# quiet washing machines



## dedee (24 Feb 2010)

We need to replace an old top loading WM which is very loud with something much quieter. 
AEG advertise their latest machines as having Silent System Plus and brushless motors yet they cannot provide any db ratings, neither on the website nor from the customer care dept.

Strange this as Bosh have db ratings for wash and spin levels on all their machines.

Leaves me to conclude that the AEG machines cannot be as quite as they would have us believe

Andy


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## dicktimber (24 Feb 2010)

LG do a direct drive.
But if you search the site you will find this subject has been discussed and that could help you.


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## cambournepete (24 Feb 2010)

Miele.
Ours is very quiet, until it gets to spin mode and even then it's quieter than previous cheaper ones we've had.
They do a 10 year warranty on many of them as well.


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## dedee (24 Feb 2010)

Dick,
I hadn't considered LG. I've had a poke arund their website and a spin noise leve of 69db is the best I've seen (Bosch's queitest machine is 72db). LG have some good prudct reviews too.

Pete,
Meile I know are good and pricey!

I will probably stick with Bosch with had one in the UK that was faultless after 5 years of near daily use.

In my original post was more an expression of surprise that a manufacturer would promote a feature without any data to back it up than a request for alternatives.

cheers

Andy


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## chris_d (24 Feb 2010)

I'll second the LG direct drive recommendation - we've had ours for 7 years and it is still the quietest machine we've ever owned! Never even had to put a spanner on it.

HTH,
C


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## WellsWood (24 Feb 2010)

Another vote here for LG. Just bought one of their DD machines a few months ago. Too early to comment on longevity (but the drive system carries a 10 year warranty so shouldn't be a problem), but it certainly is quiet.


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## SPinonit (24 Feb 2010)

Not wishing to take anything away from the endorsements of LG products, as people obviously have different experiences with brands, but... 

We had an LG Direct Drive, which was great when it worked. Big - stuck out way more than our worktop and prevented another cupboard door from opening. It didn't last so long - something burnt out on the circuitboard, but the machine was still under a year old and covered by warranty. LG could not give a hoot. Their lack of customer service seems fairly legendary (check the web for LG reviews/customer opinions), but even I was shocked when they claimed the fault was not their responsibility and that I should take it up with the seller I bought it from. ](*,) Even the seller (a trusted internet shop) commented that LG's customer service was 'different' from other manufacturers. 

The seller ended up having to refund us, as I was disgusted by LG's attitude and refused a replacement. We replaced it with an Indesit Moon, which is pretty rubbish and we've just replaced that with a Hotpoint WMD940 from Next of all places (cheaper than the other stores). It is amazingly quiet - even more so than the LG! You can literally be standing next to it and not know that it is running, whether on full spin or wash. It washes pretty well too and SWMBO 'loves' it. 

Steve


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## Michael7 (24 Feb 2010)

We've had our LG for over 7 years now and it gets well used, about 10 loads a week. Every now and then a trickle of water comes from the push-in tray which I could never see the reason behind but if thats all thats wrong I'm happy enough with it. I would say that over the years it has got gradually noisier but I suppose thats the norm, still quiet and still easy to stand beside it and have a conversation.

Michael


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## Ironballs (24 Feb 2010)

I love our Bosch, a great machine and utterly reliable. 5 years in now and my parents have a similar model which they've owned for 2-3 years more


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## grafter (25 Feb 2010)

if you do want to get an AEG - save a bit of cash and get a john lewis branded model - all the same!

+ they include a free 3 year warranty


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## Dibs-h (25 Feb 2010)

cambournepete":27y0r3py said:


> Miele.
> Ours is very quiet, until it gets to spin mode and even then it's quieter than previous cheaper ones we've had.
> They do a 10 year warranty on many of them as well.



I'll second that - ours has a 10yr warranty with Miele and the only give away that the machine is on - is the sound of buttons on clothes occasionally hitting the glass - other than that totally silent. 

It only gets a little louder when going into spin - but if stood next to it, one can carry on with a conversation at the same level.


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## cutting42 (25 Feb 2010)

For Washing Machines, Driers and Dishwashers

1st - Miele
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.
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.
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.
.
.
.
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Last - Everything else

Best investment you will ever make.


