Laundry & Cleaning Appliances

What Should You Look for When Buying Laundry and Cleaning Appliances?

Check the Warranty

Always look at the warranty before you buy, especially for an expensive electrical appliance such as a washing machine or dryer.

Energy Star Ratings

Washing machines and dryers sold in Australia always come with an Energy Rating Label, which normally shows a number of stars between 1 and 6. This rating shows how much energy it takes to operate the appliance, which is crucial since it affects your power bill as well as your environmental footprint.

Think About Space and Layout

The first step before buying an appliance for your laundry is to measure the space and think about what sort of layout or configuration would work best. For other cleaning appliances such as vacuum cleaners, you will also need to consider where it can be stored, which socket you want the charger to be plugged into, and if the cord length or battery charge is suitable for the size of your home.

Which Appliances Do You Need in Your Laundry?

There are four main laundry and cleaning essentials which can be found in the average Australian household:

• A washing machine for washing clothes, towels and linen.
• A dryer for drying wet clothing or linen after washing. While not every household has a dryer, many would consider it essential and it can certainly be indispensable when rainy weather prevents you from hanging clothes outside to dry.
• A vacuum cleaner for keeping your house free from dust, dirt and crumbs that can build up on carpets, wooden floors, or any other indoor areas.
• An iron for straightening out creases and keeping formal clothes looking smooth and crisp.

Other Non-Essential But Popular Laundry & Cleaning Appliances

• An upholstery cleaner - although some vacuums come with an upholstery extension, you can also find a dedicated tool for this specific purpose. An upholstery cleaner deals well with pet hair, dust and other fine fibres which are notoriously hard to clean from soft surfaces.
• A steam mop for tackling stubborn dirt and getting your floors to shine without using chemicals.
• A carpet cleaner for removing spots and stains from carpets, rugs, and upholstery.

Best Laundry and Cleaning Appliance Brands

Bosch, LG and Essato have strong reputations and positive customer feedback for their laundry appliances, while Dyson are widely recognised for their innovative and industry-leading vacuum cleaners.

Should You Purchase Online or In-Store?

When you shop in-store you are able to the products first-hand and chat to a salesperson for guidance. Stores sometimes also have promotional offers or stock clearance deals which can be worthwhile if they apply to the item you are looking for. However, it's difficult to compare prices between physical retailers in order to find the best deal, and stores don't always have every brand or model in stock that you would be able to find online.

Conversely, purchasing your appliances online gives you the chance to compare a wide range of brands and products, then to find the best bargain on the one that you pick. Online retailers of laundry and cleaning appliances also offer great delivery and installation services nowadays, which makes it straightforward to buy larger appliances online.

Where to Buy Laundry and Cleaning Appliances Online

Some of the top online retailers in Australia for laundry and cleaning appliances are Appliances Online, Bing Lee and The Good Guys.