[saket77]

Originally Posted by Sheel

Guys,

Got the Samsung front loading. Capacity - 6.0 kgs. It has heating facility and starts from where I left in case of a power cut.

Is there some liquid which cleanses the WM? Or a filter needs to be cleaned?

Congrats on the purchase Sheel!

If the supply water in your area is hard, you may consider using a de-scaling powder for your washing machine. I have used it a few times on our age old IFB. Costs about 150-200 bucks for a pack and is used just like Archat described, but by replacing the detergent by the de scaling powder . I believe samsung must be selling those for their washing machines too. However, you can buy that from any other WM manufacturer like IFB too. It cleans and improves wash quality by removing the deposits that hard water leaves in your machine.

Regarding the filter, there is a lint/ fluff filter in the machine. Locate it on your machine and clean it periodically. You will be amazed to see the dirt, grim and stuff that it catches!

Trust that helped.

[ThePunter]

Originally Posted by saket77

Congrats on the purchase Sheel!

If the supply water in your area is hard, you may consider using a de-scaling powder for your washing machine. I have used it a few times on our age old IFB. Costs about 150-200 bucks for a pack and is used just like Archat described, but by replacing the detergent by the de scaling powder

.........

Trust that helped.

Seeing this amount of 150-200, thought of posting it here.
As you said the de-scaling powder is sold by IFB service support persons who visit our doors at this whooping rate! (A small packet orange in color). After just one purchase I found it that they are looting, I was able to source the same from a shop (here in Chennai, in T-nagar Pondy bazzar near Rathna fan house) which sells solely items related to Washing machines, HVAC etc I believe, at a cost of Rs 60 per packet. This was just a few months ago so tha rate should not be any way more than 60-70. So I suggest you definitely search if you can source it from some shop like that in your place if you happen to do this de-scaling process once every few months. Saves you some bucks for sure. Hope this helps. :-)

[saket77]

Originally Posted by ThePunter

Seeing this amount of 150-200, thought of posting it here.

Thanks Punter,
There is no reason not to believe the prices you quoted. Even IFB washing detergents for DW are expensive when compared to many similar products in market. I think they over charge customers for delivering it at their doors and playing on the psyche that 'IFB products will suit IFB machines'

[LithiumSunset]

Originally Posted by saket77

Thanks Punter,
There is no reason not to believe the prices you quoted. Even IFB washing detergents for DW are expensive when compared to many similar products in market. I think they over charge customers for delivering it at their doors and playing on the psyche that 'IFB products will suit IFB machines'

Home delivery or not DW consumables are sold at ridiculous margins. That 'special' salt must be their biggest scam of all. It is sold at 5 times the price of ordinary food grade salt! No need to mix additional iodine too. This is all so similar to the ink cartridge pricing model. I know a friend who procures rock salt and uses it without any issues.

[diyguy]

Originally Posted by Sheel

Guys,

Got the Samsung front loading. Capacity - 6.0 kgs. It has heating facility and starts from where I left in case of a power cut.

Is there some liquid which cleanses the WM? Or a filter needs to be cleaned?

One important maintenance you need to do is to clean the water inlet filter. I have the Samsung 5.5kg and never cleaned this filter. As a result, it got clogged with dirt and due to this the water inlet valve would get heated up and eventually got spoilt. I had to replace the incoming valve due to this, forgot how much I paid but I have mentioned it somewhere in this thread in the past. There is a surprising amount of dirt in the metro water in Chennai. The water is probably cleaner when using ground water. Since then, we clean this filter once a month.

[sunit5]

Originally Posted by naveenroy

I made a mistake. I didn't even think of doing research on Team-BHP before helping my folks in purchasing a dishwasher. They live in a small town in TN and like amikacin says, the problems I have encountered before were poor after sales service, quality of water etc.

