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Washing machines at the Ifa (archive picture)
Photo: Serdar Acar / EyeEm / Getty Images / EyeEm
The test laboratory of the Stiftung Warentest has to look like a huge laundromat.
On the one hand, because the testers check so many machines there.
On the other hand, because the tests take so long: In the endurance test, each machine has to process more than 1800 washing cycles.
Fortunately, this ordeal, which is supposed to simulate several years of washing machine life, only caused problems for a few machines in the last major test.
Two Gorenje devices failed with broken heating elements after a period corresponding to about six and eight years.
According to the testers, this is not a major problem because this component is easy to replace.
In a third machine of the same type, a water-oil mixture leaked after around 800 washes, which the experts classify as serious damage.
But they might not recommend Gorenje anyway, because they rated the protection of the machine against water damage as inadequate.
As a precaution, such devices should only run in a laundry room with a floor drain, because the soapy water can run off there directly should it overflow.
Such quirks were of course the exception in the test, with almost all other washing machines tested, the protection against water damage was rated "Very Good".
The testers were similarly satisfied with the consumption of electricity and water, which is rated as low for all models that can hold between six and eight kilograms of laundry.
The thing about 60 degrees
Unfortunately, the temperatures at which the machines wash are also low, even too low.
At least often, and for most of them.
Bosch, Siemens, Samsung and Hanseatic did not get more than 33 to 35 degrees in the 60-degree savings program and most of the others only just reached temperatures of 40 to almost 50 degrees.
Only the test winner, the WDB 330 WPS Speedcare model from Miele, reached 55 degrees at least just below the temperature specified in the program.
It is thanks to a new measuring method that the testers were able to measure these results: Instead of measuring the temperature of the washing water in the so-called sump, i.e. under the washing drum, they used new types of measuring sensors that can remain in the drum during washing.
The testers explain that the extended washing time in the economy program means that bacteria are washed out by the soapy water even at low temperatures. The situation is different with mushrooms, which are only reliably washed out from 50 to 60 degrees. For this reason, many devices were given a "defective" mark in the results table for temperatures that were too low. After all: in the 60-degree normal program, all machines reached temperatures of 55 to 65 degrees.
The test winner was the aforementioned MieIe washing machine, which was the only one able to hold both the set temperatures and, in the event of damage, the water.
With an average price of 940 euros, it is almost twice as expensive as the second-placed L6FB64470 from AEG.
Third place went to two devices from Bosch (WAN 28270) and Siemens (WM14N270), which, as is so often the case with white goods from these companies, are identical in construction and only differ slightly in appearance, according to the manufacturer.
With the WW7XM642OPA, a Samsung device rated "Good" landed in fourth place.
Read
the complete test by Stiftung Warentest
including the test table here and also browse through the extensive test database.
