Discount washing machines, tumble driers, dishwashers & household appliances

Todays Star Buy Appliance is an INDESIT WIB101 washing machine.

Star Buy Appliances Buyers Guide.

Read the helpful hints and facts below before buying your Fridge, Dishwasher, Washing Machine or Vacuum Cleaner.

In the market for a new fridge? Before you take the plunge on this major purchase, have a look at our buyer's guide - and get the fridge that's right for you.

• Check that the shelves are easy to remove and replace, and that the range of shelf positions suits your needs.
• Do the handles allow easy door opening and closing? Make sure the handles aren't too high or too low.
• Look for smooth, easy to clean surfaces with no awkward corners or dirt-trapping crevices.
• If you use the freezer a lot, you may prefer it on top to minimise bending. If you don't, go for a bottom-mounted freezer so that the fresh food compartment is at a handy height.

• Look for features that meet your storage needs, like chillers. to keep meat, fish and poultry for longer, and dairy compartments for keeping butter and cheese slightly soft.
• Make sure the crisper drawer is well sealed to keep vegetables fresh. Check that the fridge's air outlets don't blow onto it, as this will dry food out faster.
• Rollers are useful for easy moving - when cleaning behind the fridge, for example. It should also have adjustable feet (or rollers) for levelling the fridge. Four rollers are better than two, provided they have brakes or adjustable feet to secure the fridge in place.

• One control may be easier to use, but as it'll set both the freezer and the fresh-food compartment, you can't adjust one without affecting the other.
• In most fridges with two controls, one is the thermostat and the second is usually a baffle - a flap that directs the cold air more to either one or the other compartment. Having two controls may increase your chances of getting the right temperature balance between the fridge and freezer.

• Fridges are big energy users. Check the energy rating label - the more stars and the lower kWh per year, the better.
• All fridges on the market are CFC-free so don't base your purchase decision on "CFC free" labels.
• Concerned about the hole in the ozone layer and the greenhouse effect? Look for a model that uses a hydrocarbon such as butane or pentane as the refrigerant and/or blowing agent for the insulation foam.

• A quick-chill zone close to the cold-air outlets is handy for cooling drinks quickly, but food left there too long could freeze.
• Water dispensers can save you from opening the door constantly for a cold drink.
• Some water dispensers and icemakers/dispensers need a water tap to connect to - important to consider before installing or moving your fridge. Also, it can take up almost 30 per cent of your freezer space. With others, water can be dispensed from a container inside the door.
• Some electronic fridges have relatively independent temperature management of the two compartments.
• Some have a 24-hour memory that monitors door openings and pre-cools the fridge before a period of heavy use - such as when the kids get home from school or when you're preparing dinner.
• Some automatically manage the defrosting to suit the conditions.

In the market for a dishwasher? Use our quick buyer's guide to help make choosing the right model a little easier.

Think about practicalities like value for money, your lifestyle and your environment.

• Look for a good energy rating: the more stars (up to six) the better.
• Do a 'lifestyle check' Check the available space in your kitchen, and allow some room at the back for ventilation. Some space at the sides will also help when installing the dishwasher.
• Consider whether your normal dinnerware will fit into the dishwasher without crowding or hitting the spray arms. Take some with you when shopping.
• Check that the filters are easy to remove and clean.

• Would you prefer to use a hot or cold water connection? Check whether a cold or hot connection is recommended for the machine. If you'll be connecting to hot water, check the recommended maximum hot-water inlet temperature - you may need a tempering valve if it's too hot.
• Look for a salt dispenser to soften the water if you live in an area with hard water.

• Consider a slimline dishwasher or a compact model that can be placed on a bench top or built-in.
• Some models have mobile versions or mobile conversion kits - so you can wheel the dishwasher up to the sink when you need to use it.

Consider things like child safety and ease of use, and how important convenient extras are to you.

• Child-safe door locks.
• An anti-flood device provides protection if there's a water leak in the machine.
• A fault display - to help you identify simple problems, such as an empty rinse-aid dispenser or blocked spray arms, and avoid unnecessary service calls; or warn you of a serious problem that does need a service call.
• A hidden heating element - to prevent items from damage if they fall through the basket, and food from being burnt onto the element.

• Height adjustable baskets and removable or fold-down plate racks for more versatility.
• Optional anti-nesting grids (individual slots for better cleaning) on the cutlery baskets or cutlery trays.
• Fan-assisted drying. This can improve drying by removing condensation from inside the dishwasher.
• Half-load option adjusts the water and program times for a much smaller load, saving up to 50% in water and letting you wash more economically.

• Pre-rinsing is a waste of time and water. Just scrape dishes clean.
• Place dirtiest dishes towards the centre for best water exposure.
• Don't overload or nest dishes too closely - the water spray won't reach everything.
• To avoid chipping ensure breakables don't touch. and spray arm rotates freely.
• Don't put objects made of different metals next to each other.
• Don't machine-wash disposable plastics. china with gold, silver or painted detail, hollow-handle knives or anything made of wood.
• Aluminium items may discolour. Don't wash ashtrays - ash won't dissolve and ends up on your dishes.

In a spin about which washing machine is right for you? Our quick buyer's guide is designed to make your choice easier.

First, think about your lifestyle and requirements, including your available space and time, and whether you're washing for a few select people - or a footy team.

