UK Washing Machine

I'm hoping that someone can help me!!

My washing machine here in the UK threw out some big blue sparks and then gave up the ghost, tonight. Kevin says that it is beyond economical repair.[msncry][msncry]

It was a Creda with a top speed of 1600. It also had other features which I never used so don't need to replace since everything gets washed on the same cycle.[msnsmile2]

It's a very long time since I bought one, so does anyone have any recommendations as to a good one to buy, please?

Bosch. I've had a Bosch for I suppose about nine years now and it's been no problem. It has a handy rinse hold button which keeps clothes in the water and conditioner until you're ready to spin them (so they don't spin and sit there all creased up because you're on the forum and forgotten to take them out!). http://www.boschappliances.co.uk/index.asp

I had a previous Hotpoint which gave up the ghost really quickly (after 3 years and about six repairs) and Mum's Creda washer/dryer which caught fire!

Bosch for me too, go for the basic because like you say you tend to only use one wash cycle, been really pleased with mine[clap][clap][clap]

When I bought it I went round all the electrical stores and asked who had one in stock and took it away with me rather than waiting for delivery too.

My Mum has a Creda tumble dryer thats still going strong she had it when I last lived at home and for years before tht so it must be 30 years old!!!!

Good luck Carla[msnwink]

I bought my son a new washer yesterday as the Bosch which he had "inherited" when he moved in his new place gave up the ghost.......it was probabaly ready to draw it's pension[msneek]

Anyway, when looking at washers the guy told us, don't expect any thing to last more than 3 - 4 years![msneek] ( The water here is rubbish, full of limescale )

My first washer was a Servis and lasted me 14 years[clap] Pity they don't make them like that anymore[msnsad]

i bought a LG, its an extra big load, 7kgs, as opposed to the 5kgs, it has a 35 min cycle, its brilliant, i cost £500 am hoping it will be worth it!! so far so good, normally have phillips whirlpool, would recommend, but only chose this one as it has a 35 min cycle and the large load

Had my Indesit Omega 1200 for the past 8yrs with no problems at all. Paid £350 for it.

Just a thought....aren't we all tempting fate here?!!!! [msnscared]

Hi

my friends husband is in the appliance repair buisness and he fixed a similar problem for me a few years ago

the washer needed a new circuit board ,electric thingy?, not sure exactly but it was an electrical fault

i would phone around first see if anyone does free estimates for the repair

but if it's a very old washer i would probably buy another with a 3/5 year warranty

good luck

Mizzy

I have a Bosch machine too, and am very pleased with it so far (4 and a half years).[msnsmile2]

I nearly didn't add to this thread...I agree with Benny24 - we may be tempting fate!![msnscared]

We have all our appliances covered through a well known company. Everything is covered and they have been and repaired our washing machine at least 3 times in the past 12 months. Im sure it only cost about £120 per year and covers up to 5 domestic appliances which you choose and you can call them out as many times as you want.

<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by emm
I have a Bosch machine too, and am very pleased with it so far (4 and a half years).[msnsmile2]

I nearly didn't add to this thread...I agree with Benny24 - we may be tempting fate!![msnscared]
[/quote]


...thats why I'm not saying anything!![msnscared][msnscared]

I have Bosch dishwasher and Miele washer and dryer - I was assured the Miele would last even longer than the Bosch, but we shall see! The washing machine is 7 years old and the dryer 3, nothing gone wrong so far (hmmmmmmmmmn, what was that about tempting fate), dishwasher lasted 6 years, second one is now 2 years old. DW is used at least once a day, Washer and dryer probably 4/8 washes a week.

Thats good to know Fiona I just got a Miele washing machine. Very pleased with it so far and hoping it will last for a long time.

I have a Siemens Serie IQ washer. It's absolutely fantastic - 7kg load, up to 1600 spin. The best thing about it is the versatility with the programs - you can mix and match spin cycles, change temperature on any program, auto prewash and if you select the stains feature on any program it magically removes anything!!!
It also has a computer update feature so that it's upgradable with any new programs (I think this is more of a gimmick)
Did I sound a little too excited about by washer????? Sad eh, just don't let me get started on my dishwasher..........

A word of warning - there's a large capacity, 1600 spin Hoover washer currently selling very well as its a great price - I know 2 people who have bought it and both are disappointed as it is so noisy.

LOL Blott. Everything waits until the forum's been read. [msnsmile2]

Mizzy, it's definitely circuit board problems. Kevin spent about an hour fixing a blockage in the outflow pipe, turned it back on and then there were sparks everywhere.[msncry][msncry]

Thanks everyone for tempting fate and answering me!! I'll do the research for a decent but basic machine, based on what you've all told me.

