.

02. What Are The Different Types of Washing Machines:

Based on the level of automation and nature of loading clothes into the machines, there are 2 major types of washing machines available in the market and they are as follows:

01. Semi-Automatic Washing Machines:

Semi-Automatic washing machines are in the budget range or pocket-friendly machines compared to its counterpart which is usually priced around Rs.5000 to Rs.15000

But require lots of manual work, basically, it comes with two different drums one is for washing the clothes and the other is for drying.

How do Semi-Automatic washing machines work?

To wash your clothes in semi-automatic machines first, you need to put your clothes inside the washer drum and pour an adequate amount of water externally from buckets or from the tap water.

After successfully pouring the water you need to set the timer according to the number of clothes you put in.

When the machine completes washing the clothes it will notify you with a loud ring, later you need to shift the clothes from the washer to the dryer drum to dry your clothes.

So as you can read from the above paragraph, a semi-automatic washing machine requires lots of human intervention therefore if you are a busy person, who wants to buy a washing machine to ease your laundry work then semi-automatic machines are not for you.

Advantages Of Semi-Automatic Machines

Stop the washer in between the cycle to put more clothes or detergents.
Costs cheaper than the counterpart
Consumes less electricity
Requires less water
Lightweight device.

Disadvantages Of Semi-Automatic Machines

Requires more space compared to counterpart (Bulky)
Most of the models are built on a plastic drum
Requires lots of Human intervention
Low-quality washing
Generate vibration

02. Fully Automatic Washing Machines

Fully automatic washing machines are more expensive than semi-automatic machine as it offers various other useful features. And provides better wash quality compared to semi-automatic washers,

The fully automatic washing machines will automate all washing processes and it comes with a single drum that will be used for both washing as well as drying.

It requires almost negligible human intervention to wash the laundry, you just need to put in the clothes and set the wash function according to the weight of the clothes,

Later the machine will automatically wash the clothes according to the input wash function you’ve set and later make the clothes dry in the same drum. You’ll be notified via a loud ring that washing is completed and later you just need to pull out all the clothes that’s it, your laundry is done.

According to the nature of loading the laundry, there are two different classifications of washing machines, they are as follows:

01. Top load Washing Machine

As the name is self-explanatory, In top-load washing machines the door opening is available from the top side. You need to load the laundry from the top of the machine.

The top-load washing machines are available in both semi-automatic and fully automatic modes.

Here the main drum is installed vertically and powered by a separately installed higher RPM motor. Both are connected via a belt that results in the drum spinning clock or counterclockwise to wash the clothes.

The separation of the motor from the drum will affect generating vibrations that can observe in each and every wash cycle. But there is no need to worry as the noise is negligible when compared to its one-tap washing.

Basically, top-load washing machines are the most popular devices in the market. If you are a person who doesn’t want to kneel down to load your clothes into the machines. Then top-loading washing machines are the best fit for you.

In the case of front-loading washing machines, you need to kneel down to load the laundry into the machine.

When compared to a semi-automatic washing machine. A fully automatic top-load washing machine provides good quality washing and drying provided that, It will use slightly high electricity and more water.

Most users prefer a top-loading fully automatic washing machine. Because it will fulfill their laundry needs with less human intervention and it is also priced in the mid-range segment.

Advantages of Top load Washing Machine

Good quality washing
One tap washing
Soak and wash facilities
Temperature control
LED and Digital Display
Higher RPM
Stop the washing in between to put in additional clothes or detergents

Disadvantages of Top load Washing Machine

Cost slightly more expensive than semi-automatic
Consumes comparatively high electricity
Requires comparatively more direct tap water connection.
Generate comparatively more vibration
comparatively bulkily.

02. Front Loading Washing Machine

Front-load washing machines are 2nd type of fully automatic machines, where you need to load your clothes into the washing machine from the front of the appliance.

It is the best in quality washing, with additional features, and new technologies also use adequate water and electricity provided that it is costlier among all available types of washing machines on the market.

In the front-load washing machine, the main drum is installed horizontally as the door opens to the side of the machine. Talking about the motors: are installed separately as well as attached to the drum exactly like a ceiling fan.

As the main drum sits horizontally there are two forces applied to the clothes: one is the rotatory force caused by the spin and the other one is gravity.

