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We've just had a new utility built and need some new appliances to go in it.
We'd usually buy Bosch, but the budget has been stretched(!) on the build and Hisense stuff comes in hundreds of pounds cheaper.
Need dryer, dishwasher and US style fridge freezer.
Or is it still the old case of buy cheap, buy twice?
I had one of their TV's as they were on offer in Costco (and all the demo tapes always look good) while they were sponsoring the world cup, it worked but the picture quality was just awful. I know it's a bit of a trope and a bad thing that TV's and cameras have typically been calibrated for western skin tones, but this went the other way and made everyone look ill. No amount of tweaking could solve it, just didn't have the dynamic range to deal with the difference between "white" and "white skin". It also had a glitch where it would switch inputs at random. Took it back and got a refund.
Just replaced our old vented dryer with a Samsung heat pump one. Cost more up front but has a 5 year warranty and will pay for itself against the old vented one in that time so I figured it's the low risk option at least.
Washing machines I've always bought 2nd hand. Facebook/ebay is full of them for £50. I've only had one disaster, and Indesit "Moon", it was an awful washing machine functionally, and then the whole bearing assembly corroded to dust. Still lasted 2 years which wasn't bad going for £50. I'd have bought the tumble dryer that way as well, but it's the wrong time of year so they were all sold in minutes.
I have a Hisense fridge freezer which has worked great over the last 2 years, frost free, no issues.
Like you, I was apprehensive around warranty, but for me it has been absolutely fine, providing functionality at far less cost than rivals
However, if I were purchasing now I’d be looking for a Black Friday sale from a bigger brand providing a better warranty
In my case, the far cheaper price of Hisense was worth the risk, as I had not had them before, and thus far it has been great value
just had a quick look on Which? and all the appliances get poor to middling scores 🤷♂️
I’m sure they work but obviously not as good as Bosch etc.
As Tinas says, 2nd hand is worth considering, I picked up a 6 month old Bosch washer off ebay for £150 that new would have been £450, not a mark on it, works perfectly, seller had bought it while waiting to move into a new build with integrated appliances and just wanted it out of the house. Yeh there's no warranty but chances are it'll be fine in the first year or two.
There's no way I'd buy a Hisense telly unless it was to inflict on others once in a blue moon in a spare room. But I'm particular about such things.
White goods I'd probably chance if the price was right. I guess the question is "if I pay twice as much, is it going to last twice as long?" A cheap telly is going to look / sound awful but a cheap washer isn't going to get your clothes any less clean. Energy usage or noise might be factors I suppose.
White goods I’d probably chance if the price was right. I guess the question is “if I pay twice as much, is it going to last twice as long?” A cheap telly is going to look / sound awful but a cheap washer isn’t going to get your clothes any less clean. Energy usage or noise might be factors I suppose.
+1
And yet somehow I now own a tumble dryer that cost more than my last car was worth (but the TV cost considerably more again 😂 )
My experience:
Ive dealt with Hisense customer service in regard to a pretty technical TV question I had. Not a fault. My son had a faulty Hisense TV and dealt with them too.
As an ex TV engineer I was really impressed with their technical knowledge. Hell, I only waited for about 30 seconds on hold before I got to talk to a human, that's unheard of these days.
My son's faulty Hisense? He was told he could have an immediate refund if he wished, no quibbles from them whatsoever.
Ymmv but I have no concerns about buying from them. They are like any manufacturer, some of their stuff is cheap and a little nasty, some is cheap and brilliant value for money.
How about Beko stuff?
We've got a Beko freezer & washing machine which both seem fine.
The washing machine is getting on for 10 years old now (so will probably explode tomorrow) and no signs of any problems.
Have you looked at the outlets that sell damaged, new stock? We've kitted ourselves out with this stuff over the year where there's been a scratch or dent in the top or side panels (which are not seen where we've located them) and so you'd never know.
I bought a Hisense under counter built-in fridge when we redid our kitchen.
It was delivered and we fitted it and it sounded like R2-D2 on speed. The compressor was clearly not running smoothly.
I had to jump through repeated hoops with Hisense customer services, including sending numerous photos of various aspects of the fridge, including stickers in specific locations, except the stickers weren't where specified, and were actually somewhere else. I was asked to send video clips of the noise, but their email struggled with file sizes. There was quite a bit of to and fro.
Eventually they conceded and agreed to send an engineer, from Durham, to Scotland.
The engineer came, when we were on holiday, and I had to get a neighbour to let them in. Apparently he switched it on and within 3 seconds said "The compressor is f*****." He couldn't swap the compressor, so some weeks later, when back from holiday, we arranged a swap, with the retailer, via a special code from Hisense, for a different unit. That was a bit complicated too, but I understand the need.
The new one has been faultless.
Would I buy another Hisense White Good? Yes.
CS were easy to contact, but ridiculously needy with regard to photographic/video evidence. IANARE, but I could (and did) tell them the compressor was faulty, but some poor fella has a 400mile round trip to confirm.
Never had any Hisesnse. However they sell them in Costco and their backup is superb.
Have one of their American style fridge freezers as I wanted one that did non plumbed water and ice and it was less than half the price of anything else which did that.
Had it a year with no issues, then one of the kids snapped the plastic paddle which operates the water dispenser, as in just the little 2 inch square piece of plastic. Called them up, "its out of warranty, and the warranty doesn't cover that anyway as its not a technical fault its a broken piece through wear and tear........but we will send you out a new one anyway out of good will" then they sent through the whole circuit board control panel piece which has the plastic panel piece as part of it, for free, didn't even ask for postage. Top service.
Wouldn't buy a TV or anything from them though, based on nothing at all