The Home Appliance thread

[Aroy]

Automatic WM can be controlled either through fully electronic modules as in most top of the line models, or electromechanical modules as in my IFB and the older Siemens.

The advantages of electro mechanical controller is that they are easily repairable and can with stand voltage fluctuation better.

Electronic modules have more functions and are sturdier. Their nemesis is the wide voltage fluctuation encountered in India. Further these modules are not repairable and have to be replaced by the manufacturer.

As knobs are wired directly to the electromechanical controller, you will find them in most electromechanical controlled WM. Once you have electronic controller it is cheaper to incorporate the membrane switch panel in the design.

[aargee]

Welcome Thad sir, you were most wanted y'day on this discussion & I was wondering if you'd made a purchase on your new WM. Ideally speaking a new WM should've found a way to your home by now

Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom

Really? I would have thought that, thee days, electronics would be far cheaper to manufacture than a complicated, motorised program switch.

See the brands that I'm talking about are the lowest sellers in the market. There's a remote chance that they've been made digital too, anyway, even the lowest class of people go for automatic one these days. I remember a model in Videocon, fully automatic, was being sold for about 7K that too 3 years ago.

Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom

Obvious! A digital machine can only produce clothes that are clean or dirty, whereas other machines can leave an infinite scale of dirt, or none at all, on the clothes!

Sir, even the fully auto does the same, unless the WM accessories are used on it such as Calfree (in Whirlpool) is used to clean the machine at frequent intervals.

@AWD - You may want to keep this accessory point in mind.

Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom

Seriously: It probably ought to mean that the machine is controlled by a chip[s]. It probably means that it has an LED display. Above all, it is still, after all these years, a marketing buzz word!

Well, not a marketing buzz word as there's much more into it. We first saw a semi-automatic at our neighbours house atleast a decade & half ago & the potential problem with that was the knob could be turned reverse so that the wash/spin/rinse timing could be reduced during their respective cycle. But with digital? No one can adjust anything.

Our decade old WM from BPL had the memory erased when power was switched off & that was during 97 & we paid Rs 12345 on offer for 5 Kg. The last one we bought from Whirlpool was less than 3 months ago & we paid around 18K for 8 Kg & it isn't that easy to erase the memory.

Basically machine taking control on things.

and can with stand voltage fluctuation better

If there's such a problem, then there's always an option of using a automatic voltage stabilizer. These days there're reputed manufacturers such as V-Guard, Everest, Syscom etc.

[AWD]

Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom

certain features are really useful, such as quick wash, or even a very quick wash. Some models can do a quick wash as short as thirty minutes. Others have wash programs for wool or silk which are about as gentle as careful handwashing.Really? I would have thought that, thee days, electronics would be far cheaper to manufacture than a complicated, motorised program switch. Will do some in-shop hands-on investigation!Obvious! A digital machine can only produce clothes that are clean or dirty, whereas other machines can leave an infinite scale of dirt, or none at all, on the clothes!

I won't mind these essential additions but what I've seen over the years we have used a W.M, the servant usually handles it & knows just plain & simple washing programmes. Other features are there but lie unused. Over a period of time, we also tend to forget their presence.

I think I was not able to explain the Manual, Digital difference. Let me find out some links through which we could understand better.

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Now this could be a myth that manual operation outlasts the electronic/digital interface but I've heard this all-over the market!

Originally Posted by Aroy

Automatic WM can be controlled either through fully electronic modules or electromechanical modules as in my IFB.
The advantages of electro mechanical controller is that they are easily repairable and can with stand voltage fluctuation better.
Electronic modules have more functions and are sturdier. Their nemesis is the wide voltage fluctuation encountered in India. Further these modules are not repairable and have to be replaced by the manufacturer.

Yes, this is precisely what I wanted to say. Most people in the market suggest Electromechanical option for fully Automatic W.M's.

You are right Electronic modules offer more functions.

