Compact washing machines in the check: Which one can convince?
'Mini washing machines' are a practical solution for small kitchens or bathrooms. But how well do they actually wash? K-Tipp and Kassensturz found out in a joint test.
Eight washing machines with a capacity of between three and five kilos of laundry were tested by the French test laboratory "CTTN Iren". With a height of 70 centimetres (instead of the standard 90 centimetres) and less, the machines can also fit under a bathroom sink. However, only three models scored "good".
"Kenwood Mini 850" is the test winner with a score of 4.9 (in line with the Swiss school grading system). The machine washes thoroughly and efficiently. It even scored "very good" for water and power consumption. The test laboratory attested weaknesses in rinsing and spinning. The laundry remained damper than its competitors. We do not currently have this machine in our range.
The two machines "AEG L5CB32330" and "Electrolux EWC 1352 Compact D" also achieved a "good" rating (4.8). They impressed in terms of washing performance as well as rinsing and spinning. However, they consume the most electricity of all eight appliances.
One machine stands out positively in terms of power consumption, but is still only "sufficient"
At 5 kilograms, the "Haier HW50-BP12 307-S" not only has the largest capacity in this comparison. The machine is also characterised by the lowest electricity and water consumption. It consumed only 13 litres of water and 0.117 kilowatt hours (kWh) of electricity per kilo of 40-degree wash. On average, the other machines consumed 15 litres of water and 0.123 kWh of electricity for one kilo of laundry in the 40-degree programme.
Despite this, it only achieved an "adequate" (4.7) rating because it was weak at removing stains such as olive oil or blood.
The "Novamatic WA 1268.3" and the "Kenwood Mini 1020" were also sufficient. However, we do not carry these.
Failure: The worst mini washing machines
The testers rated the two machines "Tectake Mini 1020" and "Elego Mini washing machine" as "unsatisfactory". This was due to their unconvincing washing performance.
The appliances positioned by the manufacturers for outdoor and camping use do not have their own heating element and therefore cannot heat up the wash water. This is problematic, as at least towels, underwear and bed linen should be washed at 60 degrees to remove bacteria, mites and fungi.
To ensure that conditions were roughly comparable with the rest of the test field, these mini washing machines were manually filled with 40-degree water. Result: That didn't help either. Red wine, blood and grease stains were still visible after washing.
The detailed test report can be found here.
Header image: No Revisions / unsplash
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Hamburger, bookworm, ice hockey fan. Dad and granddad. Constantly tinkering with his smart home. Interested in DIY, outdoor, fashion and cosmetics.
