Lifespan of a washing machine

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Lawrie9
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Lifespan of a washing machine

Post by Lawrie9 »

I see the average lifespan of a washing machine has reduced considerably in recent years to around 7 years so are you better just washing your clothes in the sink or dolly tub and wringing them out with a mangle and hanging them out to dry.
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kwackers
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Re: Lifespan of a washing machine

Post by kwackers »

Funny, in my experience back in days of yore washing machines were absolute rubbish. I lost count of the number of times I replaced bearings, belts and the occasional controller.
My last but one washing machine (a Zanussi iirc) lasted 16 years and never once needed a repair. My current one (a Bosch) is now 8 years old and works perfectly (or it did until I posted this).

I'm not sure where those numbers come from, but judging by the folks I know modern washing machines seem pretty reliable.

(Having said that, unless they've improved an awful lot I distance myself from washer/dryers. They were truly appalling in the reliability stakes.)
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kylecycler
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Re: Lifespan of a washing machine

Post by kylecycler »

Lawrie9 wrote:...so are you better just washing your clothes in the sink or dolly tub and wringing them out with a mangle and hanging them out to dry.

Nope. Been there, done that, for a while, without even a mangle, but only because I was too thick/lazy to replace the carbon brushes on an otherwise perfectly serviceable washing machine which, once said task was eventually carried out on one of the few days I was up and not down, has done its duty ever since.

Still, you watch this fine fellow and you think, if I can overhaul a bottom bracket...

[youtube]XaFF2-Rl8Nc[/youtube]

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Tangled Metal
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Re: Lifespan of a washing machine

Post by Tangled Metal »

It's getting shorter I reckon. My parents replaced their twin tub when I was in primary school and the modern machine that replaced it lasted until they moved into their current house (2 house moves). That's about 20 years. They then replaced it with a 15 year machine. Now into first year I think.

I'm on about 4 years with mine and it's gone from a 57dB machine on 1400rpm spin to over 80dB. I think it's the bearings but it works so I'm not bothered by the noise now. It got noisy in about 2 years, just outside warranty.

My parents always went with Hotpoint since they believed it was a very reliable brand I got one too. Then my parents got a Bosch one I think with bubble technology for more efficient water use (good for metered houses). Mine is A+++rated for energy efficiency though,

My view is they break down less perhaps but they do have things like bearings go wrong but that doesn't always put them out of action. Overall slightly less reliable than of old IMHO.
greyingbeard
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Re: Lifespan of a washing machine

Post by greyingbeard »

I get the impression that the cheap ones are getting cheaper...chinese tat regardless of make...best avoided.
axel_knutt
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Re: Lifespan of a washing machine

Post by axel_knutt »

My first washer-dryer lasted 12 years, the second 14 years, both Hotpoint. The current Indesit is a year old. The washing machine that preceded these didn't fail, it got pensioned off because I needed a washer-dryer. I forget how old it was, perhaps 7-8 years. Which magazine rate Miele very highly, but I could buy three of mine for one of those.
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Paulatic
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Re: Lifespan of a washing machine

Post by Paulatic »

After the old Hotpoint twin tub died our first automatic was a Servis. I can't remember exactly how long it lasted but quite a number of years. I did have to replace brushes and the bearing a few times but in those days it was Terry nappies which gave it a hard old job to do.
Next up was a Hoover which with a few sets of brushes lasted nearly 20 yrs.
. My son bought an Indesit and within five years it destroyed itself. It was total rubbish so I bought him a very old Siemens which is impressive for its age. Appreciating the build I began watching EBay for a high value German built machine. After a few months watching I bought a Miele for £50. I felt so sorry for the guy as he was replacing it with an 'integrated' Indesit. Lovely chap, cycle tourist too, but a bad picker of washing machines.
After 5 yrs use the Miele is still running ever so sweetly, what a lovely machine, so quiet and efficient. I'd put money on this Miele is still running long after his Indesit dies.
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landsurfer
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Re: Lifespan of a washing machine

Post by landsurfer »

