I bought a Hootag!

[arrrooohhh]

Greetings to all the good folk of applianceville!

Its amazing the amount of variations that Maytag offers in front loaders in different markets. In the US you have the MaySungs in, Europe there are the Maytag/Askos and here in Australia we have the Hootag, European Hoover front loaders wearing Maytag badges.

As I was in the market for a washing machine, I was trying like a kid in a lolly store, I was thinking about the Samsung 7kg model FL, the Electrolux Jetsystem and the Hootag Interactive model. My heart was leaning towards the Hootag, especially as I have always loved the UK Hoover Front Loaders (My Gran in England had one), and as it was the managers special in store at $200 off I went for it!

Its like a sports car. First you have lots of buttons with flashing lights, then you choose one of the 29 cycles and your in for a treat! Instead of just tumbling the clothes one way then the other, this stops and breaks out into five minutes of spinning at speed with a full tub of water and a recirculating jet (at an 8 oclock position, similar to Roberts Whirlpool combo. ) Theres water splashing and suds everywhere. Who says that modern front loaders are lacking in drama! The rinse in particularly fun with a high water level, the spinning and recirculating jet. The wash really kicks up some suds too but when it returns to normal tumbling the suds break down quickly.

I cant wait to get home tonight and put another load on!

The picture if from Maytags AU website, I will post some picks of my own when I borrow my friends digital camera.

 

[gyrafoam]

Well, that sounds like way too much fun for a front-loader! I hope you enjoy it!

 

[DADoES]

Yay!

Hootag, LOL!!

 

[retromom]

Sounds like way too much fun!

I gotta see one of it's 29 cycles in action! Pics please!!

 

[lavamat_jon]

Yay!!

That looks similar to my friend's Hoover Six AL150 model, except hers has a mechanical timer with a temperature control. Never seen it on though so can't confirm whether hers has the spin-wash or not :-(.

Unfortunately Hoover no longer have this feature on their new "Nextra" range, although I wouldn't buy one anyway, the way the dials turn on the Nextra series are absolutely awful!! However the Quattro series from 1997-2000 also feature the "Powerjet" wash, where it spun at distribution speed in the wash whilst a jet at the 8 o clock position shot water into the drum.

No wonder the Hoover Interact series (the same as the Maytag you have) were absolute buggers for bearings, if they spun the drum at spin speed in the wash!!! How fast is it do you know??

I'm also debating whether to buy a Whirlpool AWM6163, Samsung Q1435, or a Maytag Adamas MAF8805AES as my second machine... however here Maytag's are actually rebadged Asko's .

Take care all,

Jon

 

[lavamat_jon]

Just given this thought...

The name Hootag for the Australian Maytags is nowhere near as cool as Astag is for the British Maytags . (Pathetic joke I know... betcha y'all rolling your eyes right now, hehe...)

Jon the Failed Comedian

 

[gansky1]

Hootag...what a hoot! Congrats on the new machine - do post some pics of the spin/recirc cycle, it sounds like a lot of fun.

 

[scott55405]

I love that name Hootag...aaarrrooohhh enjoy your new machine!

Jon-Jon, Mike in Chester has that machine in your picture, and its matching dryer.

 

[chestermikeuk]

MaytAsko Model in UK...!!!

Hi Arrrooohhh

Looking forward to hearing all about the new machien and seeing the pics, I love my MaytAsko here in the UK, having sold Asko (Asea machines as they where then...showing my age now) machines years ago, really favoured these and with a twist of additional branding etc...

My aunt has the similar Hoover version here and loves it having gone from her first Hoover twinny, then the last made Hover Keymatic and then the dreadful softwave to this ....

Jon:I`m sure you will love this machine, it could be swapped for the AEG as number one!!!

Heres a pic:

http://uk.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/chestermikeuk/album?.dir=8735&.src=ph

 

[lavamat_jon]

Mike -

Consider that pic as my computer desktop :-D. I can't wait to get it... I don't think I'll get the matching dryer because I hardly use my Lavatherm as it is, but I could do with a worktop space next to my stacked washer and dryer anyway. Of course, some could look at it as an expensive table . I'm sure it'll be tough on laundry days, deciding whether to use the AEG or the Astag .

Is it true that there are a bizillion ways of customising your own cycle? That's what I'm intrigued by... I guess the 1/2/3/4 buttons are "Favourite Programme" memory slots? And another question... do you actually close the drop down door? Cos I'd sure leave it open during it's cycle . I bet it's fun watching the tub jump about in the spin . Of course, if there's any movies, send them over my way :-D. That goes for you too Arrrooohhh! BTW, Mike, have you seen the Servis-badged-Asko that they are currently selling at Tescos? And one last final question bout the Astags... do they still make that electrical buzzing noise when you press the door release buttons rather than a loud clunk like most other electromagnetic push button doors (like the AEG I have)?

