Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Chat

Join the discussion and chat with other Mumsnetters about everyday life, relationships and parenting.

Original poster

Do We Need a Washing Machine?

76 replies

MitziK · 25/04/2019 21:50

I've had a truly shit week.

Anyhow, to add to it, following a very careful exploration underneath my elderly Bosch washing machine, I've found that, rather than needing a cheap replacement hose, the bastarding thing what seals the drum/holds it up has cracked with age and water is pissing out over the fucking electrical parts. Which possibly explains why the mains has tripped a couple of times for no apparent reason in the last month.

I don't fancy getting fried/turned into a pile of ash and DP is in absolute agreement, so it's going, no question about that.

Unfortunately, there isn't the slightest chance of being able to afford the Miele that I covet. Already got two Miele appliances that I love and I would buy another in a heartbeat - but we have precisely fuck all in the way of income and I'm about to be made redundant at the end of May (the payment needs to go on little essentials like food and keeping a roof over our heads until another job is found), so I don't want to take out additional credit in case I can't get another job in time to make the repayments.

My thoughts are this;

Do I buy a £200 - £250 machine and hope for the best? We could just about scrape that together without selling a kidney.

If so, what one? I'd vaguely like something that takes a reasonable load, there is just the two of us, but it has to fit in neatly alongside a standard 60cm worktop and a fancy Miele freezer. I've never had a 'cheap' anything by choice - from the moment I got a job, as I needed to replace the second hand appliances, I tried to go for more durable items - Bosch, largely. I don't think I need to be able to have a chat with it on my phone or notify a company for them to sell on a database of how often my knickers need washing. It would be nice if a wash could take less than three hours.

The alternative is, as DP suggests, using the launderette around the corner until either there is more money coming in or we he gets bored with washing clothes in the bath or going round the corner with IKEA bags of holey socks and tatty towels for people to pretend they aren't judging. This gives me visions of being inundated with dirty washing until I'm turning pants inside out to get another wear out of them because he hasn't got round to taking them. (yes, I do have control issues around housework).

We were aiming to replace the knackered oven and microwave, along with our mattress this summer, but I think that might have to be put on hold until they go pouff/boiiiinnnngg now. Unless we don't actually need a washing machine?

My executive functioning isn't at its highest efficiency at the moment, thanks to bereavement, so I could do with the advice.

Thanks. This is just what I don't need right now, so the MN common sense will really help.

OP posts:
liontigerzebra · 25/04/2019 21:51

why not check out gumtree, often get a bargain on there albeit second hand, but some still have guarantee on them.

mydpisabitcrap · 25/04/2019 21:53

can you look on eBay, gumtree, even freecycle? My washer came off gumtree £40 and it's still going after 5 years.

DameDiazepamTheDramaQueen · 25/04/2019 21:55

I wouldn't use the launderette,what a faff and it ruins your clothes ime. Get a cheaper one and maybe at a later date you could get a meile.

negomi90 · 25/04/2019 21:55

Washing machine wins. Go look at which for reviews and cheap best buys.
If your microwave goes boom, you can get a cheap one for less than £50. Oven you can do without for a month or so with a hob and a microwave.
Washing machine all the way.

Thecowinthemeadowgoesmoo · 25/04/2019 21:56

I second trying Gumtree or Facebook selling pages... I sold a perfectly decent washing machine on FB last year for £50. I only sold it because I moved in with my DP and obviously we didn't need two.

formerbabe · 25/04/2019 21:57

How much is a wash at the launderette...it may end up being more than the repayments on a washing machine bought on credit.

Anyway, personally, I'd just buy the cheapest washing machine I could afford.

unicorncupcake · 25/04/2019 21:57

Our washing machine broke last year and I replaced it with the cheapest one they sold in curry’s and it’s brilliant. Has a 60 minute and a 15 minute quick wash plus all the usual longer ones and I’m so impressed with it. My sister has a really expensive Samsung one and when we stayed with them went on a muddy walk and had dc’s Clothes that were filthy. Went through her fancy pants machine and came out still dirty! Everything on ours comes out spotless even on a quick wash. I certainly couldn’t cope with schlepping to the launderette.

ShabbyAbby · 25/04/2019 22:00

Get one second hand. Should be able to get one for under £100 which will do the job.
Using the launderette is hell on earth.

duebaby2 · 25/04/2019 22:01

3hrs for a wash! We have three soon to be four of us and manage fine with a indesit 6kg washing machine. It’s basic and not fancy but it works, I do push and wash cycles for everything, that takes an hour. We got ours from AO. Still working two years later with no issues

Expressedways · 25/04/2019 22:02

Get the cheap washing machine.