When clothes rotate from bottom to top, gravity pulls the clothes to the bottom side so the wash quality is superior in this washing machine.

When the motor is attached to the drum directly without any belt we can observe that vibration produced by the machine is very low. If you don’t like the sound produced by the machine then kindly ensure that your washing machine is attached to the motor directly.

The front-load washing machine only comes in fully automatic mode. And in this type of washing machine, you can explore varieties of new additional features and technology. Therefore you can expect the best quality washing compared to the other two types.

Advantages of Front Loading Washing Machine

Superior quality washing
Consumes adequate water and electricity.
Smart Features and Technology.
Gravity affects good quality washing.
Remote connectivity.
Comparatively produces less vibration.

Disadvantages of Front Loading Washing Machine

Costlier among all three types of washing machine.
Can’t open door in between the cycle as the door air tightens for horizontal washing.
Heavy and bulky to carry.
You need to kneel down to load or unload the clothes.

What are the differences between top-load and front-load washing machines?

There are several differences between top-load and front-load washing machines, and some of them key deciding factors and they are as follows:

Top-Load Washing Machine

Drum fits vertically
Load clothes from the top side which is ideal & easy
Comparatively low-quality washing
Comparatively Cheaper
Comparatively fewer features
Water consumption is high
High electricity consumption
Requires less space in your house & comparatively easy to carry
Lower RPM motor
You can open the door in between washing to loading the additional clothes or detergents
Requires Less Maintenance

Front-Load Washing Machine

Drum fits horizontally
Load your laundry from the front side where you need to bend down to load the laundry
Superior quality and effective washing
Comparatively expensive
Comes with new technologies & Smart Features
Adequate uses 40% less water
Less electricity consumption
Requires more space and bulky to carry
Higher RPM motor
You can’t open the door in between washing as the door locks once you start the program
Requires regular maintenance to change the gas kit to prevent water leakage from the door

So if you want a washing machine that is affordable and easy to use, especially when an elderly person is operating the machine then go with top loading washing machine as it is very easy to use.

If you want the best quality washing, that uses less electricity and water, also loaded with the latest features then go with front loading washing machine.

What Are The Differences Between Semi-Automatic & Fully Automatic Washing Machines?

Till now I’ve walked you through the comprehensive guide on washing machine types, function type, and their advantages, and disadvantages. Hope you enjoy reading the article.

I know that you may still be confused about the differences between Semi-Automatic & Fully Automatic Washing Machines.

If yes then in the continuation of the Washing Machine Buying Guide In India 2023 below are the major difference between semi-automatic vs fully automatic washing machines.

Fully Automatic Washing Machine

The Fully automatic washing machine comes with a single drum for both washings as well as drying.
The top-loading fully automatic washing machine will consume comparatively more water and electricity.
Water is fetched directly from the nearby tap water connection via a pipe.
You can’t stop the wash program in between the washing cycle to add additional clothes or detergent.
You can explore advanced features and technology like wash programs, quick wash, temperature control, digital display, etc.
Soak & Wash features are available in fully automatic washing machines to expect good quality washing.
One tap washing: requires negligible human intervention
Fully automatic washing is comparatively expensive.
Available in trendy modern designs
Equipped with stainless steel drum
It weighs heavier but slim design which requires comparatively less space in the house
Generate comparatively less vibration

Semi-automatic Washing Machine

It comes with 2 different drums, one for washing and another one for drying
Consumes minimal water and also the consumption of electricity is adequate.
You need to pour water externally from a bucket or nearby tap connection
You can stop the washing program in between the wash cycle to put in additional clothes or detergents.
No advancement in adopting new features and technology.
No such features are available, however, you can manually soak the clothes inside the machine for the desired time and after the clothes get properly soaked then you can start washing.
Requires high human intervention to wash your clothes.
A semi-automatic washing machine is comparatively cheaper
Only a set of old designs is available.
Equipped with plastic or PVC drum.
It weighs lighter. However, it comes in a bulky design that requires comparatively more space in the house.
Generate comparatively high vibrations as the motor is attached separately via cable

What Capacity Washing Machine You Should Buy?

Capacity in a washing machine refers to how many kilograms of clothes, your washing machine can wash in one wash cycle. Generally, the capacity of the washing machine is measured in kilograms,

Which is directly proportional to the kilograms of clothes that you want to wash in a cycle. So the capacity of the washing machine is completely dependent on how many people are living in your family and how many clothes they gonna put into the machine daily.

