A clothes washer that fits the alcove and the laundry you actually run is a better purchase than one with the longest feature list. Start with the space, then the household, then the route the machine has to travel to reach that space. Each step narrows the choice before you read a single spec sheet.
Measure the Alcove, Then the Door Swing
Measure the width, depth, and height of the space at its tightest point. Add room for the hoses and the power cord, and for air behind the machine. Then open the door that closes the alcove and see whether the lid or door of the new machine clears the frame when it opens fully. A washer that fits the space but cannot open its lid is a return waiting to happen.
Match the Drum to the Laundry
Count what the household runs in a typical week. A household with bedding, work clothes, and towels has different needs from a single person who washes small loads. Capacity is what the drum holds, but the real question is how many full loads you run and whether the big items fit without crowding. Choose the drum that handles the heaviest load you actually do, not the one that looks most impressive on the showroom floor.
Check the Water and Drain Positions
Find the water valves, the drain standpipe, and the outlet. Confirm they reach the new machine's hose lengths without bending the lines sharply. Note the height of the drain, because a low standpipe or a high one changes how the drain hose runs. If the valves sit behind the machine, make sure you can reach them to shut off the water.
Stacking and Floor Level
If you plan to stack a dryer above the washer, check the combined height against the alcove and the stacking kit's requirements. Check that the floor is level where the machine will stand. An unlevel washer walks and loads unevenly, and the walk shows up as vibration long before anything fails.
Check the Delivery Route
Measure the doorways, the hallway corners, and any stairs between the truck and the alcove. The machine's listed dimensions are not the only numbers that matter. A machine that cannot get through the door is not the right machine for that house, however well it fits the alcove.
Write the Decision Down
Keep the measurements, the drain height, and the delivery route on one page before you order, and use that page as the filter when you compare models. For the planning details on this system, see the clothes washer service life and planning page. The published figures are in the tables on this site.