I have noticed that amma couldn't really manage washing the dishes everyday - she would rest against the wall when washing. Sad sight to see and I was adamant that something be done about it. We checked with many maids and none of them were ready to wash dishes for less than 1K a month! So I did as much research as possible online and many of them stress on one point - you must rinse the dishes before you put them in the dishwasher! I mean, that really takes away the need for a dishwasher right? I mean, it is double work then. But on my reading up - especially on Bosch's and Siemens' operating manuals, I see that they stress on this point - you do not have to rinse the vessels before you put them in! You just have to scrape off the food as you normally would before you put them in the sink - this is usual practise in my home anyway. I checked with 4 dealers in my hometown and 1 tried pushing an IFB machine to me. The 2nd was adamant on Bosch. At the third dealer, I am happy I encountered a salesman who really knew his stuff. He had IFB, Bosch and Siemens on offer and was never pushy. But he said the best options were Bosch or Siemens. The Siemens on sale was a little pricey - around 45k. But he said there are cheaper options available and even showed me their brochure and said he can get it for me if needed. There was a small difference in the prices between IFB - Bosch - Siemens - in increasing order of price.

But the main thing was that I understood that IFB wasn't a great option - especially since the after sales service wasn't great. And this was confirmed on my online research too. But he said Siemens and Bosch service was done by the same team and they were a direct employee of Siemens - not the same for IFB. Could anyone else confirm this?

And reading online, Siemens has been in the dishwasher business for many years and many people vouch for it. After a day of mulling over it, I finally decided to go ahead and buy the Siemens itself. Placed the order and he received it at the showroom in a day.

And even my dad was skeptical of my plan to put in the dirty dishes without rinsing them and only scraping off the food. Even the guy who came to show us the demo of the machine said we need to rinse the dishes. But well, am I glad I stuck to my guns and went ahead with my plans. We just stacked up dishes - tried them all - dirty. Glassware, aluminium, steel plates, tumblers, even an aliminium milk vessel - the kinda non-stick one from Prestige I think - black coloured?

And I am happy to say I was amazed at the results. My folks were really really glad. And guys, this is the first time I have used a dishwasher and man am I a convert . All dishes cleaned without any problems - even the milk vessel was cleaned. Granted, I did not try too oily vessels.

I will try and provide my inputs as much as possible...

Well, in this case, it is best you physically check a machine available at a dealer. It will give you an idea. But you cannot accomodate the large cookers in there. Large vessels are out.


In the machines I checked - in Bosch and Siemens, there is an option to put in a water-softening salt. This helps in reducing the hardness of the water and also in longevity of the machine. In fact, the salt helps in preventing the buildup of the layer of deposits in the lines.


We tried with a decent load - of around 10 plates (steel, glass, etc), 6 small vessels, some glasses, around 5 cooking spoons, a large milk vessel, a large steel vessel and quarter plates etc. It took around 45 minutes for the whole cycle - from rinse to dry.


Yes, this is exactly what made me choose Siemens. I checked with 2 people who have purchased it and they have been happy.


Yes, you can buy it online but I cannot comment on the monthly costs. Maybe someone who has used it for longer can.


For us, a problem was space. We never imagined we would be using a dishwasher so we had to make new space, put in a new switch box and arrange for the inlet and outlet water pipes.


The Siemens we bought was 31K. Your mileage may vary.


Looking back, this is quite a long post but just thought it might be helpful for someone looking to buy their first dishwasher.

Hi,

Congrats for your Dishwasher, hope it is performing as per your expectations.

I never knew that I can get these advice at team bhp, which is my favorite one for my cars.

Coming to point, can you share the model name of dishwasher and the price at which you purchased and other models you compared. (as you have already done lots of research, it will help me, as it is tough to find good articles on best dishwashers)

Out is family of 4 and me & wife both are working, and maids in Jaipur are notorious for missing the day you want them, so my wife has been asking for two things:

1) A fully automatic washing machine (did some search and found front load is good one) and good brands are LG, Samsung, IFB, however found that IFB after sales is very poor these days. Can you also suggest a good model.

2) A dishwasher

Any advice in this regard will be really appreciated. Have to make these purchases soon, else I can see myself washing utensils every evening while wife is cooking and help her weekly in getting clothes washed in existing samsung semi automatic washing machine.

