The best and worst Washing Machine Brands

Worztron

Hi.

Can you list some of the best and worst Washing Machine Brands?

Are these good?

1. Bosch
2. Hotpoint
3. Zanussi

Worztron

Would people agree that these are also good?

• Kenmore
• Maytag
• Whirlpool

westies4ever

In my opinion Bosch is brilliant - seems virtually indestructible. I live in a very hard water area and I got through two Whirlpools in two years when I first moved in. Have my Bosch almost seven years now and not a bother. Worth the extra.

Worztron

westies4ever wrote: »

In my opinion Bosch is brilliant - seems virtually indestructible. I live in a very hard water area and I got through two Whirlpools in two years when I first moved in. Have my Bosch almost seven years now and not a bother. Worth the extra.

I've now heard many good things about Bosch.

westies4ever

Worztron wrote: »

I've now heard many good things about Bosch.

Its not the most stylish looking but its certainly does the job. I've probably jinxed it now and it'll blow up lol :P

I heard Miele are very good as well (expensive though). I see the likes of Samsung and LG are now making washing machines but I dont know how good they are.

Solair

Miele machines are absolutely excellent, but they're built nearly like industrial machines you'd get in a laundrette so they cost an absolute fortune. They still have things like stainless steel tanks, cast iron weights and stuff.

Bosch / Siemens machines are made by BSH which is a joint venture between Bosch and Siemens which makes all their domestic appliances under Bosch, Siemens, NEFF and a few other names around Europe. Again, they're pretty excellent (but they also produce some not so excellent stuff at the bottom of the range, which is not the same build-quality at all, so be careful).

Word of warning : the Bosch guarantee is often only 2 years, where as a lot of other manufacturers have 5 years on parts.

Samsung's a relative new comer to the market here so I don't think anyone can really tell you how long their machines will last. They seem pretty good though.

LG's been around for quite some time as a washing machine brand here. I know a few people who have them and they seem to think they're excellent machines. Pricy though!

Electrolux = Zanussi, AEG and Electrolux brands.

Indesit = Indesit and Hotpoint brands.

Candy = Candy and Hoover brands.

The main thing I think is to actually physically look at the machine. If it looks like it's made out of cheap and nasty plastic and the built quality seem bad, then it probably is a pile of rubbish.

If the machine seems sturdy, and has things like decent quality hinges, and generally seems well put together, it probably is.

You can usually tell a good / bad machine a mile off by just looking at it in detail. Don't be over-impressed by fancy dials and controls. The mechanical aspects of the machines are what dictates the lifespan.

Worztron

Solair wrote: »

Indesit = Indesit and Hotpoint brands.

So Indesit and Hotpoint are much the same thing?

Are Indesit good?

Chunkycw

My first washing machine was a Candy, i had service guy on speed dial!!! My second washing machine was a Bosch and the clothes went in cleaner than they came out!! My 3rd and favourite washine machine is a Siemens.. got 7 year warranty with it on special offer. have it 4 years now and have never had a minute's trouble with it!! it's brilliant and takes large load.. only negative i can say about it is that it doesn't have a half load setting but with 3 young kids, i rarely have half loads anyway!!

jjf1974

My neighbours brought there 10 year old miele washing machine back from germany in 1987 and it still works perfect.I had to pull it out lately to replace the worktop .it weighs a tonne as there is conrete in the base of it to prevent vibration.

jeepers101

Solair wrote: »

Word of warning : the Bosch guarantee is often only 2 years, where as a lot of other manufacturers have 5 years on parts.

I wouldn't put a lot of value on the parts guarantee. They will only replace faulty parts if you use one of their technicians, for which they will often charge an extortionate price.

Staplor

Repair man told my Mam if she keeps buying Hotpoint she would keep him in business. She stopped buy Hotpoint.

Bluefoam

Worztron wrote: »

Hi.

Can you list some of the best and worst Washing Machine Brands?

Are these good?

1. Bosch
2. Hotpoint
3. Zanussi

I wouldn't touch Hotpoint again. I bought Hotpoint washing machine, dryer, fridge, dishwasher, hob etc... and they are the worst designed products I have ever bought. The dishwasher was so bad that plates and cups didn't even fit in properly. The washing machine needed at least three repairs in 2 years and the buttons on the fridge broke and fell off after warranty, so I had to buy a new fridge (once I considered the callout & parts charges...)

