Okay, so this is a big one. The washing machine is an integral part of the modern home — and yet it's also one of the trickiest appliances to buy. If you're moving to Europe, you might be wondering why your new European washer takes so long. There could be any number of reasons, but here are five that stand out:
In the US, water heaters are designed to heat large quantities of water quickly. They can't do this as efficiently as European ones, which are more likely to be smaller and less powerful. This is a good thing for you, because it means your hot water heater won't put out as much energy into heating your washing machine than it would with American appliances.
In Europe, most people have boilers that heat water over time instead of using electric heating elements at the tap or in the shower head. This means there's no need for a separate device dedicated only to washing machines; everything comes from one place! In America we're accustomed to having an electric stovetop burner just for boiling pots of pasta while our clothes are washing away in another appliance nearby—but if you've ever tried cooking pasta on anything but an actual stovetop (or if you've lived somewhere with really old plumbing), then I'm sure you know how frustrating this setup can become when something goes wrong...
The longer cycle uses less water, energy and detergent than a shorter one. In fact, it uses up to 70% less of each. It also uses less fabric softener (if any) than an ordinary wash. The reason for this is that the longer cycle has more time for the clothes to absorb the water and other liquids added before it begins its rinse cycle – giving them more chance to get clean in the first place.
If you want your laundry done quickly – do not use a long wash!
European washers can handle larger loads than American ones. The average European load size is 21 pounds (10 kg), while the average American load is only six pounds (3 kg).
You might be thinking that this is a silly reason to make machines in two different ways, but it's not! In Europe, most people don't have access to a clothes dryer—they hang their laundry out on lines or use drying racks to air-dry their garments instead. So if they're going to go through all the trouble of washing and hanging up their clothes instead of tossing them in a dryer, they want something that will last longer and do its job well.
Now you know why washing machines are so large in Europe! But even though these appliances tend to be bigger than what we have here at home, there's no need for alarm: many European models are capable of handling smaller loads too; some even have settings for delicate fabrics or handwash only items so your clothes won't get damaged during their trip through the wash cycle
The main reason for this difference is that the European standard is more efficient than the American one. For example, American washing machines use up to 5 gallons (18 liters) of water per load, whereas European ones use about 2.5 gallons (9 liters). The reason for this is that Americans tend to wash loads containing lots of heavy-duty items such as denim jeans, which means they require longer cycles with more agitation (the process by which clothes are moved around in a washing machine). In Europe and other parts of the world where households have access to less water and energy than they do in America, consumers prefer devices that can be used sparingly so people can save their resources and money.
In addition to using less water per cycle and taking longer overall, European washer-dryer combinations also tend to be smaller than those sold in America due to space constraints associated with apartment living
If you're like most Americans, you probably don't care about the amount of time it takes to do laundry. You just want your clothes clean. But for Europeans and other international travelers, this is a whole different story.
In Europe, where electricity costs are higher than in the United States and people pay taxes on their water usage (depending on where they live), it makes sense that European washing machines use less energy than American ones—and they do! European washing machines use 30% less electricity than those sold in America. A single load costs only $0.04 per kilowatt hour compared to $0.10-$0.15 in our own country—that's nearly half as much! Plus, because these machines have longer cycles and take up more space than ours do here at home (which means fewer loads per week), using one won't affect your monthly budget nearly as much either: if anything at all!
Many European laundry machines are more efficient than those in the US. They use less water, which makes them more eco-friendly, and they're also made to last for longer. The machines themselves are often more durable as well. Many of them have a higher capacity than American models, which means you can wash large loads of clothes without having to stop mid-wash to add another load because your machine is full. Additionally, many European washing machines are also better at cleaning clothes and dries faster than American models—so once you're done doing laundry, you can get your clean clothes back in the closet sooner!
We hope that this article has helped you understand why European washing machines take longer to do their job. It’s not just because Europeans are lazy or don’t care about efficiency: the whole process is different in Europe than it is in the United States. As we touched on earlier, European machines use less water and electricity overall when compared with American models—but that doesn’t mean they can only handle small loads. On top of that, they make clothes last longer because they spend less time in hot water during each wash cycle (or none at all). So while it may seem like a pain to wait around while your laundry finishes up its cycle here, consider how much money you would save over time if every household owned one!