[sunit5]

Originally Posted by Aroy

I had bad experience with Samsung service - Monitors, AC and MW, hence now a days I avoid that brand. From all the feed back on the Net the LG service is excellent, at least in Delhi.

The things that I look for in a Washing Machine are
. Front loading for better wash and lower water consumption.
. Excellent service history.
. 10 year warranty on motor
. Extended warranty with parts and labour. I am covered for 7 years with LG at around 7k extra.
. Hot water wash at 90 degrees centigrade
. Large drum, as we do Sheets, Curtains and durries
. Variable cycle time depending on the load and intensity. IFB had 4 cycles, LG has at least 10 and the time is also load sensitive - shirts only is 1 hour, while heavy jeans and curtains 2.5 hours. Plus there is an intensive wash which can take upto 4 hours for fabrics with stubborn stains.
. Wide voltage range. The modern Wm are all electronically controlled, hence their Achilles Heel is the mother board. The motor rarely burns but the electronics fries easily.

Hi

Which model of LG front load washing machine you are using and what was the cost. How is it performing, whats your experience as I am looking to buy one soon.

[Anupam]

Originally Posted by sunit5

A fully automatic washing machine (did some search and found front load is good one) and good brands are LG, Samsung, IFB, however found that IFB after sales is very poor these days. Can you also suggest a good model.

We have used front loaders since over 20 years now, 2 Ifb and 1 whirlpool, the current machine we have is 9.5 kg washer dryer (full dry), surprisingly we use only the basic cycle which runs twice every day (9.5kg x2) so the usage is extremely heavy but I think top loaders in fully automatic have bridged the gap very well and IMHO I think for all practical purpose a top loader is a better and practical option, consider brands like Panasonic

If you decide to stick with front loaders then consider Siemens or Bosch

[Aroy]

Originally Posted by sunit5

Hi

Which model of LG front load washing machine you are using and what was the cost. How is it performing, whats your experience as I am looking to buy one soon.

F12B4ND25 6kg Inverter http://www.lg.com/in/support-product/lg-F12B4ND25 this has since been replaced with a newer model.
We got it for 32K plus 7K to extend the warranty for 7 years parts and labour. The motor is warrantied for 10 years.

Bought it in end March'13 and till date averaging about 1.5 wash cycles per day. We wash every thing - clothes, sheets, towels, curtains, dhurries and once in a while sneakers. The wash cycle time depends on the program and the weight. In cottons it can vary from 1 hour for a load of shirts to 5 hours for a load of curtains with pre-wash and intensive wash cycle. Our normal wash is cotton for around 1.5 hours.

The machine washes perfectly, as long as you do not load it more than 70%, so that there is space for clothes to tumble.

[naveenroy]

Originally Posted by sunit5

Hi,

Congrats for your Dishwasher, hope it is performing as per your expectations.

Coming to point, can you share the model name of dishwasher and the price at which you purchased and other models you compared. (as you have already done lots of research, it will help me, as it is tough to find good articles on best dishwashers)

Thanks. I purchased the Siemens SN24D200IN - http://www.siemens-home.com/in/produ...?source=browse

Bought it for 31K. You might be able to land a better deal. Well, like I'd mentioned, IFB was out for me. Service issues. At least in my place and previous experience from relatives. So I had decided on Bosch or Siemens. They are serviced by the same team and importantly - they are company service technicians - unlike some other brands that "outsource" this work to other 3rd parties. And though there aren't many reviews of dishwashers in India, a lot of foreign users have suggested Siemens. And they have customized it for India. Thats as far as I could judge from talking to the dealer and the salesman.

I can't really comment on the running costs yet since my parents are with me in Bangalore now. I can only give some feedback on that in a few months down the line.

[naveenroy]

And I need your help again guys!

Looking to buy an electric chimney. Don't want to fancy schmansy glass chimney thingie. Just something that will get the job done.

What are the good brands? Prices? I checked at some stores and starting prices for Prestige is around 7k. Basic one. But some of the salesmen ask - veg or non-veg food? If it is non-veg food, you must take nothing lesser than 1000 rating - which I assume is the rate of oily-air that the chimney can pull away. But my question - what is the difference between non-veg and veg food? Think they are just trying to pull a fast one there.

