The two best ways you can prolong the life of any machine, from a Miele to a cheap Chinese import, are: -

Maintenance wash - every six weeks run it empty with some washing powder/tablets (not liquid or gel) in it on a 95C wash. Cleans all the grime and bacteria out and keeps the machine working correctly.

Don't overload - the rule of thumb (quite literally) is that you should be able to put your hand in and do a "thumbs up sign" in the empty space above the clothes. If you can't do this your machine is overloaded and will use more water and electric, not wash properly and knacker the bearings over time.

Apart from that I don't rate gels or liquids or eco detergents, use the recommended amount of a powder or tablet detergent. Check pockets carefully and if your machine is in the kitchen and it's plumbed directly into the sink waste, make sure it goes up first so the dirty sink water doesn't flow into the washing machine.


If it's a rattling noise it's unlikely to be bearings as they make a distinctive rumbling noise. You need to listen to hear where the noise is coming from but it's most likely something like a coin caught in the pump. For most machines the easiest way to check is to tip the machine backwards and place a bowl under the filter. Open the filter and have a good feel around with your finger, including behind the filter in the pump itself. Most likely you'll find about a quid in change and whatever else you have washed inadvertently!


LG machines are the best mid-price after Bosch but the hall sensor in the direct drive motor tends to go after about 7-8 years, it's covered by their ten year motor warranty but they take a long time to sort this out (weeks/months), which understandably isn't acceptable for most people so they pay to have it fixed instead. The actual part that goes is only £17 but sometimes the whole stator, including the hall sensor, go, so some lazy engineers just quote for the entire stator at about £80 because they don't want to risk doing the job twice (you can't test if it is just the hall sensor until the machine is reassembled).

Apart from that bearings are not as good as Bosch but still pretty decent and easier to change. They are otherwise very similar to Bosch except quieter and some have stupidly large drums and don't wash very well. Personally I would never buy a drum larger than 7kg as domestic size machines don't wash very well above this.

Bosch washing machines are still good except the really cheap "tactical" models. Go for one with a half moon shaped door handle rather than a square handle.

Washing machine manufacturers all rate their machines by the number of cycles they expect before failure on an average machine so they can cost their warranties (or, as is more common nowadays, contract the warranty work to Domestic and General). Fact is that Electrolux rate these machines to do 800 cycles before the first repair is needed. Yes, there will be people who have machines that last longer, and some less, but the average they are expected to last is three years if you use it five times a week. Seen loads of these and write off at least two a week AEGs and Zanussis with collapsed bearings that are 13, 14 and 15 months old. Sometimes Serviceforce, at their discretion, will do the labour for free if less than two years old but you still pay £200-ish for the complete tub assembly for the sake of bearings which cost less than £10. And it WILL happen again, and again, and again, because it's a stupid design.

Bosch machines are typically rated for circa 2,500 cycles - this is because they have better bearings, better electronics and a better design. I have seen a handful of Bosch bearing failures, they are a PITA to change but can be done for less than £100 all in.

If you own one of these machines and never overload it so the bearings last and are lucky enough to have no power surges/shorting components blowing up the board, then they would be okay machines. But the odds aren't great, and owning a machine for a year or since 2006 is nothing. A decent Bosch should last 12+ years of normal domestic use.

I sell load of Bosch washing machines but some are hard to get stocks of becaue the chains take them all in bulk basically indies get the left overs.

AEG were epic pre Electrolux as Odom says just badged Electrolux models now just the higher spec one's.

The sealed drums are a pain, remember when my engineers went out to one and Electrolux denied that had a sealed drop on the model, then they 'found' the technical bulletin to say it had, 3 weeks after I had got hold of it.

Like most repairs nowadays bearing and carbon changes that dont want you to do anymore is a straight motor and drum changes, quick easy get the engie in and out fast with no mess.

I heard somewhere I think Panasonic W/M will soon be coming out of Vestel factories in Turkey via assembly and spares sourced there to Panasonic spec's but tbh that doesnt hold up well if you seen any Arcelik (Beko) or Vestel made machines anything Turkish is a mess.

Like most of the chinese stuff, even Hoover basic dishwashers are chinese Midea models now.

I would always go for a Bosch mid to top range, if you can afford a Miele go for it. Lg are goodish now BUT if ia breaks down spares are shipped to UK from Holland which in Turn come from Korea.

The Koreans are not very good at getting your machines back working all of them are poor.

Too early to say what they will be like long term really, but they are expensive and have a habit of ripping the door seals which isn't covered by the warranty and will leave you with a flooded floor. Having said that haven't seen many other problems with them but this is probably also because they are very rare. Most independent repairers wouldn't have the door seals in stock and they are a really PITA to change, so expect to get charged accordingly. Build quality otherwise seems good, though.

If it was my money I would save some and go for a tried and tested Bosch.



Keep hold of it, it will needs bearings replaced soon but easy job to do and you will not find machines as well made as that without spending Miele money nowadays. As soon as you hear the rumbling from the bearings get them changed though, if you leave it too long they chew up the spider which is another £30 on top.

Also TCB 1.5% :-)

Washer dryers are :
totally inefficent at drying
ecologically damaging
expensive to run
take ages to dry even light clothing
create damp
only dry small loads
when the washer breaks down so does your dryer
when your dryer breaks down..............

I think you get the picture
need I continue?

Not true...

My last washer dryer lasted 7 years, The drying had stopped but I could still wash... So to say that if one part breaks the other does true is simply not correct!

Small loads are fine but they do state so on the machine, 5kg+5kg is fine for me.

Just got my new one with a 5 year warranty.

If i hadn't already purchased this would have been the buy for me.

HOT!

Ive had my AEG oko lavamat from the early nineties and it's still going strong. Have been waiting for it to pack in to replace it but we've not had a bit of bother out it.

sowotsdis - we need a dryer too but don't physically have space for one, hence a washer-dryer is the solution. Perhaps we are in "white goods poverty" compared to you?? I would have hoped your negativity would be quelled by this being the top-rated washer dryer by Which so it is relatively decent.

sat555: You are a superstar! Thank you so much for getting the PDF links on here! Seems almost like a mistake that these two promotions are running concurrently... But they are :smiley::smiley:

AEG Cashback details - http://d3aensyvlglrq6.cloudfront.net/jl_assets/pdf/AEG_Cashback_Feb_Apr_2012.pdf

5 year warranty details - http://currys.pan.e-merchant.com/grafx/gb/uk/promotions/pdf/L16850_5year_warranty.pdf

Added both to description.

And thankyou, been waiting for a good deal on a washing machine.

Thanks for adding that, wonderful. Hope this has benefited others too... Have been tracking the price for months and the sudden AEG cashback made it a no-brainer :smiley: