This section looks at the quality of modern washing machines

Although many modern washing machines are cheap to buy, we all know they are often poorly made and don't last as long as they used to. They certainly aren't cheap to repair though. However, not all washing machines are poor quality. If you want to be more informed about the build quality of modern washing machines this section may be of interest.

Opinions are based on my personal 30 years experience of repairing and selling washing machines, which may help you decide on which new washing machine to buy.

There are a couple of myths about new washing machines to look into first

• Are new washing machines not made as well as they used to be?
• Are new washing machines only built to last 5 years?
  • More buying a new washing machine advice

 

Are new washing machines not made as well as they used to be?

Although many of the most popular washing machines are not made as well as they used to be, there are still one or two makes of washing machines on sale that are as good or even better than they used to be ( e.g. Miele washing machines ) If you decide that's what you want, and know which make to look for you can still buy a much better washing machine. The problem is that many washing machine manufacturers who used to make good, reliable washing machines are no longer making them to the same standards as they once did. Many previously trusted manufacturers have also been taken over by other companies who then produced their own (lower quality) washing machines in their place. The washing machine changed its quality, but kept the original name. [ related: who really makes your washing machine ]

Reducing quality: As competition in the market increased, instead of bravely maintaining quality and seeing their washing machines inevitably rise in price (and be ignored by a public obsessed with price?) many of these manufacturers have found themselves constantly having to reduce quality to keep their washing machines competitively priced. They now routinely redesign their washing machines from scratch, ditching tried and tested methods and designs in favour of cheaper new production methods and cheaper suppliers of parts.

Many of these manufacturers, who have been making washing machines for decades, should have developed an incredibly reliable washing machine 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 washing machines becoming better with time and experience, they get worse, or at best stay the same.

Meanwhile, the minority of companies who chose the quality route, produce quality washing machines that only a minority buy because the prices seem very high in comparison with the ubiquitous cheap washing machines. Customers sticking with many household names then start to think that all washing machines are not made as well as they used to be.

The natural rise in production costs over the years has seen the best quality new washing machines reach prices that the majority of people won't accept (or sometimes can't afford) because these realistic prices seem high compared to the common household name's washing machine. On the other hand, mass production on a global scale, buying up of manufacturers by global companies (see who really makes your washing machine ) and dumbing down of quality, has made the budget end of new washing machines cheaper to buy than ever before, but comparatively more expensive than ever before to repair. For example, Hoover used to sell a 1200 spin 4.5Kg washing machine at over £400 in the 1990s, yet you can now (2008) buy a Hoover 1600 spin 6Kg washing machine for £211. That's inflation in reverse and it's achieved in large part by reducing quality and repairability.

In 1973, a basic Hoover washing machine was £94.88, in today's prices that's £687 ( Source Inflation calculator ). Today - over 30 years later a similarly basic washing machine can be bought for £199 Tricity AW1001 (1000 spin) with Free delivery AND a 2 year guarantee at John Lewis. That's equivalent to just £27.49 in 1973. So in 30 years the price of a basic washing machine has dropped (in real terms) by about 70% which is absolutely staggering. At the end of the day a 70% reduction in the cost of a washing machine 30 years later 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 it will cost a lot more than £199 - and much more like £600+.

Summary: 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 £500 and over £1000 ( warning - If I buy a more expensive washing machine, do I get a better washing machine? ). These washing machines should last a good 15 - 20 years but only a few manufacturers produce quality washing machines ( Miele being the best ). Most prefer to sell to the mass market in vast quantities, but it's getting harder to compete on price.

Consumers relentlessly batter down prices by rewarding those who can do it £5 cheaper and punishing those who can't. Too many consumers focus on price over quality. The majority of consumers swap over to cheaper washing machines 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 and streamlining. Eventually manufacturers have to resort to cutting down the length of the mains cable and hoses, reducing the quality of the casing, the instruction book and reducing the quality of components in order to satisfy the demand for cheap prices.

I believe that after 20 or more years of this, the public are growing tired of the constant breakdowns and lack of longevity of many modern washing machines. They are eventually wising up to the fact that cheap washing machines are more trouble than they are worth and are too important a product in the home to be so cheaply produced.

[ Possibly the most repairable washing machine around (in the UK) is the ISE washing machine which is backed up by the UK Whitegoods group.]  

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Are new washing machines only built to last 5 years?

This perception probably stems from the ever decreasing gap between the cost of a repair and the cost of purchasing a new budget washing machine. This has caused a major decline in the number of washing machines being repaired (to the detriment of the environment). People see buying a new one as a much better bet - even when the one they have is less than halfway through its normal life span and even if they unwittingly replace it with an equally poor quality washing machine that will need replacing again too soon.

Fierce competition between so many washing machine manufacturers, mass production and constant production cost-cutting tricks, has created a situation where the very cheap range of new washing machines can cost less than some repairs. Combined with interest free credit, it's not surprising so many people prefer to buy a new washing machine than pay for a repair unless they own a quality washing machine.

Summary

It's not so much that they build new washing machines specifically not to last, but they build the cheap washing machines customers (naively) demand, a side effect of which is that they don't last very long because they are so cheap to replace and they don't support them properly. Some washing machine manufacturers seem to want to make their profits by mostly selling new washing machines on a massive scale. In the old days they used to sell washing machines and support the washing machine throughout it's reasonably long life through a good (and reasonably priced) supply of spare parts and giving technical support to independent repairers. The result is that now, a washing machine can easily be uneconomical to repair once out of guarantee - even as young as 18 months old.

In order to save money on production costs, many manufacturers use techniques that reduce manufacturing costs but can make some repairs impossible and make other repairs require the replacement of whole parts instead of being able to strip down the old one to repair it. Examples of this are motors that are spot welded together instead of bolted, and drum bearings that can't be replaced unless a new tub is fitted with them pre-pressed in. This is a side effect of the mass production of cheap washing machines though and not a deliberate attempt to stop it being repaired. However, whether intended or not, the truth is that many modern washing machines do not last very long because it costs so much to repair them compared to the purchase (or replacement purchase) price.

Special offers and discounts ..

Special offers, sales and discounts on washing machines and other appliances (This link goes to the white goods special offers and sales section of my blog. This is where I regularly post details of special offers on washing machines, dishwashers, fridges & freezers and tumble dryers that I find or am notified about by companies