How Long Should a Washing Machine Last? Discussion: How long should a washing machine last? Some washing machines have a coin trap in the filter to protect the drain pump. The only manufacturer I know in the UK who publish how long their appliances are designed for are Miele whom I constantly recommend as producing the best washing machines to buy. Mine was a cleaner version of the one on this page, a Philips W082 Variatronic, made in Great Britain: https://www.automaticwasher.org/cgi-bin/TD/TD-VIEWTHREAD.cgi?15603 It served me well for 34 years but I decided to not to take it with me when I moved home. How long should a cheap washing machine last? (UK). • Frequency of use. What’s the Most Reliable Washing Machine Brand in the UK? Our Miele washing machine is 30 years old and still going strong. Do you think that all washing machines should have a minimum lifespan, or that manufacturers should be able to set their own life expectancy? It’s one of the first things to check if the drum stops rotating. To make a washing machine last longer you must not overload the device with excess clothing.So that the appliance can function properly, only fill it up to a certain point. It is perfectly normal for this to be the case on a modern washing machine, most will take over two hours to complete a normal 40°C wash program. For example, a £250 washer may come with a 2-year warranty, whereas a £500 washer may have a 4-5 year warranty. Once the warranty is up, it’s up to you to keep your machine running as smoothly as you can, for as long as you can. Interestingly enough, a washing machine produced in the 2000 was designed to last about 7 years. However, these often cover just a one or two year period. Of those that provided a figure, Miele came back with the strongest answer, saying that all their machines are tested to last 20 years. Now when it comes to this machine, which I expected to have lasted at least 6 years before anything failed needing repair work. With luck you may be able to remove foreign objects before they cause damage: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZqP6grp0BXY. Buy the washing machine your tenant expects. It should be 6 years minimum parts and labour on EVERYTHING that is electrical and substantial in quality, to that I mean TVs, monitors, PCs, PC peripherals, radios, vacuums, white goods, kitchen items e.g. Instead, a small handful of models have a free 10 year warranty. For example, after three years only 56% of the least reliable brand of cylinder vacuum cleaners are still fault free, compared to 93% for the most reliable brand. It taught me to check my pockets twice. I made a new impeller from brass. By commenting you agree to our terms & conditions and community guidelines. That’s an expensive mistake. How Long Do Towels Take to Dry in a Tumble Dryer? A seller is not responsible for any faults which were drawn to the attention of the buyer before the goods were sold. Although washing machines tend not to come with a lifetime guarantee they do come with warranties. I rang my local one to find out the cost of call out and a brush replacement. When it comes to washing in a hurry you really are at the mercy of your washing machine’s quick wash. Or both? It has served a family of 5 well and was only repaired once,16 months after purchase when a new module was fitted. less water. The differences between brands can be enormous. Although we would all love manufacturers to put a 4-5 year warranty on every washing machine, there are a few reasons as to why they don’t: All of the above factors have an impact on the life of a washing machine and could subsequently damage them. In 2011, the average washing time was … For most people that fault would need diagnosing by a domestic appliance repairer. That would give me a clear basis to consider paying more for the pricier model, or to save some money but lower my expectation as to how long it will last. As a rather poor generalisation - the higher the rent the better quality the washing machine should be. In other words, how long does a washing machine last, depends upon the cycle life designed in a washing machine as well. Have you also w… This in turn would do far more to reduce our energy consumption and resources than simply making the machines more complicated to use less energy i.e. Our unique research indicates how likely each brand’s appliances will remain fault free during a ten year period. But stopped working yesterday, start light comes on, press start, and nothing happens for 10 minutes, when it eventually has all the lights flashing and the pump runs until it is empty (a safety feature I guess). I washed socks the other day. Basic, basic brand - be happy with 2 years. One solution could be to decree that all washing machines should have a minimum lifetime, perhaps three or four years, ideally with a manufacturer warranty to match? It required a very simple DIY repair in about 1998. I have always assumed there is a little person inside our washing machine who turns my trousers inside out, opens and reverses the pillow cases and duvet covers, and takes the collar stiffeners out of my shirts and puts them in the door seal. It would cost something more but not very much more. 5 years now, if a fairly decent brand. Cold washes (15-30°C) should be used for lightly- to moderately-soiled daily items. Earlier this week I helped a friend install and christen “George II” , her new Bush washing machine from Argos. It should not be classified as a fault but as failure to carry out maintenance. Nothing has ever gone wrong with it. The longevity of a washing machine is often considered to be more important than the price or the quality, so what should you be on the lookout for when shopping for a new washer, and how can you ensure your current washer lasts as long as possible? kettles and irons, electric/petrol garden tools. Usually we don’t ask ourselves this question until our washing machine breaks and we have to make the decision to have it repaired or replace it. The standard warranty for an Indesit/Hotpoint model is one year. I wonder how many washing machines have been scrapped because the motor brushes have worn out. Footnote: the Bush has just become beyond economic repair, after the remains