Washing classes in washing machines: how to choose equipment with the necessary functions
It is difficult to understand the numerous variety of models of household equipment without having an idea of the technical capabilities of a particular unit. It is difficult to imagine what the number of drum revolutions and spin speed can give to a potential owner.
But a sure clue will be the washing classes in washing machines. This characteristic directly tells about the quality indicators of the operations performed. We will talk about how the “class” of washing equipment is determined, and we will show you how to navigate it correctly.
The content of the article:
Principle and purpose of classification
Dividing washing units into classes makes it much easier to choose a machine with the necessary and sufficient capabilities. The higher they are, the better the washing is, but the more money the buyer of the washing machine will have to pay. Let us immediately note that to solve everyday problems, maximum quality indicators are not necessary.
Classification is also carried out according to the criteria of spin and energy consumption; these criteria are no less interesting than the quality of washing. By analogy, it is worth deciding on them in advance so as not to overpay in vain for ultra-high characteristics, as well as for functions that have not found use.
In the 90s of the last century, information stickers were developed to notify potential owners of washing machines about the efficiency of the device.
Classes are depicted on them with colored marking stripes and Latin letters from "A", assigned to equipment with maximum performance, up to "G", marking the unit with the lowest score.
The letters and the corresponding gradation are valid in all classification options carried out for each brand and model of washing machine by a manufacturer that adheres to international testing and control rules.
Please note that the vast majority of washing machines offered for sale are marked with the letters "A" or "IN". Manufacturers themselves see no point in producing and selling ineffective devices. However, the nuances of this division should be understood in the smallest details.
The process of determining the washing class
To determine the quality characteristics of the washing operation, a technology regulated by a European standard has been developed and adopted EN 60456-A11.
Preparations before the test
Before testing, cotton linen items are washed. Cotton sheets and other bedding, kitchen tablecloths, and waffle towels are suitable.
Control tests for carrying out a washing class are carried out in several stages:
- Preparing the laundry. Those. washing in water without detergents and drying under the conditions specified by the standard.
- Processing in a washing machine. It is performed five times, including the washing itself, followed by rinsing and spinning and drying. Washing is done at a temperature of 60 °C.
- Evaluating research by average. As a rule, the initial wash is not evaluated because it gives the highest results. The determination is carried out based on one of the four remaining experimental washes.
To accurately determine the effectiveness of washing, 20 different criteria are used. The analysis is carried out according to organoleptic and physico-chemical indicators.
Cotton linen is prepared in a special way for upcoming testing work. It is divided into four parts of equal weight, each of which weighs at least 5 kg.
The first part is left completely new, the second goes through 20 wash cycles. A third of the clothes are washed 40 times. The fourth batch is the most “long-suffering” - it is loaded into the machine 60 times.
Preparatory washing is carried out in clean water. Before further experimental work, things are stored indoors at 20 ° C, the humidity level in it during this period should be equal to 65%. Having completed washing and drying under strict adherence to the described conditions, begin testing the washing unit.
Detergent for testing
Control tests are carried out using detergent produced by the concern "Henkel". The product intended for testing contains at least 77% washing powder itself. The proportion of enzymes is exactly 20%, the proportion of bleach is 3%. It contains no fragrance or conditioning agents.
The detergent described above is not available for sale, where it is unlikely to be in demand. It is purposefully produced for washing machine manufacturers and supplied to the enterprises involved in their production.
The test tool is not supplied in a mixed format, but in the form of separate components listed above. Immediately before the test wash, they must be mixed in precisely measured proportions; 180 grams should be loaded.
Until testing, the ingredients are stored separately in an airtight container allocated for each of them.
Strips for testing the operation of the machine
In addition to a specific detergent, standards are needed for control studies. These are also products not intended for the average consumer. They are produced in laboratories in Germany (WFK) and Switzerland (EMPA) specifically for manufacturers of washing machines.
The standard for testing is a strip of five pieces of fabric sewn together with various contaminants. Pollution options are selected from those that are most often encountered in conditions typical of everyday life. These are strips - squares of cotton fabric with a side of 15 cm.
