Washing Machines
As an engineer, I find that recommending washing machines in today's market is a challenging task. The models I trust and suggest are often in a higher price bracket, which may not be affordable for every household. However, I want to help you make an informed decision. This guide provides a brief overview of the key manufacturers — detailing the pros and cons of their current ranges — followed by my specific recommendations. Before we dive in: always prioritise the warranty period. A manufacturer offering only a 12-month warranty is not demonstrating sufficient faith in their product. Look for a minimum 2-year, ideally 5 or 10-year parts and labour warranty.
My Key Engineering Criteria
The Drum: Sealed vs. Splittable
A splittable drum is built in two halves and can be taken apart to replace worn bearings — a cost-effective, sustainable repair. A sealed (plastic-welded) drum cannot be opened; if the bearings fail, the entire drum assembly must be replaced, often making the machine uneconomical to fix.
Right to Repair
A manufacturer that truly supports its product provides public access to workshop manuals, wiring diagrams, and diagnostic mode instructions. This is essential for independent engineers and skilled DIYers to diagnose and repair faults correctly.
Warranty Period
A manufacturer offering only a 12-month warranty is not demonstrating sufficient faith in their product. Look for brands offering a minimum 2-year — ideally 5 or 10-year — parts and labour warranty as standard. This is a powerful indicator of build quality.
Manufacturer Reviews
Tier 1: The Engineer's Choice
The best appliances money can buy — outstanding repairability, long warranties, and exceptional build quality. If budget allows, this is where I'd spend my money.
Asko
Engineer's Choice✓ Pros
- Exceptional build quality and attention to detail
- Repair-friendly splittable drum design
- Simple, easy-to-understand electronic controls
- Comprehensive 5-year warranty as standard on all products
✗ Cons
- Premium price point — starting just under £1,000
💬 Paul's Verdict
If your budget can accommodate it, an Asko machine is a robust investment and definitely worth considering. This is a company that pays significant attention to detail and truly builds to last.
Our Recommended Pick
Tier 2: Premium Brands (With Notable Flaws)
High-end brands that offer good performance but make design or policy choices that I find difficult to fully support. Proceed with caution and research the specific model.
Miele
Premium✓ Pros
- Exceptional overall build quality and high-quality components
- Often available with 5 or 10-year promotional warranties
✗ Cons
- Sealed drums introduced in some lower-priced models — a major disappointment
- No public access to workshop manuals or technical data
- Spare parts can be very expensive
💬 Paul's Verdict
If you are considering a Miele, I would strongly urge you to research the specific model to confirm it has a serviceable drum, and to only buy one that comes with a long promotional warranty of 5 or more years.
Our Recommended Pick
Bosch, Neff & Siemens (BSH Group)
Premium✓ Pros
- Excellent build quality on non-drum components
- Good washing performance and advanced features
✗ Cons
- Widespread, intentional use of sealed plastic-welded drums
- No public access to workshop manuals or technical data
- Replacement drum assemblies are intentionally overpriced
💬 Paul's Verdict
Despite their good washing performance, I find it difficult to recommend these brands. Their anti-repair policies are a significant drawback for anyone who values longevity and serviceability.
Our Recommended Pick
Bosch WAN28259GB
View Recommended Bosch Washing Machines →SMEG
Premium✓ Pros
- Good wash performance and features
- Well-known, design-conscious brand
- Reasonably good build quality
✗ Cons
- Technical information is hard to find
- Spare parts can be expensive, increasing the long-term cost of ownership
💬 Paul's Verdict
While SMEG is a desirable brand that performs well, the high cost of parts and the lack of accessible technical information make them a less straightforward recommendation. Proceed only with a good extended warranty.
Tier 3: The Mid-Range Paradox
The most frustrating category — brands that get one key thing right but another critically wrong. Split into two groups: great mechanics with poor repair policy, and poor mechanics with good repair policy.
LG
Great Mechanics, Poor Repair Policy✓ Pros
- Serviceable (splittable) drums — critical for long-term repairability
- Good availability of affordable spare parts
- Decent build quality with good washing performance
- Part numbers often printed directly on components
✗ Cons
- No public access to technical workshop manuals or wiring diagrams
- Main electronics are usually sealed in silicon — making circuit board repairs exceptionally difficult
💬 Paul's Verdict
LG machines are a strong contender. The repairable drum is a massive plus point. For the price, they are not bad machines — but they fall short of a top recommendation due to these frustrating, anti-repair choices.
Samsung
Great Mechanics, Poor Repair Policy✓ Pros
- Serviceable (splittable) drums
- Affordable and widely available spare parts
- Good mechanical design that is relatively easy to work on
✗ Cons
- No public access to technical workshop manuals or wiring diagrams
- Circuit boards are almost always potted in silicon — making electronic repairs a major challenge
💬 Paul's Verdict
This is incredibly frustrating. Samsung builds a machine that is mechanically repairable but then actively hinders its long-term lifespan. They are so close to being a top recommendation, but these issues hold them back.
