I’ve been writing about the poor quality of many modern washing machines since 2000. As a long-time repairman I’d witnessed the gradual slip between people keeping them running as long as possible to all too often throwing them away at the first breakdown – unless it could be fixed for a pittance. Since then it’s become a serious environmental issue.
The public usually gets exactly what the public wants. The majority of people don’t want more reliable washing machines – they mostly want cheaper washing machines. They might say they want more reliable washing machines, but only if they aren’t expensive, which can’t happen.
If this wasn’t true – how come hardly anyone buys a Miele compared to how many buy Indesit, Beko, Candy, Servis, Hotpoint etc? Most people know a Miele washing machine is substantially better quality and likely to last at least 2 or 3 times longer than a Hotpoint or Indesit but they won’t buy one – because they are “expensive”.
This isn’t an advert for Miele, I mention them because I don’t know of any other washing machine that is anywhere near as well built available in the UK. I use the word “expensive” reluctantly, and in quotes, because they are only relatively expensive. £800 is what a washing machine of that quality should cost these days – if not more.
They only appear expensive because other manufacturers constantly undercut the quality so much they can sell much cheaper and make them look expensive. Instead of bravely maintaining quality but seeing their washing machines rise in price, most manufacturers have found themselves constantly having to reduce quality and cut corners to keep their appliances competitively priced.
Reduced build quality
This trend has got progressively worse, to the point where they regularly redesign parts, ditching tried and tested designs in favour of cheaper new production methods designed to cut manufacturing costs.
Most appliance manufacturers have been making washing machines for many decades, and could have developed incredibly reliable ones by now. Instead, they are selling new washing machines that still suffer the same faults their previous models suffered from over 10-years ago. Instead of their appliances becoming better with time and experience, they get worse, or at best stay the same.
To be fair, it would be a very brave manufacturer to maintain standards and become a lot more expensive. But Miele seem to manage OK producing better quality but more expensive appliances. I’m sure there is room in the market for something in between the average washing machine and a Miele.
Most current washing machines are way too cheap
It might not seem as though they are cheap, but compared to what they should be if standards had been maintained they definitely are. For example, Hoover used to sell a 1200 spin 4.5Kg washing machine at over £400 in the 1990s. Yet over a dozen years later in 2008, a Hoover 1600 spin 6Kg washing machine cost as little as £211.
In 2019 Hoover’s 1400 Spin 7Kg capacity washing machine is just £234. That’s a faster spin, and much bigger drum for almost half the price compared to almost 25 years ago. Moving manufacture to cheaper countries is part of it, but these prices can only be achieved by also reducing quality and repairability.
Note: I give Hoover as an example only because I had more knowledge of their old prices as a previous Hoover Agent. All manufacturers are the same. If prices had stayed the same (not even gone up as you’d expect) then that £400 washing machine from around 1994 should cost £775.55 in 2019.
Going back further..
In 1973, a basic Hoover washing machine was £94.88, that’s equivalent to £1,192.74 in 2019! (Source Inflation calculator). Today – over 40 years later a similarly basic model but with faster spins and a bigger drum can be bought for £220. That’s equivalent to just £21.47 in 1973. So in 40 years, the price of a basic washing machine has dropped (in real terms) by nearly 80% which is absolutely staggering.
An 80% reduction in cost is impossible without reducing the quality and longevity of the product. If you want to produce a washing machine made as well as the Hoover was in 1973, (even accounting for advances in production techniques) it should cost much more like £600+ and with extra features and technical advances it should easily be £800+.
Don’t fall into the trap of thinking a more expensive appliance will last longer
Top quality, extremely well built washing machines are still available and they are every bit as reliable as they used to be – if not more so. They just usually cost between £600 and over £1000. However, do not assume an expensive washing machine has to be high build quality – are more expensive washing machines better quality?
Most manufacturers prefer to sell to the mass market in vast quantities, but it’s getting harder for them to compete on price and they’ve dug themselves into a big hole. Currently almost every washing machine available is virtually the same machine inside, with hardly any difference in quality, repairability and even design.
