Washing Machine

[GentleGiant]

I forgot to mention that the door seals on both the washing machine and the dryer failed and that the washer is going rusty as a result.

[MaZvRSTSI]

Ahh....  

[Royston]

After a few days humming and hah-ing over internet reviews and price comparison sites, we decided to go for a Bosch Logixx machine from John Lewis (the robbing gets). It was £399.00 and we decided to buy a 5 year guarantee at £129.00, so £528.00 in total.

Only we got all confused when confronted by acres of white boxes with round holes at the front. Here is a Samsung with a 5 year guarantee included for the same price. Here is a Seimens made in Germany. And here is a Panasonic with an inverter motor with a 10 year guarantee on it.

So we were swayed by the Panasonic. We could get this machine with a 5 year manufacturers parts and labour guarantee for £529.00. I'll just check prices online on me Piephone.....

Oh hang on, the exact same machine was on Amazon with the same 5 year guarantee for £384.00. We are awaiting delivery from Amazon.

[hertsnminds]

Most manufacturing groups from cars to domestic appliances have a similar branding model. So for the VAG group they put all the latest tech and features in the high end brands, like Audi, 1st then filter them down to the more budget brands like Skoda and Seat over time. So a brand new Skoda will be based on the Audi platform from 2 - 3 years ago.

 

In the domestic appliance market Bosch tend to be the Skoda brand of the BSH group, so you will see the newer tech in a Siemens product before a Bosch product and you have to buy a top end Bosch washing machine to have the same features as a mid range Siemens machine. In the UK the Electrolux group has AEG as their top end brand with Electrolux next and Zanussi being the budget end. So a Zanussi machine is based on an AEG product not the other way around. However, in the rest of Europe Electrolux is seen as a more prestigious brand than AEG so you find that both AEG and Electrolux products have similar features in them.

 

Every customer has a different requirement from their domestic appliance (as does every car buyer) some want the cheapest to purchase, some the cheapest to run, some the longest life span. You may well find a Miele machine lasts 20 - 30 years but after about 5 years it will be the nosiest, most inefficient machine you could own. Compare the MPG, noise and safety features of a 20 year old car with a 5 year old or new model.

 

Also bear in mind that the Eurocrats change regulations every 5 minutes on energy efficiency and how easy it is to recycle machines at end of life.

[GentleGiant]

I have no experience of Pana's washers, but  I rate the rest of their output, having owned several of their TVs and video players, as well as an early CD stack system from them; solid, reliable, but not too flashy.

[@Lee]

I'll put an end to this discussion right now;

 

Miele all the way.

 

Had our Mlele washer eleven years now, never broken down.

 

Miele condenser dryer, same length, no faults.

 

Miele dishwasher, eight years now, no faults.

 

Miele induction hob, two years, no faults.

 

Separate place, Tricity Bendix washer/ dryer, eight years, no faults.

 

Even if you buy a second hand Miele at five or six years old, it's still got another ten years in it.

 

I worked for a small business that specialised in Miele/ Siemens/ Poggenpohl and Almimu kitchen goods. I once helped refurb a kitchen and took out a still functional Miele top-loader that was nigh on 35 years old.

[domhnall]

We narrowed it down to miele or ise, the two seem to be pretty comparable but we went with ise as they were cheaper and you can use local engineers rather than miele engineers of they do go wrong. We saved several hundred pounds and it has been rock solid.

We did have a potential problem but they suggested it might have been down to coins blocking the filter, told me how to check and 5 mins layer I had a working machine and £4 in loose change.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk 4

[BossFox]

I'll put an end to this discussion right now;

Miele all the way.

 

Indeed.

We went from cheap, thrown them away every 3 years machines, to Miele a few years back.

 

Yes it cost more.  Yes it's worth it.  Can't believe how much quieter the kitchen is.

[domhnall]

If I might be permitted a car analogy, miele or ise, audi or Skoda

Everything you guys say about miele applies to ise, but at lower cost.

But the cheaper disposable brands are indeed a false economy. 10 year warranty inspires confidence.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk 4

[BossFox]

If I might be permitted a car analogy, miele or ise, audi or Skoda

Everything you guys say about miele applies to ise, but at lower cost.

 

Except you don't look like a pretentious plum in it?

You have to keep metioning you own a Miele to everyone you talk to?

 

I've never heard of Ise.

