What features on your washing machine would you not be without?

[Liveinthepresent]

We are finally about to replace our under performing AEG washer dryer with a separate washer and dryer - am over excited!
Riveting topic I know!

Not looking to spend too much as frankly the amount I spent on the AEG hasn't lived up to expectations and if we move house we would leave them behind.

I have prioritised only really on a large capacity - 8kg - is there anything else you wouldn't want your next washing machine to be without?

Our current one doesn't have the delay start function (old one did) as the cost difference was humungous.

I really miss it though .

Ours is an 11kg 1600rpm spin and I wouldn't want to go down on either now. You can change the spin on each cycle if you want to.

It's got a timer delay, 30 min quick wash, steam referesh and can fit a king size duvet in. I love it.

larger load, 1600 spin and choice of 15 or 30 min fast wash

Ooh another washing machine thread today. I started one earlier about wash times.
Thanks for this one OP - very helpful also.

Power button

I like that mine has an extra rinse cycle and reduced creases which is great for bedding

I turned the beeps down on mine. You could hear them from the boys' bedroom with the doors shut.

childlock

Wow I think this is the biggest response to a thread I have ever had I must be so dull
Thanks everyone really useful !
My AEG has quite a few of these features but overall because the washer dryer doesn't wash or dry very well I have kind of overlooked whether they really make a difference or not.

Am building new wish list - so far -
Delay timer (use this a lot)
Digital display ( take this for granted)
Will check door opening - good point as moving location
Handwash
15 min wash
Pause cycle
Tamper proof ( very useful as have 18 month old !)

Now I need to see if any of my shortlist can fulfil all or most of this.

Delayed start (set at night to finish early morning)
Medic Rinse Option (makes a big difference to DS2's slightly rash prone skin)
Child Lock

my parents have an pre historic old mashine with 3 dials:
spin speed
wool, cotton, easy car
temperature

Stone cold reliability (thank you Bosch). It's been 15 years and I still don't know where the filter? is that you are supposed to clear out every once in a while. Or are you? I've never bothered to find out tbh.

Ah interesting meandjulio have found a couple of Bosch options in John Lewis clearance. Good price but they say when discontinued major parts guaranteed 10 years. Impossible to predict if this matters.
I was looking at a Zanussi for about £300 - but all these Bells and whistles look like a £6/700 machine - very hard to know if it's worth it.

Does anyone know how much the hard water (London) affects longevity?

Yes you are supposed to empty the filter periodically. Yours might be seized by now. As well as long hairs, yours is likely to have bits of bra wire and some useful loose change in it. Sometimes there is smelly sludge a biological experiment.

If it ever jams you will wish you had emptied it sooner. On Bosch it is especially easy as there is a little rubber hose next to the screw-out cap, to drain out residual water. If you ever break it, a new one is only a few pounds, but inconvenient to wait a day or two while it arrives (I have a spare one ready).

Yes, i am inspired to actually clean the thing. Screw out cap. Rubber hose. I can do this. Not tonight though.

Quick wash and being able to see the time left on a wash, fast spin.

Get the bosch

Quick wash

Fast spin

Sings when it's finished Sounds annoying, but reminds me to get a load out.

Present

Extra bells and whistles just give more to go wrong.

A simple machine from a good maker is better than a fancy machine from one of the others.

If you can afford a Miele, get it, otherwise, Bosch (or Siemens which are built to the same standard but a bit upmarket. Bosch and Siemens jointly own the Appliance making company BSH). If you see last year's model at a discount, it will be just as good as it was last year, and in fifteen years you will not know the difference.

Several attempts at posting this...

piglet thanks so much your advice makes total sense.

Can't afford / justify Miele - but would love a machine that stops laundry being the bane of my life.

www.johnlewis.com/bosch-logixx-was32462gb-washing-machine-9kg-load-a-energy-rating-1600rpm-spin-white/p231614931

How about this?

I started off looking at a £300 Zanussi.

Time delay without a doubt.
I work FT and love coming home to find the washing is just finishing its cycle - gives me a smug feeling!
I have a time delay button on the dishwasher too, but don't really see the point tbh!

present

I can't see a Which test on it, but Bosch and other BSH group washers are usually very good. I have no experience of other brands so can't say.

Have a look at some similar-priced Best Buys as well (in order, best first):

Bosch WAQ28461GB £379

Siemens WM14Q390GB £498.02

Siemens WM14Q360GB £454.00

Neff W7460X1GB £474.00

I have a Samsung one (I was lured in by Bubble technology, it does not add anything to the wash)

It's a good machine though, big huge load can be done, it's a 1400 rpm spin and it only beeps once before turning itself off, my last one used to do a whole song and dance when it ended then scream louder and louder and more and more impatiently until you dealt with it. melodramatic bastard

I love the child lock for when DS is 'helping' and it has a 15 min quick wash and separate spin and freshen up setting for when I wash a load and forget about it.

Thanks for the best buys Piglet we are narrowing our choices and hopefully will be ordering them tomorrow when the plumber confirms his price and availibility.
We went to Currys at the weekend and I was incredulous as to how much you can put in a load on the large capacity machines!
My life will be changed.