I still have very very fond memories of my nana's 1972 Hoover Electronic 1100, one of those with the latch next to the door that you slid to the right to release the door, and the 3 buttons for fast spin, short spin, and wool wash . We had a 1982 ancestor, except it had a push button release door and a half load button too. Bring back square door Hoovers I say!!

Take care all,

Jon

 

[arrrooohhh]

Thanks everyone, and pictures coming soon!

Hi John, Astag doesnt sound too bad. If Astag and Hootag were women, I would imagine the Astag as a sophistacted type from the Northside and the Hootag as the gal who likes to have a cracking good time!

As for the "spin wash" I dont think the spin is that fast, maybe 200rpm? Its fast enough to hold the clothes against the drum and to splash water up from the bottom, during the rinse it makes a nice "wave" action against the clothes rolling throught the pool of water. I never imagined it was going to be this fun. I am running out of clothes to wash.

I am not worried too much about bearings, I only wash three times a week, and I dont use the full spin speed unless I am doing towels. I was always under the impression that the 1500+ machines wore out first.

Jon, tell me more about the Servis badged Asko. As Asko are owned by the same company as servis, sounds like a good distribution network and well know name to sell these superior machines!

 

[arrrooohhh]

Nextra models

Jon what feature did you say was missing from the Nextra models? The spin wash or the interact? Ive noticed on the Hoover UK website that there are no Nextra interact models but there are on the Continental Hoover sites.

I thought the Nextra were a step up on percieved quality, I guess I will wait and see I am sure the Nextra Hootags will be in store soon.

A Hootag Vision i think would be asking for too much however. Oh I can only dream.

 

[lavamat_jon]

Arrrooohhh,

How fast is the spin speed on your Hootag? The Inter@ct models sold here spun at 1400 and 1600rpm depending how much you spent. But then the entire Hoover 'Six' series (which the Hootag was part of) weren't too much favoured by repairmen. The Nextra machines have apparently improved in reliability, but I wouldn't buy one simply because the dial feels so cruddy when you turn it, even more so then the cheapest Indesit or Servis machines! But apart from that, I think they are very sleek looking machines, and apparently they're noticeably quieter than previous ranges too.

I think Hoover are releasing the inter@ct version of the Nextra's this year, I've noticed on price lists theres a new range of machines with HNF6*** and HNF9*** suffixes, as well as the HNF3*** suffixes they have at the moment. I'd like to see it, I do think that the Hoover Nextra range is far better looking than the Hotpoint counterparts, or even the previous Hoover Six range (they ditched the pretty inter@ct models in 2003 and the machines that followed that until the Nextra style machines were fairly cruddy). I also like the soap dispenser - it looks very a la Soft Wave of 10 years ago! It's also great to see Hoover using at least some form of a square door again .

I think the Hoover Vision is dying a death... I think as it was such a niche product it didn't sell very well at all. Even though it's still listed on the official Hoover UK website, I haven't seen it in any shops at all, and its slowly disappearing from internet shops too. I guess it's going to all become a distant memory in the near future, which is such a shame for a product that I think is so unique and innovative :-(.

Take care,

Jon

BTW this is the current TOL Hoover Nextra, the HNF3167:

 

[lavamat_jon]

Ooops, nearly forgot...

The Servis-branded Asko is currently an exclusive machine sold at Tesco, however apparently it's also been popping its rear up in Costco/Tradex/JTF type warehouses. I wouldn't hurry to get one though, unless Servis actually improved their customer service to the point where they at least answered the phone .

The Servis-Asko A8166 is a rebadged W6461, whereas the Maytag range contains both a rebadged W6461 (MAF8705), and the TOL W6761 with the EasyControl LCD display (MAF8805) like in the pics I posted, and the machine that Mike has.

Here's a pic of the UK Asko-Servis

 

[arrrooohhh]

My Hootag is a 1300rpm model. I so far have set things for 1100 and been more than happy with the results, 1300 was great for towels! As for my dress/work shorts I spin those at 800.

I love the styling of the Hootag. I must admit that when surfing the web and coming accross the(then)new Hoover Six/Seven range I was really taken with them, I thoughtthey were the best looking machine I had seen in a long time. I love the champhered offedge of the control panel and the detergent drawer that appears to be half height. The Nextra didnt do it for me when I first saw it, I was actually somewhat dissappointed but it has grown on me. I guess I will have to wait and see it in person.

I have a theory about the Vision. It seems to me that it would be more popular in Continental Europe, where they also have a top loading Vision. I thought the Vision was produced to compete in the Zanussi IZ market, how popular has that machine been?

Also there is a non Interact Hootag as well in the picture below. So the model systems works 6kg 1200 rpm Hootag then 7kg 1300 rpm Interact Hootag.

Have a good weekend!