I have about £400 to spend on new waching machine - please help me pick

[grazedknees]

So my old Hoover is on its last legs, 8 years old and recently noticed it's making my washing smell musty and horrid... on investigation the inside of the seal is mouldy and very grim Repairman came to look at it but said bearings are on the way out so he can't replace the seal.

He recommended Siemans as the best make followed by Bosch. I have seen this Siemans for £434. . it is the most I can afford but has a 5 year gaurantee. I have two DC so the machine is on all the time.

If I can spend less and it not be false economy, that would be great - I have fence panels down in need of replacing too.

Should add I have scrubbed seal with bleach, run machine on empty with bleach and again with white vinegar... it is past the point of no return.

I now know thanks to repairman I should have been wiping round seal after use and keeping the door open a bit. Does anyone have any tips if I do buy super expensive washing machine on anything else I need to do to keep it running and non-mouldy?

I bought a Samsung from Appliances online last year for about £400 and it's been superb, better even than my old Bosch Maxx that it replaced. V fast spin eve towels come out pretty dry. I've never used fabric softener in it just Persil liquid or (better still) powder and it's as clean as a whistle inside. Heartily recommended.

I like the fact that you can customise any of the programs and also set your favourite prog as a one-touch button. Brilliant.

Thanks gobbin - will have a look at Samsungs as well.

Anyone else? Anyone have a Siemans?

Last time we replaced our dryer we went with John Lewis and it's been fine so far, plus a cheaper warranty. We've had a hotpoint washer for about 9 years and no problems with it at all on a very hard water area. Previous to that I had a Miele washer dryer which was still going strong at 8 years when I sold out with the flat I was selling.

That's probably not that helpful is it?

Ooooh we got a Bosch WAQ283S0GB from AO online. It was £349 + £20 connection. Had it about 6 weeks now. It's ACE! Often use the "speed perfect" setting, which does a wash in under one hour. Loads of settings. It's very good.

I spent £449 with £50 cashback on a bosch from john lewis.
It's arriving on thursday.

Bosch I've had mine 5 years and touch wood not a thing has went wrong with it!

I recommend finding a time machine, go back to 1984 and buying the Zanussi one DP did. Still going strong....

I suspect you are referring to the Siemens 12q3092 on sale for the price you mention at John Lewis etc. I have just bought it and I am very pleased with it. It has a five year guarantee which is reassuring. The only thing you might consider is the 1400 spin which Siemens also do but John Lewis does not. It's the same number but with the 14 instead of the 12. The speed perfect setting really clears the washing and gives good results. Of course the 1400 spin is going to cost more and I am well pleased with the 12q. JL took old machine away and installed new one with no trouble. £9 to take away and £25 to install.

I used Which? to choose mine 1992. Zannussi. Had it repaired twice £50 each. Still works perfectly

Siemens is a slightly upmarket brand of Bosch, both are made by BSH.

Build quality is the same but the upmarket ones tend to have more features (complexity is less reliable than simplicity, though).

I mostly get Bosch appliances but also have a Siemens FF and d/wr. Nothing in it really.

p.s.

keeping a washing machine fresh: do an occasional hot hot hot service wash with washing soda crystals but no soap or fabsoft. You can put cotton towels in as they will withstand the heat. It washes away accumulated soap sludge and grease which tends to accumulate with low temperature washes. Bacteria and slimes live on this nourishing sludge and cause the smell.

Putting the powder in through the door prevents soap sludge in the drawer.

We have a Beko WMEsomethingsomethimg it was cheap as chips and has been fab! No problems in three years, has 8kg drum and a thirty min thirty degree cycle which I use all the time. The bloke who recently fixed my Bosch dishwasher said Bosch make Beko too, and that he recommends them to everyone.

pps

the Bosch WAQ24461 and Bosch - WAQ283S0GB are Which Best buys at about £400

So is the Siemens WM12Q390GB but it scores a bit lower.

There are some best buy Hotpoints at lower prices, I have no experience of Hotpoints.

Yep as Piglet said our Bosch was a Which best buy. Haven't looked back.

sorry, that Siemens WM14Q390GB does not score lower, my mistake. It scored 70%, same as the Bosch WAQ24461

the Bosch WAQ283S0GB scored 67%

Another vote for Bosch. Seriously, those things are nails and the 1400 spin is great at getting the washing almost-dry. They even do a 1600 rpm spin (though it's over your budget I think as about £550). We had a 1400 one and it was fab and lasted over 8 years of serious abuse including three kids worth of cloth nappies.

Thank you so much everyone. I think I'm leaning towards a Bosch. I really don't have masses of spare cash and I'm hoping this one will do me for a long time. Can't wait to have nice smelling washing again!

We replaced our old Bosch (lasted 9 years, very hard water and heavy use did for it I think) and replaced with Bosch Exxcel 8 which has a Which Awards sticker on it. It's fab, and I remove tray after every wash to rinse / dry and leave the door open at night when I remember. Plus hot service wash every few weeks.

This is my Samsung. It's no longer available on ao.com as it has been superceded by similar machines. They are available in 7kg, 8kg and 9kg loads. If you can get it cheap as it's last year's model you'd be getting a bargain. It's very quiet too.

www.samsung.com/uk/consumer/home-appliances/laundry/washing-machines/WF0704W7W1/XEU?subsubtype=eco-bubble

Sorry, that link isn't working now. Hey ho.

I've ordered the Bosch! Desperate for a new machine... ordered this one

It's coming as week Saturday... Thanks again for everyone's help.