What Should I Know About Washing Machine Capacity?

The problem with the washers now is that you can't adjust the amount of water you use. The machine determines water levels. When you put in a small load of jeans, four pairs or so, for example, even if it's a large capacity machine, the water level is so low- because the machine 'reads' the volume as being smaller-that there's a drag on the washing motion. This is why the gears burn out. Repair diagnosis is always overloading, but I don't think this is what's really the cause. When I wash those four pairs of jeans, if I could add a little more water so the clothes move freely, there wouldn't be as much of a drag and there wouldn't be a problem.

This enforced passive water saving is idiotic. There are too many variables when washing clothes. No one wants to waste water, not just because we need to save water, but because most intelligent adults are always keeping an eye on expenses. Water isn't free.

Back in the 70s there were no such things as water saving toilets, but you could flush with half the water if you filled a half gallon milk bottle with water and put it in your toilet tank. Hazzah! Cheaper water bill! (Yep, I did this!)

Now, I can't even lift the lid of the washer once it starts to fill. It's locked, not just when it spins, which makes sense, but when it fills. Supposedly for safety. My days of having a houseful of kids are over, and the last thing I need is a locked lid on my washer. Even when I had kids, I never had a problem. The only safety issue was the spinning not the filling. I'm guessing that the locked lid on filling might be so I can't take a bucket and dump in more water? (Just a thought.) But I can keep calling a repairman, pay for all those repairs and/or finally end up having to buy yet another washer!

Yes, I understand that if you have small children you might need a locking lid on your washer. Especially if your child has access to the machine and is prone to tossing in toys, etc. This should be an option. Medications come in bottles with safety lids so kids can't open them. But I can request that my pharmacist not use these, because they're hard for me to open.

In the US, our government is supposed to be a bottom up government, not a top down government. We are supposed to have a consumer driven free market economy, not a controlled marketplace where what is produced is dictated by the government and pricing is determined by social (Political) agendas. This washer thing is truly frustrating, and we're just accepting this enforced passive stuff. We complain about the problem but we don't do anything about it. We can pay and pay and pay, but we can't think for ourselves?

Personally, I'm going to find a good used appliance store and get a dependable reconditioned Maytag, like the one I had for 35 years-before these swell shiny new 'green' models caught my eye and jabbed my conscience. As for my conscience, I'm really in the clear, anyway. By buying an older, reconditioned washer I'll still be doing my part. And I've always been a good conservationist.

Plus, I'm wondering if maybe making a dent in the sales of the new machines, and expressing dissatisfaction to representatives and congresspeople, might encourage lawmakers and manufacturers to re-think some of this? If I remember correctly with my passive, sluggish brain, that's the way things are supposed to work, here.

I have trouble with my front loader not washing well. I have to assume I put too much in as I have tried every other option in the entire universe. The machine telling you the weight really should be possible as said above. I now have my scales out. It's kind of inconvenient really!

Wouldn't it be nice if the machine had a simple weighing system built in, like a similar mechanism to a bathroom scale. Then it could tell you as you added each garment, how much capacity is being used. It could even tell you when it was overloaded before the water went in so you could remove some garments.

Of course, that would give people a true idea of their washing machine's capability -- maybe not something the manufacturers would want visible.

I was wondering: If you have a 6kg max load washing machine, and therefore the equivalent synthetic load is 3kg, will you damage your washing machine by shoving in 5kg of synthetics (I wash a lot of nylon vests), or will it just mean the wash quality isn't that good? --Ross

When it's filled with water, the weight of the water vastly overwhelms the idea of the weight of the clothes.

When you overload the washer, it's usually because you put in too many clothes, and didn't select enough water. Washing a medium or large load of jeans in a smaller amount of water can tear things up, since the clothes are wet. With the same amount of clothes in enough water, the clothes can move freely and aren't anywhere near the load on the gearbox.

If you're close, go the next size up so there's enough water for the clothes to move freely.

I have a super capacity, but routinely wash far more than what you're talking about. Volume is the key factor. If you have enough volume of water it is much easier to move a larger amount of clothes.

I'm going to buy a washing machine, but I'd like to wash a king size blanket or comforter with it. I'd like to know that can I wash king size comforter with 7 kg washing machine or do I need to buy a bigger washing machine?

@anon 153213: The reason you and other users may have 'overloaded' the washing machine but you can't reach the weight when weighing dry clothes is that only the cotton wash on modern machines is a full load. Synthetics, wool, etc., are all half loads or less. So a 7kg machine will only do a max 3.5kg synthetic and 2kg wool or delicates wash. So for example, if you're putting a 5kg synthetic wash into a 7kg you will actually be overloading it! Crazy, right?

Also 7kg is the weight, the volume is noted separately in litres.

Most of the clothing today is made out of 100 percent cotton and or 60/40 poly/cotton. Always keep in mind that cotton absorbs three times its weight. So if a pair of jeans is 2 pounds dry, then when it gets wet it's 6 pounds. Poly/cotton absorbs about 1.25 pounds. Always wash likes all the time. Towels with towels, jeans with jeans, etc., etc. Don't mix your load so you won't have the unbalanced load, vibration and clothes not getting cleaned. Always go to the "1" line of your detergent cup. You'll be surprised how much you save in detergent. Clothes come out more fresh, cleaner and best of all, take less time to dry. No high electric or gas bill to dry your clothes.

Does a very small load damage a newer high efficiency machine? It's only a once in a while thing and not normal.

I do not have any bathroom scales. I am male, live alone and am straight. I don't need any. What do king size duvets with synthetic filling typically weigh, please?

I had a 4 year old LG 7.5kg top loading washing machine. It stopped doing the washing sequence so in it went for repair. Turned out the gearbox was broken as a result on overloading. Turned out he had five similar machines in stock with the same problem. Question is How do you weigh a load? Wet or dry? I tried today and had difficulty reaching the load limit with dry washing.

anon32524 is correct! All the machines advertise cubic capacity, not weight. Telling us about kilograms is useless.

I have a Norge top load washer that I bought about 22 years ago and it's been fantastic in every way. I don't think they are made anymore, but mine has a 20 lb. load capacity and I would never buy one with a lower capacity. You really need at least a 20 lb. capacity if you wash comforters or several pairs of blue jeans.

would anyone know the loading capacity of a Kenmore 110.92582420 washer?

I bought a Admiral 3.2 cu ft washer. it works great

but the instructions do not list maximum weight of a full load. Not sure about other manufacturers but I would guess they do the same. This is due to sales of product and competition, I suppose.

It is unfortunate for consumers and the environment

because undersized loads will waste water and power

and cost us more to operate the unit. Oversize loads could damage the washer, also costing us more money.

The next time I need to purchase a washer I will ask for the capacity in pounds because this is the true determination of load size.

Hope others do the same. it will be better for all.

i want to know the number of clothes that a washing machine can take? for example, how many cotton shirts can a 10kg machine wash in one operating cycle?

Cubic footage is a useless measurement of capacity. A load of synthetic fleece sweaters will take up many cubic feet while not weighing as much. A load of canvas or denim jeans won't take up much space, but weighs much more than the fleece.

Most commercial washers/dryers are rated by the number of pounds the drum and drive will hold and spin effectively. For exampled, my laundromat has 20, 30, 50 and 80 pound washers. those are huge when compared to the 12 pound top-loading washers that have been the standard "single load" for years.

have been selling washers for 3 years. have never seen any reference to capacity by weight!? ratings are cubic foot as per I.E.C. standards. can't find iec stds. on web. comparison of weight to cu. ft. would be helpful to consumers.