I’m starting off the new year with a focus on living more efficiently. Saving my family money and living in a way that is kinder to the environment are way up high on my list of priorities. Using energy efficient appliances like my new Amana High-Efficiency Washer and Dryer has me off to a great start. I haven’t been using them for very long, but already know that these appliances will have a big impact.
The clothing budget can get out of control quickly when you have a large family like mine. I take advantage of seasonal clearance racks and sales to keep everyone in style, while staying on budget. Hand-me-down clothing is essential, but keeping clothes in good enough condition for the next kid in line can be a bit tricky. That’s where doing laundry the right way comes into play. Taking the time to properly launder makes a big difference to extend the life of clothing. First, you’ll want to use the right appliances. Amana was nice enough to send me two fabulous new appliances to try out – a 3.6 cu. ft. High-Efficiency Washer with Stainless Steel Wash Basket, and a 7.0 cu. ft. Traditional Electric Dryer with Interior Drum Light. My old washer and dryer were in pretty rough shape, and there was nothing energy efficient about them. It often took 2 to 3 cycles in the dryer to get our clothes dry. That was a huge drain of electricity, not to mention the drain it was on my wallet. My new Amana washer and dryer are so much prettier to look at, and this is a big deal for me since the washer hook-up is located in my kitchen. We live in an old country house with quite a few quirks. One of them being the small utility room off the back that houses just the dryer, and the washing machine sitting in the rear of the kitchen, just off the back door. My new Amana washing machine helps me to get through the laundry much quicker, thanks to the 3.6 cu. ft. capacity. The extra large stainless steel wash basket holds a lot of clothes, and it doesn’t have the big agitator in the center of the basket that gets in the way like my old washer did. I was so glad to learn that the washer is ENERGY STAR® Qualified, meaning that it exceeds government standards for ENERGY STAR® qualification to help conserve natural resources and save money on utility bills. This washer uses up to 73% less water and 84% less energy, possibly saving me over $2,000 in lifetime water and energy costs.
How does it achieve all of this? The low-water wash system delivers optimal cleaning with as little as 13 gallons of water. Rather than filling the basket with water, this washer uses a concentrated detergent and water mix to penetrate soils and stains. The impeller and wash basket move independently of each other creating wash motions that provide better cleaning than agitator models. It took me a few loads to get used to this. It seemed strange to me that the clothes would get clean using so much less water, but it turns out that our laundry is cleaner than ever before.
This washer offers 12 wash cycles to handle a wide variety of laundry chores ranging from delicate to bulky items like blankets and jackets. You might think that with so many options it would be difficult to use, but it’s not at all. The controls are very straight forward and simple enough for the kids to use (as if that happened very often).
The Amana Traditional Electric Dryer is awesome for a lot of reasons. The wide opening side swing door makes it so easy for me to reach in for the laundry. With my old dryer, the door opened downward making it so difficult to reach things like socks hiding in the back. It was always such a workout! There is an interior drum light that automatically comes on when the door is opened, making it easy to see smaller items hiding in the back. I especially love this feature, because the light in my utility room isn’t very bright.
I’ve been taking advantage of the dryers Energy Preferred Cycle that helps save energy. So far it has worked well for my normal loads. At the end of every drying cycle, my clothes have come out perfectly dry and wrinkle free. There are 12 dryer cycles and 4 temperature settings, allowing me to use the most efficient option, depending on what I am drying.
More tips for perfect laundry…
Ready your laundry – Before placing clothes in the washer, it’s important to check pockets, and remove pins. Zip up zippers, and secure snaps and hooks. Be sure to secure velcro to prevent snags. Also, unroll cuffs and tie loose sashes and string. Did you know that you shouldn’t button buttons, because it can stress the buttons and button holes? If you’re washing delicate items, consider turning them inside out or consider putting them in a mesh bag.
Check for and pre-treat stains.
Use the correct wash cycles. The regular cycle is fine for sturdy or very dirty clothes, but utilize permanent press for the average load, and delicate cycle when necessary. Use hot water for white loads, warm water for the average load, and cold water for bright colors. I love all the settings and options that Amana offers.
I’m looking forward to really putting my new Amana washer and dryer to the test, and seeing how they stand up to my family’s massive quantity of laundry. I’ll be sure to share my results with you.
To learn more about these great products, visit Amana online.
Disclosure: Amana provided a washer and dryer for review. All opinions are completely my own.
Looks like a great washer and dryer!!!
I can’t figure out how to use my washer machine. When I set it to wash it doesn’t go to rinse. I have to wait & rewash as a rinse plus it won’t spin the water out. I don’t understand this washer at all. Any advice would be much appreciated. Thank U
I have an HE machine too and the small amount of water they use kinda freaks me out because it just doesn’t seem possible they would clean like they do. But they DO! My old dryer had the same problem yours did. I had to start the cycle over several times for things to dry. This new set of yours is a beauty!
It was definitely an adjustment getting used to the small amount of water. It’s amazing how clean everything gets, using much less.
After seeing our electric bill go double again for the 2nd billing period in a row, I think it’s time to upgrade to a more energy efficient model. I may have to take a look at these. Thanks!
Oh wow! It definitely sounds like it’s time to take a look.
Pretty! I agree about the little bit of water. You will get used to it.
Kas
Oh those are gorgeous! This is like Mommy porn… LOL.
LOL Well said, Sadie!
I need a new washer but am hesitant to get a HE one due to our cloth diaper laundry. I love all the different settings though!
I love that this offers a large capacity! Would be great for weeks like this when I’m super behind on laundry.
Looks like a great set! I love the idea getting more done in one shot! Anything that makes laundry shorter is AWESOME!
This is a great goal to have for the New Year. Just a wonderful way to cut cost with your energy bill. Thanks for sharing.
I wish I had a new washer and dryer. I love how the high efficiency one shorten the time it takes to wash and dry.