We had basement laundry, that we didn’t have direct access to so had to go out one door and in through another 20 metres down the street in our last apartment. I thought it would be fine, in reality it’s a pain the arse, we never wanted to do laundry, it takes up so much time, you need loose change for the machines, you can’t just chuck something on quickly if you want a dress for that night.

Never, ever again.

AnyoneButAnton · 25/04/2019 22:02

A laundrette will cost you loads - maybe a tenner a week? and a two hundred quid washing machine should last at least two years (and will come with a one year warranty), so you’re definitely best off biting the bullet and getting one ASAP, even if you can’t afford a top end model.

Holidayshopping · 25/04/2019 22:04

Get a cheap second hand one-there’s loads on our local Facebook selling pages.

Leeds2 · 25/04/2019 22:04

When your DP suggests going to the launderette, does he mean you and he taking equal turns, or does he mean you doing it all by yourself? Launderettes are grim.
I would get a new washer.

AnyoneButAnton · 25/04/2019 22:05

And IME all modern washing machines do have a quick wash option even if it’s not immediately obvious - they just put three hours washes as the default option to keep their energy efficient ratings hog.

Xiaoxiong · 25/04/2019 22:07

Unicorn is it a Beko? We're in the market for a new machine - we bought the cheapest one in John Lewis 10 years ago, an indesit for £180 and it has been a total workhorse, only now showing signs of the control panel packing up. Only drawback is no 60 min cycle so it's either a 15 min refresh or a 90+ min full cycle that always seems to last over 2 hours and the display lies to me. Yours sounds like what I'm looking for!

Farmerswifey12 · 25/04/2019 22:09

Seriously don't know what is wrong with going to Currys and getting a £200 machine. Lose the appliance snobbery and just buy what you can afford. I had one from Currys which lasted 8years and cost me 180

JellicleCat · 25/04/2019 22:17

The Beko WTG741M1W gets a Which best buy rating and is about £250. Or if you can push the boat out a bit so does the Zanussi ZWF71463W, but it's about £295.

Can you tell I've been looking a washers too?

Hotterthanahotthing · 25/04/2019 22:19

I got a cheap one too from AOL,it has quick washes and a refresh wash and adjustable temperature.My last was a Bosch and it's bearings went as soon as it was out of warrantee.
Launderettes cost too much and take hours.

Fatted · 25/04/2019 22:23

We've had Beko washing machines for the last 15 years. Currently on our second after the first eventually gave up the ghost after 10 years. I've never spent more than £250 on an electronic appliance.

Our current washer does a 60 degree cotton wash in 90 minutes.

whatisheupto · 25/04/2019 22:23

Launderrettes are expensive! I had to use them for a month and was shocked at the cost.

liontigerzebra · 25/04/2019 22:40

my 45 quid second hand gumtree machine has lasted me 6 years, and is amazing, also it was 5 years old when I got it. Talk about a bargain!

Original poster
MitziK · 25/04/2019 22:45

It's not so much snobbery as seeing friends almost constantly having to replace their things. In the 15 or so years I've had most of my appliances, they're on around their 8th version of each.

I dislike shopping intensely. And, as a completely weird thing (which I appreciate could be seen as a drip feed) going to Curry's et al would actually mean travelling/walking exactly where my brother was walking when he was hit by a vehicle last week. Hadn't thought of that until you mentioned it. So I think anything needed will have to be bought online until I've got my head around the idea.

OP posts:
averylongtimeago · 25/04/2019 22:45

I had to use a launderette for several months recently- a weeks wash took a couple of machines at £5 or £6 each. Then the dryers- £1 for about 3 or 4 minutes. Plus lugging it all too and fro- plus stuff never felt really clean -

If you can afford a cheap new one for £200 ish, do that. If not then second hand from eBay or Facebook market place. There might be a shop near you that sells reconditioned ones?

If have had some excellent bargains from Facebook market place recently too.

AnyoneButAnton · 25/04/2019 22:48

AO.com is your friend. They’ll have you a machine in place by tomorrow if necessary but next week will be cheaper.

Augustangst · 25/04/2019 22:49

You can get a new Bosch washing machine in Argos for £299.

Swipe left for the next trending thread