Help me decide on Beko

[servisslimline]

hi guys, im having trouble making my mind up on liking beko or not, some have said they are built a bit cheap but reliable, which is where the next question comes in. my dads girlfriends niece has been bought a brand new beko WM6123W for £220, 3 months ago,it has a 1200rpm spin, 6kg drum,and its a basic machine, ive seen it running and im not sure what i think of it, plus ive had to fix it cos there was a sim card stopping the pump impeller turning so it wouldn't drain, and i think its a fairly ugly machine, can anyone help me decide?
phil

 

[foraloysius]

I think it's a pretty machine. But what's more, apparently Bosch thinks they are good enough to put their name on it and sell it as the BOL Bosch models.

 

[aquacycle]

I really like Beko machines. The BOL machine is incredibly annoying, because it takes so damn long. My best friend has the model up from that with variable spin and the quick wash button (which decreases the wash time by about an hour, so it takes 90mins. A much more reasonable wash time if you ask me). It's a tin can, basically. It has no fancy cycles and no flashy lights and is relatively loud for a modern machine. It has nice high water levels though. Results, however are fantastic. It washes and rinses exceptionally well and has a nice long spin so thinks come out very dry. There's very little to go wrong with it. They are proving to be quite reliable as there are still a lot of the early timer-dial models around and in use. As for the SIM card getting stuck, that's hardly the machine's fault, is it? I would highly recommend Beko as a nice, basic, cheap yet relatively reliable machine. I definitely prefer them over Merloni products and Hoover/Candy products.

 

[superelectronic]

Well my first reaction was "Surely beauty is in the eye of the beholder?"...but that's not very helpful, is it!

Not keen on the very flimsy looking plastic to be honest, having viewed in real life. Does seem like Beko are gathering a few fans here, though. Furthermore, I gather their owner swallowed up Blomberg and if my old warhorse is anything to go by they might have some fairly robust design elements!

Think I'd go for the upper end models if I had to, though the basic model is nice and shallow at about 48cm depth - not to be sniffed at, having once been restricted by this consideration (thank heaven ofset plumbing is the norm these days).

 

[bertrum]

Unfortunatly these latest Beko machines have nothing in common with the Bloomberg machines.

Yes the last Bloomberg range to be sold in the UK (out of Comet mainly) really were throwback machines compared to what else what on the market at the time. Superb quality. (the 1501 AAA range etc).
Put a picture of your machine on the forum SuperElectronic, they deserve some praise.

 

[bertrum]

Unfortunatly these latest Beko machines have nothing in common with the Bloomberg machines.

Yes the last Bloomberg range to be sold in the UK (out of Comet mainly) really were throwback machines compared to what else what on the market at the time. Superb quality. (the 1501 AAA range etc).
Put a picture of your machine on the forum SuperElectronic, they deserve some praise.

 

[zodawash]

Beko

Well as you know Phil, I'm running a top of range Beko and my parents run one and quite a few people I know have the basic models. All running lovely. yes wash times are long but wash results are outstanding even on a quick wash. Parts are fairly cheap and widely available and they are as easy to fix as anything i've come across. Nice big doors too with lots of viewing space

steve

 

[aquacycle]

^Steve, your description makes them sound like old Hotpoints

 

[ronhic]

Well...

I have posted this before, or something simmilar...

Bekos parent company, Arcelik, bought Blomberg in 2002. Since this, the quality of Beko machines has improved dramatically.

My mother replaced her 20yr old ASEA with the Fisher and Paykel badged version about 18mth ago now and apart from an initial issue, there has been nothing else to report.

Bertrum, I have no idea how you can say that the 'latest Beko machines have nothing in common with Blomberg' when Blomberg do not sell, and to the best of my knowledge, have not sold machines in the UK since about 2003....

....particularly given they are owned by the same parent company...This is akin to saying that 'it is unlikely that Siemens and Bosch have anything in common or Ariston/Hotpoint/Indesit for that matter. As we all know, companys are driven by profit. Arcelik will be doing everything it can to ensure there are synergies between brands that do not undermine the reputation of one or the other...and the mere fact that Beko machines have improved since I last saw them for sale in the UK (and a version badged HOOVER here in 1998) is tantamount to this. Improvements don't just 'happen' without research and development and/or buying in the technology - Arcelik did just that with the purchase of little known (in the UK) brand Blomberg....and the fact that they sell the same dishwasher badged in different markets comfirms it and that they sell the higher end Beko product as base/mid range Blomberg product leads me to again say 'Beko is a brand to watch'.

