I’ve been writing about and following cases of “exploding” door glass on washing machines since 2008. There’s been a steady trickle of reports from people with various brands. Some even claim their door glass shattered spontaneously when the washing machine was not even switched on. It’s potentially a genuine safety concern. Especially for children.
Customers who report these incidents are definitely claiming it is dangerous. I have seen reports of people being cut and injured, but nothing serious so far. As far as I can make out it’s been more to do with being cut picking up the glass.
Back in 2012 there was a brief flurry of international media interest in my article. It was widely quoted and linked to. However, presumably without any reports of serious injury it was soon forgotten.
Don’t confuse two separate “exploding” washing machine issues
This article is about the door glass exploding. Another issue, which has also had national press coverage is when the washing machine’s inner drum “explodes” during spin.
This is a known issue related to specific brands and is covered in my article here – washing machines exploding: What’s going on?
Shattering door glass
I’m not entirely happy using the word explode because it sounds sensational. But as most people experiencing this issue use that word it needs to be used. Some have even described it as being like “a bomb”.
The previous picture is of a Beko washing machine. Beko are one of the most common UK washing machines who so far have the highest reported cases. The consumer who sent it me wrote –
I dread to think the outcome if my son had been in front of the machine at the time!
Lots of people have expressed concerns over children and pets.
Seeing the following photo on my Facebook news-feed heightened my concerns. It’s of a friend’s small child innocently looking into their washing machine.
Reports of spontaneous exploding glass when washer not even running
No parent could be expected to foresee the thick door glass of their washing machine shattering, either when on – or especially when it’s just standing unused. This photo is worrying when you know about all of the incidents that have happened (rare or not). Clearly it’s best to not let children get this close up just in case.
Manufacturers are saying the problem is caused by foreign obstructions such as coins or metal buckles hitting and weakening the door glass. The weakened door can then shatter under constant heating up and cooling down.
Another theory is that it’s caused by people overloading the washing machine. However, it would be nice if the door glass was strong enough to cope with such inevitable stresses. I have written an article specifically covering that subject here – exploding door glass who’s fault is it?
Which washing machines are affected?
Many brands have been mentioned across the price range. Cheap, middle, and even some top-end brands have been affected. So it’s not necessarily only the cheapest brands. See the tally of reports on the right column (after the comments on mobile devices).
What’s the solution?
Until a definite cause is proved it’s difficult to know what needs to be done. The main expectation is that the door glass maybe needs to be made thicker. There’s no proof that the glass is too thin as yet. If manufacturers placed a plastic cover in front of the door glass it would definitely prevent any injuries. This would make it double-glazed.
It’s likely to be difficult to fit one retrospectively. So it would probably need to be designed like this from the off. This was actually done around 20 years back by Hoover on models like the Eco Logic, Soft Wave and New Wave. However it was done for thermal protection and insulation. To my knowledge, and in my experience, the shattering door glass was not an issue back then. I didn’t come across any shattered door glass until around 2008.
What can you do to limit any danger?
Enough reports of the glass shattering whilst the washer isn’t even on have been made to be taken seriously although this still appears to be rare.
Don’t let kids play around washing machines until this issue is hopefully resolved.
Some door glass appears to break into relatively safe rounded chunks, but some (see photos of broken glass ) have broken into more sharp and jagged pieces, which definitely look dangerous.
Remember, there are only (presumably) a few hundred cases out of millions of washing machines and only a small percentage of them claim the washer wasn’t running at the time.
So the odds of it happening at all – never mind someone being in front of it at the time – should be very low. If you are concerned enough to need to do something you could try hanging a thick towel over the door when the washer is not in use. That would prevent or limit any glass flying out. Keep children and pets away from it especially when it’s running.
Take care of your washing machine and treat it gently
Many of them aren’t built as well as they used to and can’t take much “abuse”. Don’t overload the machine by cramming it so full that the whole laundry just turns around in one big lump. Don’t under-load it either – Loading a washing machine).
Also make sure you check all pockets for coins and other obstructions before washing.
Don’t put laundry in with metal buckles or buttons which could hit the door glass.
Some new washing machines do have a plastic barrier in front of the glass
I’ve seen two new AEG washing machines that both have a protective plastic see-through plate in front of the door glass (which is the solution I’ve always described). However, they were both washer dryers.
So it’s more to do with thermal insulation again than protecting against shattering door glass. As AEG have only had 1 reported incident on Whitegoodshelp (so far) it seems unlikely they would have introduced this “shield” for safety. It’s likely to just be coincidental.
(More views on this subject from another engineer : Ken Watt runs UKWhitegoods and is an experienced appliance engineer. He has written an article giving his views here – Washing Machine Door Glass Failures)
Photos and tally of broken door glass
I have a separate page where I feature some of the photos of shattered door glass I’ve received. On this page there is also a list of all of the incidents reported to me in order of which brands are most affected. Photos are currently here – photos and tally of broken glass.
There are also plenty of comments on this article below to read and research if you scroll down. If you have any information or would just like to register an incident with me please add a comment or contact me
Related articles
- Exploding door glass who’s fault is it?
- For an article on actual washing machines exploding (not just the door glass) go here – Washing machines exploding: What’s going on?
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Richard: If the glass is a different design it would suggest the possibility of a redesign, which of course also suggests acknowledgement of an need to improve. The plastic at the front of the door glass is designed to prevent small children burning their hands. I would have thought it would have been a safety regulation but as far as I’ve been able to find out it’s not. As the door glass can presumably reach almost 90 degrees on the hot wash it looks like a safety hazard but oven door glass and central heating radiators also get pretty hot so it’s presumably not a protected issue.
