When choosing a washing machine, like other large household appliances, we plan in advance where we will install it. Depending on this, we determine what the dimensions and other characteristics of the device will be.
The dimensions of the machines are primarily affected by the type of loading:
- Vertical - with an opaque drop-down loading hatch at the top of the machine.
- Frontal - with a transparent or solid loading hatch on the side, on the front side of the device.
Dimensions of front loading washing machines
Front-loading units are typically categorized along all three dimensions.
Standard width
of such washing machines is 59-60 cm.
Home machines that are wider are practically never found, but among professional models you can choose 70 cm units - for example, Miele PW 6080 Vario LP RU.
Smaller models can also be found in the Hausdorf store - for example, the compact Electrolux EWC1350 is only 49.5 cm wide.
Standard height
devices with horizontal loading - 85 ± 1 cm. This value was not chosen by chance: it is at this height of the tabletop that the least load on the hands and body is achieved for a person of average height who works at this table. Thus, the 85 cm high machine can be installed next to a table or other kitchen surface, which is important for free-standing devices.
In our store there are also machines of non-standard height: 67 cm for Electrolux EWC1350, 89 cm for Smeg LBB14PB-2, made in retro design in the style of the 50s, and the already mentioned Miele PW 6080 Vario LP RU reaches a height of 102 cm.
Depth
Side-loading washing machines are one of their main parameters. Its value depends on the volume of the loading drum, that is, on the weight of the laundry loaded for one washing cycle. Based on depth, all devices are divided into narrow, standard and deep.
How to save money on buying a top-loading washing machine?
An excellent way to save money is to eliminate unnecessary options. To do this, you just need to think carefully about which programs you definitely need, and which ones you can easily do without. As a rule, less functional washing machines have all the basic functions and are much cheaper.
In addition, you can save money by purchasing a washing machine with a drum capacity that will be enough for you. For example, if your family consists of 2-4 people, then a washing machine designed to wash 4-5 kilograms at a time will be enough for you.
Important : the smaller the drum volume, the lower the consumption of water and electricity during a full load and wash cycle.
Many experts do not recommend buying machines with a high drum spin speed and claim that one thousand revolutions per minute will be enough.
When choosing washing machines based on price/quality ratio, preference should be given to products from well-known brands, such as:
- German – Bosch
- Italian – Indesit and Zanussi
- American – Whirlpool
- Slovenian – Gorenje
- South Korean - Samsung and so on.
There are Russian-made washing machines; as a rule, they are of the activator or mechanical type. These include products manufactured under the names:
- Renova
- Fairy
- Assol
How to choose the best top loading washing machine?
It is difficult to answer the question of which washing machine can be considered the best, since everyone has their strong and not so strong sides. However, experts compile their ratings and update them regularly. So the current rating at the beginning of 2021 looks like this:
Dimensions of narrow washing machines
Narrow devices with a depth of 40 to 50 cm are called. The maximum load of laundry is up to 5 kg.
They have no fewer operating modes than deeper models: for example, Gorenje WS 62SY2B with a depth of 44 cm has 16 washing programs and the function of storing the most used programs in memory. Model Gorenje MV62FZ12/S with the same depth of 44 cm - 18 programs and automatic determination of water temperature and wash duration.
Among the narrow ones, one can distinguish a group of small-sized machines with a loading weight of up to 3.5 kg - for example, Electrolux EWC1350, whose depth is 51 cm, width - 49.5 cm, and height 67 cm. The low loading weight here is due to the low height of the machine, which allows install it under the sink.
Standard depth of washing machines
Standard
washing machines are characterized by a depth of 55 to 65 cm. Models with front loading of this depth are called full-size (their dimensions: depth 55-65 cm, height 85-90 cm, width 59-60 cm). Load weight can range from 7 to 10 kg of dry laundry. It must be said that the dimensions of devices designed for 6, 7 or 8 kg of loaded laundry are almost the same from each other.
Deep
units - from 65 cm and above.
In the catalog of the online store there are models with dimensions up to 73 cm. Some of them, for example, Asko W4114C.W/1, have a loading weight of up to 11 kg. And for standard models Kuppersbusch WA 1920.0 W with a depth of 64 cm and Vestfrost VFWM 1250 X with a depth of 53 cm, the loading weight is from 7 to 10 kg of dry laundry. In the standard Korting KWD 60F14106 model, the door opens 180° for easy loading.
How does loading depend on size?
All SMAs on the market can be divided into standard, narrow and compact washing machines. Each type differs in capacity - it determines how much laundry can be washed at a time.