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## lurker (25 Feb 2010)

Hope I'm not explaining egg sucking here, but dB are logrithmic

Rule of the thumb: 3 dB less, equates to half the noise 

So the LG is half as noisy as the Bosch ( or the Bosch is twice as loud as the LG)


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## Jake (25 Feb 2010)

It doesn't work like that in practice - 3dB is a doubling of the physical intensity but will not be perceived as twice as loud by the ear/brain. Needs more like 10dB to be perceived as twice as loud. A 3dB increase is not very noticeable at all.


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## bugbear (25 Feb 2010)

dedee":2fgsb497 said:


> In my original post was more an expression of surprise that a manufacturer would promote a feature without any data to back it up



But makeup/cosmetic manufacturers have made that into an art form!

It's amazing how many "claim-like" things they say that disappear on closer inspection, or claims that are qualitative, not quantative.

BugBear


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## ike (25 Feb 2010)

I have an LG DD machine - 5 years old. It hardly ever balances properly on spin (1400). It is very quiet. It has developed a hot electrical smell. I took it apart and it is a transformer on the PCB that gets hot. It's OK on less than a full load but that rather defeats the object of a 7kg machine. The PCB is embedded in goop and the component looks awkward to replace. A replacement PCB is at least £200 or more with callout and labour. These particular faults on LG DD machines are widespread and well known in the trade. My advise is don't buy an LG. Get anISE10/with a *10-year *warranty!. Bombproof. :wink: As the saying goes - "the quality is still there long after the price is forgotten" and that's the truth.

Tip: They are made by ASKO of Sweden. Anyone in the trade will tell you ASKO make some of the best washing machines money can buy. :wink:


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## dedee (25 Feb 2010)

Ike, 
thanks I had not heard of ISE before. The concept seems very interesting and noble, I've written to them to see if they are available over here.

Cheers


Andy


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## ike (25 Feb 2010)

Andy,

ASKO don't sell in the UK. They stopped about 10 years ago. ISE (Independent Service Engineers) with their inside knowledge saw the business opportunity to re-introduce a high quality product so specified their own version of ASKO's machine for their top-of-the-range model. I'd be surprised if they sell outside the UK. ISE and ASKO have agreed separate markets I think so you can get an ASKO in France. Subsequently they expanded their range to 3 machines each at a different price point but all specified and built by the manufacturer to their requirements. Not sure who builds the cheaper machines though. It's a unique business model and still a bit of an inside story, mainly because they would not deal through the big retailers/box shifters.


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## cutting42 (25 Feb 2010)

Actually, I am very impressed with the ideals and the apparent quality. If the Miele ever let me down I would look long and hard at these machines. I may need a dishwasher sooner as the current one (came withe the house) is a bit pants.


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## woodbloke (26 Feb 2010)

cutting42":1a6f4fhq said:


> For Washing Machines, Driers and Dishwashers
> 
> 1st - Miele
> .
> ...


Can't agree about the drier bit. The very best drier is a washing line, a sunny day and a bit of wind...can't be beaten :lol: Trouble is it doesn't happen very often - Rob


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## cutting42 (26 Feb 2010)

woodbloke":2p4wvq9s said:


> Can't agree about the drier bit. The very best drier is a washing line, a sunny day and a bit of wind...can't be beaten :lol: Trouble is it doesn't happen very often - Rob



Fair point but I had forgotten what that was like, don't think we ever got the whirligig out at all last year


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## bugbear (26 Feb 2010)

dedee":2xnu1e7a said:


> Ike,
> thanks I had not heard of ISE before. The concept seems very interesting and noble, I've written to them to see if they are available over here.
> 
> Cheers
> ...



The eco-credentials of a company selling tumble dryers are questionable!

BugBear


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## cutting42 (26 Feb 2010)

bugbear":op9ebxht said:


> dedee":op9ebxht said:
> 
> 
> > Ike,
> ...



Not sure they are questionable, pragmatic or realistic certainly. The actions of a company are highly unlikely to change the habits of the average family in using a dryer. Therefore their eco efforts are aimed at addressing the problem of disposable appliances. This seems a great objective, buy quality and buy once, zero profit on spares to ensure cost effective repairs. 

It is not a hair shirt eco warrior approach but one that is far more likely to succeed.


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## dedee (26 Feb 2010)

ASKO do not have an agent or distributor listed in France, closest is Belgium.

I certainly do not, and would not, want a tumble drier, but I do understand that we have the space to dry laundry indoors in the winter when the wood burner dries the air so the extra humidity of the washing helps.

