Front loading or top loading washing machine?

[DrkLord]

In a way yes. Drum costs cover around 80% of the total so by not allowing to replace the damaged part, you are left to pay more amount whose costs rivals the new machine. You would rather go with a new one than spending on a depreciating asset.
It depends on which component actually goes bad. A major supporting one will warrant change of entire drum, a peripheral piece may not.
Again, as a suggestion, go for a brand which is transparent and not using some shady practices. You want your WM to run for at least a decade with minimum maintainance cost.
You can look into jugaadu stuff but once such machine or an important component goes down, it's days are already numbered.

This is unfortunate. Which brands are not using sealed drum...as bosch, lg, samsung, whirlpool have all been mentioned above as using one.

 

[adder]

So as of today companies that use sealed drum are Bosch/siemens,whirlpool, voltas-beko and many more.
Companies that have removable drum are LG, samsung, Amazon basics, Miele. I would avoid samsung due to spyder failure and Amazon basics due to no spares.

 

[technofast]

LG & Samsung have moved to sealed drums too adder mentioned some time ago. The trouble I find isn't the cost of the repair. At 15k i'd have gone for it because its half the replacement cost. The trouble is they likely don't have the part at hand and for it to arrive will take a month or even longer. No way can you go without a washing machine that long.

Can you tell us the model# of your LG ? It must be a recent purchase yet it does not have any water pressure issues which is a good thing.

Since the last few years i've noticed the LG manuals specifying a higher water pressure than my model. This number is the same for the Bosch models.

How did the Bosch handle power cuts btw ? did it resume at the start of the cycle when the power returned or go all the way back to the start of the program.

This is the LG model I bought from Amazon - https://www.amazon.in/gp/product/B08CPP59KH/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
I went and checked from offline store regarding this model and exchanged the Bosch machine for around 7K during Prime sale a year and half back. I particularly went and checked if that model drum was sealed and was told that drum will not be sealed in direct drive WM's.
As for power cuts I did not have any problem with Bosch and it did resume from the start of the cycle. I do not have any problem with the current LG FL washing machine except that I feel Bosch was a notch up better in washing and also did not wrinkle up the clothes as it happens in LG.

Does the sealed drum decrease modularity so that even a small component failure will lead to replacement of the whole thing?

Yes, as the other FM's have mentioned. Also as @blr_p mentioned procuring the part was very difficult for Bosch as this was already an old model. They asked for minimum two weeks time as the parts needs to be imported from China. However, I think the Bosch service guy was trying to sell a new model with an exchange value of Rs.1000 for the existing one. I had already made up my mind to buy a new WM so I was not very keen on that.

 

[blr_p]

This is my machine. See how the minimum pressure requirement increases with newer models. Look at the minimum Pascal unit. Mine says 30kPa

This is the LG model I bought from Amazon - https://www.amazon.in/gp/product/B08CPP59KH/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Good price, 31k is what i paid as well for plain white. The chrome model like yours was 35k

This is your machine, its 50kPa. They made a mistake with the kgf/cm3 unit it should read 0.5 - 8kgf/cm3

Requires a little more, went from 30kPa to 50kPa. This was the figure i saw for sammy's when i was looking for a WM.

I can kinda see why it works, its only a little more than mine.

However adders machine won't work for you so keep that in mind when you move to the next machine.

The reason the error gets thrown is there is timer and if the desired amount of water does not arrive when time expires it throws the error.

So why have a limit at all ? because they want to shorten the wash time. Your machine will wait twice as long, mine three times as long as adders to fill.

In a race for fastest wash with similar programs for all three machines, adders will win all of them.



And here is adders machine

Doubles to 100kPa because it can do steam wash whereas the previous two do not have this feature. This is also a minimum on the Bosch machines if memory serves.

This model has the thinkQ app and can be monitored by smartphone.

Mine only has three spin speeds. adders has 5 (!) why did they include the 1,100 RPM in there i wonder

You have 1,000 and 1,200. I don't see what 1,100 accomplishes other than having another figure for the specs sheet.

It's got 5 spin speeds. Gotta be better than 4 or 3 right.

 

[tech.addict]

I can confirm from my ownership of two LG FL, low water pressure is not an issue for LG. Presently I stay on the top floor and my new 8KG LG machine works fine. Earlier my my older LG served me more than 10 years when I was staying in a one storey building with old plumbing and severe low water pressure. And LG bearing, spider supporing the drum are all separate unlike German machines or the Samsung.

 

[DrkLord]

I can confirm from my ownership of two LG FL, low water pressure is not an issue for LG. Presently I stay on the top floor and my new 8KG LG machine works fine. Earlier my my older LG served me more than 10 years when I was staying in a one storey building with old plumbing and severe low water pressure. And LG bearing, spider supporing the drum are all separate unlike German machines or the Samsung.

Although pressure shouldn't be an issue for me, its nice to know LG machines can work with low pressure too.

@blr_p above mentioned LG has moved to sealed drum. Perhaps newer models have sealed drum.
Which LG model you have if you don't mind sharing?

 

[blr_p]

@blr_p above mentioned LG has moved to sealed drum. Perhaps newer models have sealed drum.
Which LG model you have if you don't mind sharing?

I was incorrect on that as adder thinks LG is the only one that does not offer a sealed drum.

If you can wait a month for the part to arrive then great.

I wonder whether i should order one and just keep it spare because one day my drum spider is going to break.

 

[tech.addict]

Which LG model you have if you don't mind sharing?

FHM1208

 

[blr_p]

I can confirm from my ownership of two LG FL, low water pressure is not an issue for LG. Presently I stay on the top floor and my new 8KG LG machine works fine. Earlier my my older LG served me more than 10 years when I was staying in a one storey building with old plumbing and severe low water pressure. And LG bearing, spider supporing the drum are all separate unlike German machines or the Samsung.

