Well my much loved AEG washing machine is giving us some headaches (3 prong spider which holds the drum is worn - parts cost over $400 AUD). We've replaced the seal and bearings only to find the spider is worn. Considering we have spent virtually nothing on the machine (apart from one door seal) up til now over a very hard life of nearly 10 years I think we've done well. This poor thing has been abused by the kids (forgetting to turn the taps on and punishing the pump) and has washed for a household of up to 7 people. So I am not complaining...but the motor is original and so is the pump, the shockers that hold the drum etc etc...really not prepared to start throwing money at it.
I am a front loader girl. Hate top loaders. Don't tell me how much you love your top loader cos I don't need to know
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So, now I am considering the options. The two brands I like and have good recommendations from friends who punish their machines as much as I do are Asko and Miele.
Asko W6342 pros: NO STUPID BELLOW DOOR SEAL! I love this one....hate that rotten seal in my AEG. PITA to clean.
Good door opening size; good spin speed options; stainless inner and outer drum; fair range of wash options etc etc
Price - 20% off at the moment so is now only $1640 AUD
Good reviews from several friends who love their Askos
Cons: only cold water connection so it heats its own (which my AEG does up to a certain hot wash temp which I never use anyway; but it does have hot and cold water connections)
Miele W3831 pros: It's a Miele...everyone I know who has a Miele machine has never called the serviceman. Ever.
It has hot and cold water connection and mixes both for even warm washes. Has honeycomb drum technology which means if someone slips a tissue in the wash you get the whole tissue back out, not bits of it all over the entire wash.
Has a great range of wash options, spin speeds etc.
Currently offering 5 year parts and labour warranty at no extra cost.
Cons: IT HAS THE STUPID BELLOW DOOR SEAL!
Price - $2499 AUD
Reading up on both I can see no real difference between them for water consumption and wash time even though one has to heat its own water. The Asko has a 4.5 star rating for both water use and power; the Miele has a 4 star rating for power and 4.5 for water use.
The Miele is rated at 6.5kg capacity and the Askoo is rated at 6kg (which is what my AEG is rated).
Asko are supposedly releasing a machine here soon which has hot and cold water connection, but I don't like the design of the detergent compartment. It's some push button to release thing instead of a pull out drawer. Something little, but more prone to go wrong with continued use.
I don't want a Bosch, Kleenmaid have gone belly up here, Maytag are not what they were...AEG are no longer fully supported here either. In Aus my choices for a better quality machine are Asko or Miele.
Anybody got horror stories about either/or? If I want to go with the Asko I need to do it within 24 hours to get the 20% sale price...it's tempting as it's a saving over the Miele of $850 or so...and it doesn't have the goddamn seal thing either!
Thanks!