Our Recommended Pick
Tier 3 (cont.): Poor Mechanics, Good Repair Policy
These brands do the opposite — they provide excellent technical information and Right to Repair support, but build their machines with sealed drums. I am conflicted on these.
AEG, Electrolux & Zanussi
Good Repair Policy, Sealed Drum✓ Pros
- Outstanding support for Right to Repair — accessible manuals and wiring diagrams
- Often come with extended warranties of up to five years
- Range covers all price points: Zanussi (budget) through to AEG/Electrolux (premium)
✗ Cons
- Many models use sealed washing machine drums — a major drawback for long-term serviceability
💬 Paul's Verdict
I am conflicted here. If you choose one of these brands, I urge you to carefully investigate whether the specific model has a serviceable (non-sealed) drum before purchasing.
Our Recommended Pick
Zanussi ZWT71401WA Washer Dryer
View Recommended AEG Washing Machines →Beko
Good Repair Policy, Sealed Drum✓ Pros
- Excellent affordability — low to mid-range price point
- Superb technical information and outstanding support for repairs
- Spare parts are generally affordable and very easy to find
✗ Cons
- Widespread use of sealed drums
💬 Paul's Verdict
For the price, these are decent machines. I would recommend Beko only if you can get a long warranty — look for models with a promotional 5-year guarantee, or at the very least register your product to activate the standard 10-year parts guarantee.
Our Recommended Pick
Beko WMB81241LW Washing Machine
View Recommended Beko Washing Machines →Tier 4: Budget & Volume Brands
These brands focus on the low-to-mid price range and as a result often feature compromised designs. A long warranty is absolutely essential if you buy from this tier.
Hotpoint, Indesit, Creda & Jackson
Budget✓ Pros
- Affordable and accessible price point
- Generally provides good wash quality for the cost
✗ Cons
- Widespread use of sealed drums
- Historically poor access to technical repair data — though this may be improving under new Beko ownership
💬 Paul's Verdict
These machines are a budget-friendly option, but given the sealed drums, it is absolutely essential that you purchase one with a long warranty — such as a 10-year parts guarantee — to provide some level of protection.
Our Recommended Pick
Hoover & Candy
Budget✓ Pros
- Affordable low to mid-range pricing
- Spare parts are generally easy to find and inexpensive
- Some technical information (wiring diagrams, service details) is available
✗ Cons
- Widespread use of sealed drums
- Technical manuals are often basic and lack comprehensive detail
💬 Paul's Verdict
While these machines are budget-friendly, they are not among my favourites due to the combination of sealed drums and only basic repair information available.
Our Recommended Pick
Tier 5: Newcomers & Less-Known Brands
Brands that are either new to the UK market or ones I have had less personal experience with. I treat these with caution until I can bring them into the workshop for a proper teardown.
Haier
Newcomer✓ Pros
- Competitive low to mid-range pricing
- Spare parts seem to be reasonably priced
✗ Cons
- Technical repair information is difficult to find
- Build quality and long-term reliability are still an unknown for me
💬 Paul's Verdict
I look forward to bringing one of these machines into the workshop for a full teardown to give you a more detailed and hands-on assessment.
Our Recommended Pick
Hisense
Newcomer✓ Pros
- Competitive low to mid-range price
- Some models feature serviceable (splittable) drums
✗ Cons
- Inconsistent drum design — many models still use sealed drums
- Limited availability of technical data for repairs
💬 Paul's Verdict
Hisense is an interesting brand to watch. If you can confirm you are buying a model with a splittable drum, it could be a good-value purchase. I would be very interested to get one into my workshop to examine the build quality more closely.
Our Recommended Pick
Daewoo
Newcomer✓ Pros
- Features splittable drums in models I have seen
- Mechanically fairly accessible for repairs
- Spare parts are reasonably priced
✗ Cons
- Very hard to find technical information — wiring diagrams and workshop manuals are difficult to source
- Not a common or popular brand in the UK
💬 Paul's Verdict
Daewoo is a very mixed bag. The inclusion of a splittable drum is a massive engineering plus. However, the difficulty in finding repair manuals is a major hurdle for any engineer.
Sharp
Newcomer✓ Pros
- Some models appear to feature serviceable (splittable) drums
✗ Cons
- Very limited technical information available
- Less common in the UK — may impact long-term parts availability
💬 Paul's Verdict
Given my limited experience and the scarcity of repair information, Sharp remains a bit of an unknown for me and I remain cautious about recommending them at this stage.
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