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Our 10+ year old Siemens washing machine might be dead. Just gone into the utility to empty it and there’s a horrible smell, almost like burning but no smoke. The clothes stink and will need re washing but obvs reluctant to use it again. Not sure what the problem is but if there’s a risk of something catching fire we’d rather just get new one as this has lasted longer than we thought it might anyway.
Don’t want a cheapy-cheap false economy one but also don’t want to pay more than we really need to…any recommendations? For ref there’s just 2 of us so not like it’s serving a big family therefore needing a huge capacity…
Cheapest Bosch that has the functions you need.
Bosch sell spares for a long period and often standardise across ranges unlike the total shitebags that are candy
We have both a Miele and a Ebac. (There is a reason.)
The Miele has a 10 year warranty, which was a special offer at the time.
The Ebac is very good and they come with a 7 year warranty as standard. Built in the UK as well. Designed to be repairable.
If I was looking to replace I would probably get an Ebac.
Miele scrapped the 10 year warranty, its now only 2.
Replaced our Miele with a Bosch Serie 4 when it died. Good machines.
Get it repaired?
My drier went the same way. The belt was ducked and had wrapped bits of itself around the motor. Cost me £60 to have it fixed.
We swapped a dead after 12 years LG (our second one in 22 years of family life) with a Samsung last year. It's not a patch on the LG's. It feels plasticy, odd choice of programmes it seems, noisier from day 1 and getting noisier a year in.
I would buy LG again.
Our direct drive LG is now about 13. I've had to replace the door seal once. Other than that it just works and keeping my fingers crossed it keeps going.
It was the first generation of direct drive machines (no belt to go wrong seemed a good idea to me and everything industrial was moving to inverter drives like it has).
I hope they haven't value engineered the longevity out of them too much when we do have to replace it but suspect they will have.
The Ebac is very good and they come with a 7 year warranty as standard. Built in the UK as well. Designed to be repairable.
Is the Ebac OK with muddy MTB clothing, the dirtiest things I ever have to wash? It gets a poor review from Which for stain removal. Made in UK is a big draw for me.
Just buy another Siemens.
Your last one lasted 10+ years. That’s a good life for a washing machine, especially when you work out price per wash.
It gets a poor review from Which for stain removal.
That seems weird to me. A washing machine's job is to add warm water and agitate the contents. Stain removal is why we have bio detergent.
Stain removal is why we have bio detergent.
Except if your allergic to it or have kids.
Other machines manage it with non bio. So seems strange to make one that can't.
But people like British made even if flawed.
Rules when buying a new washing machine IME:
- Fits space required
- Pick colour you want
- Has the largest capacity
- Has the lowest power consumption
- Has the most basic settings (avoid anything smart as it's not required and is just a gimic).
- Has the best spin speed
- Has the best warranty
- Is the quietest
- Is within budget
- Has a timer so you can take advantage of cheap electricity at night.
We have a Samsung Ecobubble one which seems to match most of the above except it's a smart one and plays annoying tunes when it's finished.
Oh, yeah. I concur on the direct drive. Brushless motors and no belts, all driven by an inverter. Very quiet, economical to power and no belt to adjust/replace.
I love Bosch stuff (and Siemens/AEG) as they have a website with an exploded view of the device where you can order spare parts online. It's a winner from a repair point of view and it helps you take things apart if you are that way inclined. Out last washing machine was a Miele though and it just works, it's great.
All out stuff is Bosch - it just works.
Whatever you do dont buy a Samsung. I purchased one with an 11year guarantee (yes 11 years!) about 6-7 years ago. Had lots of things go wrong and maybe 10+ engineer visits to fix it. In the end (after a massive battle) they swapped it for another model which has also been terrible. Large items are constantly getting around the drum and blocking the drain. In some ways i wish the guarantee had run out as im sick of having to get it fixed. Also samsung support are terrible and its always a battle to get them to fix it. I would get a seimens or LG based on previous experience.
Sounds like motor brushes need replacing.
If you are happy to tinker then I think it is straight forward task and can often get to the motor and brushes from the bottom by tilting the machine back 45 degrees or so, no need to take it apart.
I’m sure YT will have a video showing how to do it And the same for almost all machines I expect. Google motor brushes for your model number.
Obviously brushes is just a guess and it might be something else so only do so if you’re comfortable with the risk. If not get an electrician or new machine.
