Whenever you are looking to buy a washing machine you will see a “steam wash” feature which is mostly seen in top-end models in the range of $ 900 or more. It is claimed by manufacturers that steam wash will loosen dirt, reduce wrinkles, remove stains, and also reduce allergens. In this article, we tell you what this steam wash feature does and whether is it worth the extra cost to buy a washing machine with this feature
Definition: What is steam wash?
If you see a washing machine marketed with steam wash it means you can add steam to the specified wash cycles of the washing machine. In the cycles where the steam wash is used steam and water combination is applied to the clothes. Steam is added because it is claimed that it will reduce allergens, loosen dirt, remove stains, and reduces wrinkles.
What Does a Steam Feature on a Washer Do?
These are the benefits claimed by manufacturers that the Steam feature on the washer does
- It is claimed that steam feature works with water to soak the clothes better during the pre wash cycles.
- During the washing stage, it is claimed by manufacturers that the detergent is activated and dissolved faster due to the presence of steam.
- During the post-wash phase, the high temperature provided by steam helps sterilize the clothes
- Also, Steam helps soften the clothes and thus help reduce wrinkles in the post-wash phase
The way the steam feature on the washer works is that most washing machines with the steam feature have an internal heater which is used to first heat the water and then mist the steam and inject it during each of the washing cycles pre-wash and post-wash. While most machines work such that steam can be selected as part of normal cycles of washing but some other washing machines call it the tub clean or sanitize cycle.
Are steam washers worth it: Pros & Cons?
We have tested it ourselves and others including testing teams Consider that Steam washers are an added gimmick that doesn’t add too many benefits. Steam wash is recommended only for those who are not budget conscious but are conscious about soils or have allergies in the family
For those looking for details, these are the Pros and cons of Steam Washers.
Pros
Kills Bedbugs
Steam wash helps in killing bedbugs and other household pests in your sheets though you can also achieve this through high temperatures in dryers.
Reduce Wrinkling
This is something that we have seen that “steam wash” can reduce the wrinkling of clothes and reduce the need to iron the clothes if the clothing can handle the high temperatures of steam washing.
Makes Clothes less Soiled
Steam wash usually makes clothes less soiled as it allows the detergent to activate and dissolve better
Kills Pathogens & Allergens
Steam wash helps in sterilizing the clothes and thus helps kill pathogens and allergens. Though you should be aware that this is not better as compared to washing in hot water as the temperature generated by steam is lower than the temperature achieved when you boil water on a stove and there is nothing that suggests sterilizing by steam is better than sterilizing in hot water.
Cons
Makes Machines More Expensive
Washing Machines that usually offer steam washers cost at least $200 more than other models and also contain a lot of other features which might not be useful to you. Usually, a steam washing machine costs in the range of $900 or more, and this feature is not seen too much in lower-range products
Consumes More Water
Though manufacturers don’t tell it to you Any machine which uses “steam wash” consumes more water than other regular washing machines.
Increases time of Wash Cycles
When you run a steam wash cycle than for the same load of clothes your washing time will increase to become almost double for the same load without a steam wash.
Consumes More Energy
When you use a steam wash cycle than the energy consumed is almost 6 times more than what you consume without a steam wash cycle.
Higher Temperatures may harm Clothes
If a washing machine is running on the steam cycle then the temperatures generated in the washing machine is higher and you are only using hot water this may not be compatible with synthetic fiber clothes, especially those which are called permanent press i.e wrinkle-free clothes
Steam Wash tests
In testing Steam Wash features in washing machines this is what we found
- Stain removal is usually similar between machines having a steam wash and those not having it.
- Steam washing increases water consumption and in our test, it increased by 18 gallons.
- Steam Wash increased energy consumption in our case it was double the normal energy
- The amount of time needed to wash our clothes was higher with steam wash
Some experts suggest that Since laundry is already saturated with water washing with steam has minimal effect and to remove the stains more effectively than hot water steam needs to be delivered at much higher temperatures which not all the washing machines support which is why steam wash is mostly ineffective
Conclusion
When you are looking to buy a washing machine with a steam wash option look at the added cost and compare it with the pros and cons of this feature. Most of the steam washing machines are in the range of $900 or more and some of them can even go up to $ 1500 or more especially with bundled features like being smart with Wifi and so on and you will have to decide whether it is worth it. For example, an LG WM3900HWA washing machine which costs $850 performs similarly to the $650 costing LG WM3500CW despite the $200 difference, You can buy steam wash features from all popular brands such as LG, Samsung, Whirlpool, Maytag and Electrolux. On our end, we don’t recommend a steam wash feature in washing machines.
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