Washing machines - which brand?

[Mañanarama]

My washing machine died today. I’m delighted because I hated it. It was an Indesit eco water balance thing that used a thimbleful of liquid unless I did a 4 hour wash. Slight exaggeration but you get the drift. Anyway, I need a new one asap.

Question 1: what brands are good/crap? The engineer said in his experience LG are the best. Can anyone with an LG tell me if there’s a short ish 40° or 60° cycle?

Question 2: it was silver. The matching tumble dryer is also silver but is 7 years old. There is a dearth of silver appliances, they’re nearly all white or dark grey/black. The rest of the kitchen is white so do I get a white washing machine or will it look weird with a silver tumble?

It’s frying my brain and my husband is getting irritated with me faffing about and showing him pictures so please help me make my mind up!! Budget £350-£450.

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[Tiredoftiers]

Always Bosch loyal but after the second one died after 4 years I swapped. Went for a Samsung and I HATE it!!

Doesn’t dissolve powder from the drawer. Only choice if temp is 20, 40 and 60. Used to wash everything except towels at 30, now have to do it all at 40. Cause 20 just doesn’t wash properly at all!
I’m sure other more expensive Samsungs are better but this was £400 so not that cheap. It’s supposed to be 9kg but I’ve no idea how you fit 9kg short of washing bricks into the drum it’s so small!

[SleepingisanArt]

I'm a Miele gal - I've had my washing machine 16 years, it came with a 10 year guarantee but has never needed an engineer.

I also have a Miele self cleaning oven (10 years old), tumble drier and dishwasher (both 16). The dishwasher has been totally rebuilt as a small component failed (after 14 years) and I paid £260 to have over £1000 of parts replaced! And if they couldn't repair I would have been offered a significant discount on a replacement.

Miele have their own engineers so call out is quick and you get a person with a lot of knowledge assisting you.

[TeaMistress]

Yep I have a Samsung Eco Bubble. I really like it. Reliable, quiet and easy to use

[morechocolateneededtoday]

My current Siemens seemed to be on the brink of collapse a year ago and I did a lot of research. I had initially wanted a Miele because of the belief they are built to last but they downgraded their warranty from 10 years to 2 years. I can't justify spending upwards of £1k on a machine if they don't believe it is worthwhile having the 10 year warranty.

Meanwhile Samsung do a 5 year warranty on all their Ecobubble models so we narrowed down to that but our current one somehow started working again! It is a matter of time but will likely be going for Samsung but going to make sure I can wash at 30 as I wash almost everything at 30! Being able to add items once started is my non-negotiable so AEG ruled out as they do not allow that.

[Izzy24]

@Iwritethissittinginthekitchensink

I would go for Bosch if I’d had the money, but my Indesit has been great.

Agree AO are fab, fast delivery to the room and they’ll take away your old one.

I’ve got a bottom of the range Bosch which is brilliant. Always use the mixed load cycle which is done in an hour with a good spin speed and variable temp or the hand wash cycle- again only about an hour. There’s also an extra quick wash but that’s a bit pointless as it’s got a poor spin speed so by the time you’ve put it on a spin cycle you may as well have put it on the mixed load in the first place.

I do masses of washing as lots of visitors and it’s brilliant.

Away from home at the moment so can’t look up the model.

[Izzy24]

Think it was around the £400 price

[paintitallover]

@Mañanarama mine is the Bosch 4. I've had it 5 years, and it gets a ton of use, with various adults doing different loads. The students aren't gentle on it, and overload it sometimes . We have not needed it fixed yet, which is good.

[Mañanarama]

@paintitallover

@Mañanarama mine is the Bosch 4. I've had it 5 years, and it gets a ton of use, with various adults doing different loads. The students aren't gentle on it, and overload it sometimes . We have not needed it fixed yet, which is good.

Good to hear, thank you!! It’s not bad looking for a washing machine so as long as it uses more water than the old one, I’m happy!

It says there are 15 and 30 minute programs, are they any good?

[Allthegoodnamesarechosen]

Spray the tumble dryer white. Plasticote is good. Just make sure that it’s really dry before you start, and put masking tape over the controls.

