Washing machine buying guide: drum size, spin speed and the features that matter

A washing machine spec sheet runs to thirty lines. Three of them matter, one is a tiebreaker, and the rest are marketing.

Drum size

Quoted in kilograms of dry cotton. 7 kg suits one or two people; 8 kg a couple with children; 9 to 10 kg a family of four or anyone washing bedding weekly. Bigger isn't better if you run it half empty: the machine uses nearly the same water and power regardless. Match the drum to your loads.

Spin speed

1200 rpm gets clothes damp; 1400 gets them nearly dry and cuts tumble-drying time; 1600 is marginally better and noisier. If you line-dry or use a heat pump dryer, 1400 is the sweet spot. Don't pay extra for 1600.

Noise

Quoted for wash and spin separately. Under 50 dB washing and under 72 dB spinning is quiet. If the machine is in the kitchen and the kitchen is where you live, this number matters more than energy rating.

The tiebreaker

Energy rating. Five washes a week costs £25 to £45 a year. The letter moves that by a few pounds. Use it to choose between two otherwise equal machines.

Features worth having

A quick wash of 15 to 30 minutes for lightly worn clothes. Delay start, if your electricity is cheaper overnight. A decent inverter motor (most brands now), which is quieter and carries a longer motor warranty. Auto-dosing detergent is genuinely useful if you'll refill it, and a gimmick if you won't.

Features not worth paying for

Wi-Fi. Steam cycles. Fifteen programmes when you use four. "AI" anything.

Price bands

£250 to £350 buys a reliable Beko, Hisense or Hotpoint. £350 to £500 buys Bosch, Samsung or LG with an inverter motor and a longer warranty. Above £600 is Miele and premium Siemens, built to last twenty years. Sales knock £50 to £100 off the middle band regularly; watch a model and buy on the dip.