[Rbrown]

Doing up utility room and will be replacing current (16 year old) Miele washing machine and tumble dryers.

Looking for any advice on good freestanding machines to replace them with.

Will be going for “heat pump” tumble dryer.

Minded of going Miele again. Helps that I get 20% of their products - which softens the cost a bit.

Many thanks in advance.

[crAbb]

After I read the title I thought you were going to buy an EV.....

[Blacktemplar]

Guy who services ours recommends getting the simplest one possible with the least number of complicated washing & drying programmes you’re likely to use. In his experience it’s usually the electronics that go long before the mechanical bits.

However, that flies completely in the face of how this forum operates and you should therefore purchase the most expensive & feature-rich machines you can find…

[Allworth]

No, you are kidding. 16 year old washing machine?

[Blacktemplar]

Ours is about that age as well, as is our condensing tumble dryer. So long as you clean all the internal filters regularly, replace the seals from time to time and don’t overload them they’ll last for ages.

To be fair, living in an area with very soft water also helps. I imagine limescale and other deposits can shorten any appliances life

[Rbrown]

Originally Posted by Blacktemplar

Guy who services ours recommends getting the simplest one possible with the least number of complicated washing & drying programmes you’re likely to use. In his experience it’s usually the electronics that go long before the mechanical bits.

However, that flies completely in the face of how this forum operates and you should therefore purchase the most expensive & feature-rich machines you can find…

Good advice. I have heard that already!!!

[isleaiw1]

Is it your long term forever home? If so then investing in something "expensive" might be worth it. I've just bought an integrated washer dryer combo (only space for one item) and as the house is me, myself and I, and I doubt I will be in it in 5 years, I went cheap and cheerful but A rated for energy so it ticks the boxes for sale but not longevity.

Then more money for more exciting toys!

[DougMcL]

I am using a 20 year old Miele washing machine. It still looks like new. When I need a new one, that's what I will be buying. Take out a sub to Which? They actually test their products properly and recommend good value stuff too...

Tumble drier is a Bosch heat pump. The door feel off at 6 years old and cost 150 due to broken hinges. Otherwise no issues.

PS the Miele cost 600 in 2004.

[SkyJawa]

Forget a tumble dryer, get a decent dehumidifier, we barely use our TD anymore now, and the dehumidifier is sooooo much cheaper to run too!

[NanasBack]

I don't know if they were around 15 years ago, but now, be sure to choose a machine with an inverter controlled motor.
Higher efficiency, lower maintenance (no brushes in the motor) and much quieter than a 'conventional' motor / controller.
Premium brands likely use these anyway.

[Panchoa]

Don’t get an LG washing machine. We bought one a few years ago and it’s shite….engineers been out3 times and it keeps ripping clothes for some unknown reason

LG tumble dryer on the other hand seems decent

[Grant_7]

Originally Posted by SkyJawa

Forget a tumble dryer, get a decent dehumidifier, we barely use our TD anymore now, and the dehumidifier is sooooo much cheaper to run too!

We bought a dehumidifier for this exact reason; Wash clothes and put them on a rack in the evening. Turn dehumidifier on overnight and wake up the next morning to dry clothes. Its great!

However we still use the tumble dryer for towels.

[KCH1984]

Originally Posted by Grant_7

We bought a dehumidifier for this exact reason; Wash clothes and put them on a rack in the evening. Turn dehumidifier on overnight and wake up the next morning to dry clothes. Its great!

However we still use the tumble dryer for towels.

Can't beat a tumble dried towel.

[Allworth]

Originally Posted by KCH1984

Can't beat a tumble dried towel.

Never tried that. Hanging outside on cold winter sunny morning/day works well.

[EvilDrPorkChop]

Don't bother with the newer Miele stuff, got a 6 year old washer and a dryer.

Washers broke down 3 times in 6 years, PSU, motherboard, sensor and now Board for the motor (Latter out of warranty, and Miele said I could have 20% off a new washer!)

Heat Pump Dryer went faulty 2 weeks after getting it, however to be fair it was a new model and just needed a software update.

Mum has also got a kitchen full of Miele. Steam oven went, dryer has gone through two motherboards, and oven went faulty. Her washer has been fine though.

I've got a new AEG washer in the garage, and that's been great. 10kg drum.
So next time i'd be very tempted to go AEG in the house.

Only bonus of Miele is the honeycomb drum to stop clothes creasing. And I have to say it does work.