I would buy LG again.
Just for the celebratory tune it plays at the end of every wash! The novelty wears out after a while.
Happy with a mid range Bosch for the past 7 years, hope I haven't jinxed it. Not statistically very useful though.
Whatever you do dont buy a Samsung. I purchased one with an 11year guarantee (yes 11 years!) about 6-7 years ago. Had lots of things go wrong and maybe 10+ engineer visits to fix it. In the end (after a massive battle) they swapped it for another model which has also been terrible. Large items are constantly getting around the drum and blocking the drain. In some ways i wish the guarantee had run out as im sick of having to get it fixed. Also samsung support are terrible and its always a battle to get them to fix it.
Came here to write almost word for word the same as that
Do NOT buy a Samsung.
Re: the customer service - it was actually that dificult to get them to actually resolve anything I very peruasively got PC World to intervene and the warranty now lies with them. Things do actually get a respose now
we had an Ebac, it did not wash very well.
then it broke down completely and would not drain, it took 2 weeks to get through to them to be told an engineer would call us to arrange a time for repair, that would be in 5 days after 6 an engineer did call to arrange a time, to find out he did not cover our area. so more waiting for another engineer which eventually came out and replaced the pump, only issue now was that the washing machine now sounded like someone was trying to land a helicopter in our utility room, at this point we decided to to get a bosch instead which also washes a lot better.
So add Ebac to the do not buy list.
My 16 year old Miele just keeps going.
My 16 year old Miele just keeps going
Sounds like Miele them selves don't believe new ones will do the same.
Thanks for all the replies.
First port of call this morning will be the local repair shop - they might know instantly what the issue is (as their website claims to fix 95% of issues first time within 24hrs). If it’s cost-effective we’ll get it fixed.
There seems to be a lot of love for Bosch Series 4, and a lot of loathe for Samsung in general. If it is a new one I think we’ll get a Bosch.
Exciting times.
Another Bosch series 4 fan.
Use eco mode and a wash is about 10p.
I’ve got a 30 year old bike t shirt which has always had huge yellow stains under the armpits. They are now totally clean. Very impressed.
Another Bosch series 4 convert here. Replaced a hateful Hoover thing we suffered for 5 years. Was willing the thing to blow up and die the last 4 years which it eventually did. Was rubbish in all aspects, most annoying feature was stopping mid cycle for no apparent reason. The selector dial went temperamental almost one years to the day after buying, ie out of warranty. Avoid hoover/Candy at all costs. I walk past the Hoover HQ as it’s next to my office and I still want to throw a brick through their window every time. The Bosch has been great, not even thought about it for the last 2 years which is all you could ask for in a washer.
It's a series 4 we have.
The door seal got torn through careless loading a couple weeks back.
I had. Anew one within 24 hours and an hour later with a single T20 torx the new one was fitted. ( You have to remove the front panel which is a fair task but I thought the single tool design was neat)
I love Bosch stuff (and Siemens/AEG) as they have a website with an exploded view of the device
Same - for that reason I generally buy Bosch/Siemens/Neff where possible, and then always the Bosch spares as they're the cheapest.
That said I have a near 20 year old Miele which has never gone wrong...and maybe my partner got lucky with her Samsung which, tune apart, is fine too after 6 years or so too.
We're on our second LG Direct drive machine. The first one was well over 10 years old when we replaced it.
Late to the thread but...Bosch.
If you get a Bosch you can call it the Bosching machine. This is important.
With all the Samsung hate, I have one, it’s about 8 years old, it went wrong once in warranty (drum bearings I think?), Samsung were very quick to sort it out and it’s not gone wrong since. I’d recommend it, except for the hateful tune it plays after every cycle. Find something that just beeps a couple of times and switches off.
Went with one I could get that would fit in the space without sticking ut - 600mm depth units, but many washers stick out a good 100mm. Ended up with a Hoover 10kg model with NFC - bought just before lockdown. 4 years old. Motor failed after two years but got that repaired.
On the subject of tunes the LG plays a couple of bars of Greensleeves to let you know it's done and then goes quiet.
My mum's appliances (John Lewis branded Bosch washer and Neff dishwasher) just bleep but keeping bleeping until you go and turn them off.
I'd far rather have a few seconds of cheesy tune than a needy appliance that won't shut up until you go and press a button. YMMV