[GentleGiant]

I've only had experience of 2 Miele washers, one very old one that was built to take a nuclear strike and lasted best part of 20 years, and a newer one that lasted about as long as a Indesit (less than 3 years), before we started getting LOTS of problems with it.

 

Both doing the same job, washing bibs and aprons at nursery all day - 5 days a week.

[greenstripe]

We have a Siemens that came with a 10 year manufacturer's warranty -it's six and a half years old and has had no faults -the thing I like about Siemens is that there is a device on the water connection that shuts off the supply if it detects a leak. It's really easy to use and has a nice big display that tells you what time it will finish and what operation it is currently doing -my favourite of which is 'Fluff' that always raises a smile.

[rwbaldwin]

I've only had experience of 2 Miele washers, one very old one that was built to take a nuclear strike and lasted best part of 20 years, and a newer one that lasted about as long as a Indesit (less than 3 years), before we started getting LOTS of problems with it...

My Hotpoint Aquarius Ultima is still going strong after 20 years. It was AAA rated and wasn't cheap to buy but it's given me no trouble and washes well. I doubt I would get the same life from a modern hotpoint.

[domhnall]

Except you don't look like a pretentious plum in it?

You have to keep metioning you own a Miele to everyone you talk to?

I've never heard of Ise.

Neither had I until I found a forum run by and for white goods engineers. I was about to buy a miele.

Ise was set up to make high quality machines but (and this is the big difference) also machines which could be repaired simply and economically if they do go wrong.

The company's philosophy is to try to counter the trend for short life disposable products. They are Swedish (not that their nationality should make a blind bit of difference) :-)

Sent from my GT-I9505 using Tapatalk 4

[grr666]

Bosch for me.  Have a 2001 washing machine still going strong,

and a 2006 dishwasher and fridge freezer. All in the Clasixx range. 

Faultless service from all of them.

[Neo_VR]

LOL at the way this is turning into a washing machine willy-waving competition 

['daiking']

LOL at the way this is turning into a washing machine willy-waving competition

I take my clothes down the park and bash them against the rocks in the stream

No inconvenient breakdowns. Ever.

[GentleGiant]

I take my clothes down the park and bash them against the rocks in the stream

No inconvenient breakdowns. Ever.

 

You sure?? That rock is looking a little flaky..........

[grr666]

I'm 40 years old, and have yet to buy a washing machine. 

Our Bosch machine was in our first house when we bought it. 

I only know it's a 2001 because I took it apart a few weeks ago

to replace the door seal on it and saw the manufacture date on a

sticker inside. I only replaced that because Mrs G was convinced the 

old one was making  the washing smell funny.... 

[GentleGiant]

Smelly washing could mean mold growing in the internal pipework; give it a full 90C hot wash cycle with a cap full of Zooflora in with an anti-limescale tablet and see if that helps.

[Titanium_Man]

Still never bought one. Much like grr666, have always moved into a house, which already had one. Even when I purchased my first home, our brand new Hotpoint washing machine was given to us by the housing developer as they had fudged up.... amazingly fresh smelling clothes now

[Gti Jazz Blue]

Looking at changing the door seal on our Bosch which we have had for 7 years now - only issue with it is that the seal is going moldy.

 

Found a video on the net and it looks straightforward to do (easier than taking an Octavia apart) so £38 for a genuine seal and it will look as good as new again.

 

It does get an empty hot wash every few months to keep it clean.

[skomaz]

Replaced the motor brushes on our Bosch a few days ago - the first time since new 9 years ago and it's used every day.  The only other issue we've had turned out to be a broken wire to the temperature sensor - took me a while to find that and I only sussed it after fitting a new sensor and replacing the main board (got one for a few quid off ebay...).  At least I now have some spares though...  

 

Here's to many more years of service.

[greenstripe]

LOL at the way this is turning into a washing machine willy-waving competition 

Last time I waved my willy at the washing machine: she told me that I'd get arrested for doing that in Tescos

[VWD]

Smelly washing could mean mold growing in the internal pipework; give it a full 90C hot wash cycle with a cap full of Zooflora in with an anti-limescale tablet and see if that helps.

Better still - Dr Beckman washing machine cleaner .( Asda stock it ,it works). It also removes the black mould water board tell us is bacterior growing in areas open to air circulation .As does Milton

Edited 14 October, 2013 by VWD