Oh dear, my washing machine has finally given up on me.  It's been a good one and used regularly several times a week for about 9 years.  It's a Hotpoint Aquarius, but I have no idea what to go for next. It will have to cope with dog beds and blankets as well as general household laundry, can anyone give me any recommendations please?

Bosch every time.

My current Bosch is as good as ever after 7 years, even though the little door where the filter is has a chewed corner when I didn't replace it properly and Inka took it away to chew when she was a pup!!!

MY previous entry level Bosch washer I gave to my brother (I had damaged the plastic skirt when throwing a bone) when I bought the current one with matching dishwasher. 

That is now 14 years old and still going strong.

Another who loves bosch,  I had a hotpoint aquarius and was glad to see thr back of it. My bosch dishwasher is 13 abd has never missed a days work :p

Bosch.  :)

Having been more than  happy with my trusted Zanussi for years, to the point it didn't owe me a thing when it finally died, I recently switched to a Panasonic.   Why?  Because basically my local store had them on a good deal.   So far, so good although I do have to clean the filter - which I never did with the Zanussi.

I might have gone for the Bosch but they weren't on offer LOL.   We have a Bosch kettle!!!

To be honest you take a chance with whatever you buy. We've just got rid of an old John Lewis own washing machine. It had been great, including moving house from a kitchen, to a garage, then a utility toom which was just rubble and finally to another kitchen. The builders treated it as a table when it was freestanding in the middle of a non existant kitchen !. Anyway, it finally developed a leak and we couldn't be bothered with the expense of mending it so off it went, up to that point no complaints. We've ended up with an AEG, read reviews and it sounded ok and came with a 5 year guarantee from John Lewis. It's good, no problems, very quiet. I think they are all pretty much alike, just set your budget and keep your fingers crossed !.

My Miele experience has been better than my Bosch one was.

Miele for me all the way too.  Never missed a beat yet, and there are 4 kids in our family!!

Bosch. Miele are fab but out of my price range lol.

Bosch here as well. We went through the Zanuzzis and the Hotpoints in about 2 years for each, and during one visit from the local repairman asked his recommendation, and he said Bosch. Had it for 2 years now and touchwood, so far so good. I would say I normally wash around 4 loads A DAY, half of which is animal bedding.

We have just had a new one and after terrible trouble with Smeg & Meile we just went for cheap and cheerful so have got a BEKO. I love it so far.
Zannusi is my preferred maker but this year so far we have had to replace cooker, washing machine, dishwasher and 2 fridges (Hubby de-frosted one with a hammer !! Doh...) so we now have 3 BEKO appliances. Time will tell no doubt.
Aileen

Bosch here as well . We have a Bosch dishwasher which we have had for coming up to seven years and has never broken down.

We had hot point washing machines and they all conked out and one even caught fire so we decided to pay abit more for a Bosch washing machine and then a tumble dryer and they are brilliant

My AEG was really good but the pump went and I had the chance to inherit a nearly new Indesit, the program's are interminably long except for a 20 minute 20 degree refresher wash which isn't a lot of good. Why most machines have to have so many program's is beyond me. With the AEG I only ever used the quick 30 min wash which was quite hot, and the longer 40 degree for woollens and 60 degree wash for sheets towels etc. Not really impressed with the Indesit and my Whirlpool industrial size top loader is better by far for dog beds and towels. A real workhorse.

Relatively cheap Zanussi the problem is most machines are not really made to last nowadays.

Have had several Bosch and last machine was a Hotpoint - all OK apart from the last Bosch that had terrible problems with the pump design :( Our current machine is a Samsung - very good. My DIL has bought one too and is impressed. I've only had mine for 18 months so can't really comment on their longevity :)

One thing I would say is go for a larger drum. I have just got one with a 9kg drum and it is great to be able to do a large load such as large vet beds  bed covers, lots of towels etc. I am using less washing liquid etc too as I still put the same amount in even though the load is larger. The washing is coming out just as clean

>Having been more than  happy with my trusted Zanussi for years

My first washer was a Zanussi FL1012, and it was great, but the newer ones went all electronic and buttonised, hence having the original Bosch.

I hate al the push buttons, and even my Current Bosch has some and often the dogs switch the washing machine off mid cycle, and the dishwasher on!

I've just bought a miele and it's brilliant. It's got 10 years parts and labour guarantee.

LG Direct Drive 7kg plus I always wash my dog bedding in a special laundry bag to stop fur getting in it. Best buy ever!!

