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Another Machine in the Family
My other grandparents had a Bosch WFB cant remember the exact model number. I've found a pic though
I was told by a repairman that these machines weren't a "proper" bosch as they used a Zanussi motor. Does anyone know if this is correct? When i start thinking back i can remember lots of machines that were in the family or that friends had when i was growing up.
My other grandparents had a Bosch WFB cant remember the exact model number. I've found a pic though
I was told by a repairman that these machines weren't a "proper" bosch as they used a Zanussi motor. Does anyone know if this is correct? When i start thinking back i can remember lots of machines that were in the family or that friends had when i was growing up.superelectronic
Well-known member
Bosch WFB series
I think we've managed to establish from previous discussions that the WFB machines from Bosch were rebadged from the Spanish manufacturer Balay. I rather liked mine - quite a solid design apart from the crunching noise many seemed to develop when tumbling. The basic programme was very sensible in my opinion and nicely flexible too.
They came at the tail end of the old-school European style mechanical programmer machines: things like timed stepped rinse fills and a physical link from timer dial to dispenser to divert the cold water.
They certainly weren't quiet in the style of any Zanussi of a similar age but that's not to say they didn't share motors; the WFBs were more of a metal contstruction so perhaps didn't contain vibrations as well. Who can say? Well, not me anyway...
I'm pretty sure Bosch have a long tradition of rebadging other manufacturers' wares (much like all the brands); they still seem to be at it today with the low-priced machines seen in the likes of Comet - the ones that look nothing like the main range.
Oh...and welcome along by the way!
Alex
I think we've managed to establish from previous discussions that the WFB machines from Bosch were rebadged from the Spanish manufacturer Balay. I rather liked mine - quite a solid design apart from the crunching noise many seemed to develop when tumbling. The basic programme was very sensible in my opinion and nicely flexible too.
They came at the tail end of the old-school European style mechanical programmer machines: things like timed stepped rinse fills and a physical link from timer dial to dispenser to divert the cold water.
They certainly weren't quiet in the style of any Zanussi of a similar age but that's not to say they didn't share motors; the WFBs were more of a metal contstruction so perhaps didn't contain vibrations as well. Who can say? Well, not me anyway...
I'm pretty sure Bosch have a long tradition of rebadging other manufacturers' wares (much like all the brands); they still seem to be at it today with the low-priced machines seen in the likes of Comet - the ones that look nothing like the main range.
Oh...and welcome along by the way!
Alex
Thanks for clearing that up
By crunching noise do you mean the weird kind of screeching noise that they make when the drum starts turning in the first heating phase of the wash. My grandmas did this when the motor hadn't been used for a few days?
By crunching noise do you mean the weird kind of screeching noise that they make when the drum starts turning in the first heating phase of the wash. My grandmas did this when the motor hadn't been used for a few days?
solsburian
Well-known member
Hello!
I think there will be a lot of similar continents between your Mum's Siemens and the Balay machines. Siemens machines do tend to have slightly better quality components in them though.
The low end Bosch machines you sometimes see in B&Q are also made by Balay and appear to be slightly lower quality and now have sealed tubs.
I think there will be a lot of similar continents between your Mum's Siemens and the Balay machines. Siemens machines do tend to have slightly better quality components in them though.
The low end Bosch machines you sometimes see in B&Q are also made by Balay and appear to be slightly lower quality and now have sealed tubs.
superelectronic
Well-known member
Screeching?
No, more of a crunching - don't remember a screech. I had an almost new WFB 1602 (I think) as a student that was fine til the day I started to wash a single feather duvet in it - the crunching set in about then; I aborted the wash and took the duvet to the launderette down the road!
My sister later ended up with a WFB2005 from a rental firm; it had the same complaint so it must have been a design flaw. I gather it may have been related to the belt and that it's not uncommon for belts to make that noise. The Proline washer I was using til about 2 years ago did the same thing when it started up.
The WFB 2005 was carried off by a tub leak in the end as far as I know; my sister called me over to investigate the strange white build-up under the washer area. Couldn't find the leak but you could hear it at high water level!
Thinking about those machines again, they really should have been fitted with induction motors - the programming was very much geared up to an induction motor with no distribution speed, no slow wool tumble and just full/half speed spins. Certainly a very European design in origin - older Bosch perhaps, even it not made by them.