This afternoon my Beko 8227 was on the spin cycle & sounded as if a hammer was spinning about in the machine as there was such a loud banging noise. My partner went to check in the machine. He bent down to look in the drum & decided to turn it off at the mains. At that second the machine exploded, it was like a bomb going off. The glass shattered & went absolutely everywhere. Tiny shards of glass are all over the kitchen & worktops. Needless to say if this happended a few seconds earler my partners face would have been ripped apart – he is already having flashbacks & thinking about what could have happened. My wee boy wasnt far behing him.
I wasnt sure what to do so phoned Beko & straight away they said it would need to be referred to their health & safety department BUT as its a holiday weekend they are not open again until Tuesday. I then phoned my home insurance company & again as its not an emergency they wont be open until Tuesday. Next step is that I googled expolding washing machines as this is not something I have ever heard off & came across this site.
After reading all the comments I dont know who should be contacted now as it seems at last count 15 Beko machines have reported this problem & it is still happening & it is only a matter of time before a very serious injury occurs or even death. I cant find the receipt for the machine as I bought it online from the Coop but dont know if I should contact them as part of the sale of goods act as I cant find my order number.
I cannot stress how much like it was like a bomb going off & dread to think what would have happened to my partner or little boy. We were supposed to have family around for Easter dinner but all afternoon I have been finding shards of glass all over the kitchen so I do not want to prepare food on the worktops in case some glass is still lurking about & ends up in the food (despite cleaning & wiping tens of times!).
The clothes that were in the machine are all totally ruined as there are small bits of glass like powder all through them & I dont think they will wash out . Adding up what was in the machine there is about £400 worth of clothing – do you think Beko will stump up or insurance? Looking at the comments I dont really think it should be the insurance as I have never claimed before I dont want to be penalised by having to pay an excess & lose no claims discount due to a fault that is quite clearly known about however nothing seems to be being done about it.
Any advice on next steps especially since its holiday weekend.
Hi Carol B.
Having gone through this already it seems your first recourse is through the retailer. If it’s out of warranty then you have to be able to show that the breakage happened as a result of an inherant fault in the machine. To do that you would have to get an engineer to inspect & report. To avoid a situation where your engineer says there is a fault but the Co-op’s engineer refutes that, you would have to hire an engineer who is also approved by the Co-op; that will probably take time to organise.
Although it’s unlikely to help you directly you could also notify the Which Consumer group and your local Trading Standards office (part of local Council). If these organisations don’t hear about every such incident then they cannot bring their not insignificant weight to bear against the manufacturers. Equally the manufacturers need to know about these cases so they are able to investigate & put things right.
Best of luck
I am very pleased to report that BOSCH has REPLACED my 15mth old washing machine, after the glass door shattered while the machine was NOT IN USE with a brand new one. I feel I have been fairly treated.
Hi I have just read all the comments about exploding washer doors and would just like to tell you my zanussi zwf1415w washer door exploded last night.
I had new bearings fitted and had just sat through a quick wash and full spin, watching it like a tv, amazed at how quiet it was again. Emptied the load which consisited of, 1 single valance sheet and 2 cotton and netting gazebo side panels, the load weighing next to nothing even when wet.
I emtied the washer and left the door ajar and went to bed.
I came to put a wash load in the following morning and the glass was inside the washer??????
I do not understand how this could have happened as I would have thought if there was anything wrong with it it would have broken under pressure.
Any explanations or advice greatly appreciated.
Hello Sue. Yes, more and more people are reporting door glass shattering when the washing machine is not in use. My guess is it may have something to do with flaws in (or damage to) the glass and succumbing to temperature changes but it’s purely a guess. It needs proper investigation by someone like Which?
My Hoover machine has just done the same thing, I am still shaking from the shock. I read on another website just now about other Hoover machines doing the same.
marilyn & Louise: Your cases sound more like the different case of washing machine drums exploding out of the top of the machine – Hoover Candy & Indesit washing machines exploding
ive had the biggest shock off my life today as never thought could happen. doin a 60degree wash and i heard a banging sound. bent down to look in the machine and the glass just exploded around me, missin me and my 3yr old son, i dont know how it missed us. im in shock to be honest that this can happen and disgusted im not the only one to witness this, whats goin on if yrs on its still happening. mine is a black beko 9kg machine. wasnt over loaded etc. im goin to ring currys in morn but dreading the wait as have a family of 6 and you can imagine the wash loads we have. wish me luck :)
1/6/12 Mrs Newcombe (86) informed me the Beco wm5100w washing machine glass door shattered all over the kitchen and in the washing. I rang Beco – informed me they will ring to make appointment. .. still waiting . have photos
Please email me them if you want people to see them
Yesterday I came home to glass shattered all over the kitchen! At first it looked like vandalism but then noticed that the glass on the washing machine door was smashed. This is a John Lewis middle range machine that was only purchased on 26 March 2012!!!!! I had been running a 40c cotton wash at the time and it looks like that wash had run its cycle as there wasn’t any water left in the machine (only glass!) and the clothes where dry. I was completley horrified – huge chunks of glass were everywhere! What if someone had been in the kitched at the time??
I contacted John Lewis who informed me that there must have been something sharp in the wash as glass couldn’t just shatter in this way and that if so, it wouldn’t be covered by the warranty!!!!!
Had an engineer out to look at it and he is going to replace the door, drum and outlet pipe (as glass was in both of these). Initially was happy with this as at least I wasn’t going to have to pay for the damage but how can I trust the machine again? The engineer said it can “just happen” – not good enough!!!!