Request suggestion for a 7 - 8 kg washing machine.

[mysticrainman]

My current one is a bosch series 2 TL 6.5 kg and has been giving problems since year 3 and I would like to replace it with something more reliable.
I would prefer

• something in 7 - 8 kg.
• within a budget of 35k but can stretch if a particular SKU is heavily recommended

My local technician is recommending LG as a brand.

1. Early replies to the TL vs FL thread were pro-LG as well - what about now?
2. how is their service nowadays?
3. are parts affordable and readily available?
4. Amazon sale is going on .. but should I check our offline mode?
5. How do i check if a SKU has sealed drum?

 

[blr_p]

My current one is a bosch series 2 TL 6.5 kg and has been giving problems since year 3 and I would like to replace it with something more reliable.
I would prefer

• something in 7 - 8 kg.
• within a budget of 35k but can stretch if a particular SKU is heavily recommended

Go with 8-9kg

My local technician is recommending LG as a brand.

Interesting

1. Early replies to the TL vs FL thread were pro-LG as well - what about now?

You want to look at the last pages and before to find recommendations

1. how is their service nowadays?

Not had to use them but if your lcal tech recommended them then its a good sign. He did so because he can buy genuine parts and do the job himself.

1. are parts affordable and readily available?

Compared to Bosch, yes

1. Amazon sale is going on .. but should I check our offline mode?

Definitely if this is your first front loader. You'd be better off buying locally than amazon as you have somewhere to go in case there is any problem

1. How do i check if a SKU has sealed drum?

Only if people post photos of either disassembled machines or by looking up from the bottom.

LG doesn't seal their drums. If you tilt the machine back a bit in the showroom you will able to see up provided they haven't installed the rat guard.

 

[mysticrainman]

@blr_p I have high TDS and iron content water in my area. i have put a pre (sediment) filter and iron guard filter in the water inlet. will it be sufficient for a FL? or should i get a cheaper TL?

 

[blr_p]

@blr_p I have high TDS

TDS is meaningless unless you measure total hardness. This will then determine how often you have to descale the machine

and iron content water in my area. i have put a pre (sediment) filter and iron guard filter in the water inlet. will it be sufficient for a FL? or should i get a cheaper TL?

Make sure to replace filters as required. Descale according to your hardness. Should be OK with a FL.

What is your water pressure like where the machine will be installed?

 

[mysticrainman]

Make sure to replace filters as required. Descale according to your hardness.

What is your water pressure like where the machine will be installed?

Yes, replacing filters and understanding the how to-when to office descaling is something I'm learning right now.

Im not sure regarding the water pressure and how to measure it.. will research a bit on this..

we have a 2 story house.. a plastic water tank on roof and an underground watertank. The underground water tank auto fills when municipal supply when that is available.. and we fill the overhead tank when we need water for consumption.. wm will be on 1st floor. Flow is generally ok when we turn on any tap but consider this to be an anecdotal observation

 

[blr_p]

Yes, replacing filters and understanding the how to-when to office descaling is something I'm learning right now.

Hardness you have to get a total hardness kit to measure

Im not sure regarding the water pressure and how to measure it.. will research a bit on this..

How long to fill five litres?

To measure water pressure you need a water pressure gauge which is not easy to find and plumbers don't have them either

we have a 2 story house.. a plastic water tank on roof and an underground watertank. The underground water tank auto fills when municipal supply when that is available.. and we fill the overhead tank when we need water for consumption.. wm will be on 1st floor.

Yeah this is the thing. If wm was on the ground floor it would be fine.

When tank is just overhead pressure won't be much. On top of that you have a sediment and iron filter in series which will reduce pressure further.

The problem here is machines can complain of inlet problem if they don't get the water in time. They think there is a problem with water coming in.

The solution is to use a booster pump. If you attach that at the end of your two filters I wonder if it would work?

Ask a good plumber about this. They all from some place in Orissa and I think you're in WB

Flow is generally ok when we turn on any tap but consider this to be an anecdotal observation

Machines generally say in the manual what their minimum pressure is. When I got my machine minimum pressure was 0.3 bar which is the pressure water applies when it flows from one storey above as is your case.

These days these front loaders are all asking for 1bar which means water should come from 33ft above.

Just because the machine says that doesn't mean it won't work. It might as some have said or may not in which case you need a booster pump.

 

[mysticrainman]

Go with 8-9kg

You want to look at the last pages and before to find recommendations

Any particular reason why you're recommending higher weight? I tried to understand the conversation in the other thread - but I couldn't clearly do so.

I could locate below two models being recommended in the thread

1. Lg model fl 9 kg FHB1209Z2W
2. Lg model fl 9 kg FHP1209Z5M (AI model)

Would appreciate direction to any other i may have missed. As per your recommendation, I'm out right now checking offline offerings right now

 

[chetansha]

check this godrej https://www.flipkart.com/godrej-8-k...MNHFZU5USSVGZ3E&lid=LSTWMNHFZU5USSVGZ3EKIYPTD

 

[blr_p]

Any particular reason why you're recommending higher weight? I tried to understand the conversation in the other thread - but I couldn't clearly do so.

The 8kg is good enough but they started becoming rare and the 9kg were cheaper than the 8kg.

The 8kg has a bigger drum volume than the 7kg. The 9kg is the same volume as the 8kg

I could locate below two models being recommended in the thread

1. Lg model fl 9 kg FHB1209Z2W
2. Lg model fl 9 kg FHP1209Z5M (AI model)

Would appreciate direction to any other i may have missed.

1. Comes with a clear front glass and good enough. No wifi
2. Comes with AI, is a step up in features, with Wifi but you get a tinted door which is a step backwards in my books.

This one has the same volume as #1 but less depth so it will fit into a tighter space. It has a wider diameter drum for shorter depth.

The shorter depth is a new design. I can't tell whether a wider diameter washes better than a smaller. I would think they're the same. My preference would probably be for the deeper one because of familiarity of it's drum layout

 

[mysticrainman]

It might seem like a silly question ... But do i have to physically measure the drum with a tape at location?

 

[blr_p]

It might seem like a silly question ...

nah

But do i have to physically measure the drum with a tape at location?

Yes and it will help you to understand the difference between those two models.

In the US machines are rated by volume in cubic feet not weight like here. If you didn't know what size to get, all need is a carton box of the largest volume machine sold. Then make marks inside for smaller volumes.

Dump your laundry in those boxes and you will find out what size you should get. So easy. No manual measuring from your side is required.

Bur in India and Europe at large we go with ISO and these geniuses use kg for rating the machine which to any user is nigh on useless to know which size you want.

When I was shopping years back I had no clue what size to get. So I made a couple of models. Found some stiff paper and rolled it into cylinders of the volumes I had measured in the shop. Dumped my laundry in the two different sized models.

It became quite evident with this exercise that the larger volume was preferable.

 

[mysticrainman]

Lg model fl 9 kg FHB1209Z2W

This was incorrect the model was Lg model fl 9 kg FHB1209Z2M. but @blr_p your observation still stands i think.

I went to some offline shops. only One had the model FHB1209Z2M without any offer on my ICICI credit card. they are offering 35k without exchange. on Amazon, it can go down to 32.5k if someone here can help me out with an eligible CC.

I'm not very confident if the sales folk at the shop will help much in case of servicing - usually they just redirect to the brand customer care "please speak with them"