Summary
Consumers relentlessly batter down prices by rewarding those who can do it £5 cheaper and punishing those who can’t by not buying them. Too many consumers focus on price over quality and choose faster spins and more features over solid build quality and repair-ability. The majority of consumers swap over to cheaper brands if the one they always had goes up in price.
There’s a limit to the savings to be made by clever, innovative production methods.
Inevitably manufacturers had to resort to cutting down the length of the mains cable and the hoses, reducing the quality and sturdiness of the main casing, changing metal parts to plastic etc. and reducing the quality and repair-ability of components in order to satisfy the demand for cheap prices.
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Allan: I’ve written about this topic before Should I buy an extended warranty / guarantee? | Should I take out this extra 5 year warranty?
Thanks for getting back about the extended warranty I dont think I will be taking it .
Allan
Gwen – I’ve not been on this board for a few weeks so I hope it’s not too late to offer my advice: YOUR HUSBAND IS RIGHT!!! Mend it!!!
It mightbe my old Electron 1100 you’ve read about, I don’t know, but I had one from 1983 to 2008 and replaced it when the tub rusted through on a welded seam.
THe new machine I bought cost over £800, was incredibly INefficient (despite being energy saving trust recommended), very unreliable, repairs under warranty were a joke and it blew up completely 3 times.
This June I dumped it and the local 2nd hand washer shop sold me a re-furbished Electron 1100, whose serial number indicates it was built in August 1983, and pleasingly I find that not only can I still get most parts but I have now even come accross one firm that woudl have re-welded and re-enammelled the tub of my old one, for a price admittedly, but in hindsiight it would have cost me far less than the new machine and lasted longer.
Only today (after reading your message) I have discovered a website for a spares retailer that stocks the timers, brushes, bearings, seals (incl tub seals), suspension parts, pumps and door glasses for this model (I know they are pattern-parts not original Hoover, but for a machine that age we can’t ask anything else).
So, Gwen, Hubby is right – and you’ll be saving the environment too by not creating landfill and using excess energy as my eco-friendly (HA!) new machine did.
Good luck!
Dave: I do hope your machine keeps going but unless someone is as dedicated as you (which most aren’t) it is a big gamble to spend £200 on a 27 year old washing machine. I know some vital parts like the spring holding the brushes in place are obsolete. I also know that any vitreous enamel tub that’s 27 years old is pretty likely to be almost rusted through by now and ready to leak. It’s a miracle it hasn’t already as they are renowned for it.
To me it doesn’t matter how much better a 27 year old washing machine is, if it’s that old it’s incredible it’s still running and can’t be expected to last long enough to repay a £200 investment. I made the analogy before, who’s the best athlete – a 90 year old ex Olympian or a 20 year old amateur? I know who I’d put my money on in a race ;-)
Washerhelp makes a good point in reply to my last post – it is a gamble.
However, I would contest that it was an equally big gamble buying new: I spent over £800 on a premium price and supposedly premium quality machine which lasted less than 2 years, cost me so much to run that I could have spent £200 on repairs or a re-con old machine and still had change out of teh electricity bill on the new one, and cost me a roughly estimated £500 in launderette bills and lost wages whilst battling with the manufacturer and Trading Standards to get faults under warranty repaired.
There’s no denying that keeping an old one going is a gamble, but after my bitter experience I’d say it was a gamble that I was more likely to win and with stakes that were lower than buying anything new other than a Miele or possible an ISE, both of which will cost the greater part of £1k to start with.
Perhaps “Caveat Emptor” (buyer beware) has never been a more appropriate saying?
Gwen- if you are still following this, it is of course your choice: like my mum you may decide that other factors in your life (in mum’s case lack of transport and age) mean that you’ll buy a Miele to offer some degree of insurance against repeated repairs, but if your hubby is as handy as it sounds my own personal opinion is still that keeping an old faithful going is at least “evens” (in gambling parlance).
