Need a new washing machine - what should I buy?

30 replies

Purplecatshopaholic · 18/10/2025 16:59

My old faithful Beko WM has given up the ghost. He served me faithfully for 14 years, so probably a pretty good innings. So what to buy now, the choice is overwhelming. Is there a ‘good make’ of WM? What sort of price is reasonable for a pretty bog-standard machine? I don’t think I need anything fancy - just that it washes things well! If you bought one recently what did you consider? Thoughts would be welcome as the more I google, the more confused I get!

OP posts:

deathbyprocrastination · 30/10/2025 12:39

BertieBotts · 30/10/2025 12:06

@deathbyprocrastination just whatever you do, avoid the ones where the bottom arm has an extra attachment to make it turn in a "square" absolute bane of my life - I got a Beko dishwasher because the only Bosch one in our price range had a plastic floor - which I thought looked like a nightmare to clean. (Stainless steel inner is best). However - the Beko has this stupid "satellite arm" on the bottom which gets full of grit constantly and is impossible to clean since it has parts you can't reach inside at all, and then it locks up and stops spinning. Our old Bosch, while it was utterly grim due to the previous tenants apparently not ever deep cleaning it in 5 years, could be fully disassembled including all of the water jets etc taken out to clean them properly.

Now have ongoing argument with DH where he reckons we can't get any customer support with the stupid hard to clean design because it's user error ie we don't wash the plates before putting them in the dishwasher. I maintain that as long as solid food and large amounts of residue are scraped off, some food residue is expected use conditions for a dishwasher and it ought to be able to handle it. ARGH. Anyway.

With a standard spinny arm, a long pipe cleaner is useful for popping bits of grit, spinach, egg shell, seeds etc back through the holes and then you swish it around enough and can rinse them back out through the large hole where it attaches to the machine.

I think in the future I am going to stick to the mantra KISS (Keep It Simple, Stupid) - avoid ANY fancy feature that involves extra moving parts, make sure everything is as simple and accessible as possible.

That sounds incredibly annoying!!

Gingernaut · 30/10/2025 12:42

Buy a solid, basic machine

I bought a Hotpoint from AO, not realising that it was Internet enabled and that many of the 'snazzy' advertised functions could not be used without WiFi and an app

Pre-wash? Extra rinses? Want to adjust the spin speeds?

App only

If the servers go down at the washing machine app mothership, you're screwed

Basic. Basic all the way

sometimesitrainshere · 12/11/2025 07:51

Haier direct motion machines are much quieter spinning and don't get unbalanced. Spin is so quiet that the normal water sloshing during the main wash is louder. It's been a game-changer for us. I would recommend especially if you have open-plan or washer in the kitchen.

ao.com/l/washing_machines-haier-9871/1-6-20/1/

Haier Washing Machines with Direct Motion Motor | ao.com

A wide range and great deals on washing machines State-of-the-art appliances from Haier. Flexible delivery available.

https://ao.com/l/washing_machines-haier-9871/1-6-20/1/

Nsky62 · 12/11/2025 07:53

BlackForestCake · 21/10/2025 20:00

Washing machines just seem to give up the ghost at random, there doesn't seem to be any guarantee that a more expensive machine will last longer. I'd just go for another Beko if I were you, given the old one did 14 years.

My AEG has a 5 yr warranty, bought last April love it

Original poster

Purplecatshopaholic · 12/11/2025 08:25

After quite a bit of research, I ignored snazzy in favour of a solid, basic machine. I don’t need snazzy, I only really use a few washes. Went to Curry’s and got another Beko. Staff were great, delivered and fit it and took the old one. All good.

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