Miele for me

Wow, thank you all so much for your input!  I will take on board all your comments when making my decision.  Prices range tremendously so my budget will have to be a consideration. Thanks again x

Another Bosch lover here.  Fed up washing machines only lasting 2 years and went a little more expensive last time and also a larger drum.  I've had it for 4 years now and it is used  daily.  Although it's only one human in the house.  :-)

I am forever washing dog bedding, and I even put my turtle mats in there.  (Inside a large zip up duvet cover.)

I'd settle for any washing machine that didn't sound like you were washing a large bag of hammers when it spins :-(

Darned thing has been levelled endlessly, and even run withn a sprit level on the top in the middle of the kitchen and it still sounds the same.   Anything more than a single sock and it's horrendous :-(    Been the same since new, but seems to be getting worse, or maybe I just hate it more    And yes, the travel bracket was removed ;-)

It washes brilliantly, even on the quick wash - all we use really, and has a very efficient spin.   Which is why I've kept it 12 years.   But it would be so nice to be able to have a conversation in the house at the same time as washing our smalls :-(

Having  had nothing but trouble with my 22 month old washing machine and still locked in a battle with the manufactures...I can tell you which one NOT to go with. LG!

Mine is a 9 kilo all singing all dancing machine with digital read out, extra rinsing, medical wash, filter, very quiet, like most washing machines these days. I first saw it for sale 2 years ago for £699. I then got it online substantially cheaper than that. In the last 22 months it has broken down no less than 7 times. The last engineer that came out to attempt a repair said that he was surprised as LG are normally reliable but Bosch are the best. Now I know.

I have been in constant contact with LG as the online retailer where I bought it has gone out of business and LG have finally relented and agreed to replace the machine. That was 7 weeks ago and I am still waiting for a replacement. I did cheekily ask if they could just give me a cash settlement so I could go and buy a Bosch but they weren't amused. I am now waiting for a replacement, they have also kindly thrown in another 1 year guarantee, on top of the 2 year one that comes with it, which is all well and good but I have yet to see the replacement model. No good if its not here and being used.

The washing machine before this blasted one was a Hotpoint and that lasted me 8 years. No trouble but didn't wash very well for the last year. The engineer also told me to keep away from Hotpoint as they are not built to last apparently. In saying that, LG is the most expensive washing machine I have ever had and look where I am now. There is a moral in this story somewhere...The saying that "you buy cheap, you buy twice" obviously doesn't apply to washing machines.

Sorry about that, rant over!

Interesting.  Not one discussion of the merits of front load versus top load.  Is it mostly one or the other for you folks on the other side of the pond? 

We have our first front load and I'm praying it breaks down soon.  I hate it.  It STINKS.  The clothes don't, the discharge water is what stinks.  I thought it was it is below grade and all discharge has to be pumped UP.  But my sister bought one with her new house, above grade, and hers smelled worse than ours.  She was smarter, returned it immediately.

You just don't see top loaders in Automatic machines here as due to space limitations they are generally under a worktop in kitchen or utility room (if your lucky to have one).

I know that in Europe and USA most houses have laundries or dry useable basements.

The only kind of toploaders most of us will be familiar with are the old ones in public launderettes and the old fashioned twin tub where it paddled the washing and you then had to hoik it out and put it in the spinner, with a hose over a sink in the middle of the room.  You then stashed the machine away.

There should be no smell, but it is important to do a warm/hot wash occasionally (above 60'C) to kill germs.  Washing on cool to often will cause this issue.  I have never had issues but I don't wash below 40'C.

There should be a non return valve on the waste, and an efficient pump on the machine.  Filetrs need checking as residue will case bacterial build up.

I've seen them for sale in Costco. I've had no problems with my LG, use it at least twice a day. I had a Hoover before and wouldn't recommend them.

Bosch for me. It's so much quieter than anyone else's I know of and the washing comes out clean. I appreciate the latter should be a given but having known folk with cheap washers I've realised it isn't. I leave the drawer and door open a bit to prevent mould (dogs not a chewer!!) and wash it empty on 90 deg with no detergent every few weeks.

Thanks everyone for your input.  Well, it looks like Bosch are in the lead then.....

I'm about to embark on a new washing machine too. My dad keeps telling me to buy second hand but what with the warranty id like brand new... The cheapest Bosch I've found for the spec I require is coming in at £429 everywhere!!! There isn't much competition about is there?