In order to get a quite machine here I think I must choose between belt drive with brushless motor or the direct drive machines, unless I source an ISE10 from Portsmouth and nip over on a day trip.

Thanks for all the responses.


Andy


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## ike (28 Feb 2010)

Andy,

Good luck with that and if you decide on ISE, please spread the word. Anything that is a poke in the crutch of the likes of DSG et al, is a good thing. They seem to employ mainly spotty know-nothing oiks who don't give a tinkers cuss what you buy except preferably with an extended warranty to boost their commission!

cheers,

Ike


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## Smudger (28 Feb 2010)

Andy - I presume you want a quiet one so that you can run it overnight and benefit from heures creuzes?
Ours is the cheapest toploader from Conforama (or But, I forget) - it has to be small to fit. It's not too bad, and with the door to the utility closed you can't really hear it. Much. Honest...


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## Digit (28 Feb 2010)

A few observations Andy. Top loader washing machines with vertical axis drums are pension providers for the electrical and water supply companies, they also take much longer to complete a wash. 
running a machine unattended at night to gain the advantage of cheap rate electricity, if that is your aim, is a very false economy. 
A 16lb machine on a moderate heat cycle will cost less than 20p/load at normal rates. 
Approximately 2000 UK homes are damaged/destroyed by the practice per annum from fire. Plus the cost of running a machine that may break down without anyone hearing it go wrong can be pricey, and the smell of soapy water on the carpets from flooding has to be experienced to be believed! 

Roy.


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## Smudger (28 Feb 2010)

Roy
This is in France. Most of the washing machines are toploaders. More frontloaders nowadays, but when we bought ours there was 1 frontloader and about 15 toploader models in the shop.
Water is cheaper, and they claim to use less water anyway. 
Off-peak electricity is much cheaper than daytime. Except for red days.
Most floors are tiled...
It's absolutely normal (recommended even) practice.

The only time ours leaked was when mice chewed through the outflow pipe.


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## dedee (28 Feb 2010)

We currently have a top loade (Candy, from Darty) that is run on the night time tariff and it is loud. OK if we start it at 10pm but that means wet washing in the machine for about 6 hours once it's finished. We've tried to use it on the delay timer to start at 4.00am but that just wakes everyone up.

If we ran the machine during the day chances are we would be out, if it catches fire at night at least the smoke alarms will alert us & give us enough time to save the essentials. It is also on a tiled floor, if it flooded it would go downstairs (into the garage) and cause minimal damage.

I cannot recall the difference in lecky costs overnight but it is considerable 

We also want a front loader to go into a new fitted kitchen.

If I want an ISE machine it looks like I will have to go to UK and bring one back, I've just written to them to see if they have a reseller close to Portsmouth. 

I am quite serious about this. Even at my tender age I have brought 4 washing machines, the last one, Bosch, was great but we had to leave it behind when we moved. But the other 3 all suffered from motor or bearing problems what were uneconomic to repair. Spending £800 that should or could last 20 years and be repaired easily does not seem too expensive

cheers

Andy


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## Digit (28 Feb 2010)

This is the official line for the UK Andy...

http://www.washerhelp.co.uk/usage_2.html

...I once came across a cellar that had hundreds of gallons of water sloshing around in it, and even a tiled floor, if not sealed at the edges, will allow the spread of water and damage to walls and skirtings, and I imagine that the fire risk is no less or more in France than in the UK.
I gave this info to all my customers and most simply ignored it, which is their choice of course, and night time running and utility rooms kept me in business for years!

Roy.


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## dedee (28 Feb 2010)

Roy, thanks for taking the time to post a link that reiterates a basic safety message.

I do wonder how many households leave their appliances on when the house is empty or even turn off the water feed when the machines are not in use. That does not make it best practise of course.

I wonder how many members here turn off the taps and never leave washing machines, dryers and dishwashers running when they are out?

Cheers

Andy


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## Smudger (28 Feb 2010)

I don't unplug all my electrical appliances overnight, either...


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## Digit (28 Feb 2010)

The answer to your question Andy will be, very few.
Consider this, where do plumbers normally site washing machine/dish washer taps? Why, behind the appliance!
Very often the same thing with the plug/socket/on-off switch!

Roy.