No, more of a crunching - don't remember a screech. I had an almost new WFB 1602 (I think) as a student that was fine til the day I started to wash a single feather duvet in it - the crunching set in about then; I aborted the wash and took the duvet to the launderette down the road!
My sister later ended up with a WFB2005 from a rental firm; it had the same complaint so it must have been a design flaw. I gather it may have been related to the belt and that it's not uncommon for belts to make that noise. The Proline washer I was using til about 2 years ago did the same thing when it started up.
The WFB 2005 was carried off by a tub leak in the end as far as I know; my sister called me over to investigate the strange white build-up under the washer area. Couldn't find the leak but you could hear it at high water level!
Thinking about those machines again, they really should have been fitted with induction motors - the programming was very much geared up to an induction motor with no distribution speed, no slow wool tumble and just full/half speed spins. Certainly a very European design in origin - older Bosch perhaps, even it not made by them.
aquacycle
Well-known member
Welcome John . Very nice machines you've had there. My sister had the 9534 and matching dryer for a good few years - she stole them out of her uni house after the landlord screwed her over lol.
I grew up with mostly Zanussi machines but have very fond memories of both Hotpoint and AEG washers. Looking forward to seeing the pics of your new AEG.
All the best,
Chris
. Very nice machines you've had there. My sister had the 9534 and matching dryer for a good few years - she stole them out of her uni house after the landlord screwed her over lol. I grew up with mostly Zanussi machines but have very fond memories of both Hotpoint and AEG washers. Looking forward to seeing the pics of your new AEG
. All the best,
Chris
paulc
Well-known member
I had a WFB2005, possibly one of the worst machines I have ever owned.Don't get me wrong, it was a really solid machine and did not feel badly made but mine obviously was built on a friday at 4pm! Door lock failure after two weeks, new PCB after two months and new motor fitted after 6 months. I had no end of problems with Comet over this machine, took three weeks for the motor to arrive from where ever in Europe it had to be ordered from, I argued the machine, by this point, was past economic repair but Comet refused to replace it.
Soon after, me and my partner at the time split and he inherited the machine , he managed to get another year out of it before he had to get a new machine.
Soon after, me and my partner at the time split and he inherited the machine , he managed to get another year out of it before he had to get a new machine.
My Aunty had a WFB 2005 at the same time as my mum had the AEG 6200. I always preffered our AEG. Friends of mine had a WFB 2004 in a rental property. They only moved out a couple of months ago and it was still going strong so i guess some of them were really made to last. I used it on a few occasions when i house sitted for them and was always amazed at how loud it was. Very solid though.. There was a slight problem with the programmer. The dial didn't catch up with the programmer so when you do another cycle the dial moved around 360 freely. Small fault on a machine thats probably around 17 years old.
glenfieldmathk1
Well-known member
None of the Siemens Machines have sealed tubs here in the UK, and as far as I am aware, Boschs don't either, and the Bosch Maxx 5 or Bosch Classixx 5 or simple Bosch 5.5KG machines also don't have sealed tubs, they are just made in cheaper labour countries - China (which is where BSH make Balay!), which probably explains louder motor, smaller capacity, and strange door, drum - as also in the Exxcel washer-dryer, and WFB model.
Balay are made by BSH - who own Bosch, which to me shows why they are similar.
Balay is a cheaper version, and only available in certain countries, if not just 1.
Hello Lordy Lord, good collection you have had over your lifetime
Good luck with the refurbished Miele!
Balay are made by BSH - who own Bosch, which to me shows why they are similar.
Balay is a cheaper version, and only available in certain countries, if not just 1.
Hello Lordy Lord, good collection you have had over your lifetime
Good luck with the refurbished Miele!
Welcome to the club from another fellow AEG nut! I have several AEGs in my collection... my favourite being the Lavamat 620!
Jon
Jon
Nice Pic! I'll get some photos of the AEG when i get it at the weekend. Jon i notice that you have a Creda Supaspeed? Our next door neighbours had the 1200 spin model when i was a kid. I loved it! When we used to look after their house when they were on holidays i used to go and do a load or two haha. When i look back, surely these Creda machines where similar to the WM63 hotpoint that my grandma had. I think it was the fact that the WM63 used to take half an hour to balance then shake all over the room. I always thought the creda machines where more like a classic hotpoint.