I have repaired quite a few washing machines for family and friends over the years and its rarely the purely mechanical components that fail, usually its the CPU or the electromechanical controller ( EMC).
The CPU is a plug and play replacement and the EMC takes about an hour with gaining access and playing with the wires. but the cost !
Up to£100 for each component.
I have noticed my wife only uses 2 of the dozens of settings on our washing machine , light and dark wash, and friends also say they only use 2-3 settings .
The machines could be so much simpler and reliable if the controllers where simpler but IMHO the spec of the machines is driven by the marketing department not the engineers ...or actual customer contact.
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pwa
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Re: Lifespan of a washing machine

Post by pwa »

Our current washing machine is an expensive LG thing which we've had for about four or five years so far. I had to replace a broken plastic handle (bought three as they were cheap and it only took five minutes to sort) but otherwise it works as new. In theory (and only time will tell) it should last longer because the motor is on the back of the drum and spins with it, rather than connected to it with a belt. It is therefore much quieter than the machines we had before, and the lower vibration should mean that it doesn't shake itself to pieces.

My experience with washing machines has been quite good. They have a tough job to do, and it is remarkable that they last as long as they do. I'd like to get ten years out of one. After that the technology will have moved on and the newer versions will hopefully be even more energy efficient.
francovendee
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Re: Lifespan of a washing machine

Post by francovendee »

I'm told the cheap machines now have welded cabinets and aren't able to be repaired. If this is true then after the 2 year warranty has expired it's a throw away.
We had a Bosch machine for 11 years before it died. We now have a Siemens (same company) and we've had the engineer out 4 times in 4 years. I'm tempted to buy a cheap machine and throw it away when it breaks down. This really goes against my nature as I like to keep things goings for as long as possible
pete75
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Re: Lifespan of a washing machine

Post by pete75 »

I doubt the folk who make Miele would agree with that. They say their machines are tested to last at least 20 years. Electrolux are only slightly them behind in life span.

Lower priced brands have machines available for about 200 quid. For a lot of faults it probably costs less to replace them than repair if you need to get someone in to do it.
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pete75
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Re: Lifespan of a washing machine

Post by pete75 »

greyingbeard wrote:I get the impression that the cheap ones are getting cheaper...chinese tat regardless of make...best avoided.


Oh yeah. All the 1.3 billion people in China are incapable of making anything of decent quality. :roll:
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Flinders
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Re: Lifespan of a washing machine

Post by Flinders »

pete75 wrote:
greyingbeard wrote:I get the impression that the cheap ones are getting cheaper...chinese tat regardless of make...best avoided.


Oh yeah. All the 1.3 billion people in China are incapable of making anything of decent quality. :roll:


No, they do some decent stuff, of course, but you have to admit that some terrible stuff comes from there as well.
In my job, I always tell people to avoid paint, brushes, or easels made in the region, especially easels. All the ones I have seen have been badly made from inferior components (like bolts that sheer the first time they are tightened, or sketching easels too fragile to use outdoors (that's a bit like a car that dissolves if it rains).
They undercut European firms, a lot of the market is amateur and tends to buy on price*, and then the decent competition either goes bust, or exports production to China, losing jobs here, and resulting in their stuff being no better.

There are a few European firms still making here, like Mabef, and I buy/advise buying from them, but it's difficult for them, they are having to charge the same as they did 10 years ago and are still being undercut. Shipping is far too cheap; it amounts to dumping.

*buying easels on price is idiotic, as a good one lasts a lifetime and can be handed down through the generations even if used every day (I know of many that have been), a lousy one won't last more than a few years in full use if you're lucky and won't work very well even in that time, and the price differential is probably about 30%.
pwa
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Re: Lifespan of a washing machine

Post by pwa »

As someone who knows a lot less about washing machines than some here, it is my gut feeling that it is possible to pay too little. They are quite complex machines that are asked to perform quite violent tasks time after time with little or no servicing. If that could be done reliably and cheaply it would be a miracle. My instinct would be to pay more in the hope of buying reliability. But it is a gamble.
beardy
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Re: Lifespan of a washing machine

Post by beardy »

They are quite complex machines


They dont have to be!

The actual physical parts are pretty simple and modular, so you can easily repair/replace the various valves, pipes and motors. The only bit that needs to be complex is the programming and you can replace the board for up to a hundred pounds.
Mostly people jump to the conclusion that the board is at fault but frequently it isnt or if it is, it was something else that caused it like a shorted wire. No real reason why you cant keep a Hotpoint or a Zanusi going for as long as you can buy spares and are willing to pay the price of doing the repair on a machine with no remaining financial worth.
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