Deep rinse FL UK/IRL?

[2drumsallergy]

Welded Tub Units

Hi Seamus,
I read your post and decided to pop the lid of my Aqualtis and sure enough the Tub Unit is welded. I can see advantages and disadvantages to this design; on the plus side there is no chance of the washer leaking at the joint between the tub halves, the tub unit will also be more rigid. On the negative side there is no way to replace a broken drum spider or a damaged inner drum for that matter. As for bearing failure I would never replace the bearings without replacing the shaft and spider as they simply fail again.

Are the Hoover Vision HDs also welded like this?

David

 

[lavamat_jon]

I was aware that the Hotpoint Aqualtis machines were made in Italy by Ariston... but I think if they are turning out to be better quality machines then this will probably do the Hotpoint brand name good as at the moment a lot of people associate it with the current unreliable WMA/WF washers. My grandparents had to dump a WF340, 18 months old, due to bearing failure even though it was only used two or three times a week - if it can't last an elderly couple then it is disgraceful IMO.

David - are you sure your WF860 was 6 years old? As far as I'm aware the WF range was released in mid-2004, I remember working in Euronics at the time and the reps were making quite a big deal over the launch of the new Hotpoint range, in fact we even ran a competition when they first came out to win the 1000 Aquarius model.

As I said, nice to see they are an improvement on the previous Hotpoint and Indesit designs, though it is early days yet so as with any new design it's a wait and see I guess when it comes to longevity. With the increased environmental waste concerns nowadays manufacturers need to put some quality back into machines, and it's nice to see Indesit especially doing this. It's also nice to see that the water stingy machines are slowly dying out as manufacturers are realising that sometimes you just need water to launder clothes . Though I still think the sealed tub is a con, and is nothing more than built in obsolescence.

Jon

 

[lavamat_jon]

Talking of water levels...

AEG Sensitive water level

 

[platinum6]

I like the water level in the AEG! Nice and high, just how it should be!

 

[launderess]

That is the same level my vintage Miele uses for the "Soak" and pretty sure "Woolens" cycle as well. LOTS of water!

 

[decodriveboy]

Dang that is some WATER!

Meanwhile, here in the U.S., our "sensitive setting" would equal an extra teaspoon.

 

[MrX]

From what I gather, there's no problem selling a machine that, by default, uses very little water, but can have a user-programmable option to raise the water level. You still get your A-rating for efficiency, but if the end user wants to raise the water level he/she can.

 

[decodriveboy]

That scenario you described would be ideal

but makes too much sense for American manufacturers to do.

 

[launderess]

Yeahbut

High water use means bearings and other components must be designed to withstand such use, and as we've seen many of today's front loaders barely cope with five or so years of routine low water use.

L.

 

[dascot]

Which? rated one particular Aqualtis model as a don't buy - that doesn't cover the entire range, just that model. They generally won't recommend Hotpoint washers at the moment anyway until the reliability data they get from their surveys gets better.

Interestingly, the 8kg model isn't on Hotpoints site, but is in the downloadable brochure...

 

[MrX]

High water might be less wearing ?

Actually using high water levels could be less wearing on the bearings . If you think about it, the clothes are suspended in the water being sloshed around rather than being a big heavy wet ball that has to be hauled around the drum.

There would certainly be less shock on the bearings.

However, it can mean you need a tougher motor as the drum would definitely provide a more constant resistance to push against as the paddles move through the water.

 

[decodriveboy]

Either way

Since I adjusted my FL I have had no need to re-wash smelly items or those covered in pet hair.

There's no energy savings if you have to re-wash the same load repeatedly (with cycles that are twice as long!) because there's not enough water.

Let the machine break. When the time comes to replace it, it will be with a good vintage washer with practical features instead of today's poorly built, water-stingy crap.

 

[MrX]

It's like those low-water content toilet cisterns that require you to flush everything twice

 

[MrX]

JetSystem pumps

A Zanussi repair guy we had out was saying that the JetSystem pumps don't usually fail, although there has been some issues with certain batches of them over the years.

He was saying that one of the advantages of the nozzle spraying in along the door was that users could see that the machine was indeed recirculating water. In the older type where it sprayed in through the top of the outer tub and through the holes in the drum, often people wouldn't notice if they had a blocked / failed pump and would just suffer poorer wash performance!

 

[2drumsallergy]

Hotpoint WF860P

Hi Jon,
I checked my sales receipt and indeed it was purchased in May 2004 I honestly thought it was older or at least it seems older than 2004 to me.
I tended to use it mostly for greasy work clothes and my workshop rags, It was very quiet and never gave me any trouble. It will not have such an easy life now LOL; the poor thing will not know what's hit it.

David

 

[lavamat_jon]

Hey David,

That's fine - I was beginning to think I was losing it for a minute then LOL.

Keep us updated as to how it's going - though I think we're all more interested in the Aqualtis hehe .

Jon

 

[chestermikeuk]

Hotpoint WF860

Hi Guys, My sister has the above washer with matching condensor dryer and having used it a few times am rather impressed with it, had a good look at all the options and have always found it to do pefect results, stable in operation and not that loud on final spin....4 yrs old now and no probs to date...

And then again a neighbours machine has the drum cassette replaced 3 times in hers etc..

 

[chestermikeuk]

Rinses.

If you want deep rinses I would go with the Hotpoint Aqualtis or Hoover vision, both getting good reviews from customers and service engineers...

The other medium priced machine with excellent washing & rinsing results are the AEG`s with jet system,

Final recommendation would be the MaytagAsko, whilst it can do deep washes its rinsing is superior by allowing multiple shallow rinses....

 

[2drumsallergy]

Ariston Hotpoint Aqualtis

Hi chestermike,
I have noticed there are lots of GDA designed Hotpoints that give no trouble I have also replaced drum bearings and spiders on identical machines, there does seem to be variations in the quality of individual machines. If your sister has had no trouble it's likely that her machine will remain trouble free.

I love your Maytag Asko you simply cant buy better than an Asko, and their latest models are simply beautiful.

On the Aqualtis, I was speaking to a Hotpoint engineer last Friday in a shopping centre of all places. We got talking about the Aqualtis and bearing failures, he told me that the Aqualtis is proving to be a very reliable machine and it was designed with reliability as a priority. He went on to say the Aqualtis has been out for two years now and in that time he has not seen a single instance of drum bearing failure in his work area. He raised a valid point regarding new EU regulations and recycling; all appliance manufacturers are now responsible for recycling their own products at the end of their life cycle. I suspect that future recycling costs of cheap unreliable appliances will lead to more reliable products being produced.

David

 

[mielabor]

I can agree with the superior rinsing of Asko. I have one myself and I am satisfied with its performance. What I don't understand is why the machine doesn't spin after each rinse while in super rinse mode as it does in normal rinse mode. Spinning after each rinse would make the super rinse even more effective.

 

[lavamat_jon]

That Asko is purely beautiful, I can;t wait until Maytag introduce them over here. They wouldn't look out of place in a commercial laundry, in fact there should be a slot for coins on the right of the control panel! .

I think one would look just nice standing next to my Miele 2652 in the laundry room .

Jon