Washer and Dryer Buying Guide

disclaimer:  The reviewer has been compensated in the form of a Best Buy Gift Card and/or received the product/service at a reduced price or for free.

Washer and Dryer Buying Guide – Moving to a new home or simply looking to get a new washer and dryer? We’ve compiled the things to do consider when buying a washer and dryer to help you on your appliance shopping.

 

As an interior designer, I don’t only get consulted on what paint color to use, how the furniture should be laid out but also get asked about appliances like a washer and dryer. On the top of my head, I’d think about the price and whether a top load or stackable front-load would fit the space better. But there are more things to consider, equip yourself with our guide below so you know what to look for before heading out to the store.

WASHER AND DRYER BUYING GUIDE:

FRONT-LOAD VS. TOP-LOAD

Top-loaders are less expensive but if you’re on the shorter side (like me), clothes may be harder to take out on top-loaders due to how deep it can get.

SIDE BY SIDE OR STACKABLE

Do you have a dedicated laundry room with enough space for a side by side washer and dryer or are you in a condo unit with a narrow closet space? When we bought our former condo unit, it came with a side by side top-load and we changed it to a stackable front load. The former space for the dryer was able to fit a medium size fridge that we wanted since it was a multi-level condo and we didn’t wanna keep going up and down to get something cold from the kitchen fridge.

ADVANCE FEATURES

The more features your washer and dryer comes with, the higher the price. But they’re available for a good reason. A few advanced features include:

  • Automatic Dispensers – dispenses detergent, fabric softeners, bleach at the right amount.
  • Delayed Wash Cycle – schedule your wash so it’s ready for you to move it the dryer when you wake up or when you get home.

ENERGY STAR®

When buying a washer and dryer, find the ENERGY STAR certified washers and dryers. They are 25% and 20% more efficient, respectively, than standard models. You can save $490 over the lifetime of an ENERGY STAR certified clothes washer and even more with an ENERGY STAR washer/dryer pair. They are better in saving on energy bills, better for the environment, and better for your clothes.

Benefits of ENERGY STAR Washers:

  • Clothes washers that have earned the ENERGY STAR use 25% less energy and approximately 45% less water than standard models.
  • A new ENERGY STAR certified clothes washer will save you about $45 a year on your utility bills compared to a standard model.
  • Over the lifetime of the product, an ENERGY STAR certified clothes washer saves 1,100 kWh and more than 2.5 million BTUs of natural gas, 33,000 gallons of water, and $490 over the product’s lifetime.
  •  If all clothes washers sold in the U.S. were ENERGY STAR certified, we would save more than $4 billion each year and prevent more than 19 billion pounds of carbon pollution annually. This is equal to the emissions from 1.7 million vehicles.
  • ENERGY STAR certified clothes washers incorporate the following advanced features:

Multiple configurations– ENERGY STAR certified clothes washers are available in either front-load or redesigned top-load configurations which include technology innovations that help save energy and water.

Sophisticated wash systems– ENERGY STAR certified top-load machines clean your clothing just like standard models without wasting water to fill up the tub. It uses sophisticated wash systems to cycle clothes through a mixture of water and detergent, allowing the clothes to be cleaned without using excess water or detergent.

No central agitator– Front-load machines tumble clothes through a small amount of water instead of rubbing clothes against an agitator, while advanced top-load machines lift and tumble clothes through a reduced stream of water. Both designs dramatically reduce the amount of hot water and energy used in the wash cycle.

High spin speeds– Efficient motors spin clothes two to three times faster to extract more water. Less moisture in the clothes means less time in the dryer and less energy spent drying clothes.

Long live your clothes– Front-load and advanced top-load clothes washers’ sophisticated wash systems use a variety of methods to lift and tumble your laundry, lengthening the life of often-washed items. Additionally, because they are so gentle, many models can safely clean silk, wool and other hand-washables.

 

Benefits of ENERGY STAR Dryers:

  • Clothes dryers that have earned the ENERGY STAR use approximately 20% less energy than standard models.
  • If all clothes dryers sold in the U.S. were ENERGY STAR certified, the energy cost savings would grow to more than $1.5 billion each year and 22 billion pounds of annual carbon pollution would be prevented.  This is equal to the emissions from 2 million vehicles.
  • ENERGY STAR certified clothes dryers incorporate the following advanced features:

Low Heat Setting– Longer drying cycles on a low heat setting use less energy. When you purchase an ENERGY STAR certified clothes dryer, look for the cycle that uses the least amount of energy, sometimes known as the “energy-saving” selection.

Steam Cycles– Many ENERGY STAR dryers also include convenient features, such as a steam cycle that can help save time on ironing clothes by preventing wrinkles.

Hope this Washer and Dryer Guide has helped educate you on things to look for when buying a washer and dryer. Watch this video about ENERGY STAR Washers and Dryers to learn more.

Check out Best Buy for a wide variety of ENERGY STAR appliances. Best Buy is committed to positively impacting the environment and its communities. Best Buy provides their customers with a wide assortment of sustainable products. This includes offering a large selection of energy-efficient products, including ENERGY STAR certified electronics and appliances.


Discount to Theme Parks, Water Parks, & other Major Attractions:

Arizona

California

Connecticut

Florida

Georgia

Iowa

Kentucky

Michigan

Minnesota

Missouri

New York

North Carolina

Ohio

Pennsylvania

Texas

Virginia

Wisconsin

Canada


Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links. AnyTots.com has made every effort to confirm the information in this article and we try our best to update as often as possible but things can often change so we urge you to confirm every event detail like date, time, location, ticket price from the host of the event or attraction, and actual savings calculation in case of an error on our part. AnyTots does not sell any tickets but only lists reliable sources where you can buy discounted tickets, make sure to check the refund or exchange policy before buying tickets through them. AnyTots is in no way responsible for any injuries or damages you sustain while visiting an attraction or event posted on our website and you assume the sole risk of relying on any of the information in our post.