Wash weight
The wash weight of a washer-dryer indicates the maximum number of kilograms of laundry that can be put in the drum without negatively affecting the quality of washing.
Do you put more laundry in the drum than the maximum weight allows? Then you run the risk of not getting your laundry clean properly. There is not enough room for all the detergent and water to go around in the drum, so the result will not be optimal.
Also, a full drum is never good for your clothes. If everything is squeezed too tightly, there is a chance that your clothes will wear out faster.
On average, the fill weight for laundry is between 7 kg and 10 kg, the most common fill weight is 8 kg.
Drying fill weight
As mentioned earlier, the fill weight for drying is always lower than for washing. For a washing and drying combination with a 10 kg load, you will have about 7 kg left for drying, and with a 9 kg load, only 6 kg. If you put more laundry in the dryer than the maximum load allows, you run the risk of not drying it all properly. There should always be enough space left in the drum for the hot air to pass through your clothes.
How many kg of fill weight do I need?
There is a general chart that shows how many kg of fill weight you need for a household of a certain size.
- 1 – 2 persons = at least 6 kg fill weight
- 3 – 4 persons = 8 kg to 9 kg fill weight
- 5 or more people = at least 9 kg fill weight
For most households these figures are correct, but there are certainly exceptions. Think, for example, of a household that does a lot of sports, which automatically means more laundry. Households with young children also wash more than average. Finally, there are specific cases, such as when someone is allergic to house dust mites and needs to wash their bedding and/or curtains more often.
Think about your washing and drying needs. A 6kg capacity may not be enough for a 1 person household if you have a lot of laundry.
When you want to know if a washer-dryer is right for your household, you can always check out the customer reviews. Online stores often have a product review section, which can also tell you how big the customer’s household is.
Do you buy a washer/dryer that has a larger load capacity than is recommended for your household size? If so, check to see if it has a load sensor. This adapts the duration of the programme and the water consumption to the amount of washing done per cycle.
Solutions for the low fill weight washer/dryer
Say your washer/dryer has a 9kg fill weight for washing and only 6kg for drying, what do you do then? You always have to find an alternative way to dry the remaining 3kg of laundry. This has several drawbacks.
Firstly, you can leave some to dry on a rack. Some garments can’t go in the dryer anyway because they will shrink or otherwise be damaged. You can also choose to wash less laundry, so that you can wash and dry everything non-stop. If you’re not sure what to do with your laundry, it’s a good idea to try to sort it.