How to choose a washing machine with a vertical load?

Compact models, narrow, super narrow, vertical, frontal... The choice of washing machines today is enormous, and it is quite difficult for an untrained person to make a right decision about buying - because there are so many decent options, which cost about the same, but differ in some respects.

The first thing you need to decide when going to buy a machine is what type of loading you want to buy. There are two options: front loading and vertical loading. The first option is considered more traditional - the front-loading type includes the vast majority of modern automatic machines. Vertical models are in much less demand, which is due to some of their design features. About the advantages and disadvantages of washing machines with vertical loading, as well as their features and the best models, we will talk in detail in today's article.

• Compactness is the most important advantage of vertical models, which, as a rule, is a determining factor for buyers. Having a standard height, such machines have a much smaller width and depth than the front models.
• Good maximum load - despite the small dimensions, vertical washing machines are equipped with a capacious drum, so they can be loaded with as many kilograms of laundry as front-loading machines.
• The possibility of adding things - the hatch at the top of the device can be opened during the washing process, without fear of breaking the seal. But this can be done only at the initial stage of washing.
• No need for expensive repair/replacement of the glass hatch or rubber sealing collar - repair of the front washing machine hatch door is very time consuming, in addition, some parts can be quite expensive. From this point of view, the plastic door of vertical washing machines is more reliable.

We suggest watching the video on Youtube channel, in which the advantages of washing machines with vertical loading are described in more detail.

• High price - despite the compact size and some inconvenience in use, washing machines with a vertical type of loading are more expensive. If you take two models similar in function from the same manufacturer, then the model with vertical loading will cost significantly more than its front counterpart.
• Difficulties in servicing the detergent dispenser - the feeders of the washing products in vertical washing machines cannot be pulled out completely, so they are difficult to wash and clean from clogs.
• Small loading hatch - the window through which the laundry is loaded, in vertical models, as a rule, is quite narrow, so it is difficult to load bulky items such as outerwear through it.

Washing machines with a vertical load can be divided into several types, depending on how they are controlled:

• appliances with electronic control - The work is controlled by the programmer, the user only needs to select a mode or program, and all the washing parameters the machine will determine by itself;
• devices with mechanical control - the user himself should set the parameters, switch modes, start and stop the next washing stages;
• devices with electronic and mechanical control (mixed type) - such washing machines are equipped with both the programmer and the mechanical controls.

The control panel is an important part of the automatic washing machine. It is a block with all the elements by which the user can "communicate" with the device: set washing parameters, give and cancel commands, etc.

As a rule, the control panel of the washing machine consists of several mechanical buttons and two or three rotating disks (selectors), which are needed to select the desired item from the menu. More modern models are also equipped with an LCD display.

We have already written about the fact that, despite the much smaller size, vertical models on average have the same capacity as the front. The standard loading of an automatic washing machine is from 4 to 7 kg.

The most popular are machines designed for a maximum load of 5-6 kg. For a large family is more suitable unit, in which you can wash up to 8 kg of laundry at once - such devices are on sale, but they cost, as a rule, more expensive.

The capacity of the washing machine is largely influenced by its dimensions, but not always. So, manufacturers produce narrow models (small depth) with a maximum drum load up to 7-8 kg.

One of the most important parameters that you should definitely pay attention to when choosing an upright washing machine are the spin and energy-saving classes. These indicators should be taken into account, because they largely determine how much electricity the unit will consume.

Spin class - is the criterion by which the degree of humidity of the laundry after washing is estimated. The higher the spin class, the drier the laundry will be. This indicator depends on the spin speed of the drum. In total, there are 7 classes from A to G, which correspond to speeds from 400 to 1600 revolutions per minute. You can read more about this in the article "Which spin class is better in washing machines?"

Energy class - is a measure of a washing machine's energy efficiency in terms of power consumption. The most economical models are assigned class A++, which means that the appliance consumes less than 0.15 kWh. The lowest class is G; such washing machines consume more than 125 kWh.

Modern washing machines of the vertical type of loading are equipped with a whole set of functions that ensure the safety of the device from various external factors. In the technical description to the device, you should pay attention to the presence of the following functions:

• Leak protection - In order to keep the appliance from depressurization, the manufacturer may equip it with full or partial leakage protection. Full protection implies the presence of water leakage sensors on the hoses and on the bottom of the body, and incomplete - only on one thing.
• Childproofing - the presence of a button on the control panel, with which you can lock the entire panel, thereby preventing the machine from accidentally starting any program.
• Protection against power surges - A safety switch that cuts the power to the appliance when a power surge is detected. After the power supply is restored, the machine will continue washing from the same place.

The most "advanced" models of vertical washing machines are equipped with a self-diagnostic function. This is a very useful thing, which will help the owner of the washing machine to determine the cause of malfunction in the work, without resorting to the help of a master. After analyzing the work of the system, the device displays a message on the LCD screen with an error code, the value of which can be found in the user manual along with recommendations for troubleshooting.

Unfortunately, not all major manufacturers of household appliances are engaged in the production of washing machines with a vertical type of loading. There are quite a few large companies, which are completely focused on the production of front-loading models. So, now on sale it is impossible to find vertical washing machines from firms: LG, Samsung, Siemens, BEKO, ATLANT.

However, other popular brands produce devices with vertical load quite actively.

Especially for you, we have prepared a review of some models of washing machines with vertical loading from the world's reliable manufacturers.

We have already written about it above, and you could understand it yourself from the review - the prices of the vertical models cannot be called very low.

The cost of the device is influenced not only by the brand name, but also by the drum volume, washing, spinning and energy consumption classes, as well as the presence of additional features. On average, a good model will cost from 20 to 30 thousand rubles. The most expensive device, which we were able to find among the proposals of online stores costs about 140,000 rubles.

In such a difficult matter as the choice of a washing machine with vertical loading, you need to focus not only on the promises of manufacturers of household appliances, but also on the opinions of real owners of washing machines. They will give you more objective information about the advantages and disadvantages of the model you came across.

A large number of reviews on almost all commercially available washing machines can be found on the websites of major online stores or on specialized portals. There you can choose the right device, taking into account not only the technical characteristics, but also the rating of users.

• Experts advise not to spend money on washing machines that offer a wide range of washing temperatures. Most things can not be washed in hot water, in addition, at temperatures above 60 degrees do not work enzymes contained in many products for washing.
• Spin speed is another criterion on which you can save money. Experts consider more than 1200 rotations of the drum per minute as a redundancy, which has almost no effect on the spin quality, but significantly increases energy consumption.

The following video will tell in more detail about the characteristics of Whirlpool washing machines with vertical loads and will help to make a choice in favor of one of the models presented in the video.

• To take care of the washing machine, you can use special purchased products or fight dirt with folk methods. Both options will be equally effective, but the second will cost significantly less.
• You can clean the case with any available, nonaggressive agent, such as dishwashing liquid, tooth powder or baking soda. Use a soft sponge or cloth and warm water.
• The insides of the washer-dryer also need care because they are exposed to hard tap water. To get rid of scale, you can use citric acid - to do this, pour a couple of tablespoons of the product in the dispenser of laundry detergent and run the wash with an empty drum.

Fragment from the TV program Tips on the Inter channel will reveal a few more secrets of proper care of the washing machine.