One of the flaps is perfectly clean. All the other four pieces are stained with substances and products that are difficult to remove: red wine, cocoa with milk, mineral oil with soot, pork blood.
Since after washing all the reference rags become almost white, the organoleptic technique gives only a superficial idea of the quality of the washing process.
In-depth information is obtained using high-precision equipment - a spectrophotometer, which makes it possible to evaluate the effectiveness in quantitative measurement with utmost clarity.
The main testing method is to determine the percentage of light reflection, based on the ability of white to completely reflect light rays, and black to absorb them entirely.
To obtain the value, find the percentage of light intensity reflected from the different test patches. Then the obtained value is compared with the laundry washed with the next standard.
Reference unit for research
At this stage, laundry washed in a reference washing machine is used as a test reference. "Wascator". It serves as control equipment on demand DIN EN 60456.
This unit is used exclusively to determine the quality characteristics of washing machines produced by manufacturers from different countries in recent years.
This is the most ordinary car, not producing more than 800 revolutions per minute. Technical potential is not taken into account here - the stability of the operations performed is important.
Each time, the reference device washes the items loaded into it with absolutely the same quality, which is why it is used in the format of a certain measure to determine the performance characteristics of other machines.
The standard unit takes in exactly 5 kg of laundry, and weighs it independently, because The model has a built-in device. Washing in it lasts exactly 79 minutes at a temperature of 60 °C.It is activated by a magnetic card with a programmed washing process that complies with EU requirements.
Test Steps
The reference and test machine are started simultaneously. The laundry is loaded into the drums of the equipment in a special way. For example, if one item is placed with a fold outward from the bottom of the tank, then the next item after it should be placed with a fold directed inward.
Along with the laundry, strips with reference flaps are placed in the drum. If 6 kg of laundry is loaded into the equipment being tested, for example, then an additional strip is attached to it. During operation of the washing unit, its energy consumption is also assessed.
At the end of the cycle, the laundry is removed from the washing machines and the reference flaps are separated from it. Washed items are dried and the quality of rinsing is determined purely visually.
The rinsing characteristic usually does not appear in the classification, but for allergy sufferers and small children it is of no small importance. Indeed, in direct contact with their skin, which is sensitive to irritants, the powder remaining in the fibers of the fabric can cause real harm.
Next, the laboratory staff begins to study the flaps. They are dried and ironed, then examined with a spectrophotometer to determine the degree of reflection. The spectrophotometer data is transferred to a computer with software designed to process it.
In fact, as a result of research, a quantitative value is obtained for the efficiency of the washing machine. Literu "A" the unit undergoing testing will be able to obtain it if it washed contaminated pieces of fabric 3% better than the standard machine did, "G" will be assigned to the one that managed to wash 12% worse than the standard equipment.
The influence of energy efficiency class on choice
Electronically controlled washing machines differ significantly from their historical predecessors. The owner of the unit can, at his own discretion, set the temperature mode, select or disable the rinse or spin functions, set a delay of activation, etc.
Note that the more operations a laundry processing machine performs, the more energy it consumes. In the same way, electricity consumption is affected by the spin option and washing temperature: the higher it is, the more you will have to pay.
Due to the introduction of numerous functions performed in different modes, the electronic command apparatus has become unnecessarily complex. In order not to bother the owners washing units unnecessary information, many manufacturers have switched to a new scheme - Fuzzy Logic, which translated into our language means “fuzzy logic”.
Thanks to the new control principle, you only need to select the fabric type on the panel. The machine will determine all other parameters of washing and related procedures itself after analyzing the situation. The unit will independently select the optimal, most economical energy consumption mode.
Washing machines with the described basic system are about $150 more expensive than conventional analogues. However, the overpayment is more than covered by savings if the unit is actively used. Costs are reduced by as much as 20%. In addition, units in this category also save water consumption.
Therefore, you have to decide in advance on the amount you plan to spend on the purchase. best washing machine and compare with the potential resource savings that the model you like will provide as a result of several years of operation.
