What does the Eco function take more than twice as long?

[WoodenClock]

I have a new washing machine.

There's a mixed 40 degree wash which takes 1 hr 6 min or there's an Eco 40 degree wash that takes more than 2.5 hours.

That seems counter intuitive. What's it all about?

Before anyone asks, it doesn't have a 30 degree wash, only this Eco one (or 20 degrees).

@TomRipley I think you're selecting the non-eco option when you press that button.

Mine too! It's so short sighted, 😫.

I VERY stupidly assumed an eco wash would be cool but it jumped up to 60 degrees for part of the wash and I ruined a lovely new sweater. Who knew…..??

🤣🤣 this makes me laugh. This is the setting they use at my MIL's .... ridiculous at Xmas time with 10 people staying in the house and dishes piled up to the ceiling. Get it on the fast wash!

I haven't had any problems with my eco bubble although that bloody song does my but in, and then the tune to let you know the song is finished. On the amount of flag-waving it does to let you know it's done a job alone I'm assuming it was programmed by a man

Try an experiment.

Walk a mile at a leisurely pace. Now run the same distance.

Which was faster? Which took more energy? The same applies to washing machines.

I only use the Eco three hour wash at 30 or 40

Everything comes out clean. Everything.

It's much cheaper to use, it agitates the washing (moves it side to side)

There are different models of Samsung Ecobubble, but the 'e' cycle on mine doesn't take 3 hours, and the equivalent regular cycle also takes far longer than 55 minutes.

I've checked the energy usage of mine and the manual is spot on, with the 'e' cycle being far more economical. I'd suggest that if it's not dissolving powder then that will be because the water it's using is too soft. I had this problem at first because the machines are designed to account for the much harder water that is common in the most populous parts of the UK. I switched to gel/liquid and it's been absolutely fine since.

We've got a Samsung eco bubble. I turned the I'VE FINISHED! music off by pressing the rinse and spin buttons simultaneously.

I hate how complicated my modern washing machine is. Most of the cycles you don't now how long it's going to be until everything has been spinning around for a while and the machine has calculated the ideal time. Which means I sometimes accidentally put something on for a wash cycle that takes over 3 hours! The eco cycle is 40-60C and you can't adjust the temperature, so mainly gets used for bedding.

Walking a mile uses about 50 calories

Running a mile takes about 100 calories

Walking an easy mile takes about 20 mins

Running takes (me) about 10 mins

If walk for 2.5 times the length of time I run for, I'll use more energy....

Eco settings also use so little water that you should only half fill the drum (told to me by my washing machine repair man), so you end up having to run twice as many loads. Absolute waste of time.

Is the everyday wash designed for a full load? Quite often those are aimed at a small household washing every day, not a large family.

It uses less water and because spinning a drum for longer uses less energy than heating water it is cheaper.

The capacity of the load should be listed in the manual. If you're meant to half fill the drum then it will say max 5kg for a 9kg machine or whatever. Mine is a bit older now so only 6kg capacity but nearly all the washes can take that including the eco one, it's only quick wash and hand wash that are max 3kg (so half fill the drum).

I wondered this. My 30 degree setting takes around 45 mins. My eco setting takes hours!

Well that’s just ridiculous. I only do lots of washes because I have 3 children. otherwise I’d save it up and do 2 loads at the weekend!!

you can turn the singing off on samsung machines.

Eco wash is a lot more gentle, any power speed wash cycles spit rags out instead of clothes that were put in.

I wish I knew this too! My Eco wash is 3+ hours but you only have the choice of 40-60 degrees.

I also have the option of a 59 min wash at 30 degrees, so I never know which is best?

Only learned this recently via MN too.

I wonder what it does to clothes longer term though re. all the soaking, particularly colours. So faster wash at same temperature uses more agitation (and therefore energy) and the eco setting using more soaking and less energy (electric and water) - right?

So the Eco 40-60 (which I haven't used yet) actually does mean the water is between 40 & 60 so I can't use it for almost any clothes? I imagined you'd choose somewhere between 40 & 60

Interesting stuff! Mine is also an eco bubble and I hate and its stupid song, so glad I'm not alone there.

Totally agree on the capacity thing too, but I tend to ignore that and just fill it up and run on eco... everything seems to come out clean!

Sometimes it's the same button, so you press it for a quick version of the wash and push it again or push it off for the eco option.

I know this because my husband proudly told me he'd saved time by using the eco mode on our Siemens. But he had actually pushed the (same) button to select the quick wash version.

Yeah sorry, the setting is called Eco 40-60 but you choose 40, 50 or 60 degrees using the temperature change button.

I just meant more that it confuses me that we're advised that washing at 30 is the best eco option but then my actual Eco setting is hotter than that?? So I never know if it's better to crack on with the 59 min 30 degree wash or use the Eco setting even though it's a higher temp

I love my eco bubble and if you don’t have a family dance routine worthy of a tiktok sponsorship for when it’s done, then you’re sorely missing a trick.