Good washing m/c for water scarcity. Review on LG WP 95163SD

I had made up my mind to buy a front loader but ultimately ended up with this semi auto instead.

Semi automatic machines are a good solution for homes with limited water supply. lastly it is easy to move the machine around (wt = 25kg), hence you get the flexibility of washing from another tank.

WARNING*

Input water pressure is a huge factor to consider for homes with water tanks. My water flow rate was about 6l per minute. Siemens service rep told me that they need between 8-10l per min for their front loaders to work. There is a huge confusion regarding the MINIMUM flow rate needed to get a fully automatic washing machine to work, every company will supply confusing and misleading information. And no one would guarantee whether their machine would work for my config or not. I could not take the risk of buying the m/c and then it not working. Some reps warned me that even if it did work, the m/c could take 4-5 hours for a wash cycle. some reps suggested I fit a booster pump which is a very inconvenient solution and requires a entering whole new world of pain.

Pros:

1. takes approx 60-70l of water for a full load of clothes. (for comparison a Front loader takes 50l and a top loader abt 120l for a similar load)

   
   




2. does not need high pressure or continuous supply of water.

   
   




3. cheap = Rs8200 mrp, (Rs 7000 after exchange+discount)

   
   




4. quick wash cycle - min = 20 mins, max = 75 min

   
   




5. has a soak + wash feature - very good for v.dirty clothes

   
   




6. spinner with air dryer opening on top gets the clothes quite dry

   
   




7. good build quality - dials, knobs and switches look built to last

   
   




8. clothes come out fairly clean - not as good as a front loader but as good as any top loader.

   
   




9. clothes do not get stuck in drum or get torn by an agitator.

   
   




10. has a punch feature and 3 mini pulsators which seem to wash well

    
    




11. can take hot water for washing (from external geyser)

    
    




12. stable - does not shake too much while washing or spinning

    
    




13. powerful 360w motor is able to handle a full load of clothes with ease

    
    




14. pleasing looks - pastel white body and transparent lids

    
    




15. The drum can be used to store water in advance for next wash or for any other use - a very big plus for my needs.

    
    




16. lightweight (25kg), no extensive plumbing or connections needed.

    
    




17. can use any detergent, and uses v less power - hence low running cost

    
    




18. full control over wash process - hence can add clothes at any time or - set extra mins for washing if not clean enough.

    
    

Cons:

1. Size - slightly too big for my needs. would have preferred a 5kg model

   
   




2. drain pipe can only be fixed on one side

   
   




3. lid of the machine is not flat, hence cant be used to keep things.

   
   




4. the water does not drain completely from wash drum - few ml left in the center.

   
   




5. in general semi autos are built very flimsily. initial feeling on this m/c is good, but only time will tell if this will last. also it is definitely inferior to the build quality of a good front loader

   
   




6. latest technologies such as direct drive in LG are not present in semi auto m/cs

   
   




7. the lousy chore of transferring clothes from wash to spin -- this is defntly a big negative for semi auto. if it was possible to make single tub semi auto, that would be ideal.

   
   




8. needs to be monitored - this is a plus or minus depending on how u look at it.. I personally like the control that it gives me.

   
   

To sum up, if u have enough water and money, and would like to avoid some manual work, then buy a front loader. if you would like to save water/money/power and don't mind some manual labour buy a semi.