Time for a new Washing Machine

Forums › Home Workshop DIY › Time for a new Washing Machine

sonyxperiageek

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#191734 14-Feb-2016 16:28

Our Fisher and Paykel Top Loader washing machine has recently started giving us problems (water wouldn't come out of the pipe, well it does but very very slowly, and agitator keeps stopping during the rinse cycle). It has been in use for about 10 years now apparently, so think it's time to upgrade.

Went to the Appliance Shed yesterday and most of the washing machines that take at least 8KGs are $1000+!

So does anybody have any recommendations in particular which brands to buy please?

Also, is front loader better or top loader?

Warm water to wash or cold water? We normally just use cold water as it saves on electricity for heating up the water.

Sony

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#1492142 14-Feb-2016 17:52

I won't recommend Beko, have a front loader which is fine (+slow) most of the time but if I forget to take a collar point out of one of my shirts it gets through all of the filters and gets stuck in the impeller. Have managed to get out myself so far but not ideal. I like to think the front loader uses less water, power and is gentler on clothes but who knows

doctormaxim

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#1492146 14-Feb-2016 18:01

Front loaders are the way to go. I have an Electrolux 8KG Front loader which is really power and water efficient. Currently it's in storage as we're in between houses and we both miss how quiet it is in comparison to the Haier top loader we have the displeasure of using at the moment.

1eStar

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#1492149 14-Feb-2016 18:17

Top load. Plenty of water washes clothes nicely, plus who wants to wait for a slow front loader all day?

Lostja

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#1492152 14-Feb-2016 18:22

Bosch frontloader, wouldn't buy anything else. More efficient and better for your clothes than a toploader.

Sam91

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#1492156 14-Feb-2016 18:27

Looks like you're after 8kg or over. But if you're prepared to compromise, or for anyone else interested, this Samsung 6.5kg front loader ($500 down from $800) is the cheapest front loader on the market that I can see.

JayADee

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#1492160 14-Feb-2016 18:31

You are going to get all sorts of opinions. :)
Watch some YouTube vids on top vs front to help you decide.

I warm wash or warm/hot wash. I tried cold and eventually sheets etc. turned icky looking which I hadn't had happen previously. Back to warm!

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#1492188 14-Feb-2016 19:23

We would never go back to Top Loaders despite them taking so much longer. Clothes are cleaner and last a lot longer. Water efficiency also better.

RunningMan

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#1492189 14-Feb-2016 19:28

Got a Panasonic 8kg front loader about 3 years ago to replace a F&P top loader. Very happy with the Panasonic.

kingjj

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#1492222 14-Feb-2016 19:44

We have a Samsung 7.5KG Front Loader (about 3 years old) and love it. On a full cycle its a bit longer than a TL but we normally use the 30 min fast cycle and it washes just fine. We got ours for about $600 on special from NL. Wouldn't go back to a top loader personally.

We had the same issues as the OP with our F&P TL, after several repairs the pump finally went out and we gave up on it. It was great at butchering clothes and randomly getting unbalanced so was happy to see it go.

sonyxperiageek

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#1492230 14-Feb-2016 20:20

Thanks for the replies guys.

Just wondering why Front Loaders save more water than Top Loaders as mentioned by some people here?

Sony

RunningMan

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#1492232 14-Feb-2016 20:23

Front loader just puts a bit of water in the bottom of the drum and moves the clothes through it - top loader has to completely cover all the clothes to get them wet.

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sonyxperiageek

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#1492233 14-Feb-2016 20:24

Oh so would Top Loader be more cleaner I wonder? Or does the water in the Front Loader get replaced every few minutes etc.?

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andrew027

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#1492446 15-Feb-2016 10:07

+1 for front loaders. I've had a Samsung one for ages now and wouldn't go back to a top loader by choice. It uses less power, less water, and seems to do a great job getting things clean. Without any science to back this claim up, it seems to do particularly well with "delicate" things like woollen tops/jumpers, or things that say they should be hand washed (which my wife seems to have a lot of). The cycles for these types of things seem better than on top loaders I've used in the past.

Ours isn't 8kg, so with towels, bedding and splitting loads by colour it has probably done between five and seven loads a week for the last six and a half years. It did have a problem early last year (so well out of warranty) and Samsung replaced all the electronics and the motor at no cost. Just the pump and the drum to go now and it'll basically be a new machine!

lxsw20

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#1492477 15-Feb-2016 10:28

Have you considered just getting it fixed? It sounds like a pump issue which shouldn't be that expensive to repair. It helps to run a hot wash every now and again just to clear the pipes out and keep the bowl clean.

trig42

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#1492504 15-Feb-2016 11:14

sonyxperiageek:

Oh so would Top Loader be more cleaner I wonder? Or does the water in the Front Loader get replaced every few minutes etc.?

No, they just use less water and pass the clothes through it.

We went from a 6KG LG Top loader to a Panasonic 10kg Front loader. We used to catch the water from the LG for the gardens in Summer (we are on Tank supply) and it would fill one of those large rubbish bins (I think about 60L?) twice over. When we got the Panasonic, we did the same thing, and a full wash was only about half of one bin (so about 30 litres compared to over 100).

You do have to be aware that because there is less water in the drum, anything heavily soiled will make the water quite dirty, and therefore anything else you have in there could go grey/dirty itself - do not wash muddy gardening/sports gear with whites. I generally separate whites and darks, have had no issues. I run a hot wash through an empty machine every couple of months too.

Front loaders will only have one inlet hose (cold) and heat the water themselves - much more efficient unless you get free hot water. The Panasonic does pretty much all of its washes at 40 degrees by default. The 50 minute wash works fine for lightly soiled everyday washing too, so the time thing isn't an issue.

We are moving house shortly and will be leaving the Panasonic behind (new tenants have bought it). I will probably get a Beko - I know a few people that own them, and no-one has a bad work to say about them (all Front Loaders will get things in their filter etc if you leave them in/on clothes). Bosch are OK (mostly made in Thailand/China now), Miele supposed to be very good (with matching price). Electrolux good too. Samsung and LG are nice machines as well. I would not go back to a Top loader.

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