Asko Pro Series W & D - anybody w/personal experience?

[andrew47]

we're planning to buy a brand new W&D set. We had a FL washer around 2003 and remember the moldy smell, noise, and marginal cleaning performance so we've been leaning towards TL but came across the Asko W8844XLW & T884XL.

The claims for the washer Asko piqued our interest - no rubber bellows, superb cleaning performance, longevity, and quiet operation. The negatives are the $4.4k set cost and the washer's long cycle times (1:45 for colors) and additionally we'd be the first sale for our local dealer so we're really on the fence. I've been unable to find any reviews or consumer anecdotes so i'm hoping somebody on this board can shed some light. Our questions are. I've heard that they've only been in the us market for just over 2 months.

1) Any experience from those that have purchased them or those that sell them.

2) Is Asko targeting the Mielie 'Little Giant'?

3) Any thoughts that explains the 67% premium Akso is asking for the Pro series vs the Family?.

4) Anything they may have done to solve the issue of clothes getting musky when you start a load at night and don't transfer the clothes to dryer till the next morning?

5) They're claming excellent cleaning performance due to the number of rinse cycles and low sound due to the four shock suspension system. Any validity?


BTW, this is the launch brochure I mentioned on the phone call. https://mamabrein.files.wordpress.com/2014/03/6302009_wmd80_launch_brochure_web.pdf

 

[henene4]

Long text ahead!

1) I can only tell you that the standard models have been loved or hated online. Nothing inbetween.
2) Nope. Not that I see. The Mieles are true commercial machines. The Askos are AFAIK only standard domestic Askos built deeper with a bigger drum. The Mieles offer cycle times under one hour on 208-240V and hot water conection.
3) Thats really a tough question. The drum is a third bigger. So you can wash more in one go while staying in about the same time range. But you have to keep in mind: These are EU designs: You have to stuff them full to get them to capacity. There is no "Don't fill more than 3/4" ruel like on some bigger US washers. When you think it's overloaded, it'll probably be just about full.
4) Well, that happens. Everytime. Except you a) use the delay timer so the machine just finishes in the morning, b) you use the rinse hold so you start the spin in the morning, c) you run a quick wash again in the morning or d) you have that fancy fan fresh option Whirlpool offers. So, they came up with some solutions.
5) Well, they wash clean because they can actually do a profile wash (means they start with moderatly warm water and heat up step by step) and wash that long. The rinses are really usefull. You get fresh rinsed laundry. Every time. And if the usualy preset 3 rinses for colors are not enough, add another 2! You'd have the option. And on the spin: This suspension was used in there models spinning at 2000 RPM. So at 100 miles an hour or even more. And the washer was rated at 75 DB, I think, here in Germany. Thats about average. And as this only has 1400 RPM, I guess the will be not to much noise or vibration after all.
To get to another point: You have to keep in mind: These 1:45 on Colors are with cold feed only (I think), with 25 pounds of laundry (next time you do laundry, weigh that amount up and put it on a pile, you'll first recognize what 25 lbs mean) at 140°F. So all that water and laundry have to be heated to 140° F. If you have a warm fill, less laundry or you don't want a 140° wash, the washer will take less time.
So, three notes at the end: The washer you named up there is Cold hook up only. In the brochure, there are 2 versions named,one with, one without the hot water conection. So, if you are concernd about cycle times, ask your dealer about that.
Second, both washers need a dryer like hook up. So, 208-240V are required twice (for washer AND dryer). Keep that in mind.
Third, this washer can heat the water. And not like a 120V machine. It can reach up to 203° F. So, thats what called a boilwash here in the EU. This will not only wipe any dirt or bacteria of your (temperature resistant) laundry, whenever you washer developes that musty smell, or even better, before it does,just kick it on a cycle at 203° with some chlorine bleach, and all that smell, dirt and (eventual) mildew will vanish. Thats particular handy as I suppose it happens to you oftner that you leave damp, washed laundry in the tub over night which helps mildew to grow.
Hope I helped
Henrik

 

[dave886]

That washer, looks perfect!! hopefully ISE will release there version of this so i can purchase this in the uk.

 

[suburbanmd]

I bought one

See the link for my experience as it evolves.

Asko Pro Series W8844XLW washer arrived

Temperature selections are: 70, 85, 105, 120, 140, 160, 175, 205 Spin speed selections are: 400, 600, 800, 1000, 1100, 1200, 1300, 1400

ths.gardenweb.com

 

[laundromat]

Once repaired,  my Asko sets worked flawlessly!!I had to sell them but made a great profit and no worries. They've been in use since their repairs and are still in use. The only issue was the dryers overheating and turning off from the blockage caused by the water tray full of dryer lint. Once cleaned, they work best. No other issues at all.

