The Home Appliance thread

[reignofchaos]

Originally Posted by esteem_lover

So, are these guys like Grundig or better ? Just giving an option for comparison. Everything has a brand appeal. Whirlpool was a great brand in the US but here in India, they are one of the most not sought after brands for most people.

Well if you are considering electronics, they are more like Einstein or Symphonic Line. Of late, Grundig just makes junk.

[Sam Kapasi]

Originally Posted by reignofchaos

AFAIK Miele refrigerators and washing machines are still built in Germany even in this day and age. Their stuff is legendary but as with anything that is made in germany, is priced stratospherically.

From personal experience I can tell you that even in Germany, Miele is considered to be quality and premium compared to Bosch/Siemens which is standard. Though Bosch/Siemens is also very reliable and heavy duty, Miele is higher in terms of price and quality.

They are also extremely heavy and heavy duty and usually outlast the home they are installed in.

Source: Wife owned an inherited Miele washing machine in germany.

I almost had a damaged spine in my rather brave attempt to bring it from the cellar to the apartment (we were 2 men trying to lift a washing machine up the stairs one floor. We failed.)

[AlphaKilo]

Originally Posted by esteem_lover

So, are these guys like Grundig or better ? Just giving an option for comparison. Everything has a brand appeal. Whirlpool was a great brand in the US but here in India, they are one of the most not sought after brands for most people.

Miele and Grundig are on same league atleast here in Germany, not sure about there in India. On the other hand, Grundig is quite famous in Southern Germany, in and around Bayern. There are many German brands heading towards India, but I would advice everyone to wait and watch. Because, they simple wind off the business if they dont find enough market. Remember, Germans don't do so much PR/Marketing. At times I find these "Made in Germany" goods totally unsuitable for our conditions - resulting - unsatisfied customer - bad mouth for Made in Germany products.

P.S: One of my Friend bought a Grundig TV (used one) I should say, the new TV's will shamed away by seeing the quality. Its already 8 years old, and still going strong, no signs of ageing, not even the buttons on the remote have fading.

[sgiitk]

I have a simple question. Paying x and getting a 10 year life, or 3x and getting a 25 year life. I know what I am opting for. A decade is a very long time, and technology also moves along. One can be quite sure that in a decade a new lower end product will be technologically superior to the old warhorse, even if a it is thoroughbred.

Also, the mid-upper range can be very good. We bought a Kenwood Chef Kitchen Centre in the UK in July 1989, and used it day in, and day out (maids also handled it). It gave up the ghost (liquidizer part) only in December 2011. Spares are available from the UK but they will not ship outside the EU, else I may have again got it going again.

[esteem_lover]

Originally Posted by sgiitk

I have a simple question. Paying x and getting a 10 year life, or 3x and getting a 25 year life. I know what I am opting for. A decade is a very long time, and technology also moves along. One can be quite sure that in a decade a new lower end product will be technologically superior to the old warhorse, even if a it is thoroughbred.

Agree to your first point about spending 3x, but what new technology has come in washing machines that will make them do the job better ? It is either the top load, front load, semi and fully auto with negligible new features. If you are talking electronics, yes.

[sgiitk]

Originally Posted by esteem_lover

If you are talking electronics, yes.

Precisely, till a few years ago Direct Drive and Inverters were unheard of. They have improved the noise and vibration performance no end, and also consume less power.

The basic nature of the beast does not change, a car still has four wheels, a cabin and ....

[bblost]

Originally Posted by esteem_lover

Agree to your first point about spending 3x, but what new technology has come in washing machines that will make them do the job better ? It is either the top load, front load, semi and fully auto with negligible new features. If you are talking electronics, yes.

The first one that comes to my mind based on my current washing machine.
Samsung:
Silver Nano - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[carboy]

Originally Posted by AlphaKilo

P.S: One of my Friend bought a Grundig TV (used one) I should say, the new TV's will shamed away by seeing the quality. Its already 8 years old, and still going strong, no signs of ageing, not even the buttons on the remote have fading.

I don't see the point of paying very inflated prices for electronics. A normal LG lasts long enough - My LG CRT TV is 7 years old and showing no problems. And technology gets obsolete sooner than most of these things last.

[kpzen]

Originally Posted by sgiitk

I have a simple question. Paying x and getting a 10 year life, or 3x and getting a 25 year life.

Customer's mindset and purchasing power has changed tremendously in last one decade.
Earlier, most of us used to replace the products when they used to start wearing out or when they are almost dead, now we mostly upgrade irrespective of the condition of current using product.
Come any festive season, any good scheme, any new technology. We go for it.

Customer in say year 2000, used to pay 16k for a 21" CTV and now after a decade we get a 32" low end LCD for that price.
In contrast, price of all raw materials have only increased in the last decade.

End result : Product life cycle/expectancy has come down, Quality has gone down.

Example Any normal CTV say LG Golden eye 21" bought around year 2000 will last more than any LCDs being sold now.

Now manufacturers don't make products as they used to.
Exceptions are always there like Apple, Miele etc

[carboy]

Originally Posted by kpzen

Now manufacturers don't make products as they used to.
Exceptions are always there like Apple, Miele etc

Apple and Miele?

Apple doesn't make very high end stuff like Miele.

All Apple does is not make the low end stuff. Apple quality is available from its competitors also in their more expensive stuff.