What is the model # of your older one if you can ?

 

[rockyo27]

I have ifb 8kg topload bought 3+ yrs back locally at 25k around. First one failed in 2 months.....drum kept on filling and did not stop. Then they replaced it with new one....then last year had to change the shockers..and the whole relay which controls the ow of water..and it already started rusting......only thing to like about topload i think is you can put hot water without pipe as mine is sitting outside and there is no connection there for hot water.

 

[blr_p]

Check out this Amazon review of LG 8.0 kg Inverter Fully-Automatic Front Loading Washing Machine (FH2G6TDNL42, Silver, Inbuilt Heater)

Huge Noise with vibration. Hitting the wall. Whole family scared. Could not experience single wash

www.amazon.in

heh this is what happens if you don't level it properly. A spirit level is the best way

300+ people found this ignorant one star review helpful

Amazon removed reply to reviews some time ago. No way to point out the problem

EDIT: He has forgotten to remove the transit bolts at the back.

This is how it sounds like when you don't remove the transit bolts.

 

[Chaos]

So as of today companies that use sealed drum are Bosch/siemens,whirlpool, voltas-beko and many more.
Companies that have removable drum are LG, samsung, Amazon basics, Miele. I would avoid samsung due to spyder failure and Amazon basics due to no spares.

I think BSH uses a non sealed drum with child parts for the top end 9kg/10kg machines. The cheap ones are all sealed.

Easy way to find out is if it is 1400 rpm or not. The 1400 rpm ones do not use a sealed drum. If it is 1200, it is guaranteed to be sealed.

 

[DrkLord]

I think BSH uses a non sealed drum with child parts for the top end 9kg/10kg machines. The cheap ones are all sealed.

Easy way to find out is if it is 1400 rpm or not. The 1400 rpm ones do not use a sealed drum. If it is 1200, it is guaranteed to be sealed.

Thanks for the tip!
Edit: 1400 RPM front loads are costlier by 4k-5k. I wonder if companies already know that the spare replacements won't bring as much money as the sealed drums and hence jack up the price beforehand. Though, a motor with greater RPM should also lead to price increase.

 

[neoshreya]

In general a front load will offer better wash because of the tubble wash method of cleaning. It will be significantly pricier than top load though. I am using an IFB front load but Bosch is also very good and reliable. I would suggest to stay away from Korean brands when it comes to white goods. Good luck

 

[blr_p]

ok so here is a Bosch 1,400 RPM model

https://www.amazon.in/Bosch-WAJ2846WIN-Automatic-Washing-Machine/dp/B08KTL8FDF/

Let's check its spare parts

Bosch spare parts & accessories for your appliance | Bosch - WAJ2846WIN/07

Order spare parts & accessories now - Washing machine WAJ2846WIN/07

www.bosch-home.com

Can't see a drum in there or bearings. Just the tub

Let's look at a 1,200 RPM model (Water pressure: 100-1000 kPa (1*-10 bar))

Amazon.in

It's spare parts

Bosch spare parts & accessories for your appliance | Bosch - WAJ2426MIN/06

Order spare parts & accessories now - WAJ2426MIN/06

www.bosch-home.com

Same thing...Missing drum (!)

There is something curious about the ending numbers for this Bosch machine

Search results

Search results page

www.bosch-home.com

The numbers end with /01, /06 & /07. What is the difference between these ?

The /06 ones show you spares, the /01 & /07 says contact the service centre.

 

[adder]

None of the Bosch models have a removable drum including the series 8 and home professional series which are sold in EU.

 

[blr_p]

None of the Bosch models have a removable drum including the series 8 and home professional series which are sold in EU.

Found some, Series 4, but they are small, depth is only 46cm, WLJ series

Amazon.in

Now see the spares

Bosch spare parts & accessories for your appliance | Bosch - WLJ2026DIN/01

Order spare parts & accessories now - Washing machine WLJ2026DIN/01

www.bosch-home.com

Definitely a removable drum there

The drums of WAJ, WAT, WAU, WGA are sealed and the last two are high end !!

So ONLY the smallest volume drum Bosch series has a removable drum. The ones I tell people to avoid (!)

Removable drum is more reliable than sealed.

Wonder what the volume of that WLJ drum is ? maybe just over 40 litres. Too small.


This Bosch Series 6 has a removable drum in the UK. None of the ones in India do.

Bosch spare parts & accessories for your appliance | Bosch - WAQ24461GB/01

Order spare parts & accessories now - Washing machine WAQ24461GB/01

www.bosch-home.com

Why can't we get larger machines like these in India



And Siemens is definitely out.

Washing Machines

A fresh scent, textile care, drying performance, design �what do you look for in a washing machine? Find the right model to suit your needs!

www.siemens-home.bsh-group.in

Not one of their machines has a removable drum (!)

 

[fastapifastdisks]

dont buy front load,often over time after 2-3 years the front seal loosens and leaks water. i had two siemens machines an a lg one all had the same problem. top load is easier to fix plus does not require one to balance the load.

 

[Kaleen Bhaiya]

had two siemens machines an a lg one

The older lg models had issues with the gasket, but that was more to do with machine vibration and running away rather than leakage. The newer models have been replaced with a thicker and a firm gasket to ensure machine vibration reduce.
Personally confirmed from LG and YT when I had issues with machine running away.

 

[DrkLord]

dont buy front load,often over time after 2-3 years the front seal loosens and leaks water. i had two siemens machines an a lg one all had the same problem. top load is easier to fix plus does not require one to balance the load.

Yeah that is what the local shop retailer adviced. Superior washing is a plus though.