LG have commissioned a survey of 2000 people in the UK to get their views on how important energy efficiency is to people when buying washing machines with some more insights thrown in to the mix.
The survey concludes that more than half the people asked regarded energy efficiency as a consideration when buying a new washing machine.
Now we’ll point out right now that this is a pet hate of ours on this website (one of a number) as often energy use figures that manufacturer’s pump out are confusing and could be viewed as misleading. There’s a number of articles on the site that explain that position in far more depth but let us for now leave it at, what you get told and what actually is will often differ.
But one of the big fears expressed in this study was the concerns for future generations surprisingly ahead of fears over increases of the cost of living rising.
Many people said that they would change their lifestyles to try to help with measures like putting off washing clothes, washing items less often and so on however whether that would materialise into practice in probably a different story.
The stats here may be a bit screwed up though as reportedly 73% said they only did an average of eleven washes a month and only when they had a full load to put on. Which doesn’t seem to fit with previous studies that have indicated the average load size in the UK is about 2.5kg.
We guess it would depend on who was asked, where and what question was asked, how.
Of course that, we don’t know.
Carolyn Anderson, LG head of marketing, said: “From the study, we can see that cost and reliability are no longer the only key factors when it comes to purchasing home appliances. More than half of consumers in our study are considering the energy efficiency of white goods, before they buy. LG recognises this demand and recently launched its Centum System washing machine, acknowledging the consumers’ desire to be more considerate to the environment, by offering measurably increased efficiency and reliability, backed by a 20-year warranty.”
Like, what? Uh?
LG are likely no better or much worse than most others in terms of energy efficiency in a washing machine (despite what marketing people say) and really, a twenty year warranty? Let’s take that one to bits…
LG offer a decent warranty and we think the machines are okay, support and spares could be a *LOT* better in our opinion but, they’re okay.
Info on the twenty year warranty seems a bit sparse on LG’s websites but it appears to be some sort of extended warranty, probably through registration or suchlike.
The ten and twenty year warranties though are a bit of an illusion, with most people not quite understanding how those sort of offers work until they have call to find out the bad bits.
What happens here is that LG will warranty the bits that don’t break often, so with washing machines the induction direct drive motor that’s basically a big coil. That doesn’t break often.
To find out that’s not the problem though and, if you want to be covered by warranty on the off chance it is that causing the problem, you need to call out LG themselves and you have no choice in that. From what we’ve heard you may be asked to pay upfront for a visit then you get money back if it proves the fault is indeed covered.
Most won’t be.
If you are buying solely on the idea that you’re getting a free 10 or 20 year warranty then, you’re not.
Will the machine last 20 years as LG allude to, probably not as the rest of it will likely fall apart before it gets to that ripe old age as the bits that will wear out like doors seals, drain pumps, bearings and so on will likely break long before it sees its tenth birthday never mind the twentieth!
