New Washing Machine Advice Please

[Mista Preston]

Ok, no jokes here, my washing machine has bust. Can anyone give me any advice on what to look for in a new washing machine as there seem to be tons on the Market. Beko seem to be well priced with multiple functions etc and stocked by Currys and Argus but no idea how good this brand is?

Not sure how much to spend but dont want to spend more than about 300 quid but just want to know what the real important bits to look out for are.

Any advice would be great

thanks
Clive

 

[SavageHoutkop]

I needed to buy a machine recently; but I needed a washer/dryer.

I found this website, perhaps it'll help:
http://www.washerhelp.co.uk/

My logic was to buy a longer-guaranteed good quality machine. I bought a Miele - there are deals going at the moment for a longer guarantee period via redemption.
I think this is probably outside your pricerange. I also found, if you're willing to take a chance, that Comet has an auction site where it sells returned and/or shop floor models, possibly with scratches. There's a chance there to buy a good quality machine at a cheaper price, but the problem is the guarantee is only 6 months; although as most machines only have a year anyway, it might be worth a punt.

 

[Baggy]

Another vote for Bosch, although Miele are indeed supposed to be excellent.

 

[bauldbairn]

Another vote for Bosch, although Miele are indeed supposed to be excellent.

+1,

Miele seem to be big in Europe, but I'm a big Bosch fan.


Just to confuse things, I will say however that my new apartment came with a Zanussi washer/dryer 10 years ago and it's still going strong with no faults whatsoever! My mother bought a Zanussi washer dryer more than 20 years ago and she's still got it too!

 

[SavageHoutkop]

Just to confuse things, I will say however that my new apartment came with a Zanussi washer/dryer 10 years ago and it's still going strong with no faults whatsoever! My mother bought a Zanussi washer dryer more than 20 years ago and she's still got it too!

Not to point the finger at Zanussi, because I can't remember the brands involved, but one of the articles I read in my search (probably on the website I posted earlier) said that some brands have had their quality suffer in recent years. Also, if you see who owns who (or who makes what!!), most of the manufacturers are actually inter-related somehow [Electolux and AEG I think, for one]. So, in cases like that, brands pre the merge may have been better, where now you're getting something else entirely under the hood.

My parents had many years of service (not pain free, but with bits that could be fixed rather than throwing them away) out of AEG washing machines. However, that line (top loading but with a drum the same way around as a front loader) doesn't exist any more...

The John Lewis brand washing machine's are made by the same company that makes AEG and Zanussi. [apparently, lifted from another website]. So, a John Lewis with 3 yr gtee might be a good bet if you were thinking of AEG or Zanussi - see (which seem to have shorter guarantees) http://www.johnlewis.com/230420541/Product.aspx

 

[bauldbairn]

Not to point the finger at Zanussi, because I can't remember the brands involved, but one of the articles I read in my search (probably on the website I posted earlier) said that some brands have had their quality suffer in recent years. Also, if you see who owns who (or who makes what!!), most of the manufacturers are actually inter-related somehow [Electolux and AEG I think, for one]. So, in cases like that, brands pre the merge may have been better, where now you're getting something else entirely under the hood.

+1, true!

I worked in industrial maintenance for (24)years and some of the take overs mergers defy belief.

Bosch(Mannesman Rexroth) were owned for a short time by Orange(mobile phones) as I used to work on Idramat machines and they were part of the same group of companies. Electrolux own Flymo and Candy own Hoover - (off topic,slightly)Scott's / Quaker porridge oats are made in the same factory in Cupar owned by Pepsi Co etc,etc,etc - just like George Orwell said all those years ago.

 

[Piemaster]

The ship I'm working on has washing machines and dryers all by Miele. In constant abuse by a minimum of 13 blokes (including heavily oil and paint soiled coveralls).
Expensive but reliable. Can't remember the last time one needed any attention, which is good as I'm expected to fix them

 

[HJ]

Miele and Bosch dominate the Which? best buy tables, the cheapest (in the best buy table) Bosch is the WAE2416SUK Classixx at £340, whereas the cheapest Miele (W1613) is £650...

