2015 Washing Machine Reviews

You are viewing the archived 2015 ratings for washing machines. Go to the current washing machine ratings.

Which washing machine should you pick to tackle the weekly laundry loads in your home? Use our customer satisfaction ratings to help make your decision.

Which washing machine is best for you?

According to our latest research, 1 in 2 shoppers researched washing machines online before they made their purchase.

…which is most likely how you found this page! We’re here to help you pick an award-winning brand, because the best washing machine for you might just be the one that customers around New Zealand are most satisfied with.

For the last two years, appliance brand Bosch has been the brand to beat, and it has done it again in our 2015 awards. It achieved our Most Satisfied Customers Award ahead of Samsung, Fisher & Paykel, LG, Simpson, and Haier.

Bosch received top ratings for washing performance (the key driver of overall customer satisfaction, according to our results), reliability, ease of use, quietness while operating, design (including the appearance / finish of the machine), and warranty and service.

Samsung was another winning brand with five star ratings for value for money and ease of use. Fisher & Paykel also snatched five stars of washing machine usability. You can take a closer look at our full results in the table above.

We’ve endeavoured to answer some common questions you may have about your washing machine purchase, to ensure you have all the information before you buy.

Should you buy a top loader or front loader washing machine?

There are a number of advantages and disadvantages to owning either a top loading or front loading washing machine. Generally speaking, front loaders are a little more energy and water efficient than top loaders, but cannot be loaded with as many clothes. Here’s a table that illustrates these differences:

Washer dryer units: Are they worth the money?

Standalone units that can both wash and dry your clothes are obviously an enviable prospect. You can potentially save space, spend less time transferring from one unit to another, and spend less on the appliance.

However, there’s more to it than that. For one, washer dryer units tend to have smaller capacities than most typical washing machines. That means they’re ideal for couples perhaps, but may not big families. Additionally, the entire cycle (to both wash and dry) takes a little longer to run than it would if you switched machines, chiefly because – in a washer dryer – the appliance has to dry out the drum before it can begin drying your laundry.

Additionally, these units, due to the amount of hardware inside needed to perform all their operations, can be quite heavy. That may mean it’s difficult to move, although if you’re paying for delivery and installation, that might not concern you.

Finally, these units can be expensive to purchase initially. However, as parts become cheaper to manufacture, perhaps they will become a little more cost-competitive to standalone units in the future?

You could always find a washer dryer that is absolutely perfect for your circumstances, so do your research beforehand and see what you find.

Selecting a green washing machine that’ll save you money

“I care about the environmental friendliness of my washing machine,” says more than two thirds of our New Zealand survey respondents, which surely means that plenty of homeowners are looking for green machines during the shopping process.

There are a few things you can do to ensure you spend as little as possible on your washing machine’s running costs, and keep carbon emissions to a minimum. For one, check both the energy rating and the water rating of your appliance. They’re both simple concepts: the more stars, the more efficient it is. The EnergyWise website even produces a list of the most efficient appliances to help you pick a star brand – and our award winner, Bosch, features prominently in the list.

Another great thing you can do is to check out the EECA’s Appliance Running Costs Calculator. When you find a washing machine you’re interested in purchasing, simply input your usage details into this calculator alongside some of the stats from your new appliance. You should get a good idea how much your new purchase will cost going forward, as well as the volume of carbon emissions it’ll produce.

Finally, the best way to make sure your washing machine is as ‘green’ as possible is to only use it when you have to. Close to half our survey respondents do more than five loads of washing each week, but you could easily sacrifice one of those and do it by hand. It can be a cathartic experience, and is a fantastic opportunity to tackle particularly stubborn stains.

Caring for your washing machine (and your clothes)

Know your temperature settings. Nearly two thirds of New Zealanders always use the cold wash cycle, which is (a) a great way to conserve energy (the machine doesn’t use power heating the water) and (b) kinder to clothes. However, warm or even hot wash cycles are fine for certain garments, such as bed sheets, and can better tackle tough stains, so don’t be too afraid to use them if necessary. In another of our articles, we go into greater detail about the perfect temperature for clothes to be washed in.

Clean your washing machine. A significant 39% of respondents were unaware they needed to clean their washing machine. You do, sadly. This is easily prevented by doing a full cleaning cycle with no clothes in the machine, and baking soda and vinegar as a substitute for detergent. Do this once a month, as per the instructions on Popsugar.

Keep your machine on level ground. Lots of rattling could mean something gets dislodged, but this is easily avoided by ensuring the machine is level the moment you install it. Perhaps you should pick up some coasters from the shops before your appliance is delivered?