Ask yourself a few basic questions:

• Is the labelling on the controls clear?
• Is the program selection straightforward and intuitive to set?
• Is the lint filter easy to clean?
• Are the detergent and fabric dispensers easy to use?
• Is the door/lid opening large?
• Does the door or lid open far enough?

If you're short on space, it's worth remembering that you can stand a clothes dryer on top of most front loaders.

Washing machine capacities vary from 4.5-10 kg loads, so any size of household should be able to find a machine to suit them.

Generally, top loaders have shorter wash cycles than front loaders. If you prefer a front loader, look for one with a 'fast-wash' cycle - but even so there's considerable variation. It's worth also factoring in drying times: because front loaders tend to have higher spin speeds and thus extract more water, drying times can be shorter. This is money-saving as well as convenient if you use a clothes dryer.

All washing machines have to carry a label that shows their energy rating. This is written as a series of stars plus a number that tells you the overall kilowatt hours (kWh/per year) it uses to run. A handy rule of thumb is to divide the number of kWh by 10 to give you the rough running costs per year. You can compare the running costs of machines of any capacity this way. Remember, however, you can only compare star ratings between machines of the same capacity.

If you want to save water. consider a front-loader - they use less water than top loaders. Some machines also feature water-saving options, including load sensing and water re-use.

Now you've got the basics covered, you can think about the kind of extras that are important to you.

Automatically detects and redistributes an out-of-balance load, either by spinning slowly before the full spin cycle or by taking in more water (which is what most top loaders do). If you're concerned about high water usage, opt for a machine without this feature or go for a front loader.

If you want to reduce your ironing, a permanent press or 'anti-crease' cycle - designed for easily creased or pleated fabrics - is useful.

You can change the spin speed on some programs. A higher spin speed will result in dryer clothes (particularly great if you use a dryer), or you might want a lower speed for delicates or easily creased fabrics.

This can help you save water, energy and time by automatically adjusting the water level according to the load and/or fabric type. Some machines also adjust the washing action.

This feature lets you use less water for rinsing, or re-use sudsy water and/or rinse water.

Most front loaders have a heater (allowing connection to cold water only, while still allowing warm to hot washes), whereas top loaders don't.

This feature lets you program your preferred wash option for future use at the touch of a button.

Designed for lightly soiled and/or small loads, a fast-wash option reduces the length of the selected program or is a faster cycle in itself.

Many machines now have self-cleaning lint filter systems, while others use the traditional mesh trap in the wash drum that you have to clean manually. It's mostly top loaders that have lint filters - front loaders tend not to need them because they're gentler on clothes.

Some machines have an extra-gentle wash cycle for garments labelled as only suitable for handwashing - including woollens.

Fuzzy-logic sensors automatically vary the wash program according to the load size they sense in the machine.

Has your vacuum cleaner bitten the dust? Before you purchase a new one, check out our buyer's guide and make sure you get a cleaner that suits your needs.

Some requirements when looking for a vacuum cleaner to buy, always make sure that it:

• is light
• is quiet
• is easy to manoeuvre over both carpet and hard surfaces
• has a long cord, so you're not forever changing power points
• has a neat compact design for easy storage.

• Telescopic wand: This lets you adjust the wand to suit your height, so you shouldn't have to bend your back too much.
• Dust collector: Disposable paper dust collectors are easier to use than reusable cloth bags, which have to be shaken to remove the dirt. Check whether the vacuum uses a disposable or a reusable dust collector.
• Adjustable head height: This feature's useful if you have carpets with different pile heights and for wooden or tiled floors.
• Variable suction/power: A control on the wand that allows you to vary the suction for more delicate jobs such as cleaning curtains. A variable power feature does much the same thing.

• Dustbag-full indicator: lets you know when the dust collector is full without having to open the vacuum.
• Blower: A godsend when it's time to blow up the airbed. For tasks such as these, look for a model that can blow out air.
• Onboard storage for accessories: is handy when you are cleaning edges, upholstery and dusting furniture whilst vacuuming.
• Wand storage: Allows the wand to be attached neatly to the cleaner when storing. This is useful for keeping all the bits together.
• Retractable cord: This is much easier than winding up the cord manually. Uprights usually don't have this feature, but you can wind the cord around two hooks to keep it tidy.

• Tools: Tools such as a crevice nozzle (for narrow corners and around chair cushions), an upholstery brush (for curtains and soft furnishings) and a dusting brush can be very handy. Check whether these tools are supplied with the vacuum cleaner or are optional extras.
• HEPA filter: This stands for high-efficiency particulate air filtration. It's an international standard for filters that traps minute particles. This type of filter can help if you have asthma or a dust allergy or sensitivity, but you have to clean or replace it regularly (about once a year) to ensure it works efficiently, which may mean more ongoing costs. Given that vacuums with a HEPA filter are usually more expensive, do you really need one? If you have asthma, a dust allergy or are simply sensitive to dust, it can help, though for asthma sufferers it's not likely to be the complete answer to house dust.
• Power vs turbo head: A power head replaces the standard cleaning head and has an inbuilt motor that operates the brush. It's use generally improves dirt removal from carpets, whereas a turbo head (which uses airflow to operate the extra brush) is usually less effective. These attachments are designed to boost cleaning performance but tend to make vacuums bulkier and/or heavier and they may not be as easy to use or manoeuvre.