The most economical washing machines can be found in the new energy efficiency class A. Always the most efficient: eco mode at full load. We show them the respective best washing machines from 149 tests. The last one we have on 29.10.2021 evaluated. Our sources:
Front loaders
Loading from the front. Mostly around 60 cm wide.
Top loader
Loading from the top. Only 45 cm wide.
With 6 kg load
For couples or singles with a lot of laundry.
With 7 kg load
For three to four-person households.
With 8 kg load
Ideal for four-person households.
Test winner
The best washing machines in tests.
Washer-dryer
Space-saving washer-dryer combinations.
Other best lists
Manufacturer
Capacity
Type
Efficiency class
Highlights
From our magazine
Washing machines: is it worth going for the expensive A-unit??
Protecting the environment: the correct dosage of detergent
Our tips for buying a washing machine
Help, my washing machine stinks!
Guide: washing machines
It’s not just the (right) size that counts
The most important at a glance:
- Very economical washing machines now in new energy efficiency class A
- Large program selection and many switchable options
- Volume ranges from very quiet to a real noisemaker
- top loaders are the best choice if space is limited
New EU label since march 2021: yesterday still declared as A+++, today only D?
If you want – or need – to buy a new washing machine, you’ll find that the EU energy label and data sheets have changed a lot. The energy efficiency class A+++, which for years served many consumers as an indicator of an economical appliance, is no longer used in stores and on manufacturers’ websites. On test reports.You can still find this information for products that have been in our database for a long time. And you can currently filter for them as well. However, we recommend that you take a look at the data sheet before you buy, because we have already added the new data to many of the products that are still available.
New data? Yes. The energy efficiency on the new label is now expressed on a scale from A to G. The new energy label reveals how great the differences were between washing machines that were previously labeled with the best energy efficiency class, A+++. Super-efficient appliances, mostly from major brands such as miele, siemens and bosch, are already achieving the best new class A today. Other former A+++ washing machines can sometimes even be found in the mediocre-seeming class D. Of course, the appliances have not become any more inefficient. But the stricter label criteria and measurement methods behind it now make it easier for consumers to identify maximally efficient appliances.
Washing machines and other large electrical appliances such as refrigerators, dishwashers and freezers have been divided into energy efficiency classes from A to G since March 2021.
What else is new about the 2021 energy label??
Each label is marked with a QR code provided. If you scan this, you can get "additional (non-commercial) product information" on your smartphone or tablet (deutschland-machts-effizient.De).
The use of pictograms is a contribution to easier understanding and also helps you as a consumer compare products more easily can. That by the way the design refreshed has become a minor aspect.
At all: the comparability. Did you know that the kwh figure on the old label referred to 220 wash cycles in the standard wash program (40/60 °C)?? The new label is based on the consumption data based on 100 eco program cycles (with partial and complete filling and 40 or 60 °C). Also the Water consumption per wash cycle displayed – and no longer the annual water consumption (which was also based on 220 assumed wash cycles).
The duration of the eco program, which in some cases is horrendously long (this saves energy and made the machine shine in terms of consumption on the old eu label), is also among the new specifications. The noise level can also be read in the new EU label, but it will unfortunately be only the noise level during spin cycle (in the past, the noise emission during washing was also indicated). For this, the label takes a classification into "noise emission classes before. The scale here goes from A (very quiet) to D (very loud).
The spin efficiency class is in the old as well as the new energy label. Why it is worth taking a look? It’s simple: the better the spin efficiency class on a scale from A (best value) to G (worst value), the less residual moisture you can expect in pullovers, pants and towels, and the more electricity and time you can save by treating the laundry in the dryer. But even if you don’t have a tumble dryer at home and have to dry your laundry in a narrow bathroom, for example, an above-average spin efficiency class is interesting. After all, this reduces the drying time of your laundry on the line considerably – and at the same time reduces the risk of mold growth, which always exists with high air humidity.
Washing machines in comparison: what do stiftung warentest and other testers look for??
Washing machines that achieve a good place in a comparative test or even emerge as the test winner from a test report have to convince the editors of the test magazines in a number of disciplines.
The washing result is not only the most important criterion for buyers, but also for the magazines: they take a close look at how well the washing, rinsing and spinning of your laundry works. stiftung warentest and other test magazines also rate the duration of the wash cycle. Because washing clothes slowly can prove to be extremely impractical in the often hectic daily routine.
Are you also one of those people who prefer to spend a little more because they expect a longer service life? durability of the washing machine promise? In particular, washing machines from miele have earned a very good reputation in this respect. But as the last major front-loading test by stiftung warentest (11/2021) proves, washing machines from other manufacturers, including bosch and siemens, can also perform convincingly in the endurance test, which simulates ten years of use.