Solair

jeepers101 wrote: »

I wouldn't put a lot of value on the parts guarantee. They will only replace faulty parts if you use one of their technicians, for which they will often charge an extortionate price.

We'd a 4 year old Bosch Logixx 8 that developed a faulty logic board & motor and I can assure you, we were cursing the short parts warranty. We ended up having to scrap the machine.

Siemens machines are the same devices with better guarantees! Bit pricier, but could be worth it expecially with a pricey model.

peasant

jjf1974 wrote: »

My neighbours brought there 10 year old miele washing machine back from germany in 1987 and it still works perfect.I had to pull it out lately to replace the worktop .it weighs a tonne as there is conrete in the base of it to prevent vibration.

That's the way they used to build them ...concrete weights, stainless steel fittings and bracketry and easily accessible and repairable motors and belts.
Not anymore, most new washing machines contain loads of plastic and throw-away components, even the more expensive brands.

But back in the 70/80's washing machines (and other appliances) cost several months wages

Solair

peasant wrote: »

That's the way they used to build them ...concrete weights, stainless steel fittings and bracketry and easily accessible and repairable motors and belts.
Not anymore, most new washing machines contain loads of plastic and throw-away components, even the more expensive brands.

But back in the 70/80's washing machines (and other appliances) cost several months wages

Actually, Miele are one of the only remaining brands that still uses stainless steel outer drum and cast iron counterweights (not concrete). They're also much more accessible to repair than most other machines.

They still cost a fortune (comparable to other brands 30 years ago).

That gives you an idea of what's in a modern Miele : http://www.washerhelp.co.uk/reviews/pics/miele_w864.html

Capt'n Midnight

Solair wrote: »

You can usually tell a good / bad machine a mile off by just looking at it in detail. Don't be over-impressed by fancy dials and controls. The mechanical aspects of the machines are what dictates the lifespan.

The layout of the dials and controls and the plastics on the front of the machine is the main difference between a lot of machines.

I don't know if the washing machine industry do the same as the printer / copier manufacturers where in a lot cases they each concentrate on one engine and make their ranges by re-badging each others engines

Electrolux EWM1000 Service manual - http://www.electrolux-ti.com/others/599/724/080EN.PDF - mostly useful to get the diagnostics codes.
Some of the brands listed in that manual ( most have multiple models )



ZWG3105 Zanussi
P106M Zoppas
LV5100 AEG Electrolux
AWF10160W ArthurMartinElux
FWH5105 Faure
LC1080E Corbero
976357_20395 Privileg
BIW105W BENDIX
AW1001W Tricity Bendix
ZWF1011W Zanussi-Electrolux
178337_20574 SILENTIC
TF1020E Elektro Helios
888/218-09 Lloyds
DO1206 Domeos
LF1207ELE Bellavita
IW1209.2W Küppersbusch
JWV7814 Juno-Electrolux
LI120JE Rex-Electrolux
JLBIWM1401 John Lewis
LPR712 Prima
QW14700 Husqvarna Electrolux
L66530 AEG
IF9450 Zanker
EWF1630 Electrolux
RTF5140 Rosenlew
CMF616 Marijnen

Joey the lips

Hotpoint. is a hotpoint or rather a sorepoint for me... Pure ****e. Washing machine, Fridge, Dryer. All ****e.

yuloni

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dsaint1

So, your 27 yr old machine which takes a tiny load and can't spin enough water out to give you a reasonable dying time is going a bomb eh? Hmm, how do you dry your clothes? Tumble drier? I bet that cost a lot with a 800 spin machine!

Also, how much did it cost you to repair such a inefficient, uneconomical machine that's costing you an absolute fortune to run by todays standards?

Build quality?? As time goes by technology improves believe it or not. They don't make them like they used to??.....ehhh no, they make them better actually.

yuloni

This post has been deleted.

I think that the key point is "design life", in other words, how long was the machine designed to last!
Cheaper machines simply have parts that are not as durable as those used in the "better" ones, quite often the cost difference between the parts is very small.
In the old days of the DDR (East Germany) domestic appliances were expected to last 25 years, that design life was set by the government, and they did.

Unfortunately, that also means that when there are major advances in technology or efficiency, the adoption of these advances is much slower. It's easy to forget that 25 years ago, most car engines had carburettors and mechanical ignition systems so were much less fuel efficient.

