Bosch WFMC3200 makes laundry almost fun
Written: Apr 07 '05
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Pros: Quiet! Huge capacity, Efficient
Cons: Cost, no door reversal kit, does not stack
The Bottom Line: If you have the money and the need for a large capacity washer, this machine does the job well, efficiently, and quietly, while treating your clothes gently.
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| mom26's Full Review: Bosch WFMC 3200 Front Load Washer |
I have owned this machine for 2 1/2 months. (I did not purchase the 8" pedestal or matching dryer.) It replaced my 30-year-old top loader. I do laundry for eight people, and this machine is still fun to use.
HERE'S WHAT YOU GET:
A 216-lb, solidly-built front loading washing machine. Interior capacity of 3.7 cubic feet (or 18 lbs of laundry). Reported exterior dimensions are 27"W x 31"D x 37"H with a 180-degree door opening, but mine fits perfectly into the 30" deep (front-to-back) overflow drain pan in my laundry room. I can't tell if the machine top is painted or porcelain. The door window is plastic (Lexan?) on the exterior, and glass on the interior.
Two durable, mesh-fiber-wrapped, color-coded hot and cold water supply hoses.
A corrugated-looking, flexible plastic drainpipe (that doesn't look so durable) with an attachable "elbow" for fitting it to a sink or a wall drain.
A leveling wrench to adjust the feet, which was difficult for me because it is down inside my overflow drain pan.
Four transport bolts to re-secure the drum if you ever have to move it. (Make sure the installers leave them for you!)
An 8 1/2 x 11 inch owner's manual in English/French/Spanish (also available in its entirety on Bosch's website).
A laminated instruction sheet that details types of laundry, wash cycle temperatures, cycle times, etc. I posted it in my laundry room to help me choose which cycle to run. (I also photocopied and posted extra pages from the owner's manual--there's a lot of information in there.) Very basic instructions are also printed on the inside of the flip-up lid of the detergent dispenser.
A warranty/product registration card that includes its own postage!
CONTROL PANEL
The controls sit on the top front edge, but are tipped forward--slightly below horizontal.
The Detergent Dispenser features 3 stationary compartments (for detergent, fabric softener, bleach) under a flip-up lid.
The Control Buttons are oversized, intuitive, well-labeled, and have a rubber edge to seal out moisture. The include Start/Pause, Bleach, Rinse Plus, Power Wash, Spin Selection, Delay Start.
The Time Display has glowing red LED numbers, indicating the amount of time remaining (in minutes) for the cycle, or the number of hours (up to 19) if using the Delay Start option.
Indicator Lights show which segment of the program is running: Wash, Rinse, Spin, Finished.
The Program Selector knob turns easily either direction for selecting one of 15 wash programs (Delicates, Hand Wash, Wool, Active Wear, Quick Mix, Drain, Soak, Spin, Regular Cotton cold/warm/hot/temperature boost, or Permanent Press cold/warm/hot), which include up to 5 rinses and 5 temperature selections. (The Temperature Boost cycle heats the water internally to 155 degrees.)
MACHINE OPERATION
Open the door--the "handle" is a recessed edge on the top, right corner. The hinges are on the left--no option exists for switching them to the right.
Place sorted laundry in the drum. Close the door.
Add the detergent, etc. to the dispenser.
Turn the knob to choose a cycle.
Select any options--Reduced Spin, Delay Start, Rinse Plus, Power Wash.
Press "Start". The door locks. The time display counts down to the end of the cycle. Automatic sensors sense load size and suds level, select water levels and adjust temperature.
The program can be easily interrupted by pressing the Start/Pause button to add or remove items, although it is (obviously) suggested to not add items after the wash segment of the cycle is completed.
The acoustic signal sounds 3 sets of 5 beeps every 30 seconds for 10 minutes to alert you that the cycle is completed. The sound may also be manually deactivated.
OTHER CONSIDERATIONS
PROS:
This machine is quiet! (60 dB) Fill and drain are the noisiest parts of the cycle. Although, once my daughter asked who was jumping on the floor upstairs (her ceiling) when I washed eight yards of flannel.
You can "hear" but not "see" the water level through the window--very little water is used. The "Archie"TM (short for Archimedes)paddles in the wash tub are cool. They scoop water from below the drum and rain it over the top of the clothes as they tumble.
The manufacturer recommends H.E. detergent, but regular detergent can be used. Be warned that it foams excessively on the longer, hotter cycles, such as for sheets and towels. (Sears carries H.E. detergent for around 10-cents per load.)
Water enters the machine by squirting through the various compartments of the detergent dispenser, thus incorporating the laundry additives to the wash water. Hot, then cold, then hot, then cold, etc. water is squirted in until the correct overall wash temperature is reached.
The machine can spin from 600-1000 rpms. Mine is perfectly leveled and "hums" quietly but doesn't shake at all during spin. Clothes are barely damp--not sopping--when they come out. I have much less lint in my dryer now because of the gentleness of the wash and the reduced amount of time in the dryer. My clothes smell and feel clean, not like detergent any more.
CONS:
There is no child-lock-out feature on the controls. (But the controls aren't on the front, vertical surface at child-eye-level.)
There is no raised back edge (as on a top loader) to keep things from falling off the back.
There is no "immersion" soak on this machine, but there is a 2-hour "soak" cycle (which you can manually shorten if needed.)
A 1000 rpm spin speed (I can't imagine needing more...) can plaster socks, underwear, etc. to the drum, which is how I "lost" a pillowcase once: I didn't see it stuck to the drum top. Be sure to check well when unloading.
Pant legs/long sleeves tend to get twisted and tangled from the repeated drum rotation, even though it regularly reverses direction to help avoid this.
It is possible to wash larger loads than your existing dryer can handle.
The matching dryer doesn't stack on this washer.
Tiny items (socks, handkerchiefs) occasionally get stuck in the "trough" between the rubber seal and the glass door. It doesn't seem to be a problem except they don't get excess water spun out of them.
Water doesn't drain completely from the trough between the rubber seal and the glass door. I typically (carefully) dry it out with a towel after use, and prop the door open an inch to facilitate air circulation.
WARRANTY
1 Year full limited warranty--parts/labor/shipping
2 Year limited warranty--on replacement parts and shipping, electronics, motor and motor components, excluding labor in all cases.
(I purchased a 4-year extended warranty to cover my bases.)
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 997
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Epinions.com ID:
mom26
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Reviews written: 6
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