It also depends on the type of clothes you are loading, for instance, a blanket will take up lots of space in the machine, however, it weighs less vice versa the jeans will take less space in the machine and weighs heavier.

Therefore it is recommended to load the washing machine to 2/3rd of the total drum size so that all the clothes inside the machine will get mixed properly and get even washing.

There is a standardized formula to find out what capacity washing machine you should buy in India according to the total number of people living in your family and they are as follows:

I’m sure that after looking at the above slides you got an idea of what capacity washing machine to buy for your home.

The budget, washing machine type, and capacity are the most important things to know before buying a new washing machine in India, however, there are several other additional features and technologies that are being adopted by the washing machine brands.

Most of the additional features of the washing machine are useful in daily life, in fact, some of the features will save days for you.

Unfortunately, there are some features that are nothing but a marketing gimmick implemented by washing machine manufacturing brands to attract their customers to buy their products.

As I said earlier, you being a Bangaloretoday.in article reader, never want to fall into the marketing tactics of the companies, instead, I want you to buy the product according to your needs and demand.

Therefore here I’ve described the essential additional features of the washing machine to know before buying a new one and they are as follows:

What Are The Additional Features & Other Things To Know Before Buying a Washing Machine?

1. Drum Type:

In semi-automatic washing machines the default drum type is plastic which is not durable however most of the popular fully automatic washing machine comes with stainless steel drum which is made to serve longer. so kindly ensure that your washing machine has stainless steel drum.

2. Temperature control: Built-in heater;

All clothes aren’t made in the same quality material and react differently with washing machine like some types of clothes will observe water quickly and the stain & dirt in the clothes will be removed easily but some clothes will not get cleaned so easily,

Therefore, to evenly wash all type of clothes, modern washing machines comes with built-in heater technology so that some type of clothes will need hot water to properly get clean and some need only warm water.

This is a slightly expensive feature and not a must-have feature but is commonly available in most of the front load washing machines so kindly ensure to balance the budget to have such features.

3. Protective Rat Mat:

A hard PVC cover or protective rat mat is a must-have feature in all types of washing machines, especially in India.

This PVC sheet will be used as a covering for the opening made by the company to access the motor and electronics.

And will protect your washing machine’s internal parts from rats.

4. Zero Vibration: BDD vs DDD

Earlier washing machines are designed in such a way that the motor and drum will be installed separately inside the container and attached by a durable cable and this method of motor and drum setup is called Belt Driven Drive (BDD)

Unfortunately, in the BDD setup, the washing machine causes vibration which can be easily noticeable while washing the clothes.

So to reduce the vibration in the washing machine the company comes up with a new way of fitting the motor which is attached to the drum exactly like the ceiling fan does which is also known as Directly Driven Drive (DDD).

DDD models result in less vibration in the machine, So remember to make sure that your machine is built with the DDD technique.

5. Fuzzy Logic

Fuzzy logic is a unique wash setting in the modern washing machine where it automatically detects, what type of clothes, & how many kilograms of clothes are loaded into the machine, and accordingly it will adjust the optimum wash setting to provide good quality laundry.

However, this feature is only available in expensive washing machines, if you have the budget for an expensive washing machine then you must ensure that your washing machine is included Fuzzy logic settings.

6. LED Display

Most washing machine manufacturing brands use LED displays to show various functionality of their washing machines like running status, timer, wash program, alerts, error, etc.

LED displays are a commonly available feature in all washing machines however, you must ensure the availability of LED displays in your washing machine.

7. Time Delay

Sometimes there are requirements to wash your loaded laundry after some time delay so in that case, the time delay function in the washing machine will help you set a delay in washing time.

8. Pre Soak wash setting

Some clothes are required to soak for a while before they are loaded into the washing machine which helps in better wash quality.

So the companies come up with a wash setting where you can soak your laundry for a while (As you set the time) before starting the wash cycle.

Just make sure this feature is available in your washing machine however, you can manually soak the clothes outside the machine and later you can wash the clothes normally as you do in the machine.

9. Remote access

Remote access or WIFI connectivity is a smart feature that comes in modern washing machines where you can control your machine remotely you can start or stop the machine from wherever you want and also you will get notifications of the washing status.

