what washing machine do you have/recommend

[briggsy's girl]

ok, our washing machine appears to be on it's last legs. not that i'm concerned. it was cheap when i bought it (i was a broke 21 year old) and it's worked damn hard the past 7 years! if it's something small wrong with it (it leaks) it will get moved out to the shed, connected to tank water, and used for washing DH's horrible work stuff - if it's completely dead, then we'll get rid of it.

anyway, now that i've finished waffling - i need to know - what machine do you all recommend? the reason i'm posting in the nappy section is cos i primarily want recommendations for using with MCN's - i don't want them wrecked by using a machine that seems great for clothes or whatever - and finding out it's completely useless for nappies (esp after you invest so much in them so "save" money long term!!)

my preferences:
top loader
cold water wash (where practical)
prefer no central agitator (though not sure if this works with mcn's)

my questions:
what settings are a must have (i have a digital at the moment, but use the same basic settings for everything)
what should i avoid
is there a brand of washing machine that has destroyed your mcn's??


help!!

[Arimeh]

My machine seems to be doing ok - I haven't wrecked any yet!!!

Mine is a top loader - Fisher & Paykel intuitive eco.

Has a nappy rinse option - and also a pre-wash - so I go between using both of those.

I specifically got this one cos it was the highest on the stars rating for water saving (cos we try to conserve as much water as possible since the sunny coast will be providing water to brisbane soon enough!!)

So yeah, I'm happy with it!!!!

[Kitt3n]

Yep I have the same as Arimeh - I love it

Get the biggest one you can afford - you will appreciate it in the long run

[Aimz]

Hmm I'm in the market for a new one - so I'll check out the F&P Eco.

[briggsy's girl]

choice shows it's been discontinued! how rude!

i'm thinking the aquasmart (f/p) looks ok - am just scoping them out now

i have an old 7k LG - it's been good til now (and if it can be fixed, will be great for stinky cow clothes in the shed!) - but it's time to upgrade

[aussienic]

I will watch this thread as I know we will be up for one soon.. Although thinking of just buying the bigger version of what I have cus its brilliant.. I have an LG turbo pool one.. its only 6.5kg though..

it doesn't have a centre agitator and I just hot the buttons I need for each wash.. It isn't set to what you want each time but it only takes a second to go bipbipbip..

[briggsy's girl]

mine is very much like that nic - which is why i love it (even DH learnt to drive it pretty quickly!) - but i'm also looking for water efficiency and stuff - didn't even think to look at Choice before i posted on here

i guess i trust my BB girls more than Choice...

[sangie]

I have an LG top loader as well - sorry can't think of model (I'm at work) but its 6kg. I'd recommend a larger one if you can. It does have an agitator and I wash nappies on the 'gentle cycle' and never had any problems. It also has a prewash cycle which is great.

We've had it for 4 years and never had an issue. I'm thinking of upgrading to a bigger one in the next year or two and I'm considering a bigger LG!

[Arimeh]

BG - I'm on the F&P website and I can't see anythin about it being discontinued.... weird?

[briggsy's girl]

was choice website that said it was discontinued Mel - and i've been to Retravision, Clive Peeters and Hardly Normal websites - none of them list the one you have

having said that, i compared on the FP website - and the one they have now is even more water efficient so that has to be something (20 odd L per load)

[Arimeh]

hehehe hardly normal - god I'm glad I'm not the only dag that says that...lol

[briggsy's girl]

hehehe hardly normal - god I'm glad I'm not the only dag that says that...lol

oops - i used to work for a telco and we used to say it cos they were hopeless at messing things up - it obviously stuck to the point i typed it without thinking!


sad thing is, i typed it in the web address and wondered why i got an error... ooopsie

[Arimeh]

pmsl...

Yup... preggo brain has set in already...lol

[briggsy's girl]

i think it set in a long time ago!!

ok, seriously contemplating the FP aquasmart 8kg - it's in the Retravision catalogue for less than Choice said it would be

any other suggestions? i'm seriously too slack to investigate - would love opinions!

[~Kim~]

I have the FP top loader with the agitator. My Mum has the one withou. Both new models. I hate mums cos it wrings the nappies out to death. Mine's a bit gentler IYKWIM?
It also only takes front loader powder, whereas mine takes all types.
I love the digi settings too.

[briggsy's girl]

Kim - do you find the agitator harsh on other clothes - i wash everything in the washing machine (if it needs hand washing i don't own it!) - and found mum's machine with agitator would end up with pants legs wrapped around it and arms stretched - so many clothes got wrecked/stretched out of shape...

[~Kim~]

I even 'hand wash' in my machine - on gentle. I've never had an issue.
Mum's spin them so much that if you don't get them out and hang them straight away the creases are so so so bad because they're almost dry from being spum so hard. I can't see that as a good thing for the elastic on my nappies. You have to untangle everything from everything else too cos it's spun so much it all gets tangled.
JMO though.

[briggsy's girl]

it's good to hear another opinion kim! i don't want to invest over $1000 in a washing machine, similar in nappies, and then have the washer stuff up the nappies!

i'm wonderin - i know on my LG they have a gentle spin cycle - so it spins, but does it more gently - will have to scope out if the FP has something like that