[saildrive]

Bought the Elica brand of - Chimney & Hob. Total about 26500/- from Kohinoor Andheri West. The Elica showroom in Laxmi Estate quoted a total of 32000/- for the same models.

Thanks K2 & Null. I bought the Chimney (Model # Flat Glass TC 3V) with a Suction Power of 1150/- and the Hob with 3 Indian (brass) burners (Model # MFC #B 70 DX)

Will be collecting my goods by the end of this month; there are some renovations that are being carried out in the Kitchen. So will update with my feedback later next month.

[S_U_N]

How is this washing machine @ Rs. 13500?
http://www.panasonic.co.in/wps/porta...omatic/NAF65B2


How is Panasonic service w.r.t. washing machines?
Our primary requirement at the moment is to dry clothes so I don't see any point in buying those 25+ front loading machines.

Note: We have very little know-how of how to use the machine.

[carboy]

Originally Posted by S_U_N

Our primary requirement at the moment is to dry clothes so I don't see any point in buying those 25+ front loading machines.

I am very confused here - If your primary requirement is to dry clothes why are you looking at washing machines? Shouldn't you be looking for a dryer instead?

[AWD]

Originally Posted by S_U_N

How is this washing machine @ Rs. 13500?
http://www.panasonic.co.in/wps/porta...omatic/NAF65B2
How is Panasonic service w.r.t. washing machines?
any point in buying those 25+ front loading machines.

+1 Im also keen to know how Panasonic WM's are & how do top loaders compare with Front loaders...

[carboy]

Originally Posted by AWD

+1 Im also keen to know how Panasonic WM's are & how do top loaders compare with Front loaders...

I've been using Fully Automatic Washing Machines for close to 20 years now (with a few gaps in the early years). Have used both top & front loaders. In my opinion Top Loaders are good enough for most adults. Unless, your clothes get awfully dirty, the difference in cleaning isn't significant enough to spring for a front loader.

[AWD]

Originally Posted by carboy

Top Loaders are good enough for most adults. Unless, your clothes get awfully dirty, the difference in cleaning isn't significant enough to spring for a front loader.

Thanks. Have heard that clothes get a better treatment in front loaders & that they are a bit soft on the clothes whereas wear & tear of clothes is more in top loaders. True or not ?

Do top loaders vibrate as much as front loaders?

[Thad E Ginathom]

If a front-loader seriously vibrates, it is not levelled properly. It takes a spirit level: by eye is not good enough.

[S_U_N]

Originally Posted by carboy

I am very confused here - If your primary requirement is to dry clothes why are you looking at washing machines? Shouldn't you be looking for a dryer instead?

I do not know about dryers. I assume that they would also cost Rs. 5000 or so.
Plus when there is no maid to wash clothes, the washing machine will always come in handy. Added benefit is to wash curtains and when guests come in.

So, unless dryers are very much cheaper, I would not mind making a one time investment in wash + dry machine.

Another question: I do not know what part of semi-automatic machine involves manual intervention. In olden days we used to shift clothes from wash tub to the dryer by hand. Is it still the same now?

[carboy]

Originally Posted by S_U_N

I do not know about dryers. I assume that they would also cost Rs. 5000 or so.

Minimum would be 15000, I guess. However, my question was that if your primary requirement was to dry clothers - how will buying a washing machine help? A washing machine does not dry clothes - so your primary requirement goes unsatisfied.

Washing Machines(both automatic & semis) do a spin cycle at the end - its sometimes called spin dry (but a misnomer, IMO). Its not really drying. It's similar to what the maid does when she squeezes the clothes after washing - a little better than that - clothes still come out fully wet out of washing machine - only difference is that water is not dripping from the clothes - you still have to hang the clothes to dry.

[noopster]

You get integrated washing machine + dryer in most brands these days. The only issue (if you can call it that) is that you can't dry the entire load in one go, e.g. if your wash load capacity is 8kg, the drying capacity will be around 5-6 kg (indicative).