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## Smudger (28 Feb 2010)

I think that if stop-puffins were easier to find and use more people would turn off water when going away from the house for a few days. In France all I have to do is open a cupboard and close a handle on an in-line valve, in England I have to locate a well hidden tap and spend five minutes struggling to turn it only to watch it weep. For hot and for cold. So in France I do, and in England I don't.

Mind you, my neighbour advised me to do it because any leaks between the stop cock on my property line and the house are my responsibility, and a water leak for several weeks would cost un bras et une jambe.


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## Dibs-h (1 Mar 2010)

Smudger":2ott14u3 said:


> I think that if stop-puffins were easier to find and use more people would turn off water when going away from the house for a few days. In France all I have to do is open a cupboard and close a handle on an in-line valve, in England I have to locate a well hidden tap and spend five minutes struggling to turn it only to watch it weep. For hot and for cold. So in France I do, and in England I don't.
> 
> Mind you, my neighbour advised me to do it because any leaks between the stop cock on my property line and the house are my responsibility, and a water leak for several weeks would cost un bras et une jambe.



http://www.surestop.co.uk/powered-by-water.asp

The washerhelp website mentions maintenance washes once a month for the washer and refers to soda crystals - now maybe I'm being thick or sumat - soda crystals? What and where from?


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## Smudger (1 Mar 2010)

Sainsburys. I bought some for using in electrolysis rust removal. 

Here


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## Dibs-h (1 Mar 2010)

Smudger":btenqo5f said:


> Sainsburys. I bought some for using in electrolysis rust removal.
> 
> Here



Ta - will get some for the washing machine.


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## grafter (1 Mar 2010)

i just do a maintenance wash one a month ish on the highest temp setting with the normal amount of non bio power (full of bleach so kills off anything - non bio contains bleach, bio containes enzymes)


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## ike (2 Mar 2010)

I haven't found Soda Crystals to be very effective. An empty 'boil' wash with a normal amount of detergent however, seems to work well.


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## Mike Wingate (3 Mar 2010)

Miele with a 10 year warrenty. Quiet and solid.


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## Eric The Viking (3 Mar 2010)

Mike Wingate":1c66rm5m said:


> Miele with a 10 year warrenty. Quiet and solid.



Likewise. 

I was very impressed: I took the top off our 3-year-old Miele (washing machine) recently, to find a circuit diagram and parts list tucked neatly just inside the top, in a sealed plastic bag. How many other manufacturers do that?

Mr Miele was on Radio 4 recently. Came across very well. Apparently he tests every new appliance design at home (has two washing machines - one on test and one production model in case the test one fails), and considers his wife's opinion a very important part of the QC process.


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## Digit (3 Mar 2010)

> How many other manufacturers do that?



Very few, in fact they are not supposed to be left in when installed. They are supposed either to be retained by the installation engineer or handed to the customer.

Roy.


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## Smudger (3 Mar 2010)

I don't know about their washing machines, but our vacuum is a cracker, and much better than a Dyson.


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## cutting42 (4 Mar 2010)

Smudger":2k3k7dey said:


> I don't know about their washing machines, but our vacuum is a cracker, and much better than a Dyson.



Ah a different subject but also a favourite. The best vacuum I have every used is a Sebo, better than even the Miele. Got it from John Lewis 10 or more years ago. The demonstrator was very dismissive of Dyson (which we had gone there to buy) and non commital about Miele. They just took the Sebo off the shelf, immediately took it to pieces and showed the constructiuon quality and used it in a demo. It was cheaper than both the Miele and Dyson and we bought it. Not a single issue, still works perfectly still looks like new and fills the bag completely with no drop off in performance. Looks very boring and semi industrial but you will see them in virtually every hotel in the world as they are bullet proof.

Oh and no I don't work for them, great bits of kit.


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## dicktimber (4 Mar 2010)

I like the Italian one myself...
Send it down to the river in full sun, 
with the washing on it's back...
Watch it bash the dirty washing on rocks in the river...
see the sweat trickle down its face and onto those full bosoms....
Take a good swig of Peroni, smile, fallback in the grass, and enjoy the sunshine,and wait till the spin drying cycle begins...

Can't beat it.

You can get the same model that does cooking, and vacuuming as well....but Italian ones are best!


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## Digit (4 Mar 2010)

You are seriously in need of help my friend! :lol: 

Roy.


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## dicktimber (4 Mar 2010)

He! He! He! :lol: :lol: :lol:


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