Big Upgrade – What have been the key advancements since early 2000’s

[flembot]

Our Zanussi FLE1216W finally gave up the ghost last week. We have had it since 1999. It really has lasted us all this time.

I’ve placed an order for a Samsung Series5+ WW90T554DAN

I’m curious what the key technological advances have taken place since the early 2000’s to make machines work more quietly and efficiently
happy to know of any downsides also

[andyjawa]

Will make Reference to ww90t554dan/S1 in graphite colour version.
Many “advancements” over last 23 years some are based on total bull, cheap use of parts, Wifi – stupid idea, automatic cartridge dosing – an even more crazy idea, brushless motor (brushless motors is nothing new, had those in pre 1980s) but brushless inverter motor pcb control is fairly recent (last 12 years in one form or another), long programme times such as your Samsung mentioned = 199 minute 40 degree wash – so that is a 3.30 hour wash cycle but that`ll seem like it is longer and could cause concern that you might be dead before picking up your State Pension! Steam cleaning – a gimmick: will be on only certain programmes such as bedding but may well prove to be no more of a success than a straight forward 60 degree wash, what really kills germs long term is using the drum clean programme often as required but then that programme is used without clothes being in it which is probably why most folk neglect using it. Add wash door flap + not that uncommon that these break and pretty sure that means a new door complete which is not cheap based on the previous models – just looked that up £161.27 for a complete door. Bubble soak – a gimmick, least the way Samsung portray it = no real difference to a 1970s Indesit L6 or L5 Bio soak programme as I can gather. On the other hand, these days, as per your mentioned Samsung, you now get drum clean programme which is useful but how many folks actually ever use it is debatable. Inverter motors get 5 years warranty (though your samsung might get 20 years as the ad I read then contradicts itself saying 5 years so not sure there….and neither are they by the look of it) with 5 years parts and labour on the rest of the contraption (though doubt it will not cover plastic parts….the bits that go obsolete at the drop of a hat).
So let`s pick some of this apart. So why is Wifi a dumb idea? Well it encourages folk to put the machine on when you are not at home! Not a good idea. Distrust all washing machines (and most other appliances) as much as any sensible person distrusts British Gov`t (especially a Tory one). If the thing is going to screw up and flood / malfunction you want to be around when it happens and not down the Gym and then coming back to a “futility room” magically transformed into an in-door swimming pool, where plastic ducks are optional! Unlikely? No it isn`t!
Cartridge dosing (which your Samsung model mercifully does not have): complex and expensive when it gets blocked up or its directional motor jams which it will – totally unnecessary and appeals to wretched females who do not want to sully their painted nails with the laborious physical movement of manually putting in detergent = too much effort and distracts from Tik tok usage apparently.
Inverter motors: very reliable which is why most brands give an extended warranty, what isn`t so reliable is the pcb that controls it (as many a Bosch owner has found out as a 174 quid touch) which may or may not be covered itself by an extended warranty depending upon the brand concerned.
Cheap parts and cheap materials: they are all at it but that is nothing new it is just these days it is more blatant but just doesn`t visually look it. Take a Samsung for instance the paint was thin: I made the mistake of taking an unboxed new machine with an upright trolley placed at the rear of the machine, a piece of cardboard I used dislodged itself, after a mere 11 miles by the time I got there the trolley had removed the paint to bare metal.
Went to a Samsung WW90 something or other: twin motor drive this means one motor and belt worked the drum, t`other motor and belt worked a rear drum impellor. Made a right racket on spin as the drum impellor`s spider shaft had rotted out – no parts available – 6 years old! Make sure this Samsung you are after t`aint one of those……..just checked for you, your model that you are interested in isn`t one of those.
Is it a good idea to buy a Samsung? God knows! Many people do and have little to no trouble but over all they tend to suffer from pcboard weird faults, blocked up pumps – well that is down to the user. Some drum spiders are known to fail prematurely. Parts can be tricky to get hold of after the warranty ends, least historically. A dismantleable tank is good as it least gives you a fighting chance to replace the drum bearings if they ever fail. They seem to use 3 rd party for spares sales….never a good idea. Not a fan of Samsung myself but then Bosch spares set up is excellent and generally most models are reasonably good but I`m not a fan of those either (most Bosch have sealed tanks) or Miele for different reasons.
What went wrong with the Zanussi….bearings and the now obsolete thick shaft spider?? Or no spin or drum action – usually the motor brushes worn out. What is wrong with getting a new Zanussi or an Electrolux – expensive spares, short warranty perhaps put you off?

[andyjawa]

PS. You might want to read the model`s 3, 2, 1 star reviews plus read some of the French reviews too (although remembering that the French will moan about anything and everything – Zut Alors!). The model WW90T554DAN has been around for about 2 years BUT the trouble with reviews is that they do not allow updates: ” I bought my Samsung and it is the best thing since a pair of Y fronts” A review after one wash cycle although they neglect to mention that……Then they get a run of trouble 7 months on and cannot tell you how disappointed they are with a long sob story. The warranty is 5 years parts and labour with 10 years on the motor. The 20 year on the motor was apparently a limited special offer, now ended, hence the confusion; make sure you register the thing with Samsung – that is important – do not want to give them warranty claim wriggle room do you. I take it you down loaded the “User Destruction Manual” to check out the programme times and programme capacities – would not be surprised that only 4 programmes you could use 9 kg load and full spin speed…so checking that would be a good idea; things maybe not what you`d expect?

[bammec]

For me, the biggest advance is brushless motors. When spinning and washing, my Bosch is near silent. Apart from the sound of the slightly loose drum bearings that don’t seem have to worsened since the day I got the machine – sealed drums have got a lot to answer for.

I’m not sure I’d class drum clean cycles as an advancement, more of a reminder to us mere customers/end-users to clean the drum after a quite a few cool wash cycles have been performed. On my Bosch, I just put some towels or bedding in on a 60c cottons cycle and that clears the drum clean reminder – no need to spend money on the energy for a separate cycle, especially with today’s energy prices.

Somebody on a washing machine forum once referred to Samsung machines as glitter boxes and I tend to agree. Full of cheap gimmicky marketing tat to convince the customer to buy their rubbish. Once upon a time, I believe Samsung were reasonably well regarded by some – but now they seem just as reliable as the low budget machines these days. I’m not saying my Bosch is perfect, but I’d happily spend my money on another top-end Bosch tomorrow.

[Author]

Posts