In most Indian cities unless it's the middle of monsoon, you usually do not need a dryer since hanging clothes out works just fine. So I am not sure what you mean when you say your PRIMARY requirement is drying clothes.

[carboy]

Originally Posted by noopster

You get integrated washing machine + dryer in most brands these days.

Cost wise, I don't think this is any different from buying a washer + dryer separately, right? i.e. at minimum it should cost 15K + 15K = 30K, right?

[diyguy]

Originally Posted by S_U_N

How is this washing machine @ Rs. 13500?
http://www.panasonic.co.in/wps/porta...omatic/NAF65B2

How is Panasonic service w.r.t. washing machines?
Our primary requirement at the moment is to dry clothes so I don't see any point in buying those 25+ front loading machines.

Note: We have very little know-how of how to use the machine.

We have a top load whirlpool and a front load Samsung. Top load problem is that the soap often Would not mix completely and on my blacks would see streaks of white. So bought a front load full automatic 5kg for 15500 last year. It's great and we run daily 2 loads in it. No problems. Been 17 months now.

[S_U_N]

Good inputs. Thanks.

Originally Posted by noopster

You get integrated washing machine + dryer in most brands these days.

Originally Posted by carboy

However, my question was that if your primary requirement was to dry clothers - how will buying a washing machine help? A washing machine does not dry clothes - so your primary requirement goes unsatisfied.

Perhaps the word dryer has been misused here by a few of us and that is the reason for this confusion. I am not looking for the dryers found in western world.

... only difference is that water is not dripping from the clothes

Exactly what we need. We might have to hang the clothes inside a room in the new house. So, water dripping will be a problem. The windows should be able to provide ventilation and do the rest.

Originally Posted by carboy

Cost wise, I don't think this is any different from buying a washer + dryer separately, right? i.e. at minimum it should cost 15K + 15K = 30K, right?

I would probably buy something in the 15K range which can give a decent wash (occasional use) and spin (daily use). So something simple would be our best option for now.

Originally Posted by diyguy

We have a top load whirlpool and a front load Samsung. Top load problem is that the soap often Would not mix completely and on my blacks would see streaks of white. So bought a front load full automatic 5kg for 15500 last year. It's great and we run daily 2 loads in it. No problems. Been 17 months now.

Thanks for the tip. I also like Front Loading from the looks perspective. However 6.5 Kg machines are damn expensive. Is yours a semi automatic?

[Thad E Ginathom]

Originally Posted by S_U_N

Perhaps the word dryer has been misused here by a few of us and that is the reason for this confusion. I am not looking for the dryers found in western world.

Home-laundry equipment in the western world, as I know it, is pretty much the same as here, excepting only that...

--- lower-price top-loading machines are not common.

--- we used to have a "spin dryer," which was a small machine used to spin the water out of hand-washed cloth.

--- we used to have "drying cabinets" with a low-power electrical element in the base, which were wonderful for drying clothes indoors in the wet weather. I have actually seen something with a similar function here.

The amount of water removed from clothes during the spin cycle of a washing machine depends on its spin speed: higher speed removes more water.

[diyguy]

Originally Posted by S_U_N

Thanks for the tip. I also like Front Loading from the looks perspective. However 6.5 Kg machines are damn expensive. Is yours a semi automatic?

Both my machines are fully automatic. The whirlpool junk was their top of the line machine, the most expensive one they had at that time in 2008 when I purchased it. They made me buy a host of accessories claiming the white streaking will be solved, but nothing helped. Made be buy a stand, water softener etc. I started getting liquid soap and paper based soap from abroad due to this crap. Infact whirlpool have now launched their own liquid soap for this soap powder issue.
Finally got fed up and bought the Samsung full automatic front load, 5kg - run the rapid cycle 2 loads a day and absolutely no issues. It has all options - hot wash, rpm control, various programs etc. Got it in June 2011 for 15.5k, gave me 2k for my old IFB front load, so worked out to only 13.5K, very happy!