We inherited this machine when we moved into our home. The builders installed it as part of the specs of the kitchen and it's only just over 3 years old. The guarantees have all run out. The previous owners had 4 young kids, so it was probably used a great deal!!!

I never liked it because it only had a smallish capacity (certainly not as big as the one that I left behind in my last home) and it was very noisy on the spin cycle too, Ana. I couldn't have put a wash on overnight without waking the street!! Thanks for the warning re the Hoover machine.

My Bosch is on at least twice a day, and although the spin sounds like an aircraft taking off in the utility room[msnscared]

Ours is a Bosch too, must be 8 years old now. I too tend to use just 1 or 2 of the programmes available. Only thing is, it takes a lot longer to complete the cycle than our machine in the villa.

Think mine is 6 years old[?]

about dishwashers, i had my last one for 8 years with no problems ever!!! no one called out, nothing, it was an indesit, and with 6 kids alot younger then it was so well used, sometimes over used, so last year we bought a new one after much thought and going without for a few years we invested in an indesit one again, well why not? never had a days problems before, so after 6 weeks called an engineer out, (old flame from teenage years swoon swoon)[msnwink] and he laughed and said indesit are rubbish!!! i had a new zanussi washing machine at the time, (well just over a year or so) and played up constantly, so when the repair man saw that he commented they were one of the best!! yeh right, so now the zanussi which last 3 years at most has gone, replaced by the LG with no bushes or belt driven?????? something like that????? i am expecting it to last for years and bought the extended guarentee, (well it has to be done)[msnwink][msnwink]

Liesa never buy the extended warranties they are a con, consumer law is 5 years for white goods (I think) or what is deemed 'reasonable' regardless of what guarantee it has[msnwink]

Go to the Which website for all the details[msnwink]

I have a Bosch dishwasher too[msnwink]

We inherited a Zanussi when we bought our house, that was 18months old, it did last 12 years, but only because I paid almost every year for something to be fixed! I bet I paid more to the engineers than that machine ever cost. Learnt my lesson and looked more upmarket.

Having said that, there are always machines that just break down for no rhyme nor reason[msnmad]. Agree with Julie, those extended guarantees aren't worth the paper they are written, machine always goes wrong just as it ends! The salesman in the shop told me not to bother with one for my miele - it won't need it were his exact words!

yeh but if it goes wrong as it may well do at least i'm covered by the guarentee, and of course the dishy domestic engineer!!![msnwink]

<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by fiona
[msnmad]. Agree with Julie, those extended guarantees aren't worth the paper they are written, machine always goes wrong just as it ends! The salesman in the shop told me not to bother with one for my miele - it won't need it were his exact words!
[/quote]

I know they have been on Watchdog and the Which mag tells you that too[msnwink]

My hubby is very much up to speed with the Sale of goods act[msnwink]

I never had much lucky with washing machines in the UK...after my old twin tub died...it was 25 years old..and about 4th hand..I got through 4 front loaders before moving to the US...that was a new one around every 3 years...I would of thought it was something I did if not for the fact most of my friends had the same trouble....my last machine was the best and the cheapest...we sold it with the house...they make machines with to much to go wrong nowadays....go for something simple and it goes on for years...

couldnt beat the twin tubs Chrissy!![msnwink] my first ever washing machine was a second or third hand twin tub!!

<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by LiesaAnna
couldnt beat the twin tubs Chrissy!![msnwink] my first ever washing machine was a second or third hand twin tub!!
[/quote]
I guess the toploaders we have in Florida are the next best thing [msnsmile2]

I have an LG, must be the same as Liesa, as its the one which can take larger loads, very helpful with the amount of wahsing my sons create.[msnsmile]

Get to Costco and buy a whirlpool top loader - use all the washes, especially the 6 minute wash, no problems, big loads, built to last - just get your chainsaw on the worktop, and smile smugly everytime you lift the lid to put in the sock you had forgotten. Love it to bits - and that was after throwing away a Hotpoint [cost about £600 with extended warranty] under guarantee, because I was SOOOO fed up with it!!

The trouble is that you cannot tell where domestic appliances are made these days. Everyone assumes that because Bosch are a German company they are built in Germany to typical Teutonic engineering standards – like a Mercedes! Many are now produced in Poland and Spain. Some ‘manufacturers’ have appliances made in other factories – usually Italy - and simply put their label on them. On top of this virtually every manufacturer buys in major components from other firms.

The point being that we could have had 10 years trouble free service from, say, a Phillips but that is absolutely no guarantee that a new Phillips will also be excellent as it could be built in another country, by another manufacturer, using completely different components.

By the way I have nothing against Bosch and have their washing machine, dryer, dishwasher and freezer, albeit none were built in Germany.

Lastly who uses all of the hundreds of available combinations of washing/rinsing/temperature/spinning/load/material? Bet most use 2 or 3!

