If the spin cycle is disturbing your neighbours, check that your washing machine is correctly installed and stable before replacing it. The floor, feet, transit bolts and load distribution can all contribute to vibrations. If you do need a new appliance, compare the airborne noise emissions during the spin cycle for the exact model, then check its dimensions and capacity. However, a dB figure alone cannot predict how much vibration will be transmitted through your building.
If vibrations are travelling through the floor or walls, first try to work out whether the problem is with the installation or whether you need to replace the appliance. Samsung France and Miele France both highlight the importance of the supporting surface and adjusting the feet in their installation advice.
A new appliance needs to fit the available space and suit the amount of laundry you usually wash. To compare noise levels, check the details for the exact model on its energy label or EPREL product fiche, rather than relying on a general promise that it’s quiet.
If you can only run a wash at times that may disturb your neighbours, choosing an appliance isn’t enough. Check your building’s rules too, and ask your local council whether any local restrictions apply.
The best place to start depends on what’s currently getting in the way of doing your laundry regularly: vibrations that need addressing, an appliance that needs replacing, limited space or washing times that are difficult to fit around life in your building.
Worth considering: if the appliance is working and vibrations occur mainly during the spin cycle or since it was moved.
Limitation: a more stable installation won’t change the model’s airborne noise emissions; the floor it stands on remains a key factor.
Worth considering: if you need to replace your machine, or if its current capacity and dimensions no longer suit your needs.
Limitation: spin-cycle noise figures compare declared airborne noise, not the vibrations your floor will transmit.
Worth considering: if there’s no suitably stable place for a washing machine at home, or if your washing times are a problem in your building.
Limitation: this option involves travelling and depends on what’s available near you.
| Concern | What to check | Who is this for? |
|---|---|---|
| Vibrations during the spin cycle | Check that the floor is stable and the machine is level on all four feet; follow the instructions for removing the transit bolts. | If my machine still works but makes the floor vibrate, I want to check how it’s installed before buying another one. Around 39% of consumers would prioritise this need. |
| Noise from a new appliance | For each exact model, compare the dB figure and airborne noise emission class during the spin cycle on the energy label or in EPREL, as recommended by the European Commission. | When replacing my washing machine, I want to compare its spin-cycle noise without confusing this figure with how stable it will be on my floor. This would be the main concern for around 31% of consumers. |
| Space and capacity | Measure the space and clearance needed to open the machine, then choose a capacity that suits the amount of laundry you do. | With limited space, I need an appliance that will actually fit, without choosing a capacity that would force me to run more cycles. Around 15% of consumers would put this constraint first. |
| Washing times and neighbours | Check your building’s rules and ask your local council if your washing times are an important factor; consider a launderette if using your machine at home isn’t suitable. | If I can only do my laundry at times that may disturb others, I need to find an arrangement that works for my neighbours. This would be the main concern for around 15% of consumers. |
An unsuitable floor, poorly adjusted feet, transit bolts left in place or an unevenly distributed load can all contribute to vibrations, according to advice from Samsung France and Miele France.
Before ordering, check the installation against the instructions for your model. If you do replace it, carry out the same checks when installing your new washing machine.
The noise figure and class on the energy label refer to airborne emissions during the spin cycle. They don’t describe how the floor or walls in your flat will respond.
Compare this figure across exact models, then assess the location and installation conditions separately.
In France, Article R1336-5 of the Public Health Code covers noise that disturbs neighbours because of its duration, repetition or intensity. ANIL also points out that a building’s co-ownership rules govern communal living.
Check the rules that apply to your building and, if the time you can wash matters to your choice, ask your local council about any local restrictions.
A shallower appliance may fit your space better, but a smaller capacity could mean more wash cycles, depending on how much laundry you do.
Measure the space needed to open and install the appliance too, then compare its capacity with how often you do your washing.
Bosch’s range includes the WAJ28057FF front-loading washing machine, which features an AntiVibration design. Check the specifications for the exact model rather than assuming this feature applies across the brand.
Samsung France’s documentation can help you prepare for installation and investigate possible causes of vibrations.
Miele’s support information explains how to level the appliance and ensure it’s in contact with the floor—two useful points if the floor vibrates during the spin cycle.
These two front-loading washing machines are options if you’re looking to replace your appliance. Compare their capacity and spin speed with your needs, then check the noise figures for the exact model and the installation requirements for your flat.
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Worth considering if you’re replacing your appliance with a 7 kg front-loading model. Its stated maximum spin speed is 1,400 rpm. Check the dimensions and spin-cycle noise emissions in the documentation for the exact model, then check the installation instructions for your floor.
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Worth considering if a 9 kg capacity suits the amount of laundry you do and the space available. This front-loading model has a stated maximum spin speed of 1,600 rpm. Check its dimensions, spin-cycle noise figures and installation instructions before making your choice.
Article R1336-5 of the Public Health Code doesn’t set specific hours for using a washing machine. It covers noise that disturbs neighbours, including its duration, repetition and intensity. Check your building’s rules too, and ask your local council if you need to do your washing at times that may disturb others.
No. The dB figure and noise class on the energy label show the declared airborne noise emissions during the spin cycle for the model in question; they don’t show how much vibration your floor will transmit. Stability also depends on the supporting surface, how the feet are adjusted and how the laundry is distributed.
Follow the instructions to remove the transit bolts, then place the appliance on a suitable surface and level it on all four feet. Samsung France and Miele France also recommend checking that the feet are stable and the laundry is evenly distributed if vibrations occur during the spin cycle.
For each exact model, compare the airborne noise emissions during the spin cycle in dB and the noise class shown on the energy label or in EPREL. Then check the capacity, dimensions and duration of the programme you’re interested in. None of these figures replaces checking the location and installation.