 

[Fab Foodie]

Much useful stuff here:
http://www.ukwhitegoods.co.uk/modules.php?name=Content&pa=list_pages_categories&cid=13

Everybody needs this site!

Actually, after owning an AEG that did pretty stirling work, we went the John Lewis own-brand route for the extra warranty (It's an Electrolux machine... as are most modern AEG's anyway).

So far so good.
Go for basic models.

 

[SavageHoutkop]

The ship I'm working on has washing machines and dryers all by Miele.

I was recently in Poland and staying in student residence, their laundry room was also a bank of Miele machines, both washers and dryers.

 

[Campfire]

I had an AEG for about 15 years, expensive but eventually it failed last year and I thought I'd had my money's worth and was going to buy another. Fortunately I remembered that my son had just had a new kitchen and his Bosch was sitting outside his house covered up waiting for it to go on Freegle! I got a request in there and both were quickly installed in my kitchen!

I left my old fridge outside for the Heart Foundation to collect, and the washer outside for the local Town Council to collect. However, the Heart Foundation collected BOTH. I got a note later saying that they had raised £160 for fridge and washer, so they must have repaired the washer! That's OK, better than going to the tip!

I think both Bosch and AEG are good machines, although I would dearly love a Miele. I must say that the Bosch I now have is not such a fast washer as my AEG, takes much longer but is quieter.

 

[Downward]

Hotpoint.

 

[ASC1951]

..... Comet has an auction site where it sells returned and/or shop floor models, possibly with scratches. There's a chance there to buy a good quality machine at a cheaper price, but the problem is the guarantee is only 6 months; although as most machines only have a year anyway, it might be worth a punt.

..and if you do buy one new, don't be suckered into paying 25% on top for an 'extended warranty'. Most washing machines are very reliable these days. Mine is at least 10 years old and has never malfunctioned.

 

[Ste T.]

Another vote for Bosch. Ours is 8 yrs old and has been used practically every day, sometimes 2 or 3 times a day, for all that time. It just sits there quietly doing it's job. We got it from John Lewis , who operate a price match, but more importantly will do the decent thing if it breaks down. A couple of years ago we went to a Currys near us to look at buying a laptop. When we got there , there was flat back lorry outside with a washing machine on it and a young bloke advising everybody in a very loud voice not to buy from Curries as they were "shoot". A young woman explained it was her brother, and she had bought the machine from the store 2 weeks earlier and it had packed in. They had refused to take it back and insisted that she should contact the manufacturer. Her brother was having non of this and brought it back on his works lorry. I dont know how long he was at it but after a few minutes the manager came out with two staff and said he had spoken to head office and they had agreed to make an exception in her case, to the cheers and jeers of the small crowd that had gathered to watch. I would concur with the brother.

 

[Crankarm]

Another vote for Bosch. Ours is 8 yrs old and has been used practically every day, sometimes 2 or 3 times a day, for all that time. It just sits there quietly doing it's job. We got it from John Lewis , who operate a price match, but more importantly will do the decent thing if it breaks down. A couple of years ago we went to a Currys near us to look at buying a laptop. When we got there , there was flat back lorry outside with a washing machine on it and a young bloke advising everybody in a very loud voice not to buy from Curries as they were "shoot". A young woman explained it was her brother, and she had bought the machine from the store 2 weeks earlier and it had packed in. They had refused to take it back and insisted that she should contact the manufacturer. Her brother was having non of this and brought it back on his works lorry. I dont know how long he was at it but after a few minutes the manager came out with two staff and said he had spoken to head office and they had agreed to make an exception in her case, to the cheers and jeers of the small crowd that had gathered to watch. I would concur with the brother.

Ha! .