How Common Laundry Products Are Stacking Up – Both The Good And The Bad

Laundry is a task that many families do several times a week. So you want to do it in the most economical way possible. Consumer Reports recently published a list of washing machines, dryers and detergents that just don’t cut it. Check out their findings below to see how you can save money when doing laundry.

Washing Machines

In terms of front-load washers, Consumer Reports found the Whirlpool WFW5090GW ($900) the worst at cleaning, scoring at only fair. They found that the Electrolux EFLW417SlW ($700) was an efficient machine in terms of cleaning, but because it doesn’t extract as much water as other machines, the clothes take longer to dry. In terms of top-load washers, the Samsung WA40J3000AW ($400) was found to use a lot of water, yet still leave stains on fabrics. In terms of top-load agitator washers, Consumer Reports found that the majority of brands and models did a decent cleaning job, but seemed to have a hard time with heavily stained items.

Dryers

Consumer Reports explains that any type of dryer will eventually get the job done. However, some dryers take a long time, use very high heat, and can overdry laundry, thus wasting money. The LG WM3997HWA ($1,600) and the Kenmore Elite 41002 ($1,330) both scored poor in terms of drying.

Detergents

If your laundry detergent isn’t doing its job, chances are you’ll have to rewash the load. Consumer Reports found that Xtra ScentSations, Trader Joe’s Liquid Laundry HE, Xtra Plus OxiClean, and Sun Triple Clean detergents cleaned only slightly better than plain water.

Click here to read the full ratings (good and bad) from Consumer Reports.