Saw this post too late. Commenting as I want some feedback from you blr_p.
I have been using Top Loading washing machines exclusively. The first one I bought was a Videocon model (Panasonic disguised as a Videocon I was told at the time) in 1994. It gave me very good service and lasted 8 years before it just died one day. In those 8 years, it didn't break down even once or give any sort of issues.
By then, I had moved from Delhi to Gurgaon and bought a new washing machine in 2002, namely the Whirlpool H65 Stainwash.
The reason I bought this machine in particular was because of my mothers insistence that she wanted to wash "woolen" clothes and this was the only "Woolmark" certified machine at the time that I was aware of. We used the "wool wash" function for a grand total of ONE TIME during the entire life of the machine. That's mothers for you - asking for features they end up never actually using!
I had no problems during the initial 1 year warranty period. The problems started happening only thereafter. I was very disappointed with the quality of Whirlpools service. I also found their "AMC" charges too high to digest so when the first paid AMC contract expired, I opted to outsource problems to a 3rd party company as and when they occurred (not an AMC).
Although this machine has lasted me 12 years (as of date) and is still running, it has two MAJOR problems.
1) Every alternate year, I have to change the "Inlet Flange" (I think thats what the part is called). This part costs around 800 today (used to cost 450 the first time I bought it) and I have replaced it so many times that I buy it replace it myself. Its a 10 minute procedure. I live in Gurgaon where the water tends to be "hard" which is possibly why this item probably doesn't last very long though I am not a technical person and I'm only guessing here.
2) The second problem is with the circuit board under the control panel. This has died/stopped functioning normally on at least 4 different occasions in the past 12 years and is a somewhat expensive problem as it costs between 1500-2000 to replace (it has to be replaced and cant be fixed apparently as its microprocessor based and they cant repair it for some reason).
I have been reading blr_p's WM related posts with great interest as I want to buy a new one and I was considering a Front Loading option for the first time.
What exactly are the advantages/disadvantages of a FL vs a TL? I have always preferred TL because of three main reasons:
a) You can speed up their wash cycle by up to 20-40% by manually adding water to the machine (Possibly not "recommended" but has always worked for me personally
b) You can add clothes in "mid cycle" if required
c) You don't have to "bend" to put in or take out clothes. So much easier to do while standing up - a fact one tend to appreciate more and more as one gets older.
Funny thing is, I have never bothered to check stuff like what the water pressure feeding the WM or the load of the clothes I put in there. I just dump everything in without a giving it too much thought.
I remember the Whirpool had a "load check" kind of function where you would put in the clothes and it would do a small "test" run to tell you how much detergent to add and whether the machine is "overloaded". The machine would scream "overloaded" so often that after the first month or so (when the novelty of this feature had died) I just stopped running the test and stuffed clothes possibly beyond its "acceptable" capacity and ran the machine using a manual program cycle where this "test" is not performed. The Videocon never had any such test function. Despite this, both machines gave me very good service though I'm quite sure that ignoring the correct load requirements pushed both machines into a somewhat early grave. Still, 8 years for the first and 12 years for the current machine is not too bad considering.
I expect a WM to last me 7 years without any major hassles (like my old Videocon/Panasonic did). If it does that I will be quite content.
blr_p, I would like your advice even though I want it "blind" in the sense that PLEASE don't ask me to weigh my wash load, or measure buckets of water etc..
Just give me a general recommendation I wont hold any potential problems against you - I promise.
I am looking for a new TL. My budget is 25k. I think 6kgs should be fine but like I said I have no way of knowing. I just dump my clothes in to almost 80% of the drum capacity (that's my way of "measuring"). I think the H65 is a 6kg version. I run the machine 3 times a week. Water in my area is definitely hard water. Water pressure shouldn't be a problem as the water tank is two stories above the level of the WM. I use one scoop of Ariel (the TL/FL duel version) for my wash.
One thing I would DEFINITELY like in my new machine is a "lint catcher/dispenser".
My old Videocon/Panasonic had this. Its basically like a small plastic "mesh" type bag that hangs on one side of the drum that "catches" any lint etc. within it when the machine is run. The Whirlpool didn't have this feature and I sorely miss it.
Please recommend anything APART from a Whirlpool. I would like to avoid touching that brand again considering I personally found the spares/maintenance cost too high.
I would like a machine that is sort of "robust" in a sense. Plus it should have decent "local" support in the sense that spares should be locally rather than one where I am held hostage and totally dependent on the OEM's AMC for the same.
Thanks in advance...
