Front Loading Washer - what brand?

[PrakashSG]

Hello All.
Am looking to change my top loading washer to a front loading one (mainly driven by need for a dryer). Couldn't find much useful reviews online. Have been struggling between European Brands v/s Asian ones. Liked the Panasonic EcoNavi but read some reviews about bearing issues. Like the Samsung now but cant seem to find much reviews about it. Then there is Electrolux and Bosch. More expensive and the Courts guy says they are all made in Thailand/China anyway.
Does anyone have experience with any of these brands, good or bad? Any recommendations will be really helpful.

Thanks!

[taxico]

i bought a bottom washer, top dryer (stacked unit) from IMM. two different brands but made by the same parent company and identical in size (AFAIK).

one of them is indesit. i can't remember the other. 5 year warranty, for well under 1.25k and incldues the rack, delivery and installation.

[sundaymorningstaple]

I've used whirlpool stackables with some success here as well, although they are on the small side (5 Kg washer I believe). Currently using Elba front loaders

[JR8]

Hello All.
Am looking to change my top loading washer to a front loading one (mainly driven by need for a dryer).

Couldn't find much useful reviews online. Have been struggling between European Brands v/s Asian ones. Liked the Panasonic EcoNavi but read some reviews about bearing issues. Like the Samsung now but cant seem to find much reviews about it. Then there is Electrolux and Bosch. More expensive and the Courts guy says they are all made in Thailand/China anyway.
Does anyone have experience with any of these brands, good or bad? Any recommendations will be really helpful.

Thanks!

Combined washer/dryers have a smaller capacity than stand alone units. Ok if you have little space, but if you have separates perform far better. Combined are also far more mechanically complex and more $$$ if and when they need a repair.

You could go and look at reviews, like at the UK consumer magazine www.which.co.uk . Very long established magazine (and now website), and regarded as rigorous and absolutely impartial.

Electrolux and Bosch are at different ends of the spectrum. When I need to put an appliance into one of my rented flats I'll go 'cheap and cheerful' as I know it's going to get hugely mistreated anyway*, so brands like Electrolux fit the bill.

For my own home, I have Bosch/Neff (same company) throughout, washer/dryer, 3 ovens + hob, dishwasher, fridge and freezer. In the 10-odd years since they were installed, I'm not aware of any of them requiring a repair (and that's despite the property being tenanted for
the past few years!). So if you look at say a five or ten year total cost (purchase plus maintenance), then I'm sure you'll see 'investing' in quality brands pays off.


* 'Lint-trap, food debris trap, de-frost? What do these things mean?'

[PrakashSG]

Thank you all. Settled on an LG washer and a Bosch Dryer. Must say the Bosch looks really neat. First LG in my house. Hope the experience doesn't make it the last!

[JR8]

Good luck, observe the recommended maintenance tips in the user guide, and you should have a trouble-free ride.

Not wishing to teach anyone to suck eggs, but having done quite a bit of DIY appliance maintenance over the years, the top four problems encountered with washer/dryers in tenanted property IME have been:

1) Washers. The lint trap has not been taken out periodically and rinsed off. User guides often suggest this is done every wash, but that's OTT I think. Initially do it every few washes, and you'll get a hang on how much debris collects in it, and how often it needs doing. The lint trap can also collect things like small coins etc ... not exactly ideal for the water flow.

Example [:)]:
Tenant: <angry> calls and reports the WM has stopped half way through a cycle, 'Can you come and fix it today please' </angry>
Landlord: When did you last clean the lint-trap?
Tenant: The what?

2) Washers. Applicable more in hard-water areas.
These is a wire mesh screen in the water inlet hose, usually in the connector joint with the mains tap. This can get blocked with grit and limescale. If sufficiently gunked up, the machine can't draw in water, and the machine will appear to instantly half-die. 'The lights are on, but nothing is happening'.

3) Washers.
On machines with programme selector dials/knobs, these are invariably 'one way'. Try to turn it anti-clockwise, and it will break the connector joint on the back of the plastic dial.
So if a tenant calls and says 'the programme selector is broken', odds on it's just the knob.

4) Dryers
It's the lint trap again. This is often a mesh screen in a frame that simply slots into the rear of the door. Take out, scrape off lint, replace, 20 seconds and job done. It's usually so simple you can do this every load or every other load.
If a tenant ever reports getting clothes coming out covered in lint. Odds on the lint-trap has not been cleaned for some time.

