Are there any new washing machine brands out there? I was always hoping that Panasonic/National would start marketing their wonderful Front Loaders in the US.
NEW WASHERS?
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Panasonic laundry...
It would be nice to see Panasonic laundry make a huge splash in the US after studying American manufacturers. It seems that American brands like GE and Whirlpool are lacking innovation.
It would be nice to see Panasonic laundry make a huge splash in the US after studying American manufacturers. It seems that American brands like GE and Whirlpool are lacking innovation.
Ken, I've had the same wish for years.
kalanikaau1
Well-known member
Japanese washing machines
When I first visited Japan last September, most of the hotels I stayed at had Panasonic front load machines which were washer/dryer combos.
While the drying process was lengthy, the machines were very intuitive.
My only gripe was that the hotels did not have nearly enough machines for the amount of rooms the property had.
When I first visited Japan last September, most of the hotels I stayed at had Panasonic front load machines which were washer/dryer combos.
While the drying process was lengthy, the machines were very intuitive.
My only gripe was that the hotels did not have nearly enough machines for the amount of rooms the property had.
panasonicvac
Well-known member
That's be cool if Panasonic ever came to the US with washers and dryers. Same with Sharp as well, they're two of my favorite Japanese brands.
sharp
It would be nice to see Sharp enter the laundry market too. What are the chances they will.
It would be nice to see Sharp enter the laundry market too. What are the chances they will.
Sharp has laundry... Just not here. I like sharp products in general ..my previous microwave is a sharp, bought in 1998 and still working at MIL's house. My current one is a sharp convection microwave. My grandmother went thru two convection microwave ovens before she died and my mother had one also. My next microphone will probably be a sharp also. My ex and I had a sharp vacuum. That thing really sucked...literally.
Link to the British Sharp laundry page. Overhere in the Netherlands they don’t get high ratings.
Ah yes! Thanks! I was hardly awake apparently lol
Ah yes, European sh!t, err, Sharp appliances. Same as in the Netherlands, they don't get high ratings in Germany. We sell them and they feel flimsy all around. I see them all the time in the customers service section of our warehouse, declared as irreparable by the Vestel tech.
panasonicvac
Well-known member
Sharp does have dishwashers here in the US. From my understanding they're made by Midea. Based on the reviews that I've read, they don't appear to last for very long and their customer service is difficult to work with. As much as I like Sharp, for those reasons I don't think I'd want to buy a Sharp dishwasher. I love their other products such as like their microwaves, printers, VCRs', TVs', vacuums (I own three myself), etc. I also have a Kenmore Professional 12 upright vacuum made by SEBO that uses the same cord that Sharp used as well.
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EU Sharp DWs are Vestel made - their own thing, basically.
My partner had a very basic freestanding slim Vestel DW - single speed motor, no alternating spray arms, no soil sensing, nada.
Cheap, loud, rackety, flimsy, inefficient - but cleaned like a champ for more than 5 years.
We replaced it with a Sharp TOL machine - slim line, active fan dry, auto open door, soil sensing, alternating spray arms, variable speed pump.
Came with a transport damaged side, top and front.
But it's cheap, efficient, cleans and drys well and is quiet.
But yeah, they are very rarely repaired, be it under warranty or by consumers. Part's are surprisingly cheap though.
Vestel is known to make the very entry washer here in Germany that was sold for just 200€.
Once had a customer that had a paddle in the drum break of. Service wrote it off, even though it was a 3€ part.
Main issue is that they don't appear to have a very good supply chain management for their service techs - so they often stand in front of a very cheap machine, ordering a part means a return visit, which makes no sense on a sub 300€ machine.
So they write it off, customer is happy. You wouldn't believe how many just go for the same machine again.
But their washers are not great.
They wash ok, but rinse poorly. They take a long time, have many useless cycles, often very few useful options.
Then they don't last as long as similarly priced machines.
So they often don't make a very good deal.
Their dryers are ok though - they dry pretty decently for a cheap price.
My partner had a very basic freestanding slim Vestel DW - single speed motor, no alternating spray arms, no soil sensing, nada.
Cheap, loud, rackety, flimsy, inefficient - but cleaned like a champ for more than 5 years.
We replaced it with a Sharp TOL machine - slim line, active fan dry, auto open door, soil sensing, alternating spray arms, variable speed pump.
Came with a transport damaged side, top and front.
But it's cheap, efficient, cleans and drys well and is quiet.
But yeah, they are very rarely repaired, be it under warranty or by consumers. Part's are surprisingly cheap though.
Vestel is known to make the very entry washer here in Germany that was sold for just 200€.
Once had a customer that had a paddle in the drum break of. Service wrote it off, even though it was a 3€ part.
Main issue is that they don't appear to have a very good supply chain management for their service techs - so they often stand in front of a very cheap machine, ordering a part means a return visit, which makes no sense on a sub 300€ machine.
So they write it off, customer is happy. You wouldn't believe how many just go for the same machine again.
But their washers are not great.
They wash ok, but rinse poorly. They take a long time, have many useless cycles, often very few useful options.
Then they don't last as long as similarly priced machines.
So they often don't make a very good deal.
Their dryers are ok though - they dry pretty decently for a cheap price.
Thanks for the posts
I prefer 240V washing machines. They heat the water more quickly than 120v machines. My LG, overall a wonderful washer that ran on 120v, took more that 40 minutes to reach the highest temperature available (70<sup>o</sup>C) before its circuit board got fried. My Miele 1340 that ran on 240v, went to 95<sup>o</sup>C in only slightly more time than a warm wash. It also needs repair which I think I'll go ahead regardless of the cost because I can't find anything out there I want to buy except the ridiculously expensive Miele "Professional". and I'm tempted.