It does worry me though: one day my “new” old washer will reach the end of it’s useful life and what the dickens are people like Gwen and I supposed to do then? I don’t seen one single reason why we should be expected (forced?) to accept ineffective, inefficient, unreliable and over-priced modern applainces for the sake of shareholders making inflated profits, which is pretty much the bottom line in the appliance market as it is everywhere else these days.
Hi Dave: Thanks for your continued contributions to my Blog. I really appreciate the comments from regulars like yourself :-)
Next time you need a new washing machine I strongly recommend the ISE10. There’s a problem getting them at the moment as they are upgrading it but this is only temporary. They are higher quality build than anything other than Miele, parts will be considerably cheaper than Miele, and repairs (including diy repairs) will be easy and relatively cheap to obtain. It has a stainless steel outer tub, 10 year guarantee, and is the best all round washing machine I’ve ever tested when you include repairs spares and aftersales – which I definitely do.
Hi Dave and Andy,
I must say I strongly agree with Dave regarding keeping an old “Workhorse” running. I too would not have ANY form of modern washing machine, they do not wash or rinse even half properly and they cycle takes forever, I still have a modern (4 year old Hotpoint (Indesh!t) kicking about) and this took up to 3 hours to do a wash. Which on sunday I am changing the bearings on, modefying the drain and altering the pressure switch.
Although keeping an old machine running can be problematic at times, it is very rewarding and does pay dividends in the end through excellent performance and overall reliability. My 17 year old Bosch will be needing a new drum spider next time the bearings go and this will cost just over £200 but to me money well spent, it is also a hobby of mine keeping the old girl running amongst my other inventions and alterations on everything else!
One point I do have to make is it makes very good sense to buy another machine like you already have for spare parts, I bought a Bosch like mine as a spare for £32 on eBay (which funnily enough came from about a mile from your house Andy!) and I have dismantled the whole machine and put it in the loft for spares when needed.
Overall I see no modern equivalent to my Bosch or indeed Daves Hoover Electron.
Miele are a good machine however the price of spare parts are rediculous, I heard a rumour that a Miele washer / Drier door seal was £245, this was a few years ago though. My parents have a Miele condenser tumble drier in a nice stainless steel finish and the quality and performance is fantastic. It also cost a fortune at………£1399.97, so it had better last. Their washing machine an IAR Siltal is also remarkably well made, it has only had a pump, bearings, belt and brushes in nearly 10 years, for the first 4 years of its life it did about 25 loads a week, and the rest of its life it has done up to 20. Its very easy to maintain and the parts are fairly cheap, plus it does a 70oC wash in just over an hour so is quick too. However when the day comes it cannot be repaired any longer they are toying with the idea of a commercial JLA 6 (made by Schulthess in Switzerland) as no modern domestic machine will take 20 loads a week, not even Miele.
Well done Dave for keeping the Electron running.
All the best,
Oliver.
Cheers Oliver: I rest my case. You have to be very diy minded, resourceful, dedicated – even obsessive – to keep a really old washing machine going.
Going off topic, so apologies, but taking comment 39 – “diy minded” and “resourceful”.
Perhaps in this day and age, when being environmentally friendly and cash-conscious are so high on the agenda, we will find more people who are in those categories and hence a descrease in the sale of new items (good or bad) and an increase in repairs and keeping things going (be they good or bad).
Ironically the lady from over the road from me popped in only yesterday and commented that her daughter is still using a 1979 Hotpoint washer that has never (yet!!) broken down. We might be the “odd ones” but we can be proud of our low environmental impact!
Andy (or anyone) – do you happen to know if the Maytag washers are ISE10’s with a Maytag Badge? In Cole Brothers (John Lewis) they have these and they look exactly like ISE10’s, with same buttons and knobs, and the advertising blub is almost word for word the same, especially in the technical section about the suspension and the like. To the naked eye one would think the Maytag is an ISE10 without the drop down door / shelf fitted.
Hello Dave: Yes the Maytag models you mention are also made by Asko and are virtually the same washing machines. I don’t know the exact differences but the main difference is the ISE10 had a 10 year guarantee, drop down Door, and most important of all the promise of cheap and readily available spare parts. Essentially though, quality-wise it should still be a good machine.