Well, it's happened again. My contribution to the 1 August fireworks was the bang when the motor on my 18 month old 'professional' washing machine blew up.
I've had three machines die on me in the last 10-12 years. But for one to last only 18 months is crazy.
The last three were the same brand, and all developed motor trouble. Different models, of increasing price and supposed quality.
Yeah, I know - the only reason I went with the same brand the last two times was that the technician could get a new machine to me in a couple of days, whereas a different brand would take weeks. Murphy's law, machines tend die at the worst possible moment.
So this time since the repair guy can't even get out to look at the machine for several weeks I'll probably just go ahead and buy something else.
So now my questions:
First, could there be something in my wiring that is causing motors to die so soon, something I should check? I've not had any other electric problems, and we even had the wiring re-certified a couple of years ago. But nonetheless, before I plunk down another hefty sum, is there anything else I should look into?
And second - what are your current recommendations? I need a large capacity machine, minimum 9, but 10kg would be better.
Do any of you have a Schultess? Are they worth the price premium? How responsive are they when it comes to repairs?
Any recommendations, especially of large capacity machines purchased in the last few years, would be much appreciated.
I have a LG 10kg washer and 9kg dryer arranged in a tower. I've had it for 2.5 years and am happy with it.
I'm not an expert, but electrical problems would more likely affect the control circuitry than the motor. Don't take offence, but the most likely reason for the motor to burn out is running it with too much or uneven load.
We have a Hoover washing machine with an inverter motor, which is nicely silence. I bought it because it was cheap, 9-10 kg load and an AAA energy label.
As these things can break down at any moment in time, i believe in buying cheap and replace them when they start making trouble.
I'm very careful not to over fill - I weigh each load - and only do like weight items in the same wash. So while I can't rule out 'operator error' , I am OTT about how the machine is loaded.
Every time I've had a service person out I've asked if the way I load the machine is correct, am always told fine, no problem.
Which is why I am puzzled as to why machines have died.
I strongly suggest NOT getting any Zug brand appliances (though I wouldn't be surprised if that's the brand you had that died after only 18 months). All of the appliances in our apartment are Zug, and it seems like something is always going wrong with them -- especially the washer and dryer. My husband and I have even joked that they must deliberately build them to break after a year so they can continue making money on repairs and replacement parts.
I could recommend: You can visit the Miele center in Spreitenbach, they have all the models on show. If you call beforehand, you can book an appointment to speak to an advisor, otherwise you can just browse.
Personally, as long as I can afford it, I'll be sticking with them down the line. Built to last for sure.
I don't think it is worth the premium for household appliances any more but also avoid the cheapies. We had VZug for years (it came with the house) but replaced with Bosch 9kg A+++ energy and they wash and dry really good, the only downside to A+++ appliances is they take longer to wash and dry. Bosch/Siemens are identical and produced in the same factory but generally I have found Bosch to be cheaper for wash machines and driers and Siemens for kitchen appliances online. Use caution online as a lot of sites don't carry stock (they only show what the manufacturer has in stock the day before) Nettoshop has staff that actually answer the phone to confirm stock levels but here is another option I have used who are reliable for stock levels.
Surely the machine is under warranty as 2 years is standard. So after 18 months you shouldn't have to pay for a replacement. Whatever brand you have now I am sure the manufacturer will want to investigate. Definitely conract them first.
I've contacted them, and yes the machine is under warranty.
Unfortunately this time around they can't send someone out for several weeks. And of course it will take one visit to determine that they need to replace a motor or can't fix it at all, a second visit some weeks later... They have always been responsive in the past, but this time not.
I can't live without a machine for a month or more - so I'll likely need to buy a new one asap.
How I wish I had plumbing for two machines!
(Murphy's law: Heffalump is suffering from another round of Giardia. That means everything must be washed every day.)
Generally I have found that reliability is broadly the same regardless of price paid, buying a mid price model with the functions you want will probably work out the best 'lifetime deal'. My current Bosch is 7 years old without any issues.
In our current house the laundry room had two washing machines. One was for the pet's wash. If you have the space I am sure a plumber could set you up with a water supply and drain. Plus you will likely need an electrician. Plumbers sell washing machines too and they get a decent discount from manufacturers. This might be the way to go for a quick solution.
I can't believe you need to wait several weeks for a service call. That's just unacceptable.
Some independent appliance service companies can service all machines under warranty. Might be worth contacting a company like this. https://service7000.ch/
Built to last but not necessarily built to perform sufficiently. No issues with our washer or dishwasher but Miele has had some quality issues in terms of how well their dryers perform and we have experienced that with 2 models over last 6 years
I'm going to post a totally contrarian position here, but hear me out. We bought a 9kg washer from Gorenje, from Germany. It cost us €474. This is the model we have, which is out-of-production now, but they should have something similar in their line-up today.
It's eastern-European and it isn't fancy, but let's be honest, how many of the programs on your washing machine do you really use? It's basically temperature and spin cycle. I'd rather have a basic model -- less to go wrong.
We've got a household full of kids and pets and probably do 2-3 loads daily. The machine has given us flawless service for more than seven years so far, never missing a beat.
I hear everyone raving about their Mieles and V-Zugs, but when this machine finally gives up the ghost (and it's showing no sign of stopping anytime soon), I'll simply replace it with another one.
Edit: Here is their current 9kg model, available for CHF479 in Switzerland. Gorenje WEI 94 CPS
We had Electrolux appliances in my first apartment which had no issues in ca. 10 years. So bought similar for the house and the same story after 7 years, not a single problem.
I can recommend nettoshop's search function. Put it the specs you want (weight, left door/right door, and others) and it will list the options.
I had Miele. Caused endless problems, though I think it was just the first model with the auto - dosing so maybe they just didn't get it right. We had a warranty for 2 years, extended it another 3 years (thank god!), and sold the house and gladly left it behind to the new owners!
So I went back to Siemens, which I had in a previous apartment for 10 years. So far no issues after 3 years with the Siemens IQ800/700.
One thing you should note is that every manufacturer right now has supply and delivery problems because no one can get parts fast enough out of Asia (due to Covid and that big boat getting stuck). I finally got my Miele oven replaced after waiting about 8 months....