Originally Posted by aargee

even the lowest class of people go for automatic one these days.
knob could be turned reverse so that the wash/spin/rinse timing could be reduced during their respective cycle. But with digital? No one can adjust anything.
If there's such a problem, then there's always an option of using a automatic voltage stabilizer.

See I was talking about fully Automatic W.M.'s with electro-mechanical/manual or electronic/digital interface. The cost difference between the two is ~2k, which is not much.

As Mr. Thad mentioned, quick wash programmes can be incorporated into electronic modules. Thus, they could serve similarly to manual models.

Samsung offers a wide range of voltage protection built in the W.M. So, no need of a separate stabilizer.

[Thad E Ginathom]

Originally Posted by aargee

Welcome Thad sir, you were most wanted y'day on this discussion & I was wondering if you'd made a purchase on your new WM. Ideally speaking a new WM should've found a way to your home by now

I am now considering bonded labour as being a far cheaper option.



But seriously (and yes, slavery does make for a bad-taste joke) ... is it really worth it? Especially as we only use it for sheets, vestis, and generally the larger things, while Mrs G has the maid wash everything else by hand. I gave up muttering, "those things will go in the machine, you know!". Oddly, it is my wife who is insisting on replacing the machine .

So yes, we will. We just had rather an expensive week in Singapore. The hotel bill would have bought two washing machines. But... both WS and new PC are still going to be bought. Very soon.

The week in Singapore also explains my absence from the forum. All internet addicts should have a week without it from time to time, reminding us that there is a real world out there!

AWD... your links are not working. Looks like maybe they access content that only be reached from within the site itself?

[drchernish]

Need help on dishwasher purchase.please help.which brand do you all recomend-kaff or ifb or lg or any other.please urgent purchase as a gift for wifey on anniv.thanks in advance.

[superboy44]

@drchernish
we purchased an ifb dishwasher 15 days back and i am pretty satisfied with its working.
its the Neptune model and cost us rs26500 post haggling and comes with a two year warranty.

also looked at lg dishwasher but none of the lg dealers had it on display, so decided to go ahead with the ifb.

ifb service though not top notch but a few calls to their customer service and things get sorted out fast.
the dishwasher itself is pretty easy to use and works like a charm.

i cant really tell you if its better than lg or kaff but it surely gets the job done and works super silently.

[BaCkSeAtDrIVeR]

Originally Posted by AWD

Does Samsung also offer direct drive tech. now?

Nobody else apart from LG offers direct drive.

Here, the motor is directly connected to the drum. This requires a bit of high tech, because the normal belt drive acts as a cushion between the motor and drum. Without this cushion, there is a lot more strain on the motor, and eliminating this requires a bit of hi tech in the motor. THis is purely my opinion, and I am no mechanical engineer. (no, my qualifications have nothing remotely connected to engineering).

USP of LG is the direct drive.

USP of Samsung is "bubble wash"

USP of Whirlpool is ... is ... is... ??? Dunno.

USP of IFB is their goodwill. ([past performance does not gel with me.)

USP of Siemens is their "german" tag. (again, I will not buy that)

USP of other brands is their lower prices.

I've left out Haier, Electrolux, Siemens, Godrej, Videocon, etc. Major choice is between LG, Samsung, Whirlpool & IFB only.

Good to know that. As I said, leave out IFB. Decide the factors listed above which are of value for you - (direct drive Vs. bubble wash vs. lower price for Whirlpool)

Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom

The week in Singapore also explains my absence from the forum. All internet addicts should have a week without it from time to time, reminding us that there is a real world out there!

I make it a point to keep away from the internet about 7 hours a night; plus about 15 to 20 minutes three times a day.

Originally Posted by drchernish

Need help on dishwasher purchase.please help.which brand do you all recomend-kaff or ifb or lg or any other.please urgent purchase as a gift for wifey on anniv.thanks in advance.

We have a thread on dishwashers.

[aargee]

Originally Posted by AWD

Samsung offers a wide range of voltage protection built in the W.M. So, no need of a separate stabilizer.

