which new washing machine-to DIY instead of dumping when it breaks.

Miele Or accept a 3 year lifespan

None of them. They are all designed to last about 7 years, mostly five if its a busy household. Normally the product redesign cycle is around 18 months with a guess at spares being made rather randomly when a range or model is stopped. Thus my feeling is that unless you can find one that you know will be introduction that long into the future your guess is as good as anyone elses. Brian

Complete bullshit

My bottom of the range Indisit is still running fine and its just coming up for its 7th birthday. Used on average twice a week and it's had zero repairs.

I could probably buy 4 to 5 machines for the price of Miele. I could probably buy a new machine for the price of a Meile spare part.

My reason for bottom of range is that I will never use the dozens of extra bells and whistles that the top of range and more expensive machine come with.

Miele doesnt come with bells and whistles. It comes with - gasp SHOCK ABSORBERS. Everty washing machine needs them. Only Miele fit them...

Ok I will say most washing machines at twice a week will do 10 years whereas most dishwashers once a day are dead in 3...

Mine doesn?t. It somehow manages to balance the load automatically. Top loader.

There was a range of machines where reparability was built into the 'concept' and parts were supposed to be available outside warranty at cost plus_a_bit, not 'whatever we can get away with'.

This would be in direct contrast with the 13 month old Zanussi machine we picked up on Freecycle that was an insurance write-off because it's design meant it wasn't 'economical to repair (the main bearings)'. We repaired it (for little) and got another 7 years out of it?

Unfortunately, too many people seem to be quite willing or even keen to buy new appliances after just a few years, even if they are still working ok? ;-(

So what chance (commercially) was there for something that could last (have an extendable MTBF via cheap parts and labour), especially if it was a bit more expensive (comparatively) in the first place?

So what gets me is that we have so much 'choice', many manufacturers selling similar spec models at similar prices where I suspect 'most people' would be happy with just a few models to cater for different needs.

Or do (more) of what the car and printer manufacturers do and just change the cosmetics and name but use a fairly common platform (and so share spares etc (Zannusi / AEG etc)).

As mentioned elsewhere, I wonder how many of is might buy the cheapest machine that ticks the basic / minimum boxes and comes at good price and with a good reputation? How many people buy the most expensive machines and then use most of the features?

Cheers, T i m

Answering your actual question, which wasn't about working life but about easy to DIY fix...

I have a lot of Bosch stuff. I have never had trouble getting spare parts (directly from Bosch in 48 hours usually).

Their website has useful exploded diagrams and parts lists, too. If necessary one can then Google the part number and get the part elsewhere, although I seldom bother.

I have gone for the upmarket models in each case (Logixx). First Bosch dishwasher lasted 13-15 years (I forget exactly) and whatever failed eventually wasn't economic to repair (well, it was, just, but by that time...)

Most of the other Bosch kit has required little, although I had to replace the pump on the washing machine because I hadn't cleaned the gunge out of it and then I couldn't get the pump undone because of that. I do now have a spare, used, pump though.

The coffee machine just developed a minor fault (down to me again). New part on its way, although the fault now seems to have corrected itself!

I took apart my previous machine, a cheap Hotpoint, and that had shock absorbers.

If more modern machines don't have them, as you indicate, and they don't bounce all over the kitchen then perhaps they don't need them. Most(all) machines these days have methods of attempting to balance loads for the spin cycle.

Every washing machine I've repaired / stripped down came with form of shock absorber.

The tub is generally suspended from the top on a series of springs and aligned / supported at the bottom by a pair of dampers (or spring / damper units).

Cheers, T i m

Miele only have 2 year guarantees right now.

Some makes have 3 or 5 year warranties.

I'm on my second Bosch washing machine and dishwasher after about 20 years. Both "new" ones are still going strong. I have replaced motor brushes on the washing machines once or (possibly) twice. I had to poke around in dishwasher plumbing once, some sort of stuck float IIRC. Oh, and I've just replaced a couple of dishwasher tray rollers (with third party ones).

Exactly echoes my experience, also posted above but less succinctly.

Our Hotpoint sometimes jumps forward 4 or 5" after bouncing off the wall and the tumble dryer when a spin starts. Last year a drum support spring snapped. Easily replaced and not expensive.

So far it has lasted at least 8 years (I can't remember when we bought it, but it was before our tumble dryer and that was bought in 2011). It is normally used twice a day much of the time (three kids!)

SteveW

Wow. Must be a sight to see.

It certainly makes you jump at times!

I do keep meaning to install a wooden strip across the floor to keep the dishwasher, tumble dryer and washing machine in a straight line - meanwhile we just keep pushing them back.

SteveW

The machine should turn the drum a few times to balance the load before a spin. Maybe it skips that step.

The brand "ISE" sold washing machines which were designed to be easy to repair but they had company problems and stopped trading.

All mine have had shock absorbers, from 1970s to present

My last dw managed 30

NT

It was £800, too much.

dishwashers used to be like that

Russian goods are designed more for repairability. Perhaps there is a Rigonda washing machine in 1950s colours waiting to be imported.

NT