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.
Repairs
Fixed-price repairs, Pay monthly options, Repair & protect your whole appliance..
Save Money Now
Subscribe to Which? today and start saving money now. Subscription offers often available.
Spares
Spares4Appliances is a spares company run by repair engineers who understand all about spare parts for appliances.
Hello Pete: They could still be more reliable yes. My research showed that it should be at least £500 – £600 in today’s money for a basic washing machine though. Cheaper prices have been partially down to production methods but also very much down to simply reducing quality.
One of the biggest problems is that they simply keep changing components (presumably in the never ending pursuit of finding cheaper parts) and never benefit from a slowly evolving reliable component. All they have to do is design a decent part, let it evolve, see that it works, and keep using it. There’s no need to keep changing all the components other than to constantly drive down prices or as you suggest increase profits.
Hoover for example have been making the modern (matchbox-style) front loading washing machines for over 40 years, yet they currently have washing machines exploding in people’s kitchens (article coming soon). No one can tell me Hoover shouldn’t have perfected the art of making decent washing machines by now if that’s what they wanted to do.
I have a 25 year old Whirlpool ThinTwin washer/dryer. It looks dated, is inefficient and only does a mediocre job of washing and drying, but you’d have to pry it from my dead hands to get me to part with it. With all of its shortcomings, it keeps running with only a $50 or $100 part every three or four years. So far, all it has needed is a timer, belts and a few pulleys. Most of the newer, sleek looking, efficient machines they sell here (in the US), cost $2000 a pair, do an even worse job of cleaning, tend to get moldy and stinky, then quit after a few years. They have too fragile a design (especially front-loaders) and tend to have too much cheap (though expensive to repair, due to unique parts) electronic junk from China packed into them; thanks, but no-thanks!
One last thing: no matter how efficient it may be, there is nothing sustainable about an appliance that doesn’t last. All the energy saved in its short life (and more) will be consumed melting the metal down to make a replacement, shipping parts to or from China and land-filling the parts that can’t be recycled.
I got my second washer in the space of a year (1st was a Hotpoint, the 2nd is the Zanussi Jetsystem ZWF16581W). The Hotpoint broke down in the first month and again once a month for 6months, each repair taking 2weeks except for the final repair which took 6months! I decided to cut my losses and buy a new machine.
My mum has a Zanussi Jetsystem from 2001 which has had two repairs (a new pump and a new PCB board), and my dad has one from 2006 (which has had no repairs at all) both work like they’re new so I’m hoping my machine lasts just as long. When I lived with my mum the machine was on at least once a day, same for my dad. Mine is used at least once a day. My dad took out an extended warranty which has since expired and not had to use it, so he’s happy the machine has proved to be reliable but not too happy as the warranty was wasted money.
My parents first washer (Zanussi Washcraft) is still running. They got it in 1986 after my mum refused to wash both mine and my brothers Terry nappies by hand. It cost them over £500 back then. They then changed to the Hoover Ecologic washer dryer, whilst it broke down a few times (brushes, belt, programmer twice and bearings) my dad repaired the machine then by a new one, the only reason why they got rid of it was because my dad wired something up wrong in it and blew the thing up. The next Hoover they got lasted 18months hence to change back to Zanussi.
I have looked at the price fr spares for my machine and my god are the expensive, I saw a motor for mine costing over £200! I myself am 27 and brought up to repair things than bin things. While I like modern things I also like reliabilty. I’d rather repair my machine than bin it because a simple part has broken, however due to the high costs for spare parts I will reluctantly replace the machine which I think is a waste. My dad has a Kirby Cleaner that he got in 1983/84 costing a lot of money, I hated it when growing up but now appreciate the quality, it still works perfectly fine. I have a Dyson and it’s nowhere near as good but it’s better than others I’ve used.
A couple of questions, why do Hotpoint washers have so many bearing failures. Are Zanussi a more reliable brand than Hotpoint or did I have rotten luck? From personal experience I’d say Zanussi are more reliable, my mates parents have had 2 Hotpoint washers in the time that my dad has had his Zanussi but again not sure if that’s just down to luck as they’re both in the same price range. Also what do you think the LG washers, my dad said he will replace his Zanussi with an LG machine once it’s given up the ghost due to it’s DD motor (he’s an engineer and so loves things like that.
