Choosing your Candy washing machine
If you’ve ever experienced a washing machine breakdown, and the speed with which the dirty laundry piles up and threatens to engulf not just you, but your whole street, then you’ll know how much you really, really depend on your washing machine.
Like so many other things, it’s worth buying the very best you can afford and NOT the cheapest you can find. It’s still possible to buy a washing machine that will last for over 20 years and still be spinning away quite happily. But these machines are expensive. If you can afford a really top brand, then the investment is worth it. The only downside is that if it does go wrong, or a part needs replacing, then spare parts might cost more and you might need a manufacturer’s technician rather than a cheaper repair service.
On the other hand, budget washing machines are so cheap that if they break down after a few years, the repair might be over half the cost of a new machine. It’s true that budget washing machines are cheaper than ever – but how often will you need to replace it, or how much are you prepared to spend in repair costs, over a period of, say, 15 years?
Energy costs - washing machines are given a rating to indicate their energy efficiency. The scale goes from A to G, with A the most efficient. A cheap washing machine with a bad energy rating can end up costing more than a more expensive, higher-rated one The extra running costs can add up to as much as several hundred pounds over the lifetime of the machine.
Which model? When you are choosing between models from the same manufacturer, you are unlikely to find much difference in overall build and performance between the models. The top models will probably have more features, and perhaps a faster spin, but won’t necessarily last any longer. If you want a more reliable washing machine than those on offer from a particular manufacturer, you need to raise your sights and look at a better brand.