Washing machine breaks every 1-3 years

andre_xs

Thanks to all. Since we never repaired them, we don't  know for sure what was wrong with them. But usually it threw some error code which indicated an electronics problem. The current one: It just trips the RCD breaker, even when the dial on the machine is set to 'Off' - just plugging it into the outlet trips the RCD.

QrizB

I can't help but wonder if you've just been unlucky, not helped by buying used machines with unknown prior histories and being a 4-person household that makes a lot of laundry.

My parents had their machine, upstairs on a suspended wooden floor much like yours, for almost 45 years. A new machine would last them a decade or so of two or three loads a week, so about 1000-1500 washes.

They weren't expensive brands (usually Indesit) but lasted much longer than you've experienced. 

MattMattMattUK

When you say you are buying "young, used machines" what exactly do you mean? Second hand machines could have been absolutely hammered daily so just because a machine is a year old does not really mean much. Domestic washing machines are rated for 3,000-8,000 cycles, but that excluded damage due to hard water which causes a lot to fail earlier, it also ignores parts that fail over time rather than due to wear. A lot of small businesses that need washing machines buy domestic machines and run them multiple times daily then sell them after a year or two, bulk replacing them. I know plenty of pub/restaurants that used to do that as it is a lot cheaper than commercial machines or laundry services. When I did it we had twelve machines and they would run 6-8 cycles a day seven days a week with tablecloths, napkins, bar runners, aprons, kitchen cloths etc.

Vibration could be the cause of failure, but if you screw a sheet of plywood onto the floorboards and put a washing machine vibration damping mat on top that should deal with most of the issue, though as others have said being able to relocate the machine to a solid floor would be even better.

Apart from that I agree with others, three to five years of usage from new is the expected lifetime, depending on how many times it gets used per day/week.

vic_sf49

andre_xs said:

Thanks to all. Since we never repaired them, we don't  know for sure what was wrong with them. But usually it threw some error code which indicated an electronics problem. The current one: It just trips the RCD breaker, even when the dial on the machine is set to 'Off' - just plugging it into the outlet trips the RCD.

Is the socket on the wall faulty? Has it been killing the electronics in the machine? I've no clue if that's even possible, but the socket is the common denominator. 

Have you tried plugging it in elsewhere, even if you have to use an extension lead to test it? 

andre_xs

Ok, thanks a lot for your replies. Yes, maybe we have been a bit spoiled with our views, because we also are used to machines lasting much longer, but if newer low-/mid-range machines are not lasting that long anymore, we may indeed just run into the end of their life cycle.

We always bought from private so far, not from commercial dealers selling white goods. Of course we don't know for sure, but it's a bit unlikely they've been run more than once a day every day or so.

So, if you had the choice between a used one between £70 and £100, and a new Indesit or HighSense for £220 - £260 from Amazon, what would be your choice?

Thanks a lot! 

QrizB

andre_xs said:

So, if you had the choice between a used one between £70 and £100, and a new Indesit or HighSense for £220 - £260 from Amazon, what would be your choice?

The latter.

My first washing machine was a £150 Electra (a rebadged Creda, which was essentially an Indesit). Saw us through our first decade; I replaced the heating element once after it was killed by scale.

Then we had a £200 Indesit. Lasted 8-9 years including small kids and daily nappy washes. In that time I had to replace the pump and one of the drum dampers, two easy DIY jobs.

Then we inherited a used Bosch washer dryer (the previous owners emigrated) which lasted a couple of years until the drum bearings failed.

Having got used to washer dryers, we bought another in 2017. A £290 Indesit. Lasted until this year when the electronics went. A shame, a s mechanically it seemed fine. Wondered about home-brewing something with a Raspberry Pi but decided I didn't have enough spare time for yet another hobby!

That has been replaced with a £290 Beko washer dryer. Hope to get another 8-10 years, possibly longer as the kids have both gone away to university now so there's only two of us at home most of the time.

Albermarle

As others have said I suspect what others have said. That the machines have been well used before you bought them.

chrisw

andre_xs said:

So, if you had the choice between a used one between £70 and £100, and a new Indesit or HighSense for £220 - £260 from Amazon, what would be your choice?

Thanks a lot! 

I personally would choose the new one, some machines like the Hisense come with a 2 year warranty. But obviously, it depends on your individual circumstances.

MattMattMattUK

andre_xs said:

Ok, thanks a lot for your replies. Yes, maybe we have been a bit spoiled with our views, because we also are used to machines lasting much longer, but if newer low-/mid-range machines are not lasting that long anymore, we may indeed just run into the end of their life cycle.

We always bought from private so far, not from commercial dealers selling white goods. Of course we don't know for sure, but it's a bit unlikely they've been run more than once a day every day or so.

So, if you had the choice between a used one between £70 and £100, and a new Indesit or HighSense for £220 - £260 from Amazon, what would be your choice?

Thanks a lot! 

The latter, with consumer rights and a 5+ year warranty to fall back on, though I might spend a bit more.

EssexExile

If you're considering a top loader, just remember that most top loaders nowadays work just the same as front loaders but with access via the top instead of the front.