Best Budget Washing Machine 2021 - Candy, Indesit or Atlant?

The compactness of a front-loading washing machine causes a lot of controversy among experts. After all, too narrow machines (up to 35 cm in depth) require a reduction in space when installing the drum and a deterioration in the symmetry of its movements. This, in turn, affects the reliability of products. And full-size cars (60x60 cm) take up too much space and do not fit into the budget category.

In our comparison, the most reliable and stable machine looks like ATLANT with a depth of 49 cm and a weight of 64 kg, which indicates its good stability during the spin cycle and the absence of “jumps” in different directions. Slightly inferior to her in the last parameter Kandy. But Indesit and Beko lose out to other models in terms of sustainability. But Beko is the best option if you need a not too bulging car in a small room.

As for the diameter of the hatches, this parameter actually has a minimum value. Manufacturers rarely put hatches smaller than 30-35 cm, and this is more than enough for comfortable loading and unloading of linen.But the 180-degree plow function can be very convenient, especially when drying the drum. If you install such a machine in the kitchen, the risk of hooking on the hatch and pulling out the hinges is reduced to almost zero. Of course, if the open door remains literally "on the aisle."

The variety of washing programs in practice is just a toy that gets boring after 2-3 months of active use of household appliances. Therefore, in budget cars, the necessary maximum is most often implemented, including delicate, manual and intensive modes.

However, there are also interesting programs that Hansa and Beko can boast of - anti-allergy. This mode consumes more water, rinses more intensively and washes away residues. The "down" mode will also be useful for washing down jackets, pillows and jackets. There is it both in Beko and Indesit. However, this mode can easily be replaced by standard delicate programs.

Much more useful would be the delayed start function, which allows you to turn on the machine during the hours of the minimum cost of electricity. And here the least variable option would be Indesit. The rest of the models offer approximately equal opportunities within 19-24 hours.

But the additional functionality significantly increases the usability of automatic machines. ATLANT has excellent self-diagnosis, but that's where the features end. "Night mode" although it reduces noise, but limits the choice of speed and consumes too much energy. Candy has a reloading during washing option, unique for this price segment, and the ability to control it from a smartphone. And Beko can wash a batch of clothes in just 14 minutes!

Hansa and Kandy also have equally useful self-diagnosis options. This allows you to quickly understand what causes certain errors in the operation of equipment. And Indesit has implemented a unique technology for quick washing of cotton and synthetics in 45 minutes - just press one button.

Masters advise: so that the front-loading machine does not work for wear, it should be loaded no more than 2/3 of the drum volume. Equipment with a load of 5 kg in this case looks like the maximum permissible minimum. And 4 kg cars seem completely unsuitable if there are more than 1-2 people in the family.

Atlant and Kandy cars, included in the budget category, offer the best capacity - as much as 7 kg. This is enough for a family of 5-6 people.Or in case there are small children who need to wash more often and more.

Other models turned out to be slightly smaller in capacity - 6 kg each. And they are ideal for families of 3-4 people. Machines with a capacity of 6 kg are still great for washing blankets, curtains, voluminous jackets and down jackets.

A few years ago, the A + energy efficiency class was the highest and was considered the most environmentally friendly. However, now the manufacturers have shifted the line, pushing A into the “yellow” zone. Compared to A++, it consumes about 20-30% more electricity.

In our comparison, the best inexpensive washing machines are involved, which are approximately the same in terms of consumption. Only the declared Hansa A +++, which is not documented by the consumption for 1 cycle, raises doubts. The latter, by the way, is calculated based on washing in the "Cotton 45" mode.

ATLANT became the leader in terms of energy efficiency with a minimum consumption of 0.99 kW, but Beko “breathes” in its back. However, the latest front-loading model wins in terms of water consumption, saving as much as 7.5 liters per cycle. Of course, in an apartment this parameter practically does not matter, since the heating takes place in the machine itself. Yes, and increased consumption may indicate a better rinse.

Reliability is the most difficult criterion to evaluate, highly dependent on both the brand itself, its specialization, and the specific model. Our comparison involves inexpensive models from leading manufacturers that have won trust and dozens of positive reviews. However, even they have defective copies and customer dissatisfaction with the appearance of a marriage within 1-3 years of operation.

Atlant washing machines are not as popular as Kandy or Indesit. But they have a significant plus - excellent maintainability, positive feedback from service center masters and an extended warranty period of as much as 3 years. And the manufacturer also gives a 10-year warranty on the motor. Slightly inferior in this regard to Beko with a two-year warranty period.