Arcelik would not undermine the reputation that Blomberg has in Europe by badging inferior product, quite the reverse. I think you will find 'true Blomberg' machines slowly become Beko's and that the brand will move into the hotly contested mid-mid/high price range over the next 5 or so years. They will do this based on features/value, which they are doing now - mid range Beko machines are highly featured for the money - and quality, which has improved and will continue to get better as the companys aspirations move.....

Time will tell.....but I'd put money on my thoughts here....

Now if only I could see their 5 and 10 year plans....

http://www.automaticwasher.org/TD/THREADS/MODERN/2010/26288.htm?7

 

[bertrum]

Hi Rohnic,
You are correct Blomberg have not been sold in the UK since the early 00's.

Blomberg were bought out by Arcelik about 2003 as Im sure you know. The Arcelik/ Blomberg machines produced since are basically just Beko's with a badge change.

I am talking about Blombergs before 2003, a tottaly different animal.

( if SuperElectronic flips the lid of his and gives us a snap, all will be revealed! ).

 

[ronhic]

Bertrum...

....how on earth can you know that Blomberg machines are 'basically just Beko's with a badge change'? You have nothing to compare them to given they have not been sold in the UK and I therefore doubt you have serviced a late model Blomberg.

How about the concept that Beko's could be Blombergs with a badge change?

 

[ronhic]

....and

Arcelik bought Blomberg in 2002, not 2003....

 

[superelectronic]

Flipping the lid...

...may have to wait until the weekend but I might just oblige!

Will feel like a total t*at if my belief that the Proline is a Blomberg is misplaced...but I think I've seen enough comparisons to be relatively confident. Full frontal pics are on the "My washday nemesis" post in case you've bypassed them.

Alex

 

[bertrum]

No I hav'nt seen any of the latest Blomberg's but as we know buying quality brands and re-badging is what these huge companies are good at. Looking at the Bloomberg website they look Arcelik to me!.

Im sure I dont have to give you examples of large companies taking over and rebadging, remember they are all coming out of the same factory.

Look what Electrolux has done to rebadging Zanussi and AEG clones.
Gias to Hoover and Candy clones.
Indesit and Hotpoint / Creda clones.
etc etc.

 

[bertrum]

Hi SuperElectronic,

Remember Proline is just the name Comet put on machines to sell them. Proline has put its name to loads of manufactures including Hotpoint,Arcelik and Bloomberg!.

 

[ronhic]

Bertrum

If you look at the German Blomberg website, you will see 2 distinct styles of machine from a fascia point of view, but only one 'true' blomberg....

Those with a large trap door, are the Blomberg machines...and those with the smaller door, Beko...

Yes, they may come from the same factory, and it is possible (and likely), that they could be the same internally too or at least share some components....but it is only in the last 6-12mths that Blomberg has had rebadged Bekos in its range....check out the link below...and the machines there are the 'old' Blombergs that were released in 2004 - and still available.

http://www.blomberginternational.com

 

[hotpoint9534]

I could be wrong, but I think the BOL Bosch models are actually made by a company called Balay (now owned by Bosch) in Spain.

Tom

 

[dj-gabriele]

I know that BOL SMEG washing machines are Beko with a different name on them, while MOL ones are BSH with a new badge. High end machines and washer/dryers are still made by the SMEG company itself.
As our washing machine broke last week we're searching for a substitute (not that actively actually as everything goes straight to the laundry but still...)

BOL Beko made machine:

http://www.smeg.it/Catalogue/Product/LBS127-9.aspx?SID=1572162

MOL BSH machine:

http://www.smeg.it/Catalogue/Product/WML168.aspx?SID=1572162

TOL SMEG made machine:

http://www.smeg.it/Catalogue/Product/SLB1600AX.aspx?SID=1572162

Our choice was the BOL machine as we wanted something cheap and (reasonably) reliable as most of the wash is done at my father's laundry but kitchen rags, dog stuff, are washed at home. Once I learned that getting them with Beko badge can shave some 100-150 € from the price tag, I guess we're going either for those or something from Candy or Indesit as they're cheap the same.

 

[zodawash]

Beko

Yes Aquacycle I do sound like i'm describing the Beko like an old Hotpoint. The fact the front drops off for access to everything is well thought out and its all put together like a meccano set. Pic below is of my parents TOL model being rebuilt by me after a rug disintigrated in it and blocked the drum from turning.

Whilst I like the design of the new Indesits and other cheaper brands I find them a pig to repair because they seem to not want you to take them apart easily.

Steve