Capt'n Midnight

Deleted User wrote: »

Unfortunately, that also means that when there are major advances in technology or efficiency, the adoption of these advances is much slower. It's easy to forget that 25 years ago, most car engines had carburettors and mechanical ignition systems so were much less fuel efficient.

Please list the major advances in efficiency in electrical water heating / electric motors in the last century. There really aren't any except that modern kit uses less materials.

Car batteries are still the same old 1880's lead acid.

Almost all electricity generated world wide still uses the 1890's steam turbine generator and the only major change in efficiency since then is the use of higher temperatures.

The main changes in washing machine efficiency are that use of enzymes and new detergents in washing powder means you can use a lower temperature setting. And those spiky balls ?

Yeah you've got microcontrollers and triacs in place of clock driven contacts and relays, but the motors , pumps , solenoids, bearings etc. haven't changed much.

Capt'n Midnight

Capt'n Midnight wrote: »

Please list the major advances in efficiency in electrical water heating / electric motors in the last century. There really aren't any except that modern kit uses less materials.

Car batteries are still the same old 1880's lead acid.

Almost all electricity generated world wide still uses the 1890's steam turbine generator and the only major change in efficiency since then is the use of higher temperatures.

The main changes in washing machine efficiency are that use of enzymes and new detergents in washing powder means you can use a lower temperature setting. And those spiky balls ?

Yeah you've got microcontrollers and triacs in place of clock driven contacts and relays, but the motors , pumps , solenoids, bearings etc. haven't changed much.

Yes I agree. The only real advantage a newer model has over its predecessor would be the spin speed & perhaps less water use in the cycle, apart from that they're basically the same.

Capt'n Midnight

Deleted User wrote: »

Yes I agree. The only real advantage a newer model has over its predecessor would be the spin speed & perhaps less water use in the cycle, apart from that they're basically the same.

I'd even argue about the spin speed, cheapo low spec machines have low speeds.

At this stage I consider having a separate temperature control an essential. - But don't forget that if you put bed linen in at low temperature it won't kill off any nasties.

BrensBenz

Just my opinion - bound to be blown away by anecdotal tales but......The term "a good make" was made virtually redundant decades ago by the Japanese. They removed variability or the "surprise / aggro" factor from their products and forced dodgy manufacturers to follow or die, e.g. British motor industry.
These days, the term "you get what you pay" covers practically all non-luxury / functional purchases, including domestic appliances.......well maybe not fashion, where the market tells the consumer what they want!
While there is still some badge snobbery with some products, I tend to buy the best (features, reputation (including retailer), cost, warranty, etc.) I can afford while considering the availability of local back-up, if something did go wrong. Not keen on sending a washer back to Turkmenistan for repair! The net is also a great source of consumer reviews.
Also, and sorry Currys, but I don't buy anything from Currys that might fail and need repair. Best of luck getting a hassle-free repair from them.

Solair

There's still quite a difference in build quality across the machines though and it's not entirely about 'you get what you pay for' either, except maybe for Miele and a few other niche high end brands which are genuinely in a totally different league in terms of what they build them with.

Miele's machines actually have stainless steel outer drums, cast-iron counter weights, a really seriously well built motor, very reliable controls, very reliable pump, huge springs (relative to other machines) and the entire body of the machine is coated in a scratch-resistant paint that you can literally dig a coin into without damaging it. So, they tend to last for a LONG time and don't tend to rust etc.. However, that being said they are also ridiculously expensive and at the end of the day, do you actually need a washing machine that lasts 20 years?

Many of the other formerly high-end brands are probably less high quality than they used to be and use a lot more plastic components in structural parts.

For example, AEG is now part of Electrolux Group and shares most of the same components with Zanussi etc It's no longer the kind of ultra-high end product it was 20+ years ago. That's not saying they're bad machines though.

Normally, you can tell if a machine is rubbish by just looking at the build quality. If looks like it's made out of cheap, badly put together, mostly plastic components - then it probably is.

Another quick indicator is the weight of the machine. If it's extremely light, it's quite likely utter rubbish too.

A few give aways of a bad machine:

Check the door hinge - if it's not very solid looking, it's indicative of a poor quality machine.
Check the door locks - they should be metal, not plastic.
Check that the door closes tightly and isn't really flimsy.
Check that the metal parts and control panel aren't really flimsy and that the knobs/buttons are robustly built.

etc etc etc.

