Washing machines (at home)

[Variflex]

Give me ten minutes whilst I go and ask the wifey

[Nay-DMAX]

Another lot of great information in these posts and glad to read it is helping others out who are also looking for a new machine.  Maybe with our friends LG it has not started to show those signs of wear etc so I am glad that I posted.  I cannot remember who posted about the brand from masters we don't have one here but can certainly get to one easy enough.  I would be interested to see the price on the speedqueen ones as well. (is that what they were called)?  If anyone else has any other info please keep posting and I will have a look at that choice info. Cheers

[Rumpig]

Just asked my brother about Speedqueen prices, he said a top loader is about $1900 and a front loader he thinks is about $2500

[Nay-DMAX]

Just asked my brother about Speedqueen prices, he said a top loader is about $1900 and a front loader he thinks is about $2500

Thanks for finding out the prices Rumpig will have a look at a few prices and hopefully ours lasts at least a few more weeks.

[Kit_e_kat9]

Do NOT buy F&P ... I got one 6 years ago and I HATE it.  Eats ya clothes ... doesn't clean them properly ... the lint filter requires a complete pull down of the entire machine (yes the bowl, agitator, inserts and lid removal) ...

I'm going to get my old Westinghouse fixed and take this chunk o junk to the tip since I just got free tip vouchers.  Might keep the bowl and use it as a backyard fire pit.

Kit_e

[elkay]

Another thing to think about is the amount of room you have in laundry, if it is going in laundry, we have very small laundry with just enough room to move passed the washer, so with the front loaders all our research indicated that cause they are
watertight the door must be left open frequently to prevent mold developing on and inside the door seals.
We dont have enough room to leave the door open as it is a thoroughfare and would get in the way.  Shop assistant advised that the seals needed to be wiped dry everytime the washer was finished.
So as said before, bought old fashioned top loader.

[cruisindub]

We've always had front loaders.
Cant believe more people dont buy front loaders, (its pleasing to see some swaggers above have) as I think the old australian ways cant see how good they really are. My mum included who bought a new top loader as thats all shes ever had.
FL Uses far, far less water.
FL Better wash and better on clothes.
FL more energy efficient.
FL is convenient and under bench or dryer on top.

We've had seimens duo and now have a bosch washer only, practically the same machines. Ours are German made, not the Thai ones, though the thai ones are made under german guidance and am led to believe are very good also, I'd buy one of them also.
(we gave our seimens washer and dryer to my father in law when we moved, and bought new Bosch)

Weve used Bosch front loaders,(and dryers) on the villas and boats and they were running at least 14 hours a day, 7 days a week and never had an issue, we bought for our own appartment the same.

Can do a quick 15 minute wash, through to full washes etc. fast spin, clothes come out almost dry.

Wife loves it, I'm extremely happy with it and really, at teh price, wouldnt even bother looking at a top loader at all.

We'd only have upgraded to a Miele, but that was way out of our price range.

[fishfinder]

Do NOT buy F&P ... I got one 6 years ago and I HATE it.  Eats ya clothes ... doesn't clean them properly ... the lint filter requires a complete pull down of the entire machine (yes the bowl, agitator, inserts and lid removal) ...

I'm going to get my old Westinghouse fixed and take this chunk o junk to the tip since I just got free tip vouchers.  Might keep the bowl and use it as a backyard fire pit.

Kit_e

Our F&P is no problems does about 4 loads a day but they do have a new design drive system

[Bill]

Our direct drive LG front loader is about 7 years old now.
Looks and works as well now as it did when we got it.
More than happy with it.
Someday I will need to learn how to use it... I'm in no hurry though.
Bill

[shakey55]

We have had an LG front loader for a couple of years. First flint loader we have had and now wouldn't buy anything else.


'shakey'

[Pipeliner]

Front loader every time.  As a pommie immigrant I was always used to a front loader under the kitchen bench and was surprised to see so many top loaders when I arrived in Australia - maybe they were demonstrating that they had bigger houses with  separate laundries and didn't need to save space.

Currently we have a Miele which we've owned for about 8 years: before that I had a cheap Italian import that I bought in 1995 and carted Brisbane-Adelaide and back again without any problems.  We love Miele products: they work and are reliable.

I agree completely with the advice to make sure you have a quick wash cycle available.  We visited some friends in Italy this year and they had bought a Bosch which took 2 hours to wash anything - painful!

[HEM19X]

Laundry? Laundry? Don't tell me, I remember seeing it somewhere. That's right it's downstairs near the doorway to my man cave!!

We had an LG top loader for 20 years until it finally died, bought another one - Happy Wife, Happy Life.

[MarDon]

Though we don't have a front loader, my parents do and are very happy with it, does a great wash but takes a long time as said. Not sure what brand it is. I occasionally take my son's work (diesel mechanic) clothes over for a 'really good clean'. Not that our Whirlpool top loader is no good, in fact very happy with it, there is just 'something' about the heavy clean of the front loader.  When it's again time to replace ours, I will be weighing up between the two styles.

