Hi everyone,

I am desperate for a new washing machine. My current top loader (with agitator) is 8 years old and it's eating my clothes.

For a variety of reasons (including space in the laundry) I'm planning to get a front loader. But I don't know what to get.

I need something that's big enough for a family of four (2 x adults, 2 x kids), easy on power and water and - most importantly - gentle on clothes! I want something that's going to wash clothes really well and use enough water to actually get everything wet.

So far I've come across the Electrolux and the Bosch and a few friends have recommended the Asko. I'd consider the extra expense of the Asko if I could be confident it'd last and be worth the money.

Please help!!

I really like our 8.5kg Whirlpool. It hardly uses any water and the super long economy cycle super cleans the clothes. I chose it because it is one of the ones with the fastest spin speed, which is important here in winter.

How could I not reply to this thread.....

your post was me 4weeks ago. two adults, two kids. owned a top loader, it died and I wanted a front loader.

I was looking at the bosch.

I bought a miele.

and I absolutely love it.

We got a 7.5kg front loader and she works like a dream there is a quick 20minute wash cycle and also a quiet function where you barely hear it running.

More expensive then the bosch... I think the bosch was around $1700 for a 7kg and the miele was $2100 but that price included an extended warranty to 5years.

highly recommend the miele

Check out the new Asko... It's gorgeous!

I do like the look of the Asko. But it only seems to come in a 7kg capacity - would that be big enough?

And what's the deal with front loaders only using warm water? Is that across the board? I've only used cold water for years.

Hi OP

I've got a 7kg (or 7.5?) LG and I'm really happy with it. Was about $750 when I bought it a year or so ago. And it has a cold water wash

I had an Asko for 12 years with no problems at all ... loved it

Due to moving house and nooooo space in the laundry I had to change to a top loader, I still miss my Asko front loader

*I have never used anything but cold water with my Asko front loader

I have also always used cold water in my Asko, they heat their own water if you want hot/warm water. One of the best features IMO is they spin so fast i.e. 1800 RPM so things are quite dry when they come out. I wash heaps of towels as I have a beauty salon and find it big enough, having said that Im the sort of person who does 3-4 loads a day.... If I had a bigger machine that would cut the washing down but I like to wash straight away rather than let it pile up.

I've had my asko for about 16 years. A few years ago it had a decent repair and the guy said it was in good condition and I'd probably get another 10 years out of it.

Friends of mine (family of 2 adults, 2 kids) have a seimens and rave about it.

We have 2 adults, 3 kids and have a 7kg Electrolux and are very happy with it

I was a front loader hater but just got myself a Miele as I was sick of fixing my top loader, I LOVE my Miele, best $2500 i've spent.

I have an 8kg electrolux and I LOVE it. I'd never go back to a top loader after this. I think mine was about $1100.

We have a Bosch and love it. There's a 15 min cycle (for business shirts or whatever - anything that's not too soiled). It washes the clothes well.

I just replaced our 6yo FL Whirlpool that packed it in with a Miele.
I love our Miele.

I'd go for a Miele or an Asko. Or bosch if I could not afford the others.

Our house had an asko when we moved in. It was great. It was also my first experience I had with a front loader. I thought it just meant all front loaders were wonderful. When it died, we replaced with a whirlpool, which was crap. Did my head in, and when it stopped working, finally got rid of it rather than getting it fixed. I now have the cheapest Miele and it is wonderful. It is 6.5kgs, but fits more in it than the old 7kg whirlpool. I do heaps less washing now, and find it fine for my family of 4, and seeing no drama for our child on the way that will be in cloth nappies. I don't like to go 2-3 days without doing a load anyway.

Our 13 yr old asko is going strong. It was the baseline model when we got it. It cleans well, is water efficient and really gentle ob clothes. Often use cold wash. We've moved house 8 times including 4 interstate moves and seemed to cope with that too!

We got a BOSCH and i really like it, there is a quick 15 mins cycle but I usually use the normal one which is about 57 mins.

Had it for 3 years now and haven't had any issues with the washing and found clothes to be lots cleaner than top loaded. Have had to reset it once but hasn't been an issue since.

We've had an Asko now for 9 years. Never missed a beat.


Our asko is 6.5kg and is large enough for our family (2A, 2C). I suppose it also depends on how you wash.

We rarely use warm or hot water for our washing. Most front loaders heat the water up internally, which is why the cycles will take longer if you select a warm or hot water cycle (takes time to heat water up to the temp you have selected). Cold water is fine for most of our washing. Mind you, DH & I are office workers, so our daily clothes don't require deep cleaning.