[123woop]

I always like Bosch and been delighted with our Bosch white goods. That said, I'd get a Miele next time and invest.

[Blughbablugh]

I had an LG one and I had a consistent drainage problem with it. In the end I got so sick of having to drain it manually every so often that I got a new one. Have had a bosch for a few years and touch wood haven't had any problems with it. I personally wouldn't get another LG.

[unsync]

Samsung eco bubble. Honeycomb drum is fab for delicates.

[Scarecrowrowboat]

Our Miele is about 20 years old so recommend them.

[Theonewheretherewas4]

Candy machine in our house 11kg drum and I regularly use the 39 min wash at 40 degrees. It gets used a lot!!!! Iv no complaints at all but not sure if it comes in silver.

[mumpower3]

Miele are probably the best. My very old one died , and it was so old to fix it cost the same as a new one. Was only 5kg though , no idea how i managed! Haha
So i now have a 10kg hotpoint and I absolutely love it!!
Its silver / grey
Shortest wash is 15 mins / 30 mins but i always do a 45 min wash.
It also has a self clean mode which is just amazing as it cleans its self too!!
Wasn't that expensive either

[paintitallover]

It says there are 15 and 30 minute programs, are they any good?

I don't use them, especially after I read on here that the longer programmes are cheaper to run. There's a 40 degree speed program which lasts an hour, which is ok as long as you don't overfill the machine.

[Izzy24]

@Mañanarama

Good to hear, thank you!! It’s not bad looking for a washing machine so as long as it uses more water than the old one, I’m happy!

It says there are 15 and 30 minute programs, are they any good?

Just got home - mine is a Bosch 4 too. Great machine .

[Notplayingball]

Haier.

[Frosty1000]

Had an eco bubble previously but that didn't live up to expectations. Took a punt on a Haier - really can't complain. Cotton 40 degrees cycle is 1 HR 22.

[Scrumbleton]

Don't buy Beko - had 3 in a row for holiday home each with different faults - refused to take a fourth and bought a bottom of the range Bosch as that's what I have at home. It's brilliant. I look for a machine that has short wash cycles ( nothing needs washing for hours) and a strong spin. Also check that it has a spin only cycle not just rinse and spin as sometimes it's necessary to spin hand washed items and the rinse is totally unnecessary

[Damnautocorrect]

My LG was brilliant. I adored it.
my AEG is a cunt.

[Wildeheart]

I know you have a separate tumble dryer but I have a Bosch Serie 6 10kg/6kg washer dryer and it is honestly the best machine I’ve ever had! You put a load in and when you come back it’s washed and dried perfectly. Super silent too. I recommend it to everyone!

[Spottiwatty]

Wildeheart: I would’ve agreed with you 110.% if I had not experience appalling Bosch ‘service’ I always believed in this brand but now that they are manufactured in China I believe the quality has slipped.

When I researched, a review about replacing a Bosch toaster with another caught my attention. Reviewer talked about poor quality and realising it was now made in China while German charging prices. Other reviews on appliance after sale service, I found, most/all appliances receive poor ratings. I’ve written to Which? asking for after sale services to be included in ratings, no response. If enough people seek honest reviews things should change.
We, as consumers, buy on trust of positive reviews, reality is we have to deal with large call centres who probably handle multiple brands and make no bones about not giving a hoot about us or broken down our appliance and inconvenience caused.
Wildeheart, I loved the same washer dryer until things went wrong. Bosch were like headless chickens. I was told twice part were in stock only to be told by engineers that parts were not in their day pack on days of appointments. I had to wait another 14 day each time because of someones lack of care and professionalism. There were no apologises or acknowledgment
of their fault, it was my my problem
After nearly 3 months wait i
sought a refunded and deleted Bosch and associate products from my life.

Best by far since then is Miele. They are madly expensive, go for a basic model. Or look for a cheap n cheerful brand which is what Bosch and associate brands are except at German prices.

[Thighdentitycrisis]

Meile always for me.
mine is 12 years old and like new. It has never gone wrong
my only complaint is the drum is a bit bigger than my old Indesit which I had for 15 years

[Thighdentitycrisis]

Don’t buy Indesit btw as they are now made by someone else like Bosch as member above