Best HE Washing Machines

Top 10 Rated HE Washing Machines 2013

By Brittany Rowland
More than ever before, people are looking for ways to conserve energy and water with their washing machines. Not only is it better for the environment, it’s also better for you each month when you pay the bills. Today all the major appliance brands are offering high efficiency (HE) washers, both front loaders and top loaders. The following list highlights ten of the best HE models available on the market; all are Energy Star rated. See the HE washing machine comparison and ratings below with a link to the full review of each.

HE Washing Machine Buying Guide

All About Detergents: Finding the Right Amount and the Right Kind

It’s time we recognized a common mistake that takes place in laundry rooms across America: a tendency to use too much laundry detergent. Perhaps we think the more soap we use, the cleaner our clothes will be. Bigger is better, we always think. In fact, the opposite is true. Using more than the recommended detergent amount leads to dingy clothes and worn-out washers. When it comes to detergent, less is more.

Of course, detergent companies play a part in this misconception. The big caps are not always clearly marked, and people in too much of a hurry to read the directions will “guesstimate” or mistakenly fill it all the way. Today, detergents are more concentrated than ever before, so it’s best to experiment and find the minimum amount of detergent you can use per load that still produces clean results—even if it’s below the recommended measurement.

Overdosing with detergents creates a tower of thick suds inside the drum, lifting dirt and lint above the water level so it isn’t rinsed away—it just resettles on your clothes. Your garments end up faded and covered in residue, attracting more grime. Worse, the detergent buildup in your washer results in odors and bacteria, guaranteeing more maintenance problems in the future.

Many detergent companies have started making their measurement caps easier to read. They’re not out to dupe consumers into wasting expensive detergent, they say. Only it’s hard to correct people’s laundry habits once they’ve formed. Premeasured soap packets, popular in Europe, have not flown well in the U.S. We like to feel in control of what we do, down to how much detergent we pour in the cap. Even some washing machines have been modified to compensate for people’s using too much soap. One Whirlpool model, for instance, detects an overabundance of suds and responds with extra rinses.

There are ways to avoid the too-much-detergent problem, of course. Once you find the smallest dose of soap you can tolerate, mark it on the cap with a dark pen. Also, get rid of soap residue buildup in the washer by running a hot water wash or a self-cleaning cycle periodically.

HE Detergent

Most of today’s front load and high efficiency washers require high efficiency (HE) detergent, a non-sudsing formula. Using regular detergent in an HE washer will not provide an effective cleaning, and worse, it could cause mechanical problems and nasty odors in the machine. Excess suds in a front loader can jam up the small, high speed water pump and cause poor spinning. Also, your warranty could become void if damages are caused by using the wrong detergent.

The introduction of front load washers created a stir years ago because they require HE detergent and consumers were puzzled by the lack of suds, the higher price, and the indistinguishable containers. Today, HE detergent is comparable in price to regular soap, and the HE label is easier to find in stores.

Brittany Rowland researches new developments in Appliances, Kitchen and CE products features with a vigor to which few would aspire… but someone has to do it. See more about Brittany

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