*PLEASE CHECK THE BOTTOM OF THIS POST FOR AN UPDATE*

I’m really not much of a ‘domestic goddess’.  I mean, I can cook and bake fairly decently, but cleaning is NOT my forte.  I don’t enjoy it at all, but then again, who does?

However, when I was contacted and asked if I’d like to review the brand-spanking new LG Smart Inverter Top Loader, I did get pretty excited, and for a few reasons.

1. If you don’t know, blogging is only a part-time thing for me.  Full time, I work with my hubby and my folks in our family-run transport company.  Monday to Friday I work in a small office in a dusty warehouse, and Hubs works Saturdays too.  Our washing machine works overtime, as clothes really can’t be worn a second time, when they’re covered in dust and dirt.  Hubby often has to run around doing dirty work in the warehouse or on the road.  We NEED a machine that washes clothes, and does so really well.
2. Stains and all sorts magically find me.  I don’t know how.  Let’s just say, Hubby has found crumbs in my eyebrow before, which sent him into hysterics.  When one is this messy, cleaning power is a must!
3. We’re in the process of building our first proper home together, and plan to go ‘off the grid’.  Fully solar-powered and our own water system.  We need to use machines that require as little power as possible, so that we can still run our home effectively.

Never before have I been so excited over a ‘cleaning machine’ before.  I felt like Christmas came early when my new LG Smart Inverter 15kg Top Loader arrived!  I really wanted to put it to the test.  I was so excited I even spent ages at the shops, sniffing different fabric softeners, so I’d find one that was just right for the machine’s ‘maiden voyage’.

Let’s go through some of the best aspects of this gem of a machine, shall we?

Energy Saving with Smart Inverter Control

When Hubby and I were talking to the chap who’s organising all of our solar power equipment for the new house, I had to write down all of the machines we used, how long I used them for at a time, how frequently I used them and the kind of power that they were using.  Even he was pretty impressed that we had a washing machine that uses 67wh.  Let’s put it this way – a conventional LG machine uses 104.38wh.  That’s an energy saving of 36%!  The Smart Inverter Technology in the LG Smart Inverter Top Loader efficiently controls the energy use of the machine, so it washes better with less energy.

Never fear if you run off the ‘reliable’ Eskom however!  The machine also has an Auto Restart feature – if for some reason, the power is interrupted during a cycle, when the power returns, the machine will just continue the cycle from where it left off.  Clever, right?

Better Washing With Smart Motion

The way that the  LG Smart Inverter washes your clothes better is through Smart Motion.  There are three different kinds of motion, so that your clothing is cleaned better, especially for each different type of fabric.  This means that the performance on your clothing is exceptionally powerful and all of the items are evenly washed too.

 The Turbo Drum™

The Turbo Drum™ uses a strong stream of water in the rotating drum and the opposite direction of the pulsators, to give such a powerful wash that even the toughest dirt stands no chance in heck.  The Punch + 3 creates powerful streams of water that move clothing up and down so that the clothing is evenly washed too.

You can see the inside of the machine up close in these two images. To me, this explanation might as well have been in another language.  I didn’t really understand all the technical aspects behind the Smart Motion and Turbo Drum until I turned the machine on and actually used it.  Hubby thought I’d lost my mind – I was fascinated and watched the machine do it’s first cycle as if it were a TV!  You can actually see the drum twisting in the opposite direction to the bottom pulsators, and you can see the water being moved through the drum and the clothes being moved up and down.  When you watch this, you understand how it cleans every item evenly.

Durable & Quiet thanks to the Smart Inverter Motor

Now, I’m sure you all know how loud a washing machine is.  Our conventional one sounds like it’s about to take flight each time we do laundry.  The LG Smart Inverter however, is super quiet.  In fact, it’s so quiet that when used on the silent setting, the machine is only 45dB.  That is onlly 5dB louder than a library, and 10dB quieter than an office.  There is also less vibration, which is often the cause of a lot of the noise.  On the ‘normal’ setting the machine is still much, much quieter than a conventional one.

The machine is also anti-corrosive, with Bulk Molding Compound housing.  It protects the motor from dust, humidity, insects and rats.  Good to know, as we live in Durban and humidity is an ever-present problem in the summer time.  Plus – the machine has a 10 year warranty!

Now, I’m sure you’re wanting to know my overall opinion of the machine?

Quite honestly – I loved it.  I used less fabric softener and detergent in this machine than I do in a conventional one.  It’s also quieter, quicker, uses less power and I found it to clean more efficiently.  Plus – the machine spins the clothes so much toward the end, that they came out holding less moisture than our previous machine, so this cuts down on drying time.  I’m extremely happy that we have such a hard-working machine that will work in our new solar-powered home.

What really struck me though, was how easy to use the machine is.  The buttons all look a little technical, and there are so many choices that you could get overwhelmed.  But, if you only turn the power on and press start, the machine will sense the amount of clothing present and select the best function for it.  You only really need to fiddle with the different settings and buttons if you’re washing a specific fabric (or soaking black grease out of your husband’s work pants).  If I can work this machine with ease, then anyone can!

The most exciting feature though?

You can download the LG Smart Laundry app, and use this to help diagnose problems with the machine!  Now, I haven’t had the time to fiddle around and download the app, but you can also call the LG customer service line.  You then hold the receiver to the Smart Diagnosis button, press the Water button for 3 seconds, and the Customer Services will be able to identify the solution based on the sound.  This machine is basically the smart phone of the cleaning world!

I really am so grateful that we received this incredible machine, as it makes our lives just that much easier.  When you’re working full time, and trying to juggle studying, blogging and doing makeup part-time, you really don’t have the energy to faff around with things that don’t work for you, or that you can’t use.  The LG Smart Inverter is truly a great addition to our home.

**UPDATE**

So, I was a bad wife.  I only took my wedding dress in for dry-cleaning and mending recently (oops), and had completely forgotten my hubby’s fancy white Pringle dress shirt from our wedding day.  It had gone un-dry cleaned since July last year (eek)!  There was a bit of a yellow stain around the collar and it looked far from white.  One wash in a regular machine did NOT do much other than fade the stain, but I thought I’d give my LG a bash at it.

Guys… I soaked it in cold water with some Sunlight green dish soap.  I rubbed and massaged the stained area and left it for 10 minutes.  I then ran it in the LG on it’s own on a cold wash.  It looks brand new!  Snowy white, stain gone!  So thrilled!

You can find out more about the machine and all of it’s wonderful features on the LG website HERE.

**DISCLAIMER – while I was sent the LG Smart Inverter Top Loader 15kg washing machine on behalf of LG Home Appliances, all opinions are as always, honest and my own.**