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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To replace all the white goods in anticipation of them all going wrong...

78 replies

karategirl · 02/04/2018 17:30

My husband and I bought the cheapest fridge/freezer and washing machine we could find when we moved into our last place 6 1/2 years ago. They're still working, but the fridge/freezer is on its last legs, and the load capacity of the washing machine is very small. We got a chest freezer off of freecycle a couple of years ago, which works but is pretty grotty - the seal is going, it's constantly frozen up etc.

Baby is due in July, and I think we ought to replace the washing machine because we're planning to use cloth nappies, so a bigger load capacity would be really useful. We could also do with a tumble dryer, and have found myself putting a new fridge/freezer and chest freezer in my online basket, because I'm convinced they're going to completely pack up soon.

I can't bring myself to press buy! Is it completely ridiculous to buy all this stuff now (when we've still bought virtually no baby stuff)? It's just over £1,000 for all four appliances, which seems like pretty good value (and we can afford) but it just seems stupidly over the top when the things we have still work!

OP posts:

Oblomov18 · 03/04/2018 12:12

No need. Put some money away each week/month from now on.
The products made these days are rubbish compared to years ago: when you had a washing machine that lasted 15 years!!

YouCantGetHereFromThere · 03/04/2018 12:17

I would buy fairly soon and get the best deal you can.

My fridge freezer was on its last legs for ages and by buying before it actually died we were able to get a much better deal on one in a sale than if we'd had to buy in a hurry when it broke.

I would get a better washing machine - you're going to be doing a lot of washing.

And I love my tumble dryer.

GingerKitCat · 03/04/2018 12:21

Put the money aside and review your current products' lifespan in time for early or late May bank holiday weekend offers/ summer sale in June-July, Black Friday etc (that is, if you like a bargain )

I suppose you don't have to replace them all at once either unless they all fail simultaneously

I've heard good things about AO prices and their speedy delivery. Googling sometimes throws up additional discount codes.

Good luck!

NotTakenUsername · 03/04/2018 12:23

However, I still could have said to someone "the washing machine bit the dust, could you buy one with these features for me? Money's in the bank."

You are very lucky to have a good support network. But perhaps you could use that to practice gratitude instead of judgment.

category12 · 03/04/2018 12:25

She's got a husband. I thought that's what men were for, buying appliances.

Kazzyhoward · 03/04/2018 12:28

I'd replace the lot before baby arrives, but take your time, look for discounts/bargains, etc., Prices go up and down weekly, so don't rush out today, keeping looking every week and wait until there's a discount.

When baby arrives, you'll have enough stress without having to rush around buying new white goods when the others finally give up. You'll end up having to buy at short notice, so likely to pay higher prices if you can't wait for discounts. You'll have the time/stress of disposing of the old ones, cleaning under the old ones possibly redecorating etc, possibly needing plumber/electrician if existing supplies aren't up to scratch.

A bigger load washing machine will be really useful. I've upgraded ours twice in 20 years, each time going bigger, meaning fewer loads and wish I'd got the biggest in the first place. We're only a family of 3, but can still fill a large load every couple of days, which is a lot better than 1 or 2 loads daily which is what I was doing when we had a new baby.

LisaSimpsonsbff · 03/04/2018 12:31

Am I the only one who doesn't understand how a fridge can be on its last legs?! Has it become much more noisy, or some other sign of the system struggling? I just think of them as such binary things - they work or they don't! It's not like a computer, phone, etc. where there's a long and annoying stage between 'working perfectly' and 'not working'. I have no idea what state of health our fridge is, or indeed how old it is (we bought it off the previous owners when we bought the house) - it works right now, so I consider it in perfect working order!

TartanDr3ams · 03/04/2018 12:33

Id probably replace the washer for a bigger drum and better energy rating - but like youve said offer the old one to someone less fortunate.

Personally i wouldnt be without a tumble dryer now i have one.

The fridge freezer, maybe put the money to one side and keep an eye out for season changing deals. I guess this will become more vital around weaning time if yours isnt keeping things as fresh these days, but whilst still pregnant id maybe wait for sales so I can grab a bargain as atm its slightly more towards want than need.

Just my opinion on matters, im sure as a family youll decide on the best option

LisaSimpsonsbff · 03/04/2018 12:34

That said, I'm also due in July and we are considering biting the bullet and fully replacing our boiler before then - but that is very much in the limbo 'has to be repaired every few months but does work ok (but inefficiently) in between' state of being somewhere between working and not working. So I guess I do see your logic - but then the boiler is a much bigger/disruptive piece of work than just buying a new fridge, which is why we want it done before my due date.

category12 · 03/04/2018 12:37

Getting the dodgy boiler done beforehand makes a huge amount of sense.

strawberrypenguin · 03/04/2018 12:40

You could get a combined washer/dryer. The amount of washing you do will go up significantly so a dryer is probably not a bad idea one way or the other

NotTakenUsername · 03/04/2018 12:42

Sure Category, they could just chuck a blanket around he two of them, let the husband get on with fixing it... that’s what men are for, isn’t it...?

