I have always used one thing to determine the washing machine I buy… price (namely the cheapest I can find to be honest). After receiving a fantastic new machine from Appliances Online a few months ago I have changed my way of thinking. Here the lovely Jenny from Appliances Online shows us how to choose the best washing machine for you!

It’s not as easy as you think, choosing a washing machine. If you’re not umming and ahhing over the drum size, you’re weighing up what features and cycles you’ll need. And when you’ve got the rest of the family to cater for, it makes it even more difficult to know which one will suit them best. To give you a little helping hand, I’ve picked out a few features, options and things to look out for no matter how big your family is.

In terms of drum size, families should be looking in the region of 8kg to 12kg. 8kg washing machines will easily hold the equivalent of 40 T-shirts and are best suited to 3 to 4 person households. The huge 12kg models can pack in 60 T-shirts or a hefty set of curtains – plenty big enough for larger families. Now, I know you won’t just be washing T-shirts and curtains, but that should give you a pretty good idea of how much you’ll be able to pack in when the big weekend wash comes around.

If you’ve just recently brought a little bundle of joy home, you could do with a washing machine that’s kind to their baby soft skin, but also powerful enough to blast through baby food. Keep an eye out for dedicated Baby cycles – these are specially designed to cut through stubborn baby food and yoghurt stains. I’d recommend looking out for models with allergy cycles too. By adding extra rinses to the programme, these cycles help to get rid of leftover detergent and allergens that can play havoc with sensitive skin. And you can’t get more sensitive than baby skin!

Another one to look out for is child safety locks. Washing machines with this feature not only lock the door but the control panel too, so little hands and fingers can’t tinker with the buttons when a wash is on. If you’ve got toddlers charging around the house and getting up to no good, then this feature is an absolute godsend, trust me.

When the kids come back home covered in mud, you’re going to wish you’d never bought them that football. Well, maybe not, but mud and grass stains can be a pain to get out sometimes. One thing that’ll help is intensive and sports wash programmes. These are tailored to waterproof/breathable fabrics and tough stains, and can really help to shift things like dried-on mud.

Last but by no means least, make sure you check the energy rating on the washing machine you’re after. The higher the rating, the more money you’ll save in the long run. Statistics tell us that an A+++ model can save 30% more energy than an A rated one – that’s a big saving, especially when you’ve got mouths to feed and an ever-growing laundry pile to wash. We all know that when it comes to cutting down on the bills, even the smallest savings can add up.