But much more interesting is the protection functionality of the front-loading models presented. So, at Atlanta it is implemented to the maximum, which makes it the best among the reliable ones. But the rest either lack protection against leaks, or from power surges in the network (and this happens very often). Indesit has an ambiguous implementation of the balancing system. It is this option that is responsible for the uniform distribution of laundry during washing and reduces wear on the motor and bearings against the background of excessive load in case of imbalance. It also affects the overall volume and the mobility of the equipment during the spin cycle.

Washing indicators, as well as reliability, are difficult to compare only according to the values ​​\u200b\u200bproposed by the manufacturer. Almost all brands claim a flawlessly thought-out technology based on the alternation of vibrational and rotational movements of the drum.

Inexpensive front-loading machines rarely use leading brand technologies. And they are limited only to protrusions and holes in the stainless steel of the drums. Also, often budget machines require the installation of an additional rinse when washing dark clothes.

Much more valuable indicators can be customer reviews. In our comparison, models of washing machines were selected that are approximately the same, according to customer reviews, in terms of the quality of washing and rinsing. This means that with the right mode, the machine will give an excellent result. However, it can be negatively affected by such factors as: overloading the drum with laundry, incorrectly or poorly selected product, incorrectly set temperature.

The stronger the spin, the less moisture will remain in things after washing. But more is not better in this case. Regular spinning at maximum speed reduces the life of the washing machine itself and adversely affects the laundry. From such washings, fabrics become thinner faster, and some holes may even form.

But if there is a lot of laundry and you need to dry it quickly, then the maximum number of revolutions will help in this if there is no separate dryer. In this case, the most advantageous option among those presented is Hans. For other models, the spin is the same and equal to a comfortable standard that does not cause significant problems with regular use.

However, when choosing, it should be borne in mind that budget models do not always work as the manufacturer claims. And, for example, Kandy often has questions about the quality of the spin, as well as Indesit. But Atlanta and Beko have no such problems in the reviews.

The volume during operation is determined not only by the spin speed parameters, but also by the efficiency of auto-balancing.And Indesit sinks to the very bottom on this point, since there is no electronic balancer in the car, and the overall noise level by the manufacturer is not the most pleasant.

The leaders are Atlant, Beko and Kandy. Reviews confirm that they wash quietly. However, Beko weighs almost 9 kg less than Atlant, which hints at its increased vibration loads and attempts to "jump" at the slightest violation of the level during installation.

Hansa gives an average result. And all of them, except for Indesit, are rated by buyers as fairly quiet and stable. Even taking into account the fact that no direct drive or inverter motors are used here (they are used in more expensive and heavier models to reduce vibration and increase energy efficiency). But they should not be compared with expensive full-size models in terms of noise - they will still lose.

As can be seen from the table, budget washing machines have a very small spread in prices. Only Hansa barely fits into the established limit, and finding a model at this price is not so easy. But on Beko, Kandy, Indesit and Atlant, there are often discounts in popular electronics and household appliances supermarkets.

Some buyers may remain dissatisfied with the price of budget washing machines, considering them too expensive. However, many models, the price of which is 5-7 thousand rubles lower, are no longer able to offer the same quality and comfort in use as the machines from our comparison. And the life of their service as a result will be several times shorter.

Our comparison proves that budget front-loading washing machines are excellent at cleaning dirt with the right programs and the use of good detergents. And according to this indicator, Indesit, who scored fewer points, is equal to the leading Atlant. However, they lack unique technologies, such as steam treatment or bubble systems, that increase washing efficiency, for which all models lost 0.1 points.

Loudness during operation is a disadvantage of all inexpensive machines, which is associated with a decrease in their size and the specifics of the materials of the bearings and the drum. This is also affected by the standard motor used with brushes. Therefore, in the nomination, all models scored not too high a score.

The Belarusian Atlant, although it has become a benchmark of reliability, sustainability and efficiency, is slightly inferior to Kandy in terms of functionality, which is practically in step with it in terms of rating. But the ability to control from a smartphone and the function of reloading things can make life easier in some cases, and for some this model will become more acceptable. And given that it is popular and the reviews are quite good, then there should be no doubts about its quality and reliability.

As for Beko and Hans, they also took a confident place in our comparison. The first model is the most compact, the second one with the strongest spin and much quieter operation than Beko and Indesit.