When buying a washing machine, you should also consider the energy efficiency take into account, however, it does not necessarily have to be a top loader or front loader of the best energy efficiency class A. These machines are currently still very expensive – yet even models in classes C or D wash with moderate consumption.
stiftung warentest test winner washing machines 2021
When you install your washing machine in your home, you should also consider two other points that the testers focus on: firstly, the loud. Quiet washing machines do not emit more than 72 decibels during the spin cycle (noise emission class A). And on the other hand the protection against water damage. Most washing machines now come with aquastop. However, it is safer to buy a washing machine with full water protection. In addition to an aquastop hose, this model has a waterproof floor pan with a moisture sensor. In the event of a leak, the water supply is stopped immediately.
Quiet washing machines during the spin cycle
testers can also score points for an automatic washing machine with clear operating elements and instructions for use, as well as convenient functions such as a remaining time display, start or end time preselection, or easy cleaning and maintenance.
How do I find the right washing machine for me??
Before you buy a washing machine, you should ask yourself a few basic questions: How much laundry do you do each week?? Where do I put the washing machine? Which functions and washing programs are particularly important to me?? And last but not least: how much money do i have available??
The place of installation
if you can put your washing machine in the basement, it doesn’t have to be particularly quiet. In a noisy apartment building or in an open-plan kitchen, however, a quiet appliance is the best choice. If you want or need to do laundry late in the evening, you can also use a switchable washing machine night program well advised: with this loudness even further, even though the washing time will be longer as a result. A recommendation for washing machines in apartments is also a full water protection .
The right size
the calculation is simple: if you don’t use your washing machine to full capacity on a regular basis, you will pay for it. Although most automatic washing machines have a automatic quantity control, which reduces running time, electricity and water consumption when washing with a lower load, but a full load is still the most cost effective. For example, a washing machine with a capacity of 8 kg is oversized for most single households. However, households with four members quickly add up to this quantity. For clarification: 8 kg correspond to 3 bed sheets, 12 pillowcases and 25 towels (source: test, issue 10/2017).
Special functions
there are many wash options and features that can be added to make your life easier and save you a lot of work. Examples of this are crease protection, which allows the laundry to come out of the machine with fewer wrinkles and saves you time when ironing the laundry afterwards, which is a great advantage refill function for those who want to add a forgotten item to the already started wash load, various options for shortening wash programs (for example, variospeed from siemens) for urgent and practical settings such as start time or end time preselection. Some washing machines can now also be operated from a smartphone using an app.
washing programs
an eco wash program is standard on board every washing machine. There are also various programs for the classic colored and delicates laundry. Many washing machines also offer numerous special washing programs. If you have to wash clothes for allergy sufferers or babies in your household, it is a good idea to buy a washing machine with an appropriate hygiene program. beko in particular excels with a washing program for removing pet hair. If you are a sporty, active person who likes to move around outdoors and want to buy suitable sports or. If you have bought outdoor clothing, washing machines with a special sports or outdoor program (sometimes with impregnation) are particularly interesting.
The price
among the washing machine test winners are numerous (expensive) miele machines, but other well-known brands such as bosch and siemens are also frequently at the top of the best lists. However, you can also buy less expensive machines that have been rated "good" by the trade magazines for less than 400 euros. Here, for example, the manufacturer beko plays a leading role, but also washing machines from bauknecht and a small selection of siemens washing machines are partly available for little money.
Good value for money is not mutually exclusive when buying a washing machine. We have compiled for you what you can save on and what you should not do without. in the same article you will find information on whether buying used is an option and how to recognize so-called fake stores on the internet. To the article: buy a washing machine cheap.
Which detergent compartment should contain what?
The best washing machine won’t produce clean laundry if you don’t know the ABCs of detergent compartments. In the detergent drawer of most washing machines you will find three compartments. As a rule, they are neatly numbered from one to three or Roman I, II, III.
Compartment 1 or I is reserved for the detergent for the prewash reserved. A prewash is only necessary for very dirty clothes and stubborn stains. The office shirt, worn once, usually gets clean even in the main wash cycle.
compartment 2 or II is the compartment of the compartments. Here you come full, color or fine detergents for the main course.
Whether or not you use compartment 3 or III – often marked with a flower symbol – is a matter of personal taste. Here they fill the fabric softener into it. most fabric softeners do not do their job as well as desired, according to stiftung warentest tests. They also pollute the environment.
For hygienic reasons, you should regularly remove detergent residues from the detergent drawer. If you don’t want to do this, just let the machine do the work for you: there are already washing machines with self-cleaning drawer. Here, the compartment is rinsed once with each wash cycle.
It all depends on the right dose! Too much or too little detergent not only affects the cleaning performance, but in the worst case can also cause premature death of your washing machine. With our tips and tricks for the correct dosage of detergent, this will not happen to you.
In the article help, my washing machine stinks we have for you causes and solutions for unpleasant smelling laundry and odors compiled from your washing machine.
You have bought a new washing machine, but you don’t know what to do with the old one? No problem! You can have your old machine disposed of by the dealer when you buy a new one. What else to consider, you can also read in our article: "how to dispose of electrical waste properly?"
From judith oehlert
"your laundry will be clean in any modern washing machine. Good energy efficiency helps to save money, as does questioning one’s own washing habits."