Handy features to look for
- rinse only
- spin only
- rinse and spin
- handwash cycle (I haven't handwashed a single item of clothing since I got my front loader, works a dream)
- RPM : get the largest RPM you can afford. Asko goes up to 1800rpm, which means it cuts down drying time.
- crease-free function : if you are going to start your washing cycle and then go out, it's handy to have a crease-free option so that the clothes are lightly tumbled after the cycle has finished so that they aren'r stuck to the side of the washing drum for hours until you get back home.

A lot of the cheaper machines don't have rinse/spin only options and are very low on the RPMs.

Love my asko!

We have this Whirlpool: http://www.whirlpool.com.au/app.cnt/whr/au...11/prodid/47232

Apparently the difference between this and others, that makes it better, is it's made in Germany. (Just repeating the sales spiel)

It is awesome, we totally love it and we have been known to sit and watch some of the cycle, just for fun

It really, truly is fantastic and we tell everyone about it that is in the market for a new washer.

ETA: That I never pretreat stains anymore, it just gets them out with no help from me

I have a Samsung 8.5kg front loader purchased about two years ago now. My neighbour just bought the updated version about a year ago.

We both love the machines. Very gentle on clothes and lots of different cycles to choose from.

I like the 8.5kg as I can get my king sized doona in there - impossible with smaller machines.

'Appliances on line' tend to have some very good deals

Like anotherebmember we tossed up between the bosch and the miele but as it was just for the two of us at the time, and we got a fantastic deal (appliances online/winning appliances) we went for the Bosch!

We absolutely love it. It has a 15 min quick cycle, a great heavy stain removal cycle which we use occasionally for the whites/pillows, and I never do anyhandwashing now - all the delicates go into a wash bag on the delicate/silk cycle on cold and they come out perfectly. The normal cycle is convenient and quiet and very usefully if I've forgotten about a load after its been done (user error not machine fault ) there is a great refresh/rinse function that avoids having to rewash everything from scratch. We live in an apartment so have to use a dryer. We use the washing machine at 2 and 3 in the morning and know that it isn't going to be heard by the neighbours, and we can barely hear it ourselves from across the hallway (even with the laundry door left open). The spin function is excellent and the clothes don't take very long in the dryer because of it. With Bubs1 arriving shortly, we are more than happy to go down the MCN route - something I'd have not been anywhere near so keen on before given the limitations of our old machine.

i recently bought a bosch after having an electrolux for 5yrs, got a great deal on appliancesonline for $675 with free delivery, the machine is great im happy with it
and as for the company i got it from they were brilliant, ordered online friday afternoon and it was delivered first thing tuesday, they took away my old one and installed it...all for free!!

We recently got the Bosch Avantixx. It's great and can wash in about an hour (heaps better than a lot of front loaders). I had the Choice membership and this seemed the best compromise for us on cleaning thoroughly enough vs time vs gentle.

Happy with my Miele.

Don't get a cheap f/l because they don't have options which make them a PITA.

We have been happy with our Bosch front loader and the wash is 10X better than our previous Fisher & Paykel. The only negative is that it tends to get a bit skanky in the front rubber rimmed bit where the door closes (sorry the correct name fails me at the moment) and sometimes a small sock can try and hide itself in there too.

Fiona

I have a Bosch and I think it is 6.5 or 7kgs and we are a family of 2 adults and 2 kids. I have no problems with it. Love the short 15 min wash cycle. DH used to be a mechanic and would have greasy clothes and i could wash at 95 degrees and it would get all the stains out.

The Asko is a really good machine too. DH was scared of them as they are really cheap in England (he is English) however, they are an Italian machine (I think) and the Gov of that country subsidises the cost of them to make them cheaper. They are a really good machine and had we known this before we bought our Bosch we might have gone for one.

Stay away from a Whirlpool. Ours died after 3 years and the repair to the drum was worth more than the machine to repair.

I would also say stay away from a Fisher and Paykel (if they make front loaders) My mum went through a top loader every 5 years - she gave up after 3 of them and we have a dishwasher and it couldnt wash a dish if its life depended on it.

WE just bought asko to replace our fisher and paykel top loader. I didn't realise the technology has come so far very happy.

Thanks for all the replies

We continued to umm and ahhh until last night, when our top loader truly packed it in. So - forced to make up our minds - we decided on the Asko.

DH will drop in to pay for it on his way to work tomorrow. Woohoo!

fine choice. you won't be disappointed.