When loading horizontally, the tank is located in such a way that developers are forced to increase the depth of the device - hence the standard 60 cm. If you reduce the size of the tank and drum, the washing machine loses capacity. How many things can you wash at a time? Don’t think that it’s just the dimensions of the case, but what’s more important is the size of the drum. By increasing its diameter, it is possible to reduce the depth of the frontal SMA, but still their capabilities are limited to 12–14 kilograms. And most modifications wash 5–8 kg per cycle.
In the “vertical” units, the developers positioned the drum in such a way that they managed to reduce the width of the device. At the same time, household versions hold up to 7–8 kg of dry weight. The width is reduced and the capacity is good. Professional versions can hold 36 kg or more - you can even wash carpets in them.
Dimensions of washing machines for installation under the sink
A separate non-standard size category consists of devices that can be installed under the bathroom sink. This installation method limits the machine to all three dimensions. The height of such small washers ranges from 50 to 65 cm.
A standard sink, as a rule, is mounted at a height of 90 cm. If you plan to install a washing machine under it, use special models of sinks with a flat bottom, in which the drain is located at the back or side. Nevertheless, their height is 15-20 cm, and the height of the siphon is about 10 cm, which determines the height of the machine.
The depth of compact washing machines is no more than 50 cm, so that the machine does not protrude forward; on the contrary, the front edge of the sink should protrude by 20-35 cm. On the one hand, drops from the sink in this case will not fall on the machine, on the other hand, it is simply more convenient for users. We must also not forget about the distance from the back of the machine to the wall: hoses and wires should be placed in this gap. In addition, if the machine does not touch the sink, it will not vibrate.
The loading weight of such compact models is small - from 3 to 3.5 kg, but the set of programs allows you to effectively wash all types of clothes and linen.
Advantages
Thanks to its design, a top-loading automatic washing machine outperforms its front-loading competitor in compactness and ease of use. Advantages:
- Compactness. Having a smaller width, they are more suitable for small bathrooms.
- Fewer installation site requirements. Since things are thrown over the top, there is no need to think about how to open the side hatch so that nothing interferes with the rotation of the door.
- There is no need to bend over to put dirty clothes in the drum - just open the top lid and put the laundry in. This is much more convenient for those who do not like to squat and bend over.
- They work more quietly. The drum is mounted on two axes at once - this is the solution that helps reduce noise and vibration levels.
- Possibility of rotation. If the front-type SMA can only stand in one position - with the hatch forward, then the versions with the top tab can be turned to either side - as is more convenient for the user.
Dimensions of built-in washing machines
Built-in washing machines that are installed in the kitchen enjoy constant recognition. If you build the machine into a cabinet or under a countertop, you will free up space in the bathroom, which is usually smaller in area than the kitchen. The front of a fully built-in washing machine is closed with a decorative door, so that the chosen style of the room remains unchanged.
There are special requirements for built-in equipment, since during installation it is necessary to take into account the parameters of the cabinet and provide a gap between it and the machine. The hoses should fit freely behind the back wall.
Each built-in model presented in the Hausdorf store has installation instructions or a built-in diagram indicating the dimensions of the cabinet or niche. With a standard tabletop height of 85 cm, the height of the built-in machine is about 82 cm. The width of the built-in devices is also unified - it is 59.5-60 cm.
Built-in models are more varied in depth, although there are no narrow and deep models: the former leave too much free space in the cabinet, and the latter cannot be installed so that the façade of the entire kitchen has the same depth. The depth of standard devices varies from 56 to 58 cm.
The popular built-in model Neff W6440X0OE measures 81.8 cm high, 59.6 cm wide and 57.4 cm deep.
Due to their smaller dimensions, built-in units are designed for a slightly lower weight of loaded laundry: as a rule, it is 7-8 kg. You can read more about the features of embedding washing machines and their installation at the installation site in our article “Dimensions of built-in washing machines.”
Washing machine Korting KWMI 1480 W
RUB 57,990
Washing machine Kuppersberg WD 1488
RUB 61,990
Washer dryer Neff V6540X1OE
RUB 143,990
Dimensions
Vertical washing machines do not differ in height from front-facing ones - for both options it is 85 cm. This is the size that is conventionally accepted as the standard. The depth, like that of the “front-facing” ones, is 60 cm. The “vertical” washing machines differ only in width, it is only 40 cm. By buying a vertical version, you save a piece of free space 20 cm wide. Such a narrow washing machine is much easier to squeeze into the bathroom, yes and extra space in the kitchen won't hurt.