----------------------
The above probably covers 90% of all/any maintenance issues I've ever had with washing machines and dryers.

[PrimroseHill]

I always have had Bosch front loading washing and dryer stacks.

[Joeite]

Got the Electrolux EDV705. It's power die just after 2 years old (just after the warranty is over). Service "estimate" at least 50% of the dryer cost. The service center's attitude.. take it or leave it. I will stay away from Electrolux in the future.

[JR8]

Did you try replacing the fuse in the plug with a new one, or one flipped from a plug that works?

[Joeite]

Thanks for the info. But I checked those. most likely the power board or something inside the dryer.

[sundaymorningstaple]

It makes not difference what brand you buy. Invariably it will cost 50% of the cost of a new upgraded one OR they no longer stock the parts for such an "old" machine. Better off finding a handyman, if there are any, who specializes in white goods.

Most authorized agents sent out their service men and $70/clip before they even do any work, but just to ascertain what is wrong (if it cannot be deduced over the phone).

[x9200]

Got the Electrolux EDV705. It's power die just after 2 years old (just after the warranty is over). Service "estimate" at least 50% of the dryer cost. The service center's attitude.. take it or leave it. I will stay away from Electrolux in the future.

We used to have Bosch, some basic models ca $1100 for both the dryer and the washing machine. They survived 8yrs and probably could serve even more if: a) not the bra fishbones/wires that damaged the washing machine front gasket; b) screws holding the dryer's drum got loose and I overlooked this - the screw holes in the back plate holding the drum were already too large for any practical repair.

[JR8]

It makes not difference what brand you buy. Invariably it will cost 50% of the cost of a new upgraded one OR they no longer stock the parts for such an "old" machine.

I disagree (respectfully ). Reliable brands seem to break down far less often, and parts are available for far longer. Such makes pride themselves on quality/longevity so facilitate that happening. Cheaper brands appear to rely on outright replacement more frequently. Also the quality brands seem to have their own in-house engineers who aren't out to rip you off. You can probably expect a Vaillant boiler to last 20 years or more and still function well. Just by then the engineering and advances in fuel efficiency tend to make the total running costs worth upgrading. Get something like a Hotpoint and likely before it's 10YO it'll be deemed beyond 'economic repair'.

In fact there's a parallel with quality shoes, that I've rambled on about at great length Pay for quality, maintain it, and they pretty much go on for ever. Then the decision is would you rather go out shod like a gentleman wearing gloriously run-in/comfy quality shoes, or dress like an oik in sweat-shop tat that you have to replace at least annually. The latter will be more expensive either way.

[rajagainstthemachine]

I have a kuchë front loader, it has developed a personality of its own, has worked for two years though, it will stop intermittently and make a beeping noise, the fix is to restart the load again, the problem can happen three days in a row and then not happen again for many weeks.
We called a dude, 70$ inspection , claimed that its fubar, needs a change in electronics or motor or both, but the tech couldn't ascertain which one was the actual problem lol.
So we now live with problem. Its performance is quite reasonable though.

[x9200]

It makes not difference what brand you buy. Invariably it will cost 50% of the cost of a new upgraded one OR they no longer stock the parts for such an "old" machine.

I disagree (respectfully ). Reliable brands seem to break down far less often, and parts are available for far longer. Such makes pride themselves on quality/longevity so facilitate that happening. Cheaper brands appear to rely on outright replacement more frequently.

I think you are both right and also the parallel with the shoes applies, but the problem is, for the popular brands (so not the most expensive ones) the difference is just statistical. Me, as a consumer, if I have to chose between all the reasonably priced products present on the market, regardless this is
lg
samsung
electrolux
panasonic
beko
bosch
whirlpool
fisher paykel
midea
candy
miele
tecno
turbo
kuche
smeg
(I took the list from the Courts website)
the chance it gets broken within next 2-3 years is pretty much the same.

It's somehow tricky nowadays to make any judgement. I used to think brands like Sony or Panasonic were lasting and be of good quality, but I own or owned probably 5-6 products of the said 2 brands and every single one (except PS3) got broken or show some defects within just a few years after buying them.
On the other hand I have few cheap appliances/electronics from Akira and they are good and lasting beyond anything I purchased from Sony and Panasonic.