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Hello!
Looking for some recommendations for a new washer please!
Our old hotpoint has bitten the dust (bearings gone and welded tub). Lesson learned, buy cheap buy twice.
Our family budget is £550 Max.
Five adults, two kids, about six loads a week.
Looking for something that can be fixed if anything goes wrong next time round.
Specific recommendations would be very very welcome!
Cheers!
Lincon
Re: New Washing Machine – Recommendations?
You need something really hardy for that level of use and, I think it may be more than six loads a week for seven people, as explained here:
http://www.ukwhitegoods.co.uk/help/buyi … e-use.html
For that number, it’s pretty much classed as commercial use levels.
K.
Re: New Washing Machine – Recommendations?
Thanks for that kwatt!
I had a read – very insightful – and I understand your point.
We have long term guests (a couple with kids – lodgers).
It will go down to five adults in the next month.
I wish we could spend more than £550, but any more cash is simply not there.
So please put forward any suggestions and specific recommendations – we need some guidance!
Cheers!
Re: New Washing Machine – Recommendations?
Brill!
Okay so if I go for a Bosch, and after reading that the WAQ tubs can’t be opened to change the bearings, are there any of the mid range versions close to £500 – £550 that can?
Any specific recommendations would be fab too!
Cheers!
Lincon
Re: New Washing Machine – Recommendations?
You need the specific product details to be able to say for sure with certainty on whether the tub is a sealed unit or not.
Many of the new Bosch and Siemens models do appear to use sealed tanks I’m afraid.
K.
Re: New Washing Machine – Recommendations?
What is all this hang up over having access to change the bearings when they fail or not being able to? By the time the bearings are shot on the current series of Bosch machines it is time to replace the whole machine. Other components will be just as clapped out too, having completed 1000’s of duty cycles, such as the drum shaft, the motor, the door seal, pump and the heater.
Bosch/Siemens like most of their competitors are switching to sealed drum units. Pretty soon ALL washing machines will be made this way. Manufacturers refer to sealed drum technology as being ‘built for life’ and once that life has ended it is time for it to be ‘recycled’. They are clever enough to ensure that that is the ONLY choice open to anyone because the price the cost of a replacement sealed unit is prohibitive in the extreme. Storage and transportation costs, labour charges and VAT see to that.
The future is clear, when your washing machine packs up you buy a new one. 😉
Re: New Washing Machine – Recommendations?
A very fair point and well made Martin.
I think however that many people like having the option of being able to replace the bearings and squeeze an extra few years out of their machine, especially so when it’s costing as much as some these days with sealed units. If there is a sealed unit, that is not an option.
We get asked on a fairly regular basis for bearings for Beko, Electrolux Group stuff (including John Lewis machines), Bosch Group and so on from people expecting to be able to change the bearings as they’ve worn out, only to find that they can’t change them. These people are usually not happy bunnies when we sadly inform them that they need a full new tank, normally at the best part of £200 but often more.
So there is then no option (sensibly, from an economic standpoint) but to toss the machine and buy another.
Same thing with motors that you can’t buy carbon brushes for, perhaps a more extreme example and often there’s a way around that but you get the point. Ditto now door handles on some, you can’t get one without having to buy a full door.
Irrespective of the rights and wrongs of it, people seem to feel somewhat cheated by that and to some degree, I can’t say I don’t sympathise to a degree as some examples of the practice are ludicrous, in my opinion.
K.
Re: New Washing Machine – Recommendations?
madangler1 wrote:How old was your hotpoint as a matter of interest ?
About 6 six years old.
When we removed it for disposal, we put it in the car on its side, and from underneath we could see the plastic drum had cracked! This was the only issue with the machine!
Went for the Siemens due to the 5 year warranty.
Yes sealed drum, but it has the quality of a Bosch with a free 5 year warranty!
My thanks to all those that contributed and helped. It really made a difference.
Lincon
Re: New Washing Machine – Recommendations?
I personally would have repaired the fracture as I usually do. Nevertheless, look at the wasted spares in the disposal of a machine, just because the drum is sealed… spares that likely have the capability to continue working for another ten or more years.
George
Re: New Washing Machine – Recommendations?
Allsorts wrote:I personally would have repaired the fracture as I usually do. Nevertheless, look at the wasted spares in the disposal of a machine, just because the drum is sealed… spares that likely have the capability to continue working for another ten or more years.
George
I’m intrigued,
How would you have repaired the fractured tub to the point that it would be structurally sound again? I had no idea this sort of thing would be possible!
Or do you mean simply swap out the tub?
Thanks,
Lincon
Re: New Washing Machine – Recommendations?
I Have a product that can repair the polypropylene of washing machine drums when they split I have used it many many occasions and never had a fail
Re: New Washing Machine – Recommendations?
It’s a bodge George be honest. When the drum fractures then it’s structural integrity has been compromised beyond repair.
A small hole caused be a coin can be patched up, maybe? But again it’s a bodge whatever way you look at it. 🙁
Re: New Washing Machine – Recommendations?
You may think so Martin, but we use the same or better grade of PP or PE as used in the original drum and the repair/sucess rate is so far 100{e5d1b7155a01ef1f3b9c9968eaba33524ee81600d00d4be2b4d93ac2e58cec2d}… Notwithstanding this, we have had repairs out in operation for as long as 4 years so far.
So to be honest, I do not care what anyone thinks; a proven record speaks volumes when it comes up against arguments.
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