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What Is a Fully Automatic Washing Machine?

C. Mitchell
C. Mitchell

A fully automatic washing machine is an electrical appliance that controls all aspects of clothes washing, from water level and temperature to agitation time and intensity. All that a user must do is put clothes in and tell the machine which settings to use. This style of washing machine is the standard model used in most parts of North America and Europe. In areas where electrical currents are weaker or running water is scarce, particularly in rural areas of developing countries, semi-automatic washers are more common. Throughout most of the developed world, however, the fully automatic model is often the only model available.

There are many different styles of fully automatic washing machine. Some load from the front, and others from the top; some are high efficiency, or are designed for industrial or professional use. Despite their differences, most work in the same basic way. Users control the settings, but the machines normally do the rest.

A fully automatic washing machine washes, agitates, rinses and spins all on its own.
A fully automatic washing machine washes, agitates, rinses and spins all on its own.

Machines generally require both electricity and a water hook-up in the back. On the front, they feature a panel of controls allowing users to indicate their load size, the water temperature, and the total time for the wash. Rudimentary models usually present these preferences in a series of dials and buttons. More advanced machines present them as digital selections, often with a touch screen and illuminated timers and minute-by-minute countdowns.

A fully automatic washing machine does all the work without any effort from the user outside of loading and unloading the machine.
A fully automatic washing machine does all the work without any effort from the user outside of loading and unloading the machine.

A fully automatic washing machine completes the entire clothes washing cycle without any effort from the user. It will rinse, wash, agitate, and spin dry clothes all on its own. When time is up, the user need only retrieve the washed laundry from the machine’s basin, and either place it in an automatic dryer or hang it out.

The fully automatic washing machine is a step up from its precursors, the semi automatic washing machine and the manual washing machine. A manual version is often little more than a large basin with a manual crank for agitating clothes. This process is simpler than scrubbing clothes on a scrub board, but is rarely considered easy. Water usually has to be drained and refilled a number of times, and all of the spinning and agitating must be powered by physical strength.

Most modern washing machines are fully automatic.
Most modern washing machines are fully automatic.

A semi-automatic machine does not include a crank, but nonetheless still requires some user interaction. In a semi-automatic model, there are typically two connected basins. The first is for rinsing, the second for spinning. Users must generally fill the water basin themselves and set the machine to agitate. Then, users must drain the water, move the clothes to the spinning chamber, and turn this segment of the machine on to wring the clothes out.

Some washing machines may be better suited for liquid detergents.
Some washing machines may be better suited for liquid detergents.

In general, semi-automatic washers are popular in areas that either have poor electrical currents or lack running water. These types of washing machines are hard to find in most developed countries, however. A fully automatic washing machine does not usually take up significantly more energy, and is often competitively priced. Very high-end automatic models exist, of course, but so do basic, more economical versions.

Discussion Comments

anon969103

In this day and age, people prefer a fully automatic washer. It requires the least amount of time on the part of the user to wash a load of clothes. If one needs to wash multiple loads and wants to facilitate getting this most laundry done in the shortest period of time a semi-automatic washer would be the best choice. While a load is washing, another could be wrung or spun and rinsed.

Line drying of clothes was done also as most people could only afford a clothes washer.

In the time one load is washed using an automatic, three loads could be washed, rinsed and damp dry. Most people today prefer the convenience of an automatic washer and automatic clothes dryer. Going about doing other household chores while the machines are in use, listening from signals when a cycle is complete to unload the machine. Most dryers can dry a load as fast as the washer can complete a washing, rinsing and damp drying a load of clothes.

Ocelot60

The fully automatic washing machine has also saved people a lot of time and money! It takes hardly any time to wash clothes these days, and the cost of going to the laundromat is very high. Every one should invest in owning their own fully automatic washing machine, even if it is an inexpensive mode.

Rundocuri

There is really no reason for anyone to buy a semi-automatic washing machine these days. There are many models of fully automatic washing machines to fit almost any home's space and electrical system. If there are problems with circuits or wattage limits, there are easy, affordable ways to make your home compatible with having an automatic washing machine installed.

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    • A fully automatic washing machine washes, agitates, rinses and spins all on its own.
      By: Johanna Goodyear
      A fully automatic washing machine washes, agitates, rinses and spins all on its own.
    • A fully automatic washing machine does all the work without any effort from the user outside of loading and unloading the machine.
      By: milkovasa
      A fully automatic washing machine does all the work without any effort from the user outside of loading and unloading the machine.
    • Most modern washing machines are fully automatic.
      By: Сергей Чирков
      Most modern washing machines are fully automatic.
    • Some washing machines may be better suited for liquid detergents.
      By: dp3010
      Some washing machines may be better suited for liquid detergents.