New Washing Machine Advice

[Bralee19]

I’ve been looking at washing machines for a while but I’m getting bamboozled by all the info out there! The info on this website has been really helpful.

We currently have a Candy washer dryer (7kg) and the drying function died a few years ago but it was rubbish anyway. We did have an engineer out to fix it but all he did was reset a button in the machine .I only ever really used it for bedding/towels/baby clothes but the drying time was ridiculous (+4 hours) We only bought it as we have no room for a dryer. The wash times are so long I’ve grown to hate it. It also sounds like an aeroplane is taking off when its on spin cycle. We are a family of three at the moment (two adults and a five year old). We are really lucky as my in-laws have offered to buy us a new machine for Christmas and our budget is £500.

We would be looking at an 8kg/9kg washing machine as drying space is limited (one concertina airer, backs of chairs and sheets hanging over doors) I did have a retractable washing line but the plastic bit to keep the line taut has snapped but hope to replace it next year. I probably do about 4 loads a week as I have to wait for the space to dry clothes which is frustrating.

I’ve looked at all brands but been focusing on the BOSCH machines. Open to any brand though

My current machine has Fuzzy Logic and I wondered if this is something worth considering? I also like the sound of the stain removal options (Beko I think) because I spend a lot of time trying to get tomato sauce out of my son’s tops which is time consuming and just a pain.

Desirable features for us would be the delay function, child lock, time to end indicator, be able to adjust wash temp for a standard wash cycle, stain removal, hand wash, quick wash option (son’s school uniform). Some of the machines I’ve looked at have a ‘B rating spin performance’ and I wondered if this was something to worry about. I was also wondering about i-dose. Is this a useful function or just another gimmick? I currently use SMOL laundry capsules and fabric conditioner.

Would love to hear your suggestions.

Thank you 🙂

[don]

The Beko machines are about the best in the budget range while Bosch is probably the best in the mid to upper and Miele is still the best of the lot. However the build quality of all machines is not what it used to be. Too many manufacturers are trading solely on price and that’s when the quality disappears.

The features you mention are found on most machines, the idos function is a relatively new addition to some brands, I much prefer the old way of self dispensing 😉

Currently with what’s going on in the world right now you will not get the choice or availability of machines as most are out of stock with very long order times. If you see something that suits order it.

Don

[Bralee19]

Hi Don, thank you for your reply.

I’m tempted to go for a better quality/more expensive machine since it will be a gift.

The Beko machines do seem quite cheap and I was worried about the quality of the quick wash after reading about that on this site. My mom has a Beko and she says she can wash a full load in 15 minutes. What about the more expensive Beko machines? Would the quality be any better? I would be tempted to go for one at the higher price end

I would love a Miele as I hear they last a long time but I’m not sure that would be in our price range.

BOSCH seems like a good fit but they all the models are so different to each other.

With regards to capacity, is there much difference between 8 and 9kg? I would worry about the water wastage if not fully filling the machine and it costing more money in the long run. Or if it has fuzzy logic or automatic adjustment does this matter?

Thank you

[don]

The build on the upper Beko machines is no different to the budget ones, yes you will get more functions, bigger capacity etc. The nice thing about Beko is the spares are readily available and at a good price as well.

The difference between 8 and 9 kg is about five gents long sleeve shirts as for spin I would not go over 1400, Water usage is far less per cycle now than twenty years ago, about 50 litres now compared to about 110 twenty years ago.

You cannot wash a full load in 15 minutes on Beko. It’s a 2kg max capacity freshen up cycle. I have just lifted the following from the Beko site which explains the “quick” wash cycles.

“Super Short’ 14 minute Xpress Programme, this new user-friendly appliance takes all the hassle and drama out of doing the laundry.
The 14 minute Xpress programme ‘2kg Super Short’ is invaluable for washing emergencies when clean clothes are needed fast. Simply place that must-have item in the machine and the Beko Xpress ‘Super Short’ Cycle will quickly revive and freshen, providing a simple solution to this common dilemma.

The machine offers two further useful time-saving Xpress programmes. The ’28 minute Xpress’, which can tackle a 8kg load at 30 ºC in just 28 minutes- ideal for clothes that simply need refreshing. Also featured is the ‘58 minute Xpress’ perfect for more grubby clothes in less time-pressured circumstances. This programme allows a 8kg load to run a full 60°C cycle also giving great wash results.”

Don

[Bralee19]

Hi Don,

Thanks again.

I’ve been comparing washing machines all weekend and even looked at washer dryers too. Do you recommend any washer dryers at all? Obviously not Candy as ours is awful and doesn’t even dry anymore and it’s only 6 years old.

I think we might be going for a Miele washing machine because we don’t want to be purchasing another machine a few years down the line. I’m unsure which model to go for

https://ao.com/product/wsa023-miele-…e-74791-1.aspx

https://ao.com/product/wsd123-miele-…e-70567-1.aspx

Someone on here (Trombell I believe) said that the drums on both models were exactly the same size. This is one of the deciding factors between the two different models. I had in my head that I wanted a slightly bigger capacity than my 7kg Candy washer dryer. Is it possible to verify this?

The spin performance on both of these machines is categorised as ‘B’ too and I wondered if this would be an issue? I don’t have a dryer so a good spin is essential.

I also looked at Bosch and Siemens but let me know if you have any more suggestions. Budget is at most £700.

Thank you
Jayne

[don]

No to a washer dryer unless you live in a high rise or have no garden or other drying facilities.

The WSD123 is an 8kg machine I would not go any higher than that. The 1400 spin is more than adequate, the higher the spin the more creasing and the life of fabric is also reduced.

The Miele will do very well. You need to compare machines on https://www.miele.co.uk/c/laundry-saving-2517.htm as some do have a five year warranty.

Don

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