what size washer do i need

The size of the washer you need depends on factors such as the size of your household, the frequency of doing laundry, and the size of the items you will be washing. Washer sizes range from compact to large, with capacities ranging from about 1.5 to 6 cubic feet. Small capacity washers range from 1.5 to 3.4 cubic feet, medium capacity washers range from 3.5 to 4.4 cubic feet, and large capacity washing machines are 4.5 cubic feet or larger. Most medium and large capacity washers can easily fit regular as well as large laundry loads. As a rule of thumb, bigger families (over 3 people in total) will require a 4 to 4.5 cubic feet washer for optimal effectiveness. For reference, a 4 cubic feet washer can wash up to 16 pounds while a 4.5 cubic feet machine can wash 20 pounds of laundry. If you will be washing large items such as king-size comforters, you will likely need a washer with at least 4.6 cubic feet of capacity.