It is not always advisable to overpay several thousand for a higher class. After all, it will have virtually no effect on the quality of washing. It is difficult for an ordinary user, and even “by eye”, to determine the difference without technical equipment. Without devices, the quality of washes corresponding to classes “A” and “B” cannot be ascertained.
The energy consumption of conventional machines that do not have a designated function is determined by the electricity consumption during a standard wash at 60 °C. The less energy the unit consumed, the higher its class.
If the future owner is not too demanding about the reduction in costs that is not too large at first glance, and in the case of energy consumption, there is no particular need to overpay purely for “class”.
To assign a class, the assessment is carried out during the washing process in different modes with different load levels.It is believed that in a year the machine must work at least 220 full cycles. On average, the reference unit spends 1.52 kW/h for an hour-long wash. The annual consumption is calculated at 334 kW.
Since 2010, the technical data sheets of washing machines indicate the energy efficiency index. This is the meaning Energy Efficiency Index indicated by abbreviation EEI. This makes it much easier for the buyer to choose a model that meets his wishes in terms of energy efficiency class.
To calculate the index, the reference annual consumption is multiplied by the coefficient corresponding to the energy consumption class, then divided by 100.
The most economical units are assigned class “A+” ... “A+++”. Reducing costs is an important parameter, but it will only be justified if the machine is actively used. In case of infrequent use, it makes no sense to chase the advantages, because... you will also have to pay a significant amount for them.
Conclusions and useful video on the topic
The creators of the video share with potential buyers valuable recommendations for choosing a washing machine:
The story discusses the main characteristics that influence the choice of a washing machine:
In this difficult experimental way, parameters for classifying washing machines are found, and the buyer is presented only with designations that significantly facilitate the choice of model.
The main task of the user is to determine for himself the importance of the class of the future assistant before purchasing, comparing potential savings in the future with the amount of overpayment for “classiness”.
Please leave comments in the block form below, ask questions and post photos on the topic of the article. Tell us what class of washing machine you preferred to buy. Share why you purchased this particular option.
I read with interest about how washing machines are tested to determine whether they comply with one class or another. A question arose: these units are produced in many countries, some are well-known brands, some are quite the opposite. Do all manufacturers adhere to these testing methods and standards? Or, having bought a car of an unknown brand, you shouldn’t trust the stickers about the class?
It's a good question, of course. It is especially relevant for Chinese and domestic models, since I, and many other people, are very sensitive to the choice of household appliances and naturally pay attention to the class of washing machines. Everyone wants to buy cheaper, but higher class. And here there is a maneuver for deception. However, I am sure that in most cases this examination is mandatory for all manufacturers, and on top of everything else, it is also independent.
Hello. If you buy any machine of dubious manufacture that has not proven itself, you can run into a fake, lack of a standard, and unscrupulous forgery of certificates.Just like a branded device, when purchasing, it is best to check for authenticity through individual serial numbers and calling the manufacturer’s support service.
For me, as a mother, it is very important that the washing machine has a “Children’s” mode, as well as the ability to launch the power rinse function. Because my son is allergic, and I need the laundry to be rinsed well so that there is no trace of detergent left. It is also better that the machine is equipped with a “Fast” mode, when things are washed in less time, that is, they do not need a thorough wash, but only refreshing.
I worked in a household appliances store, and we were given seminars on selling washing machines. I advised everyone when buying a washing machine, when starting the machine for the first time, to simply run it with powder and a bad rag, in order to wash off the factory oils from the drum, you don’t need to add any additional special powders. Set the spin speed to 1000 rpm, more or less makes no sense.
I needed the "quick wash" setting the most. Otherwise, without any additional requirements. I took indesit, top loading, like my mother’s. It has been in service for three years already.
I chose from those with the largest load. As a result, a hotpoint. As much as 10 kg! One of the useful things is self-cleaning. A truly necessary feature.
Whirlpool washes and wrings well. With the previous washing machine, I was afraid to set high speeds - I often tore the laundry. But here there is no such thing. I set the speed to maximum and the clothes are not very wrinkled, intact and do not take long to dry.
Excellent informative article, thanks to the author! We personally took Hotpoint for 16 programs and 6 kg of loading. There were always enough functions and modes and we didn’t think about how much there was.