Built to last
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Buy European: Miele, Rex Electrolux, Beko (Turkish, don't get into that), Smeg, Candy, AEG, etc...
Don't want to jinx it, but my Electrolux washer-dryier is 7 years old and still like new, despite being relatively cheap and despite combined machines being more problematic.
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Efficiency does little for your wallet and the environment if you need to buy/produce a new machine every few years.
(Not to say that we shouldn't strive for efficiency.)
Plus these fancy new machines can’t even wash a fucking blanket (unbalanced every time, no matter what I do).
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Buy European: Miele, Rex Electrolux, Beko (Turkish, don't get into that), Smeg, Candy, AEG, etc...
Don't want to jinx it, but my Electrolux washer-dryier is 7 years old and still like new, despite being relatively cheap and despite combined machines being more problematic.
wrote on last edited by [email protected]Candy
Buy European and not cheap
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Why should a washing machine need updates to begin with?
So that manufacturers can patch up remote exploits, duh!
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Don't buy American washers, I think only speed queen still bothers with quality.
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Survivorship bias is a heck of a drug.
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Huh... I have a top loader and grew up with one so it'd never occur to me this is needed, since with a top loader there's no reason to close it, it doesn't get in the way by being open
I'm glad I saw this thread, if I ever have a front loader now I'll know to leave it open
wrote on last edited by [email protected]If you ever need a new one, front loaders tend to fit more and I believe they're more efficient too. Plus if a top loader grenades itself, it might be a pain to get your laundry out if the drum doesn't move anymore. Front loaders are more expensive though.
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If repairman laugh at durable machinery they either just want your money or don't care about longevity. My father usually tells people to keep the old one if it's still working cuz the newer ones break down after a year or two and suck to repair (simple stuff just replaced with electronics that you have to replace whole for half the price of the whole machine).
As a repair guy that gives a shit about his customers, i encourage folks to fix their older appliances when feasible. I prefer the older stuff and find them to be easier to diagnose and repair a lot of the time.
A couple years ago i had an elderly lady with a Kitchen Aid washer and dryer that were in pristine condition. Based on some lookups, i determined the units to be 37 years old. Until that day, neither unit had been serviced once. Dryer needed a new door switch, lol. To be fair though, i got another call on the dryer a couple years later and it had a bad motor. Almost 40 years with virtually trouble-free operation! They loved the unit and didn't want to deal with the flimsy bullshit on the market today so they opted to repair it. I overhauled the dryer in addition to replacing the motor and it's quiet as the day it was new. What a well-built machine!
Oldest dryer i still service has to be from the 60's or something -- one of those old Maytag dryers that just has the timer in the center of the control panel and you push the timer in to start it. I swear the motors on some of those old units may never die, lol.
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You always have to leave the door open...
wrote on last edited by [email protected]As well as the hatch where the detergent goes in. Otherwise it will get swampy in there. That part of the post kinda makes me wonder if maybe her mother just takes better care of hers.
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Candy
Buy European and not cheap
Our super cheap Candy (Washer and a drier) has been going for 5 years now without issue
Though i'd buy a different brand if i had to again and wasn't pressed for money, I am definitely surprised how well it's doing. -
As well as the hatch where the detergent goes in. Otherwise it will get swampy in there. That part of the post kinda makes me wonder if maybe her mother just takes better care of hers.
I take the detergent tray out after every wash so it dries properly. Occasionally wipe the tray slot down if it needs it, and wash the tray. Seen a few horrible swamps in shared housing over college years.
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Efficiency does little for your wallet and the environment if you need to buy/produce a new machine every few years.
(Not to say that we shouldn't strive for efficiency.)
That's the same way i look at it. How much energy is involved in building a new washing machine? How much energy is spent scrapping it? So much waste. I recently had a run of energy-efficient washing machines that all had the same problem with the main CPU board. In 2 weeks i had 4 instances all come out of the woodwork. Only 1 opted for the repair but it cost them almost as much as a new washer. The rest got scrapped. These washers were all about 2 years old when i witnessed this phenomenon (and I ran into yet another one just a couple weeks ago)... Other techs online are sharing similar reports.
Not only are they over-engineering the fuck out of these things for "energy efficiency" which i swear is just an umbrella they use to cover their real goals--to make appliances less user and tech friendly. They want their guys selling their overpriced junk and bespoke computers/sensors/gizmos so they can extract every last cent of value out of the product, then try to sell you another one every 3-5 years almost like leasing a car.
Still, that doesn't mean the tech used to extract greater efficiency is a bad idea -- it's all the approach they take to get there. They're making the cheapest tech possible while trying to sell it for the most $. These digital electronics they design to handle the various functions that give them such energy efficiency are often made with design flaws that aren't worked out before release and/or they're made with the absolute bottom-of-the-barrel components and/or manufacturing standards. If they wanted to make nearly-indestructible computers and sensors and transmissions and motors they absolutely could. They could even make them extremely energy efficient as well, but it's simply not gonna happen.
Energy efficiency is a valid goal, but if that's really what they're going for they need to make some major changes to the way they're approaching it. The engineers in these companies are too smart for this to be the best they can do.
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Front loaders suck for moisture retention. They need more care between cycles to prevent build up.
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This is like that fridge post from yesterday..
The difference is that...cheap washing machines didn't exist. Good modern washing machines last a long time while not wasting money and electricity.
You can't compare the only available appliances of the 70s to the bottom-of-the-barrel now
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Survivorship bias is a heck of a drug.
There's no comparison between an old Maytag washer and dryer and a new/current Maytag washer and dryer. This is a case where survivorship bias does not apply, imo. Appliances were built more durable back in the day. There are plenty of older appliances working just fine today while some stuff under 5 years is already getting scrapped because it's too expensive to fix and/or parts aren't even available. It's total nonsense
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More water and energy efficient to run, yes. If you have to replace them every couple of years the resources used to make new ones need to be included too though, and that will have a big impact on the comparison. That said, I have had a modern front load pair for at least 5 years now, no issues.
wrote on last edited by [email protected]The resources used to make anything should always be included; called embodied energy.
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Buy European: Miele, Rex Electrolux, Beko (Turkish, don't get into that), Smeg, Candy, AEG, etc...
Don't want to jinx it, but my Electrolux washer-dryier is 7 years old and still like new, despite being relatively cheap and despite combined machines being more problematic.
My Euromaid is a decade old. Had to replace a $30 part after 5 years, but no other issues.
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The resources used to make anything should always be included; called embodied energy.
Of course. Those resources are just a much larger impact percentage wise on an appliance replaced every two years vs 25.
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Buy European: Miele, Rex Electrolux, Beko (Turkish, don't get into that), Smeg, Candy, AEG, etc...
Don't want to jinx it, but my Electrolux washer-dryier is 7 years old and still like new, despite being relatively cheap and despite combined machines being more problematic.
Smeg
They make acceptable and pretty toasters and similar appliances, but avoid this brand like a plague for fridges
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For front loaders you should leave the door cracked at least. Also clean under that rubber seal once in a while...