 

[chestermikeuk]

Asko

Just read your comments on the Asko and OOB, I would suggest taking it off the wooden pallet and rest it on a sturdy solid floor then try it, these types of washers are designed work on a solid floor and off pedestals and such ....

Mine are 14 yrs old and working without fault..

 

[suburbanmd]

Washer footing

Mike, I don't think the pallet is the problem.  The legs are on the pallet blocks, and it's a heavy pallet that was used for shipping ceramic tiles.  The washer body doesn't move.

 

The real issue is that the Asko Pro Series W8844XLW is a half-baked effort that shouldn't be on the market, for all the reasons I described on the other site.  Heck, I just got it into a state where it was filling and draining at the same time.  Hopefully they'll take it back.

 

[henene4]

Take it of the pallet. It is a somewhat sturdy wooden thing, but that it is: wood. Wood is soft. Tile or concrete not so. I know, it really dosen't seem obvious how much this can effect such things as balancing performance. But it can.

Small loads will be a bigger challenge to balance for pretty much any EU&#92AU based machine. They mostly have their sweatspots for balancing at 3/4 to just about full.

Filling and draining at the same time is indeed something a few washers do. Don't know which the condition was, but it most likely was a suds-control measure or a cooling measure for perm press clothes.

Soak cycles on frontloaders always seemed redundant to me. Usually, I have 1 or 2 soiled items that would need a soak in a load, and for me, that dosen't justify a cycle that lasts 4h. I can throw them in a bucket for a soak and wash 2 other loads meanwhile.
However, any soak cycle I came across used only verry little water. And given you said it was a not to big load, it probably just did not soak up enough to trigger a refill.
Logic behind that: High concentration pre soak.

That Superwash bug seems rather strange though.

 

[suburbanmd]

The Asko website, for North America anyway, describes the Quattro Pro suspension and adds "Particularly nice if you live in a wooden house or apartment building, where vibrating washing machines can be a real disturbance."  So it should work on wood.  Yep, I'd like it off the pallet, when Asko comes to pick it up

 

Here's how it ended up filling and draining at the same time:

1) I cancelled a program.  After draining, the door unlocked, along with the control panel i.e. one could select and start a new program.

2) It started draining again, while unlocked.  I started a new program.

3) The new program started filling, while the drain pump kept running 

Someone who's done event-driven computer programming will recognize the result of poor coding, combined with inadequate QA.  Scary to have such a carelessly programmed device connected to the house plumbing.

 

Here is what the Asko's soak cycle does:

1) Fill with water to a determined level.

2) Tumble a couple of times.

3) Wait 10 minutes

4) Tumble a couple of times.

Repeat steps 3 and 4 until two hours are up.

Working like this, how long into the soak period will it take, before a full load is saturated with concentrated detergent solution?

 

Re balancing, I'm talking about loads we've done hundreds of times in our large Miele without a hiccup.  Nothing involving rugs or big unmatched towels or anything like that.

 

Re the Super Wash bug, only thing I can figure is that they shipped it with this feature not working, due to lack of time and/or lack of someone to fix the software.  I think that anyone who's worked in technology will find this believable. Maybe you find it hard to believe that an appliance manufacturer would do it.

 

[askolover]

I was hoping this would be a great machine.

Suburbanmd:

 

Even though I have a Miele w1986 on the ready for the day my Asko dies completely, I'd really like to have another Asko because I like their design.  Mine has been on a wooden floor its entire life and balancing has never been a problem...and it's from the days before "quattro suspension" shock absorbers...mine only has two...AND it has been on a home-built wooden pedestal for the past 10 years with no problems vibrating or balancing.  I really believe all this digital electronic stuff has more glitches.  Mine's completely electromechanical.  It's been used almost daily for 18 years.

 

"Re the Super Wash bug, only thing I can figure is that they shipped it with this feature not working, due to lack of time and/or lack of someone to fix the software.  I think that anyone who's worked in technology will find this believable. Maybe you find it hard to believe that an appliance manufacturer would do it."

 

Why not, companies do it all the time!


 

BTW...where was that Asko made?  I'm guessing Slovenia?

 

[suburbanmd]

Yep, it's made in Slovenia.  See serial plate below.  Build quality seems ok, judging from the parts I can see and feel.

 

It's one thing to ship buggy software, or even buggy firmware in an updateable device, knowing it will be updated later.  But this washer isn't updateable, other than by replacing a board, if I understood the service tech correctly.  Also interesting to note that the only info he had was pages from the user manual, printed at the office from the online PDF.  So, while getting the Sub-Zero Wolf organization to service Asko is a good step (they came less than 48 hours after I called), they can't do much without information and education.