The only thing that concerns me with my parents front loader is the noise of it, at one stage during the wash cycle it seriously sounds like a plane preparing for take off!!! It is seriously loud! My workplace has one also, and same thing with the noise levels - again not sure about brand, maybe the same as my parents, but I'd ask about that before purchase.

Friends have a front loader with the dryer on top, it's a nice neat look, never heard it wash so not sure about noise levels.

Dee. 

[Tjupurula]

Having read through this thread, I guess we are one of the few people left in this country who still hand wash, other than our blankets which we give to the kids to wash.  Not being the most technological people (this laptop the only technology we own), I guess we should try to catch up, but not yet.
My daughter has a big machine that can wash blankets, and that is loaded from the top, and quite some time ago, we put underground pipes in, so the waste water went straight to the garden (weed patch now), I think her machine is an LG, but that is about all I can say about it.
Regards
Tjupurula

[KingBilly]

Our normal wash cycle on our Bosch front loader is 50 minutes.  We have several other options, one of which is a quick cycle of just 15 minutes.

In relation to leaving the door open, yes, it is advised to leave it open to dry the interior, but you don't need to leave it open permanently.  We leave ours open for an hour or so after washing and then it gets closed.  When open, it folds back and doesn't take up much extra room.   No issues with mould on door seals.

As others have said, our LG also bounced all around the laundry when on spin.  We could never seem to get it sitting right on our floor.  And it was a direct drive which supposedly was smooth and quiet.

In relation to the LG rusting.  This was only noticeable externally after about 4 years.  But the two service calls prior to that, with the front & back of the machine off, the rust internally on the cabinet and components was shocking.

In relation to noise, our Bosch is pretty quiet compared to the jet engine in the previous LG.  The dryer is more of a distraction than the washing machine.

KB

[brickiematt]

Another vote for a Miele front loader. My work clothes are covered in dust and mud (mortar) and assorted other crap, which quickly destroyed 2 washing machines. Had the Miele 8kg front loader for several years now and can highly recommend it. Cant beat german engineering!
If you're in Melbourne,  they have a factory seconds outlet at their office in knoxfield. Scratch and dent or discontinued stock with full warranties.
Their coffee machines are bloody good too

[Mrs smith]

Just like to thank everyone that's contributed to this thread, it's been a great
read and a wealth of info so far.

[Nay-DMAX]

Another vote for a Miele front loader. My work clothes are covered in dust and mud (mortar) and assorted other crap, which quickly destroyed 2 washing machines. Had the Miele 8kg front loader for several years now and can highly recommend it. Cant beat german engineering!
If you're in Melbourne,  they have a factory seconds outlet at their office in knoxfield. Scratch and dent or discontinued stock with full warranties.
Their coffee machines are bloody good too

Thanks Matt we are not in Melb but can get down there if need be I will see if they have any info online.

Just like to thank everyone that's contributed to this thread, it's been a great
read and a wealth of info so far.

Hasn't it been great I did not expect to get so much info.

Having read through this thread, I guess we are one of the few people left in this country who still hand wash, other than our blankets which we give to the kids to wash.  Not being the most technological people (this laptop the only technology we own), I guess we should try to catch up, but not yet.
My daughter has a big machine that can wash blankets, and that is loaded from the top, and quite some time ago, we put underground pipes in, so the waste water went straight to the garden (weed patch now), I think her machine is an LG, but that is about all I can say about it.
Regards
Tjupurula

Thanks for posting anyway it would be good if we could just hand wash everything but unfortunately don't get to with working and having  bedding towels etc too.  Good you give the kids the blankets to wash.

[Marcus73]

Do I need to be the one to say it?
C'mon ladies, get ya s*** together!
I'm gonna have to go and take a shot of testosterone now


Sent from the machine that goes..... Bing!

[Kris]

In relation to the length of time, my everyday cycle takes 1:24m at 30deg.  If it heats to 60deg (like it wants to, but I don't) it takes around 2h+.  It's not that longer than my old F&P, but that probably has something to do with my tank supply.  Yes there is a quick 14m cycle, I've used it once in 2mths.

[D4D]

I'm gonna have to go and take a shot of testosterone now

Go and polish your bar again

[fuji]

Nothing wrong with old fashioned

[Tjupurula]

Nothing wrong with old fashioned

Ease up on the "old fashioned" comment there old fella, we actually still have one, and it does work, and yes, I know how to use it well.
Tjupurula

[#jonesy]

Another feature you want is a "pause and add". When you start the washer the door locks, and I usually leave out the one item I was actually wanting to wash. I can press pause and a few minutes later the door will unlock allowing it to be put in.  Some don't have this feature and you hav e to do a second load.  ( hard enough to get me to do one)

[schmik]

Miele front loader. Over 10 years old. We have 3 kids so it gets used daily.  Never missed a beat.