See the choice is yours if you require a stablilizer for that "extra" protection. We were told that Whirlpool refrigerator has a built in stabilizer to manage between 175 to 240W, however, even with a V-Guard stabilizer the top electronic panel conked off when it was under warranty.

PS - The service guys said, that specific board was not covered under warranty

Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom

Oddly, it is my wife who is insisting on replacing the machine

And so now you cannot escape long from not buying it ; its the home minister's order!!!

Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom

So yes, we will. We just had rather an expensive week in Singapore.

Good good; so, can we expect a travelogue here anytime soon?

Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom

The hotel bill would have bought two washing machines. But... both WS and new PC are still going to be bought. Very soon.

Are you planning a branded desktop or assembled? Or a laptop altogether?

@Thad sir - Have you finalized any specific WM in mind? LG or Siemens?

[BaCkSeAtDrIVeR]

BTW. O was tp;d bu tje LG technician that their WMs run on inverters, and can handle those square waves.

[AWD]

Originally Posted by BaCkSeAtDrIVeR

Nobody else apart from LG offers direct drive.

Thanks. Saw some more models today:
Samsung 8552 - 21k, 5.5 kg, ceramic coated heater, digital.

IFB- cheapest front-loader, 11k, 5kg, fully-auto, does not heat water.

Still not able to narrow down on one!

[drchernish]

We have a thread on dishwashers.[/quote]

can someone point me to it,thanks

[BaCkSeAtDrIVeR]

Ugh. Looks like the dishwasher thread was merged back with this thread.

So, please use the "search this thread" feature on the top.

[Thad E Ginathom]

Originally Posted by aargee

And so now you cannot escape long from not buying it ; its the home minister's order!!!

I call her the Financial Director --- and I am very, very glad she is able to handle all that. My Indian friends in London used to tell me that an Indian woman would spend all my money on silk and gold ( ). Nothing could be further from the truth: she won't wear gold, and I have to force saris on her, and even then she prefers cotton

Good good; so, can we expect a travelogue here anytime soon?

Here you go: Albert Court Hotel; Mustafa; Sim Lim Square; OG; Mustafa; Centre Point Mal; Mustafa; Singapura Plaza; Mustafa. Yes: apart from the family wedding that took us there, it was a shopping trip!

Oh... Jurong bird park and the Botanical Gardens. And eating sushi three times.

Not quite in the same league as Sam's travelogues, I'm afraid!

Are you planning a branded desktop or assembled? Or a laptop altogether?

Gigabyte GA890-GPA-UD3H + Phenom II x4 (955) + 4Gb DDR3 + existing hard and optical drive in an Antec P183 case with CP850 PSU. I'll describe it, and the build, on the PC Configuration thread as and when. Might even be next week! I think it will cost more than the washing machine, but hey, I don't spend all day looking at a washing machine. What's more, the rather expensive case/cpu combo should be good for housing two or more generations of contents.

@Thad sir - Have you finalized any specific WM in mind? LG or Siemens?

Not sure that the "sir" doesn't make me feel a bit old! Tell you what: in two years I will be 60. Maybe that would be a good time to start letting people call me sir! But thanks anyway, of course.

Washing machines: Almost certainly LG with a budget of around 25K. Even though I do love that German look!

[carboy]

Originally Posted by Shashank.A

Does anyone have any experience with Morphy Richards ?

Morphy Richard's spare parts are awfully expensive. I bought a M.R. coffee maker (cost around 2000 Rs at that time). When it's coil got spoilt & needed to be replaced, they quoted 800 Rs. for it.

I also had a Prestige Coffee Maker (1300 Rs). When it's coil needed to be replaced, it cost Rs.185. It took 3 weeks, but atleast it was cheap.

[ghodlur]

Brought this Diwali a Samsung Refrigerator mode RA21FDLB 5 star rated in Black colour for 10K after exchanging with old Godrej unit.

Gifted the fridge to my parents. The colour looks sleek and its a single door one. The manual says its stabilizer free.