Last Updated on October 13, 2021 by Rupesh Patil
A fully automatic washing machine with digital display and rust-free body, with a 5-year manufacturer warranty.
Design
The 58-020 has a clean design. The control panel is simple enough with 6 preset wash programs, and four knobs for program selection, on/off, pause/play and child lock, with easy-to-read prints. A little display box tells you how far along your laundry is.
Inside, the 58-020 has an impeller which means you will be able to use the 5.8kg drum effectively. Water flows well inside the drum, nearly submerging your clothes, but do be warned: more water means your detergent will not be as efficient in removing stains.
The Detergent Dispenser is a problem though. Once you close the slat, most of the detergent falls on your clothes through a gap. It is as good as liberally sprinkling detergent on your clothes rather than using the slat at all. A great deal of soggy detergent remains inside the slat after the wash, so cleaning that would add a few more minutes to your laundry time.
The water inlet pipe is too short at 1m (especially with the coiling), and unless you have a tap very close to the washing machine, it is difficult to connect the hose. The latch on the hose also feels flimsy so do not be too rough when you attach it to the tap.
The dimensions: 50*88.2*51 are convenient enough to fit into any slot you have earmarked for your washing machine. The body is all plastic, and therefore, rust free even if you keep it in a moist area.
The drum inside is plastic. While some may complain this is a cheaper option compared to steel drums, it does work out better with a plastic drum. The drum resists corrosion and salt build up over time if you live in an area with high salt content in your water. The lint filter is large, so you don’t need to clean it too often (unless you are absolutely finicky about it being clean all the time).
How it Works
The initial processes are standard. Connect the water inlet to a tap, lower the outlet pipe, add laundry and detergent and turn on the machine. Water flows into the machine till the clothes are submerged, and then the default Standard process begins. It takes about 41 minutes to complete the Standard mode with wash, rinse and spin. Noise levels are kept low through the cycles.
The Quick Wash finished in 11 minutes though, so for people on the go, the 58-020 will let you go on with your day. It is great for daily washes and anything you want to wash and dry quickly, so unless you have a big load of soiled laundry, this is a great option.
The Jeans mode is for very soiled laundry and takes 64 minutes to complete, including a long soak time. As is obvious, the Gentle mode is for delicates, including babywear, and the manual suggests you put such things in a mesh bag (to be purchased separately) when you wash these.
As we mentioned, there is no agitator in the drum. So what the machine does is, its vanes create turbulent currents in the wash water as the impeller rotates. In theory, these currents move the clothes through the water and clean them without the impeller making physical contact with the clothes. The Quadra Flow pulsator creates multi-directional turbulence, which helps clean your clothes more effectively.
As per the manual, the Medium Water level in the HWM58-020 takes up to 37L of water and even Very Low Water Level requires 20L, so please ensure that you have a good water supply in your area.
But if you are washing baby clothes, so much water in the machine means your baby’s clothes will be completely free of detergent by the time you finish. The Gentle mode does not spin so you will need to wring out some water yourself before you air dry.
How Well Does it Clean?
You cannot expect top class performance from a budget washing machine, and the 58-020 is on par with other brands in its class: it neither disappointed, nor surprised us.
The Quick Wash program was definitely the most effective wash system, and performed better than the Standard Wash program. Washing very soiled or heavy items takes a while though if you select the dedicated Jeans program. However, if you are doing laundry regularly, the Quick Wash program is a saviour, and even otherwise, the Standard mode suffices just as well.
One explanation for this could be that according to the manual, the Quick Wash program is best for less than a kilo of laundry. This means there is better distribution of the detergent, and the machine does not have a very heavy load to agitate, and hence it cleans better.
Washers that fail to spin out excess water just end up taxing the dryer, which is the energy hog of most homes. The spin time was short with 1000 rpm, which means most of the water had been spun out after the rinse cycle. Clothes came out drier than with the other machines in the class so your drying time is reduced. (In comparison, the Onida washing machine in the same class spins at 780 rpm, the Samsung at 680 rpm and the Videocon at 800 rpm)
Noise levels were low with an average of 53 dB at washing and 70 dB at spin, so the 58-020 is not going to intrude on your daily work, even if you do your washing at night.
Buy or Not?
A definite buy from our end. It is effective, looks good, and works well for a single person used to doing laundry once a week, or for a family of 2/3 that does laundry every day or every alternate day.
The 58-020-R performs well as a machine, so for the price, you are getting at-par performance, combined with great design and ease-of-use. It is especially useful if you want a quick load of laundry in a no-frills washing machine.
Technical Specifications:
(There is a 1 year manufacturer’s warranty on the product, with 5 years on the motor)
It is For You, If:
* You are single or a couple with not a very heavy load of laundry when you wash.
* You are looking for a quick load of laundry to help you be on the go
* You are not very fussy about fabric softeners and the like.
* You take care of your appliances and don’t need a drum cleaner
* You don’t want to clean the lint filter very often
Comparable Products
* Onida WO60TSPLN1 Fully-automatic Top-loading Washing Machine (5.8 Kg)
* Videocon VT55H12 Digi Gracia Fully-automatic Top-loading Washing Machine (5.5 Kg)
* Samsung WA80E5XEC Fully-automatic Top-loading Washing Machine (6 Kg)
The Good
Adds simple, minimalistic style and has a very upscale look, without being fussy, especially at the price it comes for. Top choice if you live alone or with a partner.
The Bad
The water inlet hose is too short. Detergent Dispenser is not very effective.
The Verdict
It is a simple, non-fussy design that works perfectly well whether you do laundry once a week or daily.
Our Ratings
Design: 8/10
Usability: 8/10
Features: 7/10
Efficiency: 8/10
Price
Amazon.in: Rs 11,699
Flipkart: Rs 10,790
Snapdeal: Rs 10,229
Vijay Sales (Delhi): Rs 12,450
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