Another Machine I Loved as a Kid
My best friends Mum had a Whirlpool AWG372. Purchased in 1997. I LOVED THIS MACHINE! It was great! The rinse water levels were the highest I've ever seen. On a standard cotton programme it would get to number 5 (40 degree cottons) then one click into the cool down and it would fill and fill and fill and fill and fill and fill until the water was half way up the glass. It used to distribute with alot of water in the drum too. It went wrong all the time and was replaced by a Creda W120FW in 2002. Oddly though their Cleaner had the same Whirlpool machine and she said hers never went wrong.
My best friends Mum had a Whirlpool AWG372. Purchased in 1997. I LOVED THIS MACHINE! It was great! The rinse water levels were the highest I've ever seen. On a standard cotton programme it would get to number 5 (40 degree cottons) then one click into the cool down and it would fill and fill and fill and fill and fill and fill until the water was half way up the glass. It used to distribute with alot of water in the drum too. It went wrong all the time and was replaced by a Creda W120FW in 2002. Oddly though their Cleaner had the same Whirlpool machine and she said hers never went wrong.
Welcome John!
Loved your phraseology, "it was rubbish so we only kept it about a year."
I have a Creda Supa Speed 1000 Eco Wash made for export to this country. We found it thrown away behind an appliance store sometime in the late 1990s because it needed new motor brushes. I keep replacing them every few years and it keeps working. I actually like it better for my shirts than the two Mieles, but I don't tell them. They are busy washing other stuff on Sundays when I wash the shirts.
Loved your phraseology, "it was rubbish so we only kept it about a year."
I have a Creda Supa Speed 1000 Eco Wash made for export to this country. We found it thrown away behind an appliance store sometime in the late 1990s because it needed new motor brushes. I keep replacing them every few years and it keeps working. I actually like it better for my shirts than the two Mieles, but I don't tell them. They are busy washing other stuff on Sundays when I wash the shirts.
aquacycle
Well-known member
Whirlpool Aqualine...
Those Whirlpool washers were EVERYWHERE when I was a kid. I knew of at least 5 people on our estate that had them and a few school friends had them too. Radio Rentals used to carry them exclusively, which is possibly one reason they were so popular. I seem to recall them being fairly reliable machines, although I'm not sure what the performance was like. They still crop up on ebay frequently.
Those Whirlpool washers were EVERYWHERE when I was a kid. I knew of at least 5 people on our estate that had them and a few school friends had them too. Radio Rentals used to carry them exclusively, which is possibly one reason they were so popular. I seem to recall them being fairly reliable machines, although I'm not sure what the performance was like. They still crop up on ebay frequently.
I didn't know Creda imported to the US Tom. Thats pretty cool! I loved our neighbours supaspeed i was desperate for one. You still see some decent examples coming up on Ebay now and again. Next time i see one i might get it. Storage is the biggest problem though. I might be acquiring a Creda W100FW. I have a property management company and we've just been given three houses to clear and renovate. One of them has a poorly looking Hoover with a round door. Late 90's after the softwave models. One has a whirlpool from the early 2000's nothing like the aqualine and the last house has a knackered servis and a creda W100FW which is pristine. The house's have been vacant since 2005 so i'm guessing the creda is around 2002/2003 so it might have a decent bit of life left in it.
From what i can remember Chris the Whirlpool washed very well. It was very flexible as it had variable temperature. WHY DON'T BASIC MODERN MACHINES HAVE VARIABLE TEMP!!?? Annoying! My Mum used to stick the AEG on 80 instead of 95 i have no idea why haha...
From what i can remember Chris the Whirlpool washed very well. It was very flexible as it had variable temperature. WHY DON'T BASIC MODERN MACHINES HAVE VARIABLE TEMP!!?? Annoying! My Mum used to stick the AEG on 80 instead of 95 i have no idea why haha...
Whirlpool Aqualine...
Chris
When i think back.. The whirlpool probably only went wrong once or twice but at that age i wasn't accustomed to washing machine going wrong at all. Our AEG never put a foot wrong in 8 years so the concept of having to involve repair men seemed alien ;-) happy days....
Chris
When i think back.. The whirlpool probably only went wrong once or twice but at that age i wasn't accustomed to washing machine going wrong at all. Our AEG never put a foot wrong in 8 years so the concept of having to involve repair men seemed alien ;-) happy days....
aquacycle
Well-known member
We got an Electra branded Creda in 1993 that had so many repairs in it's short 2 years, so by the time I was 5 I was used to the washer man coming. The door lock was forever breaking, the brushes went, the belt snapped, the timer broke and I remember at one point, it had the whole outer tub replaced. Nightmare