The paddles in the drum also make a big difference to performance. Machines with really small paddles tend not to wash very well as the clothes don't tumble, and just bounce up and down at the bottom of the machine.

Don't be fooled by fancy controls either, they're often just a nice way of dressing up a totally useless machine. Electronics are relatively cheap and easy to do these days. It's the mechanical components of the machine that will dictate the lifespan.

jca

Capt'n Midnight wrote: »

Please list the major advances in efficiency in electrical water heating / electric motors in the last century. There really aren't any except that modern kit uses less materials.

Car batteries are still the same old 1880's lead acid.

Almost all electricity generated world wide still uses the 1890's steam turbine generator and the only major change in efficiency since then is the use of higher temperatures.

The main changes in washing machine efficiency are that use of enzymes and new detergents in washing powder means you can use a lower temperature setting. And those spiky balls ?

Yeah you've got microcontrollers and triacs in place of clock driven contacts and relays, but the motors , pumps , solenoids, bearings etc. haven't changed much.

Such tripe!! In the 60/70's a car battery rarely lasted longer than 3 years, it contains acid but the plate construction is a quantum leap from those "lead and vibrate off the plates days". Washing machine efficiency......... No comparison, have you ever stripped a modern washing machine motor? Its all about control, an electronic circuit can respond instantly to temp,water flow and all the other constantly changing parameters instantly, its called fuzzy logic. Electricity generation thanks to Mr Tesla has always been efficient.

Capt'n Midnight

jca wrote: »

Such tripe!! In the 60/70's a car battery rarely lasted longer than 3 years, it contains acid but the plate construction is a quantum leap from those "lead and vibrate off the plates days".

It's still a lead acid battery. The energy density hasn't gone up much since then has it ? They represent about 1% of the weight of cars. Think of that next time you see a traffic jam. We have lighter batteries, less polluting batteries, but lead is cheap.
BTW How long do laptop and mobile phone batteries last ?

Washing machine efficiency......... No comparison, have you ever stripped a modern washing machine motor? Its all about control, an electronic circuit can respond instantly to temp,water flow and all the other constantly changing parameters instantly, its called fuzzy logic.

I've stripped 40 year old machines and modern ones.

Most of the energy is used in heating water.
So the only real changes would be in the amount of water or the temperature or the insulation. Fancy electronics won't change the 4200Kj/kg/degree you need to heat water. And it's not going to be any faster than a kettle boiling , nor can you stop/start spinning instantly, the pressure sensor filling isn't instant either.

People have replaced the electronics with things like an arduino.

jca

Capt'n Midnight wrote: »

It's still a lead acid battery. The energy density hasn't gone up much since then has it ? They represent about 1% of the weight of cars. Think of that next time you see a traffic jam. We have lighter batteries, less polluting batteries, but lead is cheap.
BTW How long do laptop and mobile phone batteries last ?

I've stripped 40 year old machines and modern ones.

Most of the energy is used in heating water.
So the only real changes would be in the amount of water or the temperature or the insulation. Fancy electronics won't change the 4200Kj/kg/degree you need to heat water. And it's not going to be any faster than a kettle boiling , nor can you stop/start spinning instantly, the pressure sensor filling isn't instant either.

People have replaced the electronics with things like an arduino.

The energy density has gone up.
I don't understand your point about weight tbh.
Modern machines use much less water. Less water=less energy required to heat it up.
What's arduino?

toxicloan365

I'm in the market for a washing machine at the moment. Could someone please share their experiences with some newer entrants to the market; Gorenje and Nordmende. Both come in at the lower end of the market, price-wise, and are all I can afford, at the moment.

The Normende comes with a 3 year parts and labour gaurentee, the Gorenje comes with a 5 year parts and labour gaurentee.

Would I be better off saving up some more money for a better "quality" brand?

Capt'n Midnight

Nordmende is now only a badge, nothing more.


There are two types of Saorview Approved receivers, those labelled "Walker" and all the others, including Nordmende, which are made by Vestel.


hmm interesting... but who knows ?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gorenje


The real problem is that there are too many companies trading on their brand rather than trying to improve it. And the scary thing is they are all one CEO away from loosing their reputation.

Microsoft and Nokia are two well known brand names
They are both very different to the way they were just two weeks.

Microsoft shares gained nearly 10% when Balmer left. Billions of dollars wasted on stuff like Skype, massive changes on focus
Microsoft bought out Nokia phones who knows what that will do to the quality ?