[DerAlte]

Originally Posted by perseus

I am looking to buy a wet and dry vacuum cleaner. ...

Are there any available in India? I need one too, could never find it anywhere.

[khoj]

Hi Guite, that's nearly 8 bucks over what's required,

Another positive with the front loaders is that they allow you to add fabric softener at the start of the wash unlike the top loaders wherein one has to be on the lookout for the rinsing cycle to start and then add the softener in between. Of course one can use strips but then that's like using shaving foam rather than a shaving stick.

Originally Posted by Guite

Front loaders are more gentle on cloths because the cloth does not rub against the WM drum, it just drops down. Just my 10 rupees.

Not starting another keyboard saga but based on my last 1.5 years of experience with a Macbook Pro and comparing it with my previous machines namely IBM Think Pads (couple of Ts & a X) followed by a Dell Latitude, I also feel that Apple's quality is far superior to others. The other guys do have better warranty covers, the end to end types. Within the first year of ownership my driver had become familiar with the guys at IBM's service centre and with Dell their logistics guys & engineers had been to my office & home several times.

So while they may not make high quality products like the Miele, what they do make is far better than others and their pricing surely is on the same altitude.

Just my 2 rupiah 12 anna (or thereabouts)

Originally Posted by carboy

Apple and Miele?

Apple doesn't make very high end stuff like Miele.

All Apple does is not make the low end stuff. Apple quality is available from its competitors also in their more expensive stuff.

[carboy]

Originally Posted by khoj

Not starting another keyboard saga but based on my last 1.5 years of experience with a Macbook Pro and comparing it with my previous machines namely IBM Think Pads (couple of Ts & a X) followed by a Dell Latitude, I also feel that Apple's quality is far superior to others.

Don't know ThinkPad prices, but I think Apple stuff costs almost double of Dell Latitudes, right?

[khoj]

Not really. I paid a similar amount for the 15" MBP (the new version) last March, as I did for the 630 Latitude ATG nearly 4 years ago. The Latitude range became freakishly expensive around late 2010, coinciding with the introduction/expansion of the Vostro range (in our market) by Dell. From that one can safely assume that currently Latitude must be priced higher for a comparable model (if a comparison is viable at all). The Think pads too were priced at a premium in our markets but as I understand it, their pricing has rationalized after the takeover by Lenovo.

On a separate note the Think pads were built much much better than the Dell. The Latitude though is still in use thanks to the extended 'accident warranty' by Dell and apart from the bottom panel and the processor itself everything & I do mean everything (including the bluetooth mouse that I bought alongside) has been replaced over the course of ownership. Love Dell for their warranty & waiting for the day they introduce the "Dell Secure"(or some similar title for the policy) which basically covers the machines for theft in addition to the accidental damages.

Originally Posted by carboy

Don't know ThinkPad prices, but I think Apple stuff costs almost double of Dell Latitudes, right?

[Thad E Ginathom]

Originally Posted by sgiitk

@goandude; Sharp is a company for which I have the greatest respect and admiration. With a fridge you should expect 8-10 years of trouble free service at least, so the service centre is not that important (ie once it has worked happily for a month or so)

With a years-old fridge, the local AC/Refrigeration guy is probably more to the point than the service centre.

Even my expensive British-bought Liebherr now has a local compressor!

Originally Posted by Sam Kapasi

From personal experience I can tell you that even in Germany, Miele is considered to be quality and premium compared to Bosch/Siemens which is standard. Though Bosch/Siemens is also very reliable and heavy duty, Miele is higher in terms of price and quality.

They are also extremely heavy and heavy duty and usually outlast the home they are installed in.

Source: Wife owned an inherited Miele washing machine in germany.

I almost had a damaged spine in my rather brave attempt to bring it from the cellar to the apartment (we were 2 men trying to lift a washing machine up the stairs one floor. We failed.)

Good to know that Miele has that reputation in its own country

Originally Posted by AlphaKilo

Miele and Grundig are on same league atleast here in Germany ...

Grundig is a brand of my childhood. I didn't even know they were still big!

Originally Posted by sgiitk

I have a simple question. Paying x and getting a 10 year life, or 3x and getting a 25 year life. I know what I am opting for. A decade is a very long time, and technology also moves along. One can be quite sure that in a decade a new lower end product will be technologically superior to the old warhorse, even if a it is thoroughbred.

Unfortunately, longevity is something that has to be specifically paid for, these days. The twenty-year-old fridge will probably run for ever, but the new one?

We bought a Kenwood Chef Kitchen Centre in the UK in July 1989, and used it day in, and day out (maids also handled it). It gave up the ghost (liquidizer part) only in December 2011. Spares are available from the UK but they will not ship outside the EU, else I may have again got it going again.

I inherited a 1950s Kenwood Chef. I'm still wishing that I'd got it repaired: I'd probably still have it today.

Originally Posted by esteem_lover

Agree to your first point about spending 3x, but what new technology has come in washing machines that will make them do the job better ? It is either the top load, front load, semi and fully auto with negligible new features. If you are talking electronics, yes.

Somehow, they do seem to have made them more economical.

Originally Posted by carboy

Apple and Miele?

Apple doesn't make very high end stuff like Miele.

All Apple does is not make the low end stuff. Apple quality is available from its competitors also in their more expensive stuff.

Miele sells high-quality engineering. Apple sells the idea that you are a better person because you buy their product. No comparison!