Is A 7KG Washing Machine Big Enough?

There’s a lot of choice when it comes to drum sizes of a washing machine. Washers are available with 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 and even 12 kg drum capacities. 

One of the more popular size washers is the 7 kg capacity washer. But is 7 kg large enough for your laundry needs? That’s what we’re going to find out in this article, so keep reading.

How To Tell If A 7 kg Capacity Washer Is The Right Size For You

The easiest way to decide whether a 7 kg capacity washer is right for your needs is to weigh your regular laundry piles. If the weight of each pile after being sorted into fabric and colour type, is less than 7 kg, then a 7 kg capacity washer could well be the correct size for your needs.

A 7 kg washer is usually large enough for a family of 4 and can typically hold; 14 pairs of women’s jeans, or 10 towels, or around 35 T-shirts, or a double duvet.

If there are more than 4 members of your household, a 7 kg washer could still be the right size if you always sort your laundry into various piles. For instance, if you regularly sort your clothes into piles like;

• Bedding
• Towels
• Whites
• Colours
• Cottons
• Delicates
• ETC

By dividing the clothes into piles you will accumulate less bulk of any one particular sort of fabrics. You can then run smaller wash loads which should improve the way your garments wash.

What Are The Benefits Of A 7 KG Washer?

Owning a 7 kg washer will give you the following benefits;

• Cost Effective Wash Loads
  If you were to buy a larger washer, you would regularly find yourself washing smaller than capacity loads which would be a waste of energy and ultimately, money too.
• Always Have Some Clean Clothes
  If you had a 12 kg washer for example, you would most likely have to wait until all of your clothes were dirty before doing a wash. This could leave you with nothing clean to wear especially if the weather was too bad for drying.
• Less Piles Of Smelly Laundry
  The larger the capacity of the drum, the more likely you are to wait until there’s a large load to wash. This could lead to piles of smelly laundry hanging around for days before enough is accumulated to make a full wash load.
• Less Wet Washing To Dry
  Smaller wash loads will also mean smaller drying loads. Not that 7 kg of wet washing is small, but it’s far easier to get a 7 kg load dry than a 12 kg load (which would probably take twice as long to dry).

Drying Larger Wash Loads

This leads us on to the next important part of any wash day, getting the washing dry. Leaving large piles of wet washing around your home is not only unsightly. 

It can also lead to dampness and all of the unpleasantness that comes with it. Mould and mildew spores are ever present in the air and damp conditions is where they breed and thrive.

What Are The Disadvantages Of A 7 KG Washer?

It’s not all good though, there can be some downsides to owning a 7 kg washer. Which include;

• The Drum Capacity Isn’t Always Large Enough
  If you regularly wash heavy curtains, thick duvets or thick blankets for example, the drum might not be large enough to cope.
• Can Lead To More Frequent Washes
  If you have a larger household or a family that produces mountains of laundry, a 7 kg capacity might not be adequate which could mean doing extra washes or even having the washer running every day.
• Can Be More Costly
  If you do run extra wash loads, you’ll be using more electricity and detergent which means your costs will increase as well.

Which is why it’s best to get the correct size appliance for the size and needs of your household.

How Much Can You Actually Fit Into A 7 KG Washing Machine?

You can technically fit 7 kg of dry laundry into a 7 kg washing machine. However, it’s recommended that you never fill a washing machine’s drum to its full capacity.

This is to ensure all of the items get washed and rinsed properly and also to save on wear and tear to the washer. Overloading the drum can lead to serious mechanical problems like worn drum bearings, damaged pulleys or worn drive belts.

The industry recommended fill levels for washing machine drums is ½ to ¾ of the maximum capacity. In the case of our 7 kg washer that means between 3.5 to 5.25 kg. This can be determined by weighing the dirty laundry or by simply not filling the drum more than ¾ full.

What Drum Capacity Is Best?

There is no absolute right or wrong answer to this question. However, the following is a good guide;

Washing Machine Drum Capacity	Can Fit Approximately	Suitable For
5 KG	25 T-shirts	1 person
6 KG	30 T-shirts or 1 single duvet	2 people
7 KG	35 T-shirts or 1 double duvet or 5 small towels & 10 tops	Small family (4 people)
8 KG	40 T-shirts or 1 queen size duvet or 6 small towels & 12 tops	A medium sized family (5 people)
9 KG	45 T-shirts or 1 medium king size duvet	A large family (6 people)
10 KG	50 T-shirts or 1 heavy king size duvet	A large family (6+ people)
11 KG	55 T-shirts or 1 heavy king size duvet	A very large family (7+ people)
12 KG	60 T-shirts or 1 heavy king size duvet	A very large family (8+ people)

Will A 7 KG Washer Be Large Enough For A Family Of 4?

In most cases, a washing machine with a drum capacity of 7 kg will be sufficient for a family of 4. With that said, if you tend to do a lot of washing every day or you regularly wash larger, bulkier items, it might pay you to buy a larger capacity washer.

This will enable you to do more laundry at one time which will save energy, time and money as well as putting less strain on your appliance.

Are 7 KG Washing Machines Big Enough For A Family Of 5?

Whilst it’s not impossible for a 7 kg washer to cope with the laundry created by a family of 5, it is pushing it a bit. We would recommend buying a larger drum capacity washer which will allow you to do less wash loads.

Possibly an 8 or even 9 kg washer will probably suit your needs better. Otherwise, you’ll need to do more frequent wash loads which will cost more, take more of your time and use extra energy. Not to mention the extra strain all those frequent wash loads would put on the machine.

What Are The Benefits Of A Large Washing Machine?

The main benefits of owning a large washer include;

• Less Wash Cycles Needed
  With a larger drum size, you will have the ability to wash more clothes in each wash. This will mean you will need to run less wash cycles over the course of a year.
• Able To Fit All Of The Laundry Of A Large Family
  A large drum size will allow you to wash all of your household laundry at one time.
• Able To Fit Larger, Bulkier Items
  Larger size drums enable you to wash heavier, bulkier items like king size duvets, blankets etc.

What Are The Disadvantages Of A Large Washing Machine?

The main disadvantages of owning a large washer include;

• Longer Wash Cycles
  Larger capacity washers typically have longer wash cycles which means each wash load will take longer to complete.
• Higher Running Costs
  Larger machines typically use more energy than smaller appliances. This might be only slight, but can soon add up over time.
• Higher Purchase Price
  The larger the drum size, the more capacity the washer can hold and the more it will typically cost to buy.
• More Dirty Laundry Hanging Around
  To be used efficiently, a larger washer will need to be filled with larger amounts of laundry. This usually means dirty laundry hanging around for longer until there’s enough to justify using the machine. 
• More Likely To Underload The Drum
  It’s often the case that larger capacity washers are frequently underloaded. This ultimately means using more energy, detergent and time.

Is It Better To Buy A Bigger Washing Machine?

Whether it’s better to buy a bigger washing machine depends on your preference, the size of your household and how much laundry your household generates. 

For instance, if you’re a single person who does a small amount of laundry every week, there’s little benefit from buying a large washing machine. In fact running a large washer with only a small amount of laundry could cost you far more than running a smaller appliance.

SEE ALSO: How Much Should You Fill A Washing Machine? (easy guide)

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