I was pissed off when Miele started hawking dumbed-down 120v machines for American suckers. I think Foreign manufacturers are learning that American consumers are inured to crap and are figuring out that, universally, the cheaper the better.
I'd love to know the real <span style="text-decoration: underline;">science</span> NOT opinion, of 240v appliances connected only to cold pipes, vs. 120v. appliances connected to both.
I prefer 240V washing machines. They heat the water more quickly than 120v machines. My LG, overall a wonderful washer that ran on 120v, took more that 40 minutes to reach the highest temperature available (70<sup>o</sup>C) before its circuit board got fried. My Miele 1340 that ran on 240v, went to 95<sup>o</sup>C in only slightly more time than a warm wash. It also needs repair which I think I'll go ahead regardless of the cost because I can't find anything out there I want to buy except the ridiculously expensive Miele "Professional". and I'm tempted.
I was pissed off when Miele started hawking dumbed-down 120v machines for American suckers. I think Foreign manufacturers are learning that American consumers are inured to crap and are figuring out that, universally, the cheaper the better.
I'd love to know the real <span style="text-decoration: underline;">science</span> NOT opinion, of 240v appliances connected only to cold pipes, vs. 120v. appliances connected to both.
Miele
Ken,
I have become quite a fan of Miele products in recent years and have acquired a number of Miele appliances including, a vacuum, high end model dishwasher, a speed oven, a combi steam oven (LOVE IT), but mostly washers & dryers, the majority being 220V. A few years ago I was able to pick up three PW 6065 Plus "Little Giants" and they are such awesome machines!
OK, this is my overly simplistic description of the Little Giant (and Henene, there's no need to jump in and disagree or correct me... this is only my opinion). But having the tops off both the last gen 220V washer, (prior to the 110V models) and a "Little Giant"... they look almost identical inside, albeit with MUCH more powerful heating elements (requires a 30 amp circuit!). Also the "Giant" has a very different user interface with tremendous customization options!
Anyway Ken, if you have the chance to pick up a used Little Giant, don't hesitate!
Kevin
Ken,
I have become quite a fan of Miele products in recent years and have acquired a number of Miele appliances including, a vacuum, high end model dishwasher, a speed oven, a combi steam oven (LOVE IT), but mostly washers & dryers, the majority being 220V. A few years ago I was able to pick up three PW 6065 Plus "Little Giants" and they are such awesome machines!
OK, this is my overly simplistic description of the Little Giant (and Henene, there's no need to jump in and disagree or correct me... this is only my opinion). But having the tops off both the last gen 220V washer, (prior to the 110V models) and a "Little Giant"... they look almost identical inside, albeit with MUCH more powerful heating elements (requires a 30 amp circuit!). Also the "Giant" has a very different user interface with tremendous customization options!
Anyway Ken, if you have the chance to pick up a used Little Giant, don't hesitate!
Kevin
Thanks Kevin
That's very encouraging. Which of the pictured machines is the Little Giant? And do they do boil-washes?
That's very encouraging. Which of the pictured machines is the Little Giant? And do they do boil-washes?
The first pic with the 3 in the truck are the Little Giants. Just like the 220V models, they could be had with or without the complete stainless exterior. Boil wash? Technically no as it won't reach 212°F, However, it gets close as you can adjust the wash temp in 5° increments up to 200°F. Side note, one time I set it for a 200°F wash and kept an eye on the temperature and the time. It raised the wash water temp 80° in 12 minutes!!
Another thing is customer service. If you have a "professional" model, i.e. Little Giant and need to contact Miele with questions, or for parts, it's a completely different department / phone number and perhaps a different level of service as well.[this post was last edited: 2/10/2025-11:10]
Another thing is customer service. If you have a "professional" model, i.e. Little Giant and need to contact Miele with questions, or for parts, it's a completely different department / phone number and perhaps a different level of service as well.[this post was last edited: 2/10/2025-11:10]
240V cold fill vs 120V hot fill
You'd need a formula to tell which is faster in a given case. Variables would be cold water temperature, hot water temperature, target water temperature, water volume, and the wattage of the 240V and 120V heaters. The Little Giant, with a super-powerful 240V heater like Kevin mentioned and option for hot fill, will come out ahead of anything else.
When I moved my Little Giant to a high-rise condo I learned that 240V isn't always 240V. The building has a 3-phase power feed, with the result that 240V outlets deliver 208V instead. The heater that's 5000W at 240V only puts out 3750W at 208V, which is still almost twice the output of a 240V 2000W heater.
To clarify #15, the Little Giant has temperatures in 5°C steps. °F steps are mostly 10° with a few 5°.
You'd need a formula to tell which is faster in a given case. Variables would be cold water temperature, hot water temperature, target water temperature, water volume, and the wattage of the 240V and 120V heaters. The Little Giant, with a super-powerful 240V heater like Kevin mentioned and option for hot fill, will come out ahead of anything else.
When I moved my Little Giant to a high-rise condo I learned that 240V isn't always 240V. The building has a 3-phase power feed, with the result that 240V outlets deliver 208V instead. The heater that's 5000W at 240V only puts out 3750W at 208V, which is still almost twice the output of a 240V 2000W heater.
To clarify #15, the Little Giant has temperatures in 5°C steps. °F steps are mostly 10° with a few 5°.
