Long Wash Cycle, Short Life Cycle
Written: Jan 22 '06
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Pros: The Nexxt laundry machines look nice when new, run quietly, and get clothes very clean.
Cons: Wash cycles take too long, and machines are poorly made. Durability and reliability are concerns.
The Bottom Line: If Bosch concludes that my machines are defective, and fixes or replaces them, I might learn to like their products again. Unless my concerns are addressed, I cannot recommend Bosch.
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| epinions_count's Full Review: Bosch WFMC 3200 Front Load Washer |
After extensive research, I purchased the Bosch Nexxt WFMC3200UC Washer and WTMC3300US Dryer set on February 21, 2005. I based my decision on favorable reviews, energy and environmental efficiency, and because I liked the way they looked.
If you are considering purchasing these machines, there are a few things you should be aware of. Convenience and long-term durability are serious concerns.
When our machines arrived I was impressed. They were supplied with high-quality connections and appeared very robust. To make sure everything worked properly, we ran the first load without clothing or detergent. My first unpleasant surprise was the long cycle time. There are few programs that run in less than one hour, and most take well over an hour to complete. That is, when they run without interruption...
Our first few loads of clothing started well enough. And then the warning alarm sounded, with the panel indicating an E04 error. After talking with the dealer and Bosch, we learned that the E04 error is typically related to soap. It turns out that Bosch machines are VERY sensitive to the type and amount of soap used. When there is a problem, the machine stops and the alarm sounds. It is then necessary to run the SOAK cycle for a few minutes to get water into the machine, and then you need to manually switch to the SPIN cycle to (hopefully) extract the water. I guess I would not mind this so much if our laundry room was not located in our basement, but going back and fourth three times over the course of two hours to do one load of wash is kind of a pain. It is a mystery why THESE MACHINES DO NOT HAVE a simple RINSE AND SPIN setting. Anyway, just in case you are currently an owner and struggling with this situation, after trying many different brands of H-E detergent, we discovered that TIDE H-E works well, as long as you use about half the recommended amount.
The good news is that once you get the hang of the detergent issue, the machine really gets clothes clean. Undershirts are whiter, food stains come out of cloth napkins, and gym clothes smell fresh again. It takes a long time to process a load, but the engineers responsible for the internal cleaning mechanics seem to have done a nice job.
Which is more than I can say for the engineers that handled the control panels and other exposed bits and pieces. BITS AND PIECES is exactly the right expression in this case, because our machines are literally falling apart. We first noticed a crack in one of the control dials in August. We were confident Bosch would replace the part, but we did not expect the repair to require the entire control panel to be replaced! I can not imagine how much this might have cost if we were not covered by the warranty. The authorized dealer that sold us the machines agreed to make the repair, fortunately, and we were satisfied.
Until yesterday, when we discovered cracked plastic trim all along the control panel of the washer, and around the doors of both the washer and the dryer. The closer we looked, the more problems we found. I have taken pictures, and sent an e-mail to Bosch. It will be interesting to see how they react.
My advice is that if you are considering these machines, talk with anyone that has owned a set for more than six months. Have them take a close look at the plastic parts, and check to see how they are holding up. And by all means, make sure you buy from a servicing dealer. Based on my experience, you will need it!
Recommended:
No
Amount Paid (US$): 940
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Epinions.com ID:
epinions_count
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Reviews written: 1
Trusted by: 1 member
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