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Washing Machines
a Consumer Reports tech testing washing machines
Photo: Scott Meadows/Consumer Reports
Laundry Lab

We test thousands of products in 63 labs at our headquarters.

Data is the basis for virtually all the work that Consumer Reports does—ensuring that our state-of-the-art tests and reliability surveys reflect how consumers actually use products.

Inside the labs

We do 850 loads of laundry each year to help you find the one washing machine that's best for you.

Senior test project leader Richard Handel explains CR's scientific approach to testing washing machine performance.

Did you know?

CR staff shoppers buy every product we use as a test sample from retail stores, helping maintain our objectivity and independence.

Meet the Laundry Team

Consumer Reports Senior Test Project Leader, Richard Handel

Richard Handel

Senior Test Project Leader, Laundry & Cleaning

Consumer Reports Assistant Test Project Leader, Michael Sedlak

Michael Sedlak

Assistant Test Project Leader, Lab Operations

Consumer Reports Assistant Test Project Leader, Patrick Severin

Patrick Severin

Assistant Test Project Leader, Lab Operations

Consumer Reports Multimedia Content Creator - Home, Keith Flamer

Keith Flamer

Multimedia Content Creator, Home

Washing Machine Testing

Washers undergo a battery of tests in our laundry lab.

A good washing machine should get your clothes totally clean without making too much racket or running up your energy bill.

Washing Performance

Washing Performance

We wash fabric swatches stained with red wine, cocoa, carbon, and other hard-to-remove substances, using a spectrocolorimeter to measure their intensity before and after washing. The lighter the stain after laundering, the higher the machine scores in washing performance.
Noise & Vibration

Noise & Vibration

Our panelists judge each washer’s noise level—including sound quality and volume—during the fill, agitate/tumble, drain, and spin cycles. We also measure how much vibration the washer transmits to a wood floor.
Washers undergo a battery of tests in our laundry lab.

Photo Illustration: Consumer Reports

Water and Energy Use

Water and Energy Use

We record the amount of water and electricity each machine uses. We also record the energy needed to dry the laundry we just washed. Washers that extract more water shorten dryer time and score higher in our energy-efficiency tests. Water- and energy-efficiency scores are among the factors we use to determine our Green Choice designation for washers.
Gentleness

Gentleness

We evaluate how gentle a washer is on fabrics using special cloths. Models that earn low scores for gentleness are more likely to treat your clothes roughly, causing wear and tear.