of a Yale key and a £1 coin impacted and ruptured the bottom of the drum housing. How much washing do you do? How long should your washing machine last? Spares are generally widely available; so, indeed are many repair instructions for those who delve of course, but why not make it easier. A washing machine that’s placed in a garage that is not centrally heated will not last as long as a machine that’s placed in a heated and less damp kitchen. But next to it … do find their way out of the drum on washing machines where the paddles form part of the stainless steel drum. This allowed, I’d suggest, for a quality build, as hers shows by its longevity. I have not suggested that the UK will not support the Right to Repair and as I did suggest it would be good if we could drive this forward. On this basis we bought a Miele W5740 for the princely sum of £958.98 back in 2011. Now thanks to new EU regulations, your washing machine warranty should extend to 10 years. I presume that the UK has been part of the EU initiative while it was a member. It is important, in this regard, to leave an empty space in the drum, about ten centimeters, so that clothes can move with ease with the speed of the appliance. It is two years old and cost £200 in 2018. I’m baking – what are your lockdown hobbies? Naming a washing machine after a US politician may be setting a president. But next to it could be a near identical machine that costs £450 and has an expected minimum lifetime of five years. Mine has not been fault free, but has only ever needed a minor DIY repair. The questions we need to address include whether non-repairable (economically, that is) light duty machines should be sold without explaining its limitations, or whether all domestic appliances should have (acceptable) minimum working lives, in time or cycles, covered by an appropriate warranty; the latter would no doubt remove a swathe of low cost appliances that could be considered appropriate for people with limited use and low funds. Products can be heavily discounted when a new model comes along, even if the differences are only cosmetic. The standard average expectancy is around 11 years. A washing machine must, therefore, be capable of washing clothes if used in the normal way, safe and expected to last for a reasonable period of time. I still use a Zanussi that is a few years older than yours. Two years seems a much shorter time than a washing machine should last, even if I’d paid a relatively small amount of money for it, say less than £250. And the manufacturers will have an incentive to build well using quality components. How do we take account of their needs? making them use less water makes them more likely to fail because they have to be more complex. This washing machine has the dimensions of 65 x 68.5 x 91.4 centimeters and is perfect if you like to place it in a small room or a tall cupboard. That was a similarly cheap Bush that had lasted for about 5 or 6 years of fairly intensive use I think. Extra money outlaid for a newer model can be saved through energy bills, particularly if you do a wash every day. As this machine has been heavily used, even with this failure, it has been good value for money. Modern machines have large drums and high spin speeds and that is asking a lot of the bearings. According to them its due to excessive use! I know of two such Bekos that have not been heavily used and are now both about 10 years old. If you want a machine that might last a decent length of time I suggest spending at least £500. When we moved we transferred it to our static caravan where it has spent 8 years in an outside plastic storage bin. The truth is many don’t even reach 5 years these days – but are they cynically designed not to last or just made so cheaply that it’s inevitable they won’t? • Detergent usage. Vibration is another problem, particularly during the spin cycle. Prior to making its way into the pump, a £1 coin put a couple of dents in the drum of my old washing machine, demonstrating the small clearance. Washers used to commonly last a minimum of 10 years. It has also found that a product’s lifetime is one of the highest buying considerations, just behind reliability and quality, but more important than price. http://theinventors.org/library/inventors/blwashingmachines.htm As if I’d buy a Samsung at those depreciation rates!!! The question is, are you prepared to pay double so that you can have an extra 2-3 years without any issues? Do we have any evidence it will not continue to support it? 0 like. My complaint is that while bearings only cost about £20 to replace and I could DIY, you cannot buy the bearings separate because they are sealed inside the drum and outer casing (tub), so a couple of bearings will cost £200! • Over/under loading. If you’re lucky your washing machine may last as long as 8-10 years, but it can all depend on its frequency of use, and if the brand is up to scratch. How Long Does a Tumble Dryer Take to Dry Clothes? The gap between the tub and drum is small and if the coin etc. When investing in a big expense like a washing machine, you want it to last for as long as possible. Harald, as far as I know the EU 2 year requirement you refer to is not a minimum manudacturers’ guarantee period but the equivalent of our Consumer Rights Act 2015, which gives 6 years protection (5 in Scotland) but with restrictions on the redress provided and the actions the customer needs to take. Of course, a documented expected lifetime will be very helpful when exercising your rights under the Sale of Goods Act once the warranty has expired. According to research by WRAP, the average consumer expects a washing machine to last six years before it needs replacing. Others suggest replacing any top-loading washer manufactured in 1999 or earlier. The good news is that even if your washing machine only comes with a 1-year warranty there are a few things you can do to help your washer last just that little bit longer. There’s no evidence for this though, and it seems unlikely as it would damage the reputation of the brand. Replacement paddles are between £2.50 and £21 each depending on the model and possibly delivered by 9pm the next day. It served my wife and I well and would continue to do so if the