Washing machines

The Maytag 5000 Series MHWE550W[W] is part of the washing machine test program at Consumer Reports. In our lab tests, front-loading washing machine models like the 5000 Series MHWE550W[W] are rated on multiple criteria, such as those listed below.

Washing performance:

This reflects the degree of color change to swatches of fabric that were included in an 8-pound and maximum capacity test load of mixed cotton items using the machines' most aggressive normal cycle. (We do not use special cycle or option buttons.)

Energy efficiency:

This score is based on the energy needed to heat the water for 8-pound and maximum loads using a warm wash and cold rinse. We consider both gas and electric water heaters, and include electricity needed to run the washer and energy needed for drying. Washers that extract more water are scored higher.

Water efficiency:

This score denotes how much water it took to wash our 8-pound load and each machine's maximum load. On models that didn't set the fill level automatically, we used the lowest fill setting that sufficed for the 8-pound load. We then calculated water used per pound of clothing.