Which washing machine do I buy for my 84 year old mum?

[PattyPuddy]

Mum's 20 year old washing machine has just given up and she's confused about what to buy. I'm at the other side of the world and she hasn't got anyone to go washing machine buying with her.

She needs a very simple control panel ( I think Bosch is probably the best for this ??) but I think that maybe Bosch programmes all seem to last over 2 hours (apart from the "Quick Wash" ones.)

Can anyone give any recommendations?

what's wrong with a 2 hour programme? Why is everyone in such a hurry for clean knickers?

more importantly is indeed a simple control panel. Most washing machines are now very badly designed - push the button and there is a delay of a couple of seconds until things light up. So you think it hasn't worked, push the button again, which turns things off, and it still isn't working. Don't buy one with a hard to see display, just buttons and lights. No specific recommendations but bear this in mind.

also make sure the supplier will disconnect and remove the old one and install and test the new one. This will cost extra.

Specialsubject - my mum lives on her own and doesn't have much washing. I have an Electrolux washer/dryer (I'm in a rental appt). Although the dryer is absolutely a waste of space, the washing machine part is great.

I can choose a wash with a time - 2 hours - very dirty, 1.40 hours - less grubby, 1.20 hours - regular dirty etc etc.

When I look on the websites in the UK a lot of the machines actually have programmes for 3 hours. Eeek. The weather will have changed by then and mum won't be able to hang it out.

my Bosch has a knob that you turn for the programme you want. If her eyesight is not good you could put a coloured arrow in red vinyl tape on the knob and the two most common programmes (e.g. "whites" and "delicates"

the button for "quick wash" keeps its setting for the next wash unless you press it again.

There is a lot to be said for looking at the controls and programmes on her old machine and trying to find something similar.

PigletJohn, I think Bosch are very good in this respect too but their cheapest machines £340 ish programmes last for something like 240 minutes. My mum will be back in her bed by the time the washing is ready to go out.

unless your mum is rolling in mud I bet she won't need the 'very dirty' programme. And you can put washing out year round in the UK, you just need to pick days when it isn't raining. Assuming her house is heated, she can finish it off on an airer (not over radiators).

if she doesn't have much washing, she just washes less often. Still don't see why she needs the ultra-speedy programme.

We just bought a Beko Excellence. Super simple dial settings with adjustable temperature, spin speed and cycle time.

It has a 39 minute 7kg daily quick and a brilliant 14 minute 2kg xpress super short, plus all the usual longer settings

Really easy to work and understand

Oh and it was under £200!!!

I have a bosch machine and there is a 20 minute wash on it, the longer programs can be reduced in time for instance there is a 3 hour program that washes at 40 degrees which can be reduced to 2 hours or an hour. It was expensive but I am very pleased with it and hope it will last for years to come.
Have a look on the john lewis website . HTH

Definitely check how quick the quick washes are - my Zanussi's quick wash is over an hour! That is not quick in my book!

I have a Bosch wm, bought from John Lewis, we paid just under £400. The dials are simple, and turn (rather than push button) which, as PigletJohn has said, means you can mark them easily. If your mum';s eyesight isn't great you can actually buy self-adhesive small rubber "bumps" which stick onto the dial and onto the machine, so that she can feel to line up the two bumps, like this
http://www.rnib.org.uk/shop/Pages/ProductDetails.aspx?productID=DL4101
If you buy from a reputable retailer then if anything goes wrong, she can get it sorted easily.

Thanks all for your suggestions. I think we'll go Bosch.

Just got my mum a Siemens IQ300(I have an older model). The wash programmes are longer but there is a shorter wash button which makes the various cycles a similar time to my older Siemens. Strangely my Siemens has an intensive wash button. I don't like the long wash cycles, if I put the load on after breakfast it won't be ready til after lunch so missing a long part of the day to dry outside.

My Miele was expensive but has dials and is easy to program (the four year old can do it). It also has a 'short wash' setting which reduced the times of all the washed if your clothes aren't that dirty, as well as an Express wash setting. I got it from John Lewis and you can also get a decent warranty so that your mum won't have to chase repair men (some of the Miele ones come with 5 years as standard).