… and for washing machines the efficiency rating is apparently based on an amount of washing that is a fixed proportion of the machine's nominal capacity, which

… and for washing machines the efficiency rating is apparently based on an amount of washing that is a fixed proportion of the machine's nominal capacity, which is supposedly why smaller washing machines no longer exist. (I.e. an 8 kg washing machine used at 80 % = 6,4 kg or whatever other fixed percentage is more efficient than a 5 kg machine used with 4 kg = 80 % of washing – what the test doesn't care about is that if you keep the absolute amount of washing fixed, 4 kg in an 8 kg-machine of course becomes less efficient).