This feature is also a luxury feature that comes with an expensive washing machine only and if you feel it is essential to have this feature then only opt for the washing machine with remote access or go with the normal washing machine where you can also turn a normal machine into smart by using smart WIFI switch which easily available on Amazon.

10. RPM

RPM stands for Revolution Per Minute means how many spins can the motor in your washing machine takes for every minute. Basically, the more RPM the motor has the longer it will last.

Usually, the cheaper washing machine will come with 1100 RPM motors but, it is recommended to have the RPM between 1300 – 1600. So kindly ensure to check with your washing machine.

11. Inverter Technology

Inverter technology is a game changer in terms of saving electricity consumption where it will first analyze the load and later it will provide an adequate amount of electricity to the motor according to the load so that the motor will not overrun.

Therefore there will huge amount of electricity savings possible in inverter technology washing machines when compared to any other type of washing machine.

Frequently Asked Questions On Washing Machine In India

1. How many clothes can go in a 7kg washer?

On average in a 7 KG Washing Machine you can up to 3 Adult Jeans, 3 Shirts, 2 Bedsheets, 3 Pillowcases, 3 Small Towels, and 3 Dish Towels. But you should not load more than 2/3rd of the drum because there should be always a space available for mixing and spinning the clothes.

2. Which is the most reliable washing machine brand?

Both LG and Samsung are the most reliable washing machine brands in India, if you want only one answer then you must enquire about offline stores about which brand provides the best after-sales services in your locality and this would a deciding factor between these two brands.

3. What should be considered while buying a washing machine?

There are 4 Key Differentiating Factors Of Washing Machines to consider before buying a new washing machine for yourself and they are as follows:

Set a Budget
Loading Type
Automation
Capacity

For more information read the above paragraph.

4. Which kg washing machine is best for 4 member family?

For the 4 Member family, a 6 KG Washing machine is more than enough, more on the capacity is explained in the article.

5. Which is better top or front load?

Front load washing machine is the best washing as it comes with more than 100 wash programs however the cost is also on the expensive side where top load washing machine cost lesser but you’ve to compromise with some features.

6. How much RPM is good for a washer?

It is recommended to have the RPM anywhere between 1300 – 1600. So kindly ensure to check with your washing machine.

7. What are the disadvantages of top-loading washing machines?

Disadvantages of Top load Washing Machine

Cost slightly more expensive than semi-automatic
Consumes comparatively high electricity
Requires comparatively more direct tap water connection.
Generate comparatively more vibration
comparatively bulkily.

8. Why are front-load washers so expensive?

Front load washing machine is the best washing as it comes with more than 100 wash programs like Wash program, quick wash, temperature control, digital display, child lock, protective rat mat, etc. however the cost is also on the expensive side where top load washing machine cost lesser but you’ve to compromise with some features.

9. Do front-load or top-load washers last longer?

Yes, the average usage of washing machines ranges between 4 – 7 years and most of the brands provide 10 years warranty on the motor.

10. Which drum is best in the washing machine?

The stainless steel drum is the best for all washing machines.

11]. Which brand of the washing machine is best?

LG is the best Brand choice to make your laundry more efficient and its washing machines come at very affordable prices.

12]. Which type of washing machine has a longer life expectancy?

Top-loading washers typically last a few years longer than their front-loading brethren. If you use a stacked washer/dryer combo, you may need to replace both if one starts acting up.

Conclusion

Thanks for reading this article till the end it means a lot to me. This is all you need to know about the Best Washing Machine to buy in India 2023 . I hope you like this article and gained each and every possible knowledge about the Washing Machine.

Hopefully, by now you will be able to make a wise decision and select the best washing machine In India for yourself according to your needs. And as a BangaloreToday reader, you mustn’t fall into companies marketing gimmicks.

If you feel anything good about this article then kindly consider sharing this article via social media and WhatsApp with your friends and relatives who are interested in buying a washing machine or other appliances.

If you’ve any doubts or suggestions regarding this article or any other related article then feel free to comment on your queries down below. And I’ll ensure to reply to your comments as short as possible. Thank you once again for reading this article.

Washing Machine Buying Guide In India 2023

Key Differentiating Factors Of Washing Machines: