The Home Appliance thread

[RaguHolla]

Originally Posted by Randhawa

Can anyone comment on quality and after sale service of Kaff products. I am upgrading my cooking range to KSQ 60 but not sure if Kaff is worth upgrading to.

In Bangalore they are good. usually Any service request are handled within 24 hours. We had only required their service once (We have Chimney and hob) after Initial installation which they did within 24 hrs. For installation its pre-book and get it done. Usually your shop guy helps you out getting it fixed at the earliest.

[sgiitk]

@RaguHolla; Good to know. I agree service may be a lot dependent on the particular agency. Like LG service is Kanpur was excellent, until they outsourced. Now I hear different stories. Samsung went from excellent to horrible when they outsourced. venus used to be good, now they are slightly worse than useless. On my 50l geyser, please send it to our workshop in Rail Bazaar (a rats nest of narrow lanes), we do not have a mechanic to spare.

[Pallavi]

Suggestions required for a geyser which can tolerate hard water.

The geysers we used till date gave less than 3yrs of service before going kaput. We used Bajaj and Crompton greaves.

[Thad E Ginathom]

Originally Posted by Randhawa

Can anyone comment on quality and after sale service of Kaff products. ... ... ...

We bought KAFF and have had electric oven, gas stove and chimney for about eight years. They are fine, but, of course, I have no idea on current product quality.

After sales is excellent. One phone call brings a guy to our door within a day or two.

On another topic...

The Dead LG Microwave News... It lives again!

Didn't have much hope of actually seeing the LG engineer (and understood that, post flood, all these people had a huge waiting list) and had planned to spend on buying simple, basic replacement.

Luckily, I had been in no hurry to do the shopping. The LG man turned up yesterday, diagnosed a dead magnetron (which I had suspected, and also thought would cost lots) and quoted about rs1500 for the spare and service charge. True to his word, he turned up this morning with the part, and I have a working oven again for less money than the simplest solo-microwave replacement

[Aroy]

Originally Posted by Pallavi

Suggestions required for a geyser which can tolerate hard water.

The geysers we used till date gave less than 3yrs of service before going kaput. We used Bajaj and Crompton greaves.

No appliance which heats water is immune from salts in hard water. The only remedy is to treat water before it enters the geyser.

If you get hard water, then it is best to treat all the water entering your house. That way the load on drinking water purifiers is reduced and washing machine will perform better and of course your utensils will not have salt residues.

Search online for industrial water softener and install it at entry point.

[sgiitk]

Originally Posted by Pallavi

Suggestions required for a geyser which can tolerate hard water.

The geysers we used till date gave less than 3yrs of service before going kaput. We used Bajaj and Crompton greaves.

What we do is descale every two-three years. I have even found water flow decreasing a trickle due to scaling. There are descaling solutions available which you circulate for say 15 minutes (you can use a desert cooler pump), and will do the job chemically.

[TheTeacher]

Originally Posted by Aroy

Search online for industrial water softener and install it at entry point.

In apartments, this is a problem because there are so many entry points for water because bathrooms, kitchen etc. are on different sides of the apt. It becomes too expensive to install multiple units.

[Aroy]

Originally Posted by TheTeacher

In apartments, this is a problem because there are so many entry points for water because bathrooms, kitchen etc. are on different sides of the apt. It becomes too expensive to install multiple units.

Actually it is not so.

In Delhi at least, there is separate water meters for each apartment and usually one overhead tank per apartment. You can check how many tanks supply your apartment. In case you have a metered supply your line will be separate from others. That is where you put the water softener.

[TheTeacher]

Nope, no meter. Water is not billed separately, it's part of the monthly Association fees. And there are multiple water entry points for the apartment. This is quite typical in Chennai and Bangalore.

[sschivate]

All,

I have been using a Faber built-in gas hob for last 5+ years. It was a trouble-free operation till last 3 months, when the auto-ignition failed for one of the burners.

I logged a call, and the technician came home. He diagnosed the problem with a faulty cut-out, replaced it, also carried out servicing. In December, the ignition failed again, for the same burner. This time he replaced the spark plug. Come January, the ignition failed again, now for all 3 burners! This time the guy is quoting Rs 850 + visit fees.

I drove him away, and now I am using old-style lighter!

Just wanted to check if anyone else is facing similar problems...

[JMaruru]

Originally Posted by sschivate

All,

I have been using a Faber built-in gas hob for last 5+ years. It was a trouble-free operation till last 3 months, when the auto-ignition failed for one of the burners.

I logged a call, and the technician came home. He diagnosed the problem with a faulty cut-out, replaced it, also carried out servicing. In December, the ignition failed again, for the same burner. This time he replaced the spark plug. Come January, the ignition failed again, now for all 3 burners! This time the guy is quoting Rs 850 + visit fees.

I drove him away, and now I am using old-style lighter!

Just wanted to check if anyone else is facing similar problems...

+1. I couldn't agree more. We have been using one for 8+ years with similar issues. The auto-ignition doesn't work for a burner and we use lighter for the same. For the other 2, we need to knock on the control to stop the ignition. Initial few years called in service, now we are living with these issues. Never should have gone in for a built-in hob. When ever we renovate we shall replace the built-in hob with old style gas stove.

[sourabhzen]

I am planning to buy a dishwasher and need help on following points:

1. I live in rented accommodation, is it a problem to shift it in, say, every 3 years?
2. Does it require permanent plumbing?
3. What brands should I be looking at/avoiding?

[diyguy]

Originally Posted by sourabhzen

I am planning to buy a dishwasher and need help

No problem in shifting, I am on rented accommodation too. It does require decent plumbing but similar to a washing machine really, which again is not a big deal.
I have a Samsung and happy with it for the past 3 years now.

[RajeswaranK7]

Originally Posted by Pallavi

Suggestions required for a geyser which can tolerate hard water.

The geysers we used till date gave less than 3yrs of service before going kaput. We used Bajaj and Crompton greaves.

@Pallavi

Checkout the water heaters from AOSmith. We have 2 X 15 litre storage type water heaters in our house running for the past 7 and 6 years respectively and our water is very hard. Only issue i have faced till date is the outlet getting clogged due to carbonate deposits and a simple cleaning with a pin was enough to get it back in action. Highly recommended.

[vsrivatsa]

Time to buy a new Washing Machine. Currently have been using an ancient Top Loader. I am debating between an LG Front Loader and and LG Top Loader.

LG has introduced the 6 Motion DD in the Top Loaders as well - does this make it as effective as the Front Loader?

They also have Automatic Lint Cleaner, Jet Spray and Air Dry features on the Top Loader which are not on the Front Loader on the below model:

Top Loader:
1. T8561AFET6: http://www.lg.com/in/washing-machines/lg-T8561AFET6

Front Loaders:
2. F10B8WDL25: http://www.lg.com/in/washing-machines/lg-F10B8WDL25
3. FH096WDL24: http://www.lg.com/in/washing-machines/lg-FH096WDL24

I am unable to understand the difference between 2. and 3. as well - can someone help on that as well?