ubereglu Posted January 25, 2007 Share Posted January 25, 2007 Hiya, The washing machine in our house has broken down. The bearings have gone in it and it's about £200 to get it fixed-including extra bits like VAT. It's a hotpoint by the way and I was just interested in what types of washing machines you own and your advice is needed to decide whether it would be better to buy a new one-which brand? Or whether to get it fixed. Bearing in mind that it's the second time it's happened in 5 years and the last bearings only lasted 3 of those. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Looney Posted January 25, 2007 Share Posted January 25, 2007 We've got a Hoover (which was left by the previous owner when we bought the house). No idea how old it is but the water inlet tube was leaking - it had a big hole in it where the drum had been rubbing against it.... ....we couldn't get a replacement part quickly so it now has a piece of copper pipe jubilee clipped to the good bits of rubber tube and all seems fine! Don't think we'll bother with a "proper" replacement pipe! Otherwise no complaints (so far! ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted January 25, 2007 Share Posted January 25, 2007 I've got a John Lewis own brand which I got at Christmas as mine broke down a few days before. Grrrr. Am very pleased so far and it came with a 2 year warranty instead of the usual 1. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnnieP Posted January 25, 2007 Share Posted January 25, 2007 We brought an AEG last summer, after our Zanussi died, having lasted 10 years. The thing I really like about the new one is that it has a count down display on it, so you can see how long the wash has got left to go. Really useful when you are trying to get lots done. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cate in NZ Posted January 25, 2007 Share Posted January 25, 2007 Mines a hotpoint and it's about 9 years old. It would've been replaced several years ago if it wasn't for a washing machine engineer friend who is absolutely brilliant at responding to my SOS calls . When it's working it does a great job, and with 2 horrible children it's used a LOT I'd estimate 10 loads a week, so it's been a real bonus that we've managed to keep it working for so long . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nicola H Posted January 25, 2007 Share Posted January 25, 2007 I have a Miele and it is brilliant, after years of buying cheap washing machines I finally could afford the best and I can't say enough good things about it..............They say it is the "Rolls Royce" of machine machines and I now know why. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 25, 2007 Share Posted January 25, 2007 Mine broke down 2 weeks ago, full of school uniform evil: I had to manually empty it and rinse everything out and wring it by hand It's a Zanussi and I have had it for 4 years, previous one was a Hotpoint Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted January 25, 2007 Share Posted January 25, 2007 The machine that I have recently replaced was an Indesit and was repaired a total of 18 times in 5 years. A dead loss and the aftercare was less than useless. Would have replaced it sooner but we had shelled out for an extended warranty. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Frugal Posted January 25, 2007 Share Posted January 25, 2007 Hotpoint is a very dirty word in our house after ours broke down time and time again. We've not done very well with any of the other brands we've had since either. The current one is Samsung but it's badly off balance and makes a horrible noise when it spins. The previous one was an Ariston but it didn't go on and on and on (you're probably too young to remember that advert, Liz ) and it didn't get up to temperature. I've also had a Whirlpool (rubbish!!) and an Electrolux which expired days after the guarantee ran out! I hate washing machines ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesley Posted January 25, 2007 Share Posted January 25, 2007 I have a Miele and it is brilliant, after years of buying cheap washing machines I finally could afford the best and I can't say enough good things about it..............They say it is the "Rolls Royce" of machine machines and I now know why. Ooooh Nicola! you've just reminded me......................................... The very first washing machine my Mum had was a Rolls! The same Rolls. It was a Rolls Rapide twin tub and a salesman came and demonstrated it at our home first. He wheeled it down the path and set it up in the kitchen. We gave him our washing and he did it. Hook the hose over the edge of the sink, a different hose for filling it from the hot tap, out of the washer and into the spin drier bit I hope Egluntine at least will know what I'm talking about My current machine is a Hotpoint and so was my previous one. They were British made - although that may have changed now? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnnieP Posted January 25, 2007 Share Posted January 25, 2007 My mum STILL has a twin tub. She refuses point blank to get an automatic. They now cost a fortune, as there are hardly any made, but every Monday she wheels it out, attaches the hose to the hot tap on the sink and stands over the thing whilst she does all her washing... She always has the whole lot dried and ironed by Tuesday evening. Even when there were 7 of us all living at home, and my Dad and three brothers each wore a shirt a day! The woman's a saint.... Of course, I too have inherited her domestic goddessness.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Looney Posted January 25, 2007 Share Posted January 25, 2007 Oooh, my gran had a twintub when I was little and I was absolutely fascinated by it - thanks, that has brought back some lovely, happy memories Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesley Posted January 25, 2007 Share Posted January 25, 2007 (edited) Of course, I too have inherited her domestic goddessness.... er... sorry Annie didn't you just hate Monday with all the wet clothes on the airers though Edited January 25, 2007 by Guest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnnieP Posted January 25, 2007 Share Posted January 25, 2007 Just not helping Liz's market research much..... Sorry Liz! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cinnamon Posted January 25, 2007 Share Posted January 25, 2007 We have a Zanussi, & our previous machine was also a Zanussi which lasted about 16 years. I really like them, they are simple to use, cheap to repair (if it comes to it) & efficient. If you can, buy via John Lewis as they give a 3 year guarantee rather than 1 year from Comet etc - well worth it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted January 25, 2007 Share Posted January 25, 2007 I have a Miele and it is brilliant, after years of buying cheap washing machines I finally could afford the best and I can't say enough good things about it..............They say it is the "Rolls Royce" of machine machines and I now know why. Ooooh Nicola! you've just reminded me......................................... The very first washing machine my Mum had was a Rolls! The same Rolls. It was a Rolls Rapide twin tub and a salesman came and demonstrated it at our home first. He wheeled it down the path and set it up in the kitchen. We gave him our washing and he did it. Hook the hose over the edge of the sink, a different hose for filling it from the hot tap, out of the washer and into the spin drier bit I hope Egluntine at least will know what I'm talking about Indeed I do my deario. My mother had one! Mondays were always washing day, steam everywhere, and we even had a rack in the kitchen. I remember it collapsing on a priests head when he came to visit her about something or other. I shall take the image of this holy man with a pair of my mothers bloomers on his shoulder and a horrified expression on his face to my grave. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesley Posted January 25, 2007 Share Posted January 25, 2007 They weren't that horrible salmony pink were they??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted January 25, 2007 Share Posted January 25, 2007 Cream Airtex double gusset, long legs, built to last. I don't know what our mothers would have made of thongs! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popcorn Posted January 25, 2007 Share Posted January 25, 2007 Blimey- washing must have been a trauma! Mind you it's still a trauma if you use Hotpoint if you ask me. Blummin' useless they are. I'll spare you the details of how ours went wrong so many times, the engineers ruined the lino in the kitchen because it was in and out like a fiddlers elbow! We got rid in the end (and got compensated for the lino too) We went to a washing machine repair place and asked which ones they rarely get called out for. 'Zanussi', they said. So we went and bought a Whirlpool. Logic there somewhere. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snowy Posted January 25, 2007 Share Posted January 25, 2007 Am on my 3rd Hotpoint in 20 years, and never had any problems with them! And thay have had some very heavy use over the years! But, if I remember rightly, according to Which? - Miele are the best but most expensive, followed by Bosch for reliability. I stick with the Hotpoints due to familiarity I think - I look at the others and can't figure out how to use them! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clare* Posted January 25, 2007 Share Posted January 25, 2007 I had to replace my rubbish hotpoint with another hotpoint just before christmas I am restricted on depth for cupboard opening and hotpoint are the only ones that are not as deep. Anyway this one is not to bad and washes much better than the previous. It hold a 7kg load and has heaps of settings, it actually spins a load pretty much dry which my others have never done.I like the handwashing setting, my jumpers are not shrinking anyway! It lights up like a blue spaceship and also counts down the wash time so you can see when it will end. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nicola H Posted January 26, 2007 Share Posted January 26, 2007 I did a lot of research before I bought my Miele and I found a web site that was actually for washing machine repair men and they gave an biased view on which ones were best, they didn't like the miele because it never had to be repaired, if i remember rightly the Hotpoint came out as the best one for them because it needed the most repairs........... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted January 26, 2007 Share Posted January 26, 2007 This is a useful site. http://www.ukwhitegoods.co.uk/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewforum&f=34 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nicola H Posted January 26, 2007 Share Posted January 26, 2007 I found the site I used here is the link http://www.washerhelp.co.uk/forums/index.php?act=idx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted January 26, 2007 Share Posted January 26, 2007 Repairs can cost a fortune Liz, and it's rare for machines to last beyond 5 years - they all seem to have a built-in self-destruct, doubtless to help them sell more . Having said that, I have had Hotpoints and the last one lasted me 12 years with only a couple of repairs needed. The only thing I miss with my current model is a countdown to the end of the program. I got it from Tesco because they were cheapest, despite having a JLP account. From a nostalgic point of view, I remember both my grandma and mother having one of those big hotpoints with an open tub - you filled it through a rubber hose attached to the hot tap and used the same hose on a different hole to empty it. It had a wringer (mangle) on the top. We also had a boiler for boiling up the whites and nappies - there was a big stick to stir the whites around and the smell of boiling washing was a comforting one that has stayed with me. My mother then got a seperate spinner to get the clothes drier than just using the wringer. One thing that has revolutionised my life was when I was given the dosh to get a tumble dryer. I only ever use it when the weather isn't good enough to dry outside, and it's a condensing one so I use the water to water the plants. My house is too small to have washing on airers for days on end and I haven't got a room I can shut it away in, so it was always on view Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