Robert I don't care where it is made as long as it lasts me[msnwink][msnwink][msnwink]

I think I'm losing the will to live.

Mines a Zanussi and tends to be runnning most days, we've never had any problems[msnwink]

ALR

Robert we are bathroom distributors - guess where the pot comes from nowadays under "British" names? Made anywhere but here on the whole! But the slipware still comes from Cornwall and is shipped out all over the place.

China is the hot place at the moment, you can't move at a trade exhibition for the Chinese taking photos and reproducing the stuff at a fraction of the cost. The big boys do at least have control over the quality and regulations of what they have made.

So why should the white goods industry be any different?

BTW in our industry goods come quicker, and they deliver what they say they are going to deliver, from Dubai than they do from Stoke on Trent - go figure!

Thanks very much for your help folks. I took on board everything that you had written and ended up ordering a Whirlpool 1400rpm front loader, today. I did this because it's one of the few models left that still has hot and cold fill (we have gas heated instant hot water - so might as well use it), plus, and this was a big plus, the company that I bought from have it in stock and are delivering and installing it on Sunday. They are also going to take away the old one. I'm working away from home the rest of this week, so a weekend installation was great.

I don't know how good it will be but as long as it can cope with a 30 degree wash and a fast spin, then I'll be fine!![msnsmile2][msnsmile2][msnsmile2]

Sounds great Carla[clap][clap][clap][clap]

yes sounds very good Carla!! hope you and the whirlpool will be very happy for many years to come!!


Sarah, mines the larger load!! LG that is, its great but the only problem is the door opens the opposite way to everything else!![msnwink]

Can't believe this posting has come up - only this Sunday hubby and I were saying we might have to replace our beloved washing machine as its bearings are about to go. I say 'beloved' as we have had it 22years and its a Hotpoint. In the 22 yrs we have probably spent a maximum of £300 on repairs. We know there is no way we will get another washer to last as long but Mother in law works in a white goods store and says the best buy is a Bosch. She also recommended getting a washer with hot & cold fill and a choice of a shorter cycle.

Jane

<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by LiesaAnna
about dishwashers, i had my last one for 8 years with no problems ever!!! no one called out, nothing, it was an indesit, and with 6 kids alot younger then it was so well used, sometimes over used, so last year we bought a new one after much thought and going without for a few years we invested in an indesit one again, well why not? never had a days problems before, so after 6 weeks called an engineer out, (old flame from teenage years swoon swoon)[msnwink] and he laughed and said indesit are rubbish!!! [msnwink][msnwink]
[/quote]We had an Indesit dishwasher which we threw out after a year , because it never washed the dishes properly.

<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Robert we are bathroom distributors - guess where the pot comes from nowadays under "British" names? Made anywhere but here on the whole! But the slipware still comes from Cornwall and is shipped out all over the place.

China is the hot place at the moment, you can't move at a trade exhibition for the Chinese taking photos and reproducing the stuff at a fraction of the cost. The big boys do at least have control over the quality and regulations of what they have made.

So why should the white goods industry be any different?

BTW in our industry goods come quicker, and they deliver what they say they are going to deliver, from Dubai than they do from Stoke on Trent - go figure![/quote]

Fiona,
I don’t know what I am supposed to ‘go figure’.

Several people made recommendations to buy a machine from certain manufacturer because their old one had lasted X years.

I was pointing out that you should not assume that, say, a Phillips purchased today will have the same reliability as a Phillips made 10 years ago. This is because they could now be made in a different country by a different manufacturer. The modern ones could be of better or inferior quality for all I know.

This is exactly what you say has happened in your industry. I might be more than satisfied with, say, my old British Twyford or Armitage bath/toilet. However I should not assume that a new bath/toilet from those manufacturers will be of the same quality and recommend them. They could now be made in another country by another manufacturer and again they could be of better or inferior quality for all I know.

I was not suggesting that the white goods industry should be different to your industry, or that it is necessarily wrong that either market has evolved in this manner. In fact it is happening with a wide range of manufactured goods. However there is no doubt that many prestige manufacturers have cashed in on their reputation and allowed inferior goods to be produced under their brand.

Robert, I think that Fiona was saying "go figure" to the fact that goods get to her quicker from Dubai than they do from Stoke on Trent!! She, like probably most of us, can't understand why Dubai to Maidenhead is so much quicker, and the goods are what was ordered, than Stoke on Trent to Maidenhead which is only about 120 miles and they get the order wrong. It's no wonder that companies source from outside the UK and EU.

Spot on Carla, I was trying to make a wry comment, obviously failed miserably!

The problem all the larger manufacturing companies have is that cheap copies are flooding into their markets, and if they don't compete (by having their product made cheaper - not necessarily lower standards, just that labour costs are miniscule in comparison to what they are in the west) they will be out of business.