[1 AKY]

I’ve always opted for Bosch appliances. Somewhere in the middle both in terms of pricing & quality. There’s plenty of vids on YouTube should they require any DIY maintenance/repairs with parts/spares easily available.

[Watsey]

Originally Posted by SkyJawa

Forget a tumble dryer, get a decent dehumidifier, we barely use our TD anymore now, and the dehumidifier is sooooo much cheaper to run too!

I’ve been saying this for years

Small room (utility would be ideal), clothes rack, dehumidifier. You can simultaneously dry a lot more items this way.

[Watsey]

Originally Posted by EvilDrPorkChop

Don't bother with the newer Miele stuff, got a 6 year old washer and a dryer.

Washers broke down 3 times in 6 years, PSU, motherboard, sensor and now Board for the motor (Latter out of warranty, and Miele said I could have 20% off a new washer!)

Heat Pump Dryer went faulty 2 weeks after getting it, however to be fair it was a new model and just needed a software update.

Mum has also got a kitchen full of Miele. Steam oven went, dryer has gone through two motherboards, and oven went faulty. Her washer has been fine though.

I've got a new AEG washer in the garage, and that's been great. 10kg drum.
So next time i'd be very tempted to go AEG in the house.

Only bonus of Miele is the honeycomb drum to stop clothes creasing. And I have to say it does work.

I bought a Miele cylinder vacuum cleaner a few years ago. It kept cutting out every few minutes, so we called Miele and it sent an engineer (warranty). He tested it and reported "no fault found." Miele wouldn't replace it, so I literally threw it away.

Piece of junk.

Bought a Miele washing machine which had an 8 year warranty. It broke down JUST inside the warranty period so I tried to get Miele to repair it. Miele told me that although the machine was sold with an 8 year warranty you had to 'claim' it by completing and returning a form from inside the user manual. It capitulated and agreed that the wording of that condition wasn't clear, but refused to provide the repair.

Miele - never again.

[RobUK]

Bought a Zanussi washer/drier back in 1990 and it was faultless until it finally expired in 2012. Replaced it with another Zanussi which is still going strong.

[1 AKY]

Originally Posted by Watsey

I’ve been saying this for years

Small room (utility would be ideal), clothes rack, dehumidifier. You can simultaneously dry a lot more items this way.

I’d say it depends on how many loads you have to get through in any given time period. We generally tend to all our laundry at the weekend (5-6 loads for a family of 5), so the racks/dehumidifier approach wouldn’t be practical for us nor do we have the space.

[DougMcL]

Originally Posted by Watsey

I bought a Miele cylinder vacuum cleaner a few years ago. It kept cutting out every few minutes, so we called Miele and it sent an engineer (warranty). He tested it and reported "no fault found." Miele wouldn't replace it, so I literally threw it away.

Piece of junk.

Bought a Miele washing machine which had an 8 year warranty. It broke down JUST inside the warranty period so I tried to get Miele to repair it. Miele told me that although the machine was sold with an 8 year warranty you had to 'claim' it by completing and returning a form from inside the user manual. It capitulated and agreed that the wording of that condition wasn't clear, but refused to provide the repair.

Miele - never again.

This is good to know. Their customer service in the UK has obviously gone tits up. Although in the UK Belfast had Irish level service, which was fantastic. (My oven broke down due to user error, but they insisted on sending out an engineer to check it anyway)

I had a look at the cost to run on Which? of various washer driers. The Miele was 160 per year with an average of 250 per year. Some machines cost 750 a year to run. Which would you rather have?

[JR1664]

Originally Posted by Panchoa

Don’t get an LG washing machine. We bought one a few years ago and it’s shite….engineers been out3 times and it keeps ripping clothes for some unknown reason

LG tumble dryer on the other hand seems decent

Both of ours have been sound, luck of the draw I guess.

To me these things are disposable items. Out of warranty and go wrong unless I can youtube fix it I don't fanny around, just bin it for a £399 replacement from currys.

People spend more on a monthly for their car but for some reason us blokes get a right sad on when these things go tits up after 5 years of complete abuse

Tumble dryers tend to go on forever. We've had three in 35 years only because Hotpoint said theirs would burn our house down. To be fair when I ripped one apart before they supplied a free replacement they had a point...Lint was everywhere and scorch marks in the outlet tube. This despite the missus religiously cleaning the filter, she won't even leave the house now with the tumble dryer going, or have it on overnight and its an LG condensing job.