Jaxhog · 03/04/2018 12:42

If you can afford it - do it.

It's all very well hanging on to stuff until it breaks down, but it then means you're making a desperation purchase. Better to give yourself time to buy exactly what you need, look at Which? reports etc and get a good deal.

With a new baby due soon, you don't want the extra hassle of stuff breaking down then.

Highfever · 03/04/2018 12:44

Sort boiler and heater.

category12 · 03/04/2018 12:48

Not sure why the OP would need a blanket round her for dh to get a fridge, but whatever .

My men and appliances comment was a poke at the OP apparently needing a support network thing for getting appliances once the baby arrives - she has a DH who is a fully functioning adult, I presume and it really doesn't take a massive support network to replace a fridge or washing machine.

Otoh, it makes a huge amount of sense for LisaSimpsonbff to get her boiler replaced before the birth, as it's a big job, a big expense and you don't want it either failing or the work going on with a newborn.

Teachtolive · 03/04/2018 13:08

@NotTakenUsername want to tell me who I've judged and How? OP asked for advice. I gave what I think is good advice, not wanting the OP to waste money she doesn't need to spend, with a contingency plan if something does break. Tell me how that's judgemental?

And I'm hugely grateful for the support I had. The OP has mentioned her husband so I'm working under the assumption she has support from him!

But by all means continue to pick holes where there's no need.

YouCantGetHereFromThere · 03/04/2018 13:11

I thought much the same until I bought the Fridge-Freezer Of Doom.

Pretty much everything that could break, did. The cooling system, the timer, the evaporator fan, the seal. We would fix one thing then realise it still wasn't working. The vegetables in the bottom were freezing, but the milk at the top was going off because it was so warm. It was incredibly noisy. The freezer was icing up constantly.

After fixing all of those things it still didn't work reliably so we gave up and ordered a new one.

NotTakenUsername · 03/04/2018 13:16

I thought you were quite judgemental about the OohMavis’ post. The op was asking advice and she also gave what I assume she thought was good advice too. No need to pick something apart just because you don’t share the opinion.

Teachtolive · 03/04/2018 13:22

Well I didn't intend it as judgemental. I offered a differing opinion which you seem to have taken issue with for some reason

NotTakenUsername · 03/04/2018 13:23

Yes I think it’s beca you used the expression “how difficult is it?” which is inherently judgmental.

Teachtolive · 03/04/2018 13:51

Yes I think it’s beca you used the expression “how difficult is it?” which is inherently judgmental

I used that phrase because I don't understand OohMavis logic that it's harder to buy something after having a baby and I offered a solution to that. If you read a tone in it that is anything other than questioning that's down to you. Like I said it wasn't my intention.

I love how you admonish me for supposedly being judgemental while implying I'm ungrateful though. Good double standard there.

NotTakenUsername · 03/04/2018 13:53

Meh. So bored of this back and forth. Totally pointless. Enjoy your afternoon.

Cath2907 · 03/04/2018 14:02

My tumble drier was my nan's old one. She died and we needed a new one so it found a new home in our house. That was 9 years ago and I didn't like it then. It fell off the worktop 7 years ago and looks a bit battered but still worked so I didn't get a new one. Then it started making noises a few years back but I ignored it. I only replace when things eventually die. It was the subject of a manufacturer mandated repair about a year ago and the guy who came did the mandated repair and then when he tested it and found it made horrid noises he also replaced the motor (for free!) It is now still working well and will therefore remain fuglying up my kitchen for another few years.

I'd only replace white goods that actually turned up their toes and died. Put the money in the bank until then!

BugsyMcGee · 03/04/2018 14:29

I am not trying to scare you but it's all well and good saying wait till appliances break down before replacing but sometimes the buggers don't go quietly. I was, very luckily, standing next to my washing machine when it "went". The way it went was for the wiring in the motor to burst into flames (I managed to put it out). Freezers can break down and the food ruined and needing replacing can cost more than a new fridge/freezer or the resultant food poisoning from being too tight to bin it can also cost more than a new one in lost wages.

If you can afford it and want to do, do it. It's your money.

BackforGood · 03/04/2018 15:41

It's all well and good saying "just save the money for when it breaks" but it's much more difficult to buy decent quality (expensive) things when there's a new baby in the house. You're more likely to buy the cheapest thing as a stop-gap, because your priorities change, as they should. Suddenly it doesn't seem as appealing to spend the extra money on something longer lasting.

There's possibly a good reason for that, OohMavis.... maybe it's because, when you have a new baby and are down to one income, it focuses the mind on the difference between things you want to spend money on, and things you need to spend money on. If she and her dh still wanted to buy a more expensive one, then they would still have the money in the bank to choose to do that, as they wouldn't have spent it on replacing one that wasn't broken now.

Of course it is totally up to the OP and her dh, but I presume if she didn't have doubts, then she wouldn't have felt the need to start a thread to ask the question.

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