Don’t touch LG! Absolutely dire!! Their own engineers say anything over a half load will destroy motor (DD type) and one I tried used over 4 times the electricity on a 30 degree wash that my old Hoover did on a 60 degree. Washing poor and rinsing dire and that wad a Which? Best buy model! Also reliability awful. Skipped it at 18 months old after 3 catastrophic break downs.
Thanks for the heads up on LG Dave. Will let my dad know. Do you know anything about the new AEG washers? They said their new machines have fewer moving parts so will last longer. I had thought of buying an AEG but it cost more than Zanussi yet is built by the same company so wasn’t sure if I was paying for a better machine or not.
Thanks for the tip about AEG. just one question, is their overall reliability better than Zanussi despite being made by the same company?
Phil
Hotpoint have always had drum bearing failures as do many other washing machines though I’m not sure how they fair at the moment. In my opinion it’s because they don’t mind, they make plenty of money out of the spares or selling another machine. I don’t accept for one minute that a manufacturer who has made washing machines for decades cannot produce a reliable product or one where drum bearings rarely if ever fail. They produce them to be as reliable – or unreliable as they desire.
I accept that any manufacturer making a product too reliable will probably not survive or price themselves out of the market unless they can command a premium price. It’s all about the balance between what’s acceptable and fair compared to the prices paid. Currently many manufacturers have pushed this acceptability and fairness to the limit by making their appliance less and less repairable. The only trouble is they virtually all do it so they are all in it together and it’s hard to single out any brands that are much more reliable as they are mostly much of a much-ness (apart from Miele and the ISE10).
I reckon they are a little more reliable but I’ve been to many with the same problem of drum bearing failures though I think it may be cheaper to repair theirs. Many Hotpoint’s can no longer even have their drums stripped down as they’ve started welding the inner drum and bearings into the outer tub. One reason I would avoid Hotpoint.
I used to go for AEG personally, parts and technical information are easier to come by. But unfortunately they appear to have joined the increasing ranks of manufacturers building washing machines with drums bearings and seals completely sealed into their outer tubs which cannot be repaired or stripped down to retrieve obstructions which I completely disagree with and do not recommend.
An interesting thread. My parents had a Hoover new wave bought in 1990, when i was born, and it lasted to around 2006, this was in constant use with four people from new to when it died. Any new hoover i would doubt would last a year, and to make ones which explode is really irresponsible. How can you cost cut when it gets to the extreme of being fatal, especially the Beko fridges and cookers.
Any appliance now, I would go for Miele, (I have one of their vacuums and its amazing) I am hoping to work for them in Germany in the design sector. Granted they are expensive, but they have a long history, and the testing they go through is immense, even the laboratories that test out the effects on garments, and how they can achieve the best results! I also like how they make the majority of their own components in house, something no other company does, probably Asko included. So even though they are expensive to fix, its a very small likelihood they’ll go wrong, when they’ve been through so many tests and development, the Germans are very fussy about this.
Reminds me of a time, when my dad fitted Miele kitchens and one of the clients insisted their built in washing machine was faulty, because there’s a certain knack to closing the door; swinging shut rather than slamming. A rep from Germany actually came over to Yorkshire to inspect the problem! Any other company that would do this? I doubt it very much.
Phil: There probably isn’t a significant difference, Zanussi are roughly in the budget price range and AEG are their mid price range. Most manufacturers add features not quality to their more expensive products. However, I would expect some slightly better quality components, maybe slightly stronger suspension legs etc.
Adam: The New Waves were much more repairable than modern Hoover washing machines. For example you could still strip down the motor to replace an armature or just the carbon brush ring. Funnily enough when I was repairing the Hoover New Wave’s we were all lamenting how they were not as good as the previous models.
I agree with all your comments about Miele, and if money is no object you cannot better them. However, people can have more concerns and worries about something that’s statistically rare if consequences are serious, and can worry less about something that’s more likely to happen if the consequences are more easily dealt with. The way most people’s psychology works is if you tell a million people that only 10 of them will sufferer a serious event, at least half of them are likely to immediately tell themselves, “that’ll be me”. (maybe even more?) . This strange behaviour works in reverse of course, if you told a million people that 10 of them will win a million pounds I reckon at least halve of them would think, “knowing my luck it won’t be me” :-)