New top loaders

[welshsi]

Hi all.

Im looking at buying one of those new slimline top loaders with the drum that has 2 flaps that close shut.
I don't know anything about them and see quite a few of them for sale on ebay.
Does anyone have experience of them? how good they are, benefits and downsides?

I don't seem to be able to find much about them online.

Thanks all.

 

[liamy1]

me too

I have expressed an interest in them before too, but never went through with it.

My Mrs Grandma had one, when she died, I was having a look at it (one of the flaps had broke).

To me, they flaps felt "metaly" I know that sounds stupid, but I mean they felt weird like they should have some plastic trim on it for aesthetic feel (am I making sense lol) it made the machine feel cheap and shoddy to me.

It was a Hoover one if I remember correctly. I think I have only seen Hoover and Whirlpool versions in stores and then Zanussi and Bosch on Ebay.

 

[liamy1]

Oh

Oh by the way, that was 6 years or so back (and I am not sure how old the machine was before that), so new machines maybe different.

 

[hoovermatic]

I had h-axis machines from 1999 to 2012 and can't speak highly enough of them. I had various makes, all of them bought off Ebay and everytime I saw another model I fancied I would swap it and sell the old one on, which invariably paid for the next! Servis (2 different models), Hotpoint and Hoover. The Hoover was the largest capacity machines of them all I think as they tend to be about 5 kilo machines. Excellent performers all of them, flexible programmes, but tended to be a bit noisy. The only reason I changed to a front loader was because of a new kitchen.

The Servis machines were the only ones with more than one baffle in the drum but the Hotpoint (which I had for the longest time) and the Hoover were no less good at cleaning for only having one baffle.

I was really after a Miele but from memory they were a little wider then the space I had allowed and I could never find a Bosch that was in good condition of the type that I wanted. All of the machines I had were very solidly built particularly the older Servis model, which was a tank of a machine and weighed a ton! Very stable at high spin speeds and none of them skimped on water as the modern front loaders seem to.

 

[paulinroyton]

Whirlpool top loader

http://ao.com/product/AWE6517-Whirl....aspx?cmredirectionvalue=whirlpool top loader

Hi. Whirlpool make them, I enclose the link.

 

[aegokocarat]

I have a whirlpool one, isn't too bad in all fairness but knocks and shakes lots when spinning....

 

[thomasortega]

I have a Drean

A few years ago I bought a "Dean Family" in Argentina.

Mine is rated 5.5 kg capacity but I can overload it with 8 or 9 kg without any problems and, no matter how dirty the load is, the result will always be perfect.

The way that machine is really small and brave is impressive. I just love it!

Mine is the TOL version of the Family range (086A). It means that it has automatic fill and drain, automatic rinses and a softener dispenser.
There are other versions with an electric pump and other with only a "kitchen timer" and gravity drain.

Drean is a brand by the biggest argentinian washing machine manufacturer, (Alladio y Hijos S.A.). They also have automatic versions like the european models that are much better than Bosch, Whirlpool and Electrolux versions available on argentinian market.

Thanks to the argentinian crisis, the exchange rates are very convenient for us. A machine like mine costs near 55 american dollars. It doesn't have a spin cycle but, at that price, who cares? It's fun to use and, even 100% made of plastic, it's really reliable and built to last.

Drean Argentina | Tecnología y Diseño en Electrodomésticos

Descubrí la amplia gama de electrodomésticos Drean diseñados para simplificar tu vida. Tecnología y diseño a tu alcance. ¡Descubrí nuestras ofertas ahora!

www.drean.com.ar

 

[vacbear58]

H Axis Top Loaders

You might be surprised to learn that H Axis machines have been sold here since at least 1963 or 1964 although they have never been that popular, I think virtually all the major UK brands have carried them at one point or another (maybe not Indesit) and they are still quite commonly found on ebay. For many years from the mid 1970s Philips were the most widely known models.

However, they are much more popular in Europe, perhaps their compact size making them popular with the (good) European habit of putting washing machines in their bathrooms. Like all machines there will be good ones and not so good ones, but I think really the only major problem are the flaps you need to open to access the drum, these look like they could be quite stiff if you have weaker hands. And if you are short you might find it difficult getting that last sock or pair of underpants out of the bottom of the drum.

I doubt I would buy one new but there are plenty of Miele and bosch versions out there which should last a reasonable time.

Oh, the other disadvantage is that, of course, you cannot watch the wash while it is taking place .......

Al