bearings were not already shot. Many different brands and types of detergents are used. This would incentivise them to make the goods to last longer than the cheap poor quality good we get today. Are you waiting on a refund from a defunct energy supplier? Reply. The Beko that my friend had before her 1st Bush failed that way, as best we could tell. Whirlpool fire-risk dryers still might be unsafe. How long should a washing machine last? I have not had a washing machine with plastic paddles. This leads people to believe that manufacturers might be designing appliances with a limited life so you need to buy a new one sooner. Needless to say our experiences of the same company are wildly different. We r a family of 3 children 1 adult and i do 3 washes a day. Last post: 5/29/2012 at 3:13 PM. The cost of a new motor would have been over £100, so did not seem appealing as an economic repair. Convo community has been discussing at length on this faulty washing machines debate. Another argument for a cashless society and amazon keyless entry? The onus is on the retailer and not the manufacturer. That might have been a factor and it would have made sense to replace the paddles when they failed. So, how long do washing machines last? As a repair would have to withstand temperature cycling and both static and dynamic pressure, I was tempted by the use of car body repair / bodging materials, as a fun and relatively inexpensive repair. There are efforts in Europe to tackle this sort of problem that is expensive for consumers and creates mountains of waste. Cath – I am very impressed by how long your Indesit machine has lasted and hope it lasts for a few years yet. Although, washing machines produced in the late 1990s were built to last for about 10 years. For many people an £85 potential bill plus vat might think it’s better to replace their old machine whereas a simple fix could keep it going for a few more years. The official warranty Or perhaps it would be better for manufacturers to apply expected minimum lifetimes to their own machines – and have the freedom to give different life expectancies to different machines? (whatever happened to that?). Not something I have the time to do and possibly lose the case anyway. Does a Washing Machine’s Capacity Refer to Wet or…, How Much Water Does a Washing Machine Use? I suppose that heavy use for five years is good value but with a little more care it could still have been working. What about the dryer? 03/09/2018. I am not happy that some products become not economically repairable after a short working life, as Carl Duffin reports. The Welcome Lounge: introduce yourself 👋, Scam alert: Just Eat ‘gift card’ phishing email, All eight banks respond to our open letter. Best Washer and Dryer Sets CR members expect a washer and dryer to last 10 years, on average, according to our 2018 survey. If the machine has been used regularly then 5 years seems a reasonable life for a cheap machine. She points out that consumer law does not underwrite six years of use, as is commonly believed. Here is some troubleshooting information from Indesit: https://www.indesitservice.co.uk/washing-machine-repair/troubleshooting If the drum is not rotating I suggest checking that the motor brushes are not worn out. Washing machines come in a great variety of different makes and models sure compared to some other appliances like cookers there might not seem to be as much choice, but you do have plenty of options to you when it comes to buying a washing machine.. I’m trying to work out how a key and £1 coin has managed to puncture the drum housing? I paid £1300 for Samsung 4 years ago and now being 25% discount off new one. Some manufacturers do offer extended warranties, but not everyone wants to pay out a few hundred pounds just in case, which means they could be in the same boat as the rest of us if and when their washer stops working properly. I don’t remember that ever happening before. That lets all the water out, onto the kitchen floor 🙁. Washing times, despite the need to be greener and ecologically friendly, have actually increased over the years. A washing machine is expected to last 14 years. This is due to the changes in EU legislation in an attempt to save energy which meant that most machines you will see today will be "A" class. Mid-range: 5 years. Manufacturers though have been driven by other EU legislation to make them “greener”, automatically weigh the load and adjust water consumption, and other things to get an A+ energy rating etc. Washing machines can occasionally be overloaded or even under-loaded. There is a lot of sense in buying the cheapest washing machine from a major manufacturer. If you choose the machines that are manufactured before 2005, you should replace it because the machines before those times waste quite a lot of water, electricity, and also detergent. So why are lifetimes not already in place? If the load is unbalanced, water and detergent can bypass the seal and very quickly wreck the bearing. However they do have a lot of things in common and one of the most important is … Miele is an exception to this and their washing machines are tested and built to last an average of 20 years. However, top load washers do tend to last slightly longer than their front-loading cousins. As manufacturers do not state how long their machines are built to last for, or the total number of cycles they can run, it makes it extremely difficult for consumers to conduct thorough comparisons. With a warranty and a potential extended warranty, you could have peace of mind for at least 1 year. Hi Harald – You might find what the flashing lights mean by looking online or asking a question on a forum. I hope someone in the Far East who receives our waste electronic goods is doing a fine job of repairing the good stuff and selling them on. Would you feel hard done by if your machine broke just outside this warranty period? Sometimes an anorak has come out repacked inside the hood. How often do you clean and maintain your household appliances. How long your washing machine lasts is one of the main considerations when shopping for a new model – so how about putting expected lifetimes on washing machines? 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