Question for UK Members

[frontloader812]

Hey guys just wanting to know any ones opinions good or bad regarding Whirlpool front loader washers. Have always liked there products and they are reasonably priced over here in Australia. Am interested in purchasing for holiday home. Thanks Jim

 

[sadose]

One word re Whirlpool's sold in the UK. NO! Quality wise theyre not the best but I have seen worse but performance wise they leave a lot to be desired, washing and rinsing is very poor. I am referring to the standard sized front loading whirpool's here, the larger dreamspace I cannot comment on tho I have heard more positive things said about the larger model.

 

[frontloader812]

Wow that was fast. I am refering to the regular size models. The models we have here are similar to yours. I think our are made in Italy. They look sturdy but you can never tell. I know no one with a set here and any info would be appreciated.

 

[glamwales]

Mine was awful , low water levels, long wash times , I gladly broke it in the end for a new one !

 

[sadose]

i actually have an integrated one that fits in with my current kitchen and it really is appalling. very noisy too. until i move house nxt month ive resorted to letting my mother do my washing in her Gorenje as my whites and coloureds alike are suffering. and 3 hours and 10 minutes for a 90 degree cotton wash is beyond a joke!

 

[chestermikeuk]

Whirlpool!!

Hi Jim

I had a Whirlpool Inspirations machine set about 5yrs ago and absolutly flogged it while renovating the house, decorators sheets, blankets and it was great, no probs , its in a small guest house now and still going fine , no services calls either..still have the dryer..

The new sixth sense range sells well here and is a medium priced machine, the heavy duty range (not duet)is also doing well, have sold three sets to one guest house, one pub & 1 large family and are being flogged with no faults yet!!!

They do have low water levels and long wash times but are economical and flexible on certain machines....are yours true Whirlpool machines or badged models from other euro manufacturers??

Good luck, Mike

http://www.whirlpool.co.uk/app.cnt/whr/en_GB/pageid/pgproddtl001/catid/3/subcatid/11/prodid/660

 

[lavamat_jon]

Mike, I always loved those Whirlpool Inspiration machines... never seen one in the flesh though. I've also been reading up on Which? reports and their vented dryers came up in the best buys, and the Whirlpool sensor dryer despite being the cheapest was one of the highest scoring. What was your experience with your Whirlpool dryer? I can't afford to invest in a vented Miele just yet, but I need a vented dryer and seeming as the sensor Whirlpool is sold in Currys for £170, is it a good buy?

BTW - isn't your Whirlpool Saj actually a rebadged Smeg? Those received bad reviews when they made Bosch washer dryers too a couple of years ago when Bosch stopped producing their own in Germany.

Jon

 

[sadose]

you are probably right, i know mine looks suspiciously like the integrated bosch washer/dryers currently on offer so it most likely is some form of badge engineered hybrid. All i know is I'll be glad to see the back of it and its only 9 weeks old!!

 

[nickuk]

I had a rebadged integrated Smeg

....badged as Hotpoint and it was bloody awful too. Washed everything on wool as it took less than two hours and the spin didn't shake the house down....

 

[arrrooohhh]

Hi Jim,

My brother has a whirlpool fl like the one in the attached picture and he is perfectly happy with it. I know of two others who have these machines and they have no complaints.

He generally uses the 30 or 40 degree cotton cycle and if you select the intensive rinse button the water level is up to the gasket level. It doesnt take excessively long though other models have a quick wash option. Lets face it in Aus we dont often use 90 degree cotton washes.

They have often done well in Choice tests.

 

[frontloader812]

Thanks for all your input. After reading some reviews on consumer reports www.productreview.com.au and the general feeling on this thread, I have decided to spend an extra $200-$300 and go for a new Bosch even though they are not made in Germany they still must be a sound machine. I am looking at the WAE22460AU or the WAE24460AU. Your thoughts on Bosch please. Thanks Jim

 

[lavamat_jon]

Hmmm. Well the rinsing was dodgy on our old Bosch; due to insanely low rinse levels - which also meant that lint got left all over laundry and was no good with dog hairs at all... BUT those new models do have a water plus option so if you use that then I wouldn't think you'd have any issues at all!

Jon

 

[newwave1]

hi jim!
on the bosch, my brother has a BOL 1200rpm model from the range, which i have studied through a cycle which is very similar to one i had in my previous rented house. its reasonable, quiet. the best part of the entire new range being the "Aqua Plus" button, which raises the rinse water from its ridiculously low level!

the display on the model your thinkin of is nice and well laid out. the touch buttons r fun. with their beep lol ahh the little things! lol.

anywho the bosch is a nice machine as long as aqua plus is perminantly set!

Darren

 

[chestermikeuk]

Bosch!!

Hi Jim

A well designed and robust machine, simple to operate and if you need it these new models do give higher water levels..Good choice.

Jon, The Whirlpool dryers are for the cost one of the most economical to run, and are quiet and solidly built, wouldnt be a bad choice at all...I loved the flexibility of this set, set you own time temp spin & options etc....the vented dryers are better than the condensors IMHO.

Cheers, Mike

 

[gizmo]

Don't know about the Bosch but I'd still consider the Whirlpool.
My partner's sister had an old Candy Turbomatic which I gave her - orphan import - it sold her on front loaders. When it eventually carked it, she bought a base model 600 rpm spin Whirlpool. She loves it. They (family of 4) only wash on weekends, it starts Saturday morning and virtually doesn't stop till Sunday night. It has never needed service - now about 5 years old, good as new.
She likes it so much, when they built a set of 4 holiday apartments to rent out, they fitted 4 of the same machine. When they bought the 4, 2 arrived the wrong model, one was badly damaged in the box, 1 was fine! The other 3 were replaced, now all 4 get regular use from customers and all are surviving.
I have the 800 rpm version as a repairer - the main drum supports are corroded out due to detergent residue. It was used as a dish towel washer by a restaurant using cold water and detergent slopped in, not measured. When I got it it was filthy, dispenser completely blocked with detergent residue so water just ran down the front when it filled. I got it back on the road but the damage was done by the last moron owner and it only lasted a few weeks before the corroded drum support snapped. I still have the remains, I intend to repair it when I get another drum. I am impressed by the model - very easy to work on and clearly designed to be repairable, not disposable. I thought it was fairly quiet for a European front loader, many of which are noisy. The cycle times are pretty long.
This machine looks like Mike's photo, though being a lower model it has less buttons.
I also "repaired" a later model Whirlpool FL - it was ex-rental, about 3 years old and dumped at the recycler. It looked good so I bought it for $15 - the "fault" turned out to be a blocked pump strainer. I just removed a couple of $ in coins, (lowering the purchase price!!) and accumulated lumps of lint and debris, and it was on the road again. I have since given that machine away, new owner is very happy with it.

So I vote for the Whirlpool.

Cheaper Bosches sold here are made in Thailand - I'd be very wary.

Chris.