Drums are the heart of washing machines. A drum is the one that holds all your clothes to wash. There are different washing machine drum types available in the market. But many of us do not have a clear understanding of those drum types.
That is why this article will be all about discussing the different types of washing machine drums so that you can make an informed purchase decision.
What Is A Washing Machine Drum?
The washing machine drum is the main part that holds all your clothes to wash. There are basically two drums in every washing machine.
The inner drum is the one that rotates and washes your clothes using agitator or pulsator motion. The other one is the outer drum which is stationary and mainly used for holding and draining water.
Inner drums are made of stainless steel and outer drums are made of plastic. In low-cost washing machines, you may see both drums are made of plastic.
Washing Machine Drum Types
Washing machine drums are categorized based on the material used and the construction.
Washing Machine Drum Types Based On The Material
Based on the material, washing machine drums are categorized into two types as shown below.
- Plastic Drum
- Stainless Steel Drum
Plastic Drum
Plastic drums are mainly used in low-cost semi-automatic washing machines. Plastic drums produces less noise and do not get rusted. However, these drums are not super reliable and can form cracks over some time. The rotation speed is also limited depending on the type of plastic used for the drum.
Stainless Steel Drum
Except for the semi-automatic washing machines, all drums are made of stainless steel. The reason for using stainless steel is that it is a rust-free material.
You can give any shape to stainless steel and form any complex feature on the drum. This opens up a lot of opportunities for engineers to enhance the performance of the drum.
Stainless steel drums can withstand high spindle speed which is a plus for washing heavily soiled clothes. These are durable too and can serve a long period without any issues.
Washing Machine Drum Types Based On The Construction
Although the main purpose remains the same, different manufacturers provide different types of drums by adding their technologies. Here are some of the different types of washing machine drums available in the market.
Samsung Diamond Drum
The Samsung Diamond Drum has a “soft curl” design with smooth diamond-shaped ridges that are gentle on your clothes. Its small water exit holes also help protect fabric by minimizing the cases where clothes are trapped and damaged.
The holes are 25% smaller and located deep within each diamond-shaped depression to prevent fabrics from sticking out and consequently being damaged.
Samsung claims that there are 34% less chance of cloth damage if you use a washing machine with a diamond drum.
LG Turbo Drum
In the LG Turbo Drum, the drum rotates in the opposite direction of the pulsator, Thus giving a better wash due to enhanced tumbling action.
Turbo drum comes with a Turbo Wash function that ensures that the clothes get 360-degree wash using multiple nozzles in different directions.
Bosch VarioDrum
The Bosch VarioDrum has a unique wavy shape surface and a paddle that is good for washing all kinds of soiling and dirt.
The holes in the paddle ensure a continuous flow of water during the wash cycle. When you need to wash delicate clothes, the drum rotates in the clockwise direction whereas for heavily soiled clothes, the drum rotates in the anticlockwise direction.
The wavy shape protrusion is there throughout the interior of the drum that looks like an eyedrop shape.
This shape has two major benefits. One is that water will have a bumpy ride, resulting in a better wash. The other benefit is that the clothes won’t directly contact the drum surface. Instead, it will touch the eyedrop shape protrusions which is safer for fabrics.
IFB Crescent Moon Drum
IFB washing machines come with a Crescent Moon Drum that has crescent moon-shaped protrusions on the inner side of the drum.
These protrusions absorb the hard hit of water during the tumbling process ensuring a safe but delicate wash even for heavily soiled clothes.
The unique-shaped protrusion also protects the clothes from damage as clothes won’t rub against the drum surface directly.
Godrej Gravity Drum
The unique contours of Godrej Gravity Drum ensure smooth movement of clothes inside the tub. The gravity drum design with its uniquely spaced out contour leads to more effective dirt removal and consistent washing performance.
