The main purpose of this research was to examine the purchase and use behavior of consumers related to washing machines in order to develope strategies to increase competitiveness of washing machines manufactured in Korea. Purchase and use behavior related to washing machines were examined by survey method and detailed information on washing conditions and usage of washing machines were obtained by diary method. 398 questionnaires were analyzed in the survey and 35 housewives participated in keeping the records of their washings for 30 days. The results of the survey showed that price and a tangle of clothes were the most determinant factors for purchase of washing machines and the knowledge related to washing was relatively low The diary method revealed that washing loads and frequencies of washing increase with the household size, and functions of washing machines except water level are infrequently used. Comparisons between the survey and diary results indicated that consistency between the two methods depends on the types of questions.