Third washing machine in 5 years - recommendations

[Decoart]

Hi looking to replace another washing machine! Bosch stopped working 2 months out of warranty!
Replaced with a Haier machine which keeps randomly shrinking clothes on 30 degree washes. It is still in warranty but engineer keeps cancelling and £80 call out if can't find anything wrong.
It was £350 ish but has shrank clothes more than now so think am going to just bite the bullet and buy a new machine. So reliable non shrinking machine recommendations please up to £500.

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MNHQ

I've had our AEG one for 9 years and still going strong - similar use to your family.

We have Aeg. It’s 8 ish years old, and gets used to wash all our stuff plus our bed and breakfast laundry plus guests laundry. It’s 9kg and a workhorse

I'm in a really hard water area and I've got an indesit and it's brilliant. Lots of washes because I've got a toddler. Easy to clean the filter too

Look at Ebac ?

I have had a Kenwood for 9 years, has 15 min cycle and a mixed one you programme yourself, works well.

Buy one you like with a long warranty. It looks like 5 years is possible. Make sure you fully understand the warranty and do whatever you have to do to make it work. Expect the machine to fail when the warranty runs out. It's an absymal situation where the machines are designed to last only as long as the warranty. They are not designed for repairing because no one can afford that. I don't think hard water breaks machines. Isn't it normally a worn out bearing that's so noisy you can't live with it anymore.

We have a John Lewis washer dryer and I am really pleased with it. It has a huge 10kg wash capacity, spins at 1600 rpm (adjustable) and dries well too. I know you asked about washing machine, rather than washer dryer, but I can't imagine the washing machine any less efficient. Definitely worth a look.

I do at least one wash most days and have a 9 year old basic Whirlpool that only cost £200 delivered and installed by AO. It's been fantastic and does everything I need ( 15 minute wash, delay start, large capacity etc) and even if it dies tomorrow I think it was a great deal and would get another one. I don't rate Bosch at all. I had a John Lewis in our previous house which was still going strong after 8 years when we moved, but I left it for the new buyers.

I have a John Lewis own bran is over 17 years old and we live in a really hard water area. For the first 12 years of its life in our old house we had no water softener in the house either. We now do have a water softener which has probably helped extend its life. But appart from getting things stuck in the filter from time to time its not been a problem at all.

We have a 2 year old Samsung add wash and I need to call them for the second time tomorrow because it's leaking again, so not one of them!

OP I'm in a hard water area too - the first 12 years of the Mieles life were with hard water (no calgon or other softening) and then we had a water softener fitted (cos I was soooooooo sick of cleaning and how much shampoo, detergent etc the family would go through). That was a game changer! I use way less powder than is recommended on the box when doing the laundry. The new machine is just the entry level one as I didn't want to pay for steam functions or being trapped into buying Miele detergents. Just sling my supermarket own brand powder in the drawer, set temperature (cold then 10 up to 90°) and 'short wash' (about 1hr 15 - there is also a 20 minute express wash) press start and off it goes. I'm really happy as it feels to have the same build quality of the one it replaced.

Thank you to everyone who has commented.
I had a look in John Lewis and quite liked an LG one in my budget. I liked the Samsung Ecobubble as well but the the settings looked very complicated with an extra selection for agitation or water use?

What did suprise me was how many standard settings are 40 degrees while a lot of clothes recommend 30 degree washes.

Off to Curry's at the weekend to have a look at some more.

My Miele is nearly 8 years old. It’s the first one I’ve had. Previously I have had Zanussi and Bosch. This one is hands down the best one. We are in a hard water area and I’ve never had any problems. It is used a lot. It’s still going strong and I’m hoping has a good few years left. Will def buy another, doesn’t need to be the most expensive. An entry level model is just as good.

I have Samsung. The previous one started making a horrible noise just out of warranty. Am engineer came out and said the ball bearings and stuff had disintegrated but as he couldn’t prove whose fault that was they replaced it with a more expensive one!

I have always had Bosch washing machines but my latest one is shoddy quality I took out domestic and general insurance on it and have called them out so many times to get it fixed again
The bearings went and buckled the drum,the rubber seal tore ,the lock broke and it wouldn't shut and the motor burnt out the list goes on and thankfully I had insurance

Miele! My late partner was one of those people who did their research. My inherited years-old Miele has moved house with me and is still brilliant.

Plus, when we went on a 12-night Hurtigruten cruise in Norway, the ship's laundry room for the guests had three Miele washing machines, which IMO shows what an excellent company with a commitment to quality and reliability will choose...