Shopping Tips
A refrigerator, washing machine or clothes dryer could be the most important home appliance you will ever buy.
Make sure that your existing refrigerator has enough space to stock fresh vegetables, fruit and meat ahead of the Idul Fitri, Christmas and New Year holidays. You also need to check the condition of your washing machine or clothes dryer to ensure that when your maids go home for the Idul Fitri holiday, they are all in working order.
If you want to buy one, you will want it to last long enough to get your money's worth. Therefore, it is good to shop around carefully before finally buying one.
Below are some tips for choosing a refrigerator, washing machine or clothes dryer for your family.
Buying a refrigerator
- Make sure a new refrigerator you are selecting is big enough for the needs of the family.
- Choose the color that you like most. You may have a color that you need to coordinate with the other appliances in your kitchen, so ask the sales person if your desired color is available.
- Compare the products in terms if size and price. Bigger stores often have sales and you can get a bigger model with more features for a lower price than a smaller one with fewer features.
- Make sure when you are buying a refrigerator that the door opens on the correct side and that there is enough space in your kitchen to put the refrigerator itself.
Choosing a washing machine
Look for the following features when choosing a washing machine:
- A water-level control or a small-load capacity, either of which will allow you to use less water for small loads.
- A variety of temperature controls that allow you to choose hot, warm or cold water. If you always do small loads, consider a compact machine. These units consume less energy.
- Using a compact unit to wash larger quantities of clothes will increase your energy costs, since you will end up doing more loads. Therefore, choose the machine according to your needs.
- Consider buying a front-loading or tumble-action washing machine. They use less energy than top-loading washers.
Buying a clothes dryer
- Look for a dryer with a sensor that automatically shuts off the machine as soon as the clothes are dry. This is preferable to a timer, which often keeps the machine running after the clothes are dry, wasting energy and possibly shortening fabric life.
- Look for a cycle that includes a cool-down period.
- If you always dry small loads, consider a compact dryer. As a rule, compact dryers use less energy per cycle than full-size models. -- The Jakarta Post