And next - what about maintenance? How frequent does it have to be done? Can we do it ourselves? How costly is it?

Thanks in advance!!

[LithiumSunset]

Originally Posted by naveenroy

And I need your help again guys!

Looking to buy an electric chimney. Don't want to fancy schmansy glass chimney thingie. Just something that will get the job done.

What are the good brands? Prices? I checked at some stores and starting prices for Prestige is around 7k. Basic one. But some of the salesmen ask - veg or non-veg food? If it is non-veg food, you must take nothing lesser than 1000 rating - which I assume is the rate of oily-air that the chimney can pull away. But my question - what is the difference between non-veg and veg food? Think they are just trying to pull a fast one there.

And next - what about maintenance? How frequent does it have to be done? Can we do it ourselves? How costly is it?

Thanks in advance!!

Naveen, The salesman may be pulling a fast one or some people do think that cooking of non veg food warrants faster evacuation of the 'aromas' or is generally greasier. So there is no harm in buying a chimney with 1000 cu.m per hr. rating. You can always run it on a lower setting for most times and use it on max when needed.

Do look for a Chimney that has baffle filters. They are the easiest to clean and certainly doable at home by yourself. In case you have a dishwasher then cleaning an all metal filter is even more easier.

I believe chimneys with metal motor housings are sturdier but that's a small thing to worry about.

[Aroy]

Originally Posted by naveenroy

And I need your help again guys!

Looking to buy an electric chimney. Don't want to fancy schmansy glass chimney thingie. Just something that will get the job done.

What are the good brands? Prices? I checked at some stores and starting prices for Prestige is around 7k. Basic one. But some of the salesmen ask - veg or non-veg food? If it is non-veg food, you must take nothing lesser than 1000 rating - which I assume is the rate of oily-air that the chimney can pull away. But my question - what is the difference between non-veg and veg food? Think they are just trying to pull a fast one there.

And next - what about maintenance? How frequent does it have to be done? Can we do it ourselves? How costly is it?

Thanks in advance!!

1. Buy a chimney with at least 1000 cfm rating. Indian cooking involves a lot of frying and the oil vapours have to be evacuated.
2. Get only one with Baffle Filters, as the mesh filters are inefficient in filtering out the oil, which will accumulate in the filter and start dripping after some time. Baffle filters will trap the oil and rout it to a catch point.
3. Do not buy chimneys with narrow throat - 45 or 60cm, get one with 90cm or more. The reason is that the fumes from our frying neet to be intercepted, and they fan out at the top.
4. If possible have a corrugated metal pipe of at least 15cm diameter to carry the fumes outside. Plastic pipes are a fire hazard and narrower pipes will constrict the flow. Have as few bend as possible and if possible ensure that the bends are gradual and not abrupt.
5. The body should be stainless steel for durability. Powder cated sheet steel ultimately rusts due to surface scratches.

[RajeswaranK7]

Originally Posted by Aroy

1. Buy a chimney with at least 1000 cfm rating. Indian cooking involves a lot of frying and the oil vapours have to be evacuated.
2. Get only one with Baffle Filters, as the mesh filters are inefficient in filtering out the oil, which will accumulate in the filter and start dripping after some time. Baffle filters will trap the oil and rout it to a catch point.
3. Do not buy chimneys with narrow throat - 45 or 60cm, get one with 90cm or more. The reason is that the fumes from our frying neet to be intercepted, and they fan out at the top.
5. The body should be stainless steel for durability. Powder cated sheet steel ultimately rusts due to surface scratches.

@Aroy

can you suggest any brand / models which fit the above criteria and with good service backup?

[theexperthand]

I was in the market for a chimney and after some help from this thread I zeroed in on Elica - I brought a model with 1150 suction power (Elica LTW60 Glace), baffle filter and the pipe used for carrying the fumes outside is corrugated metal. I paid 14290 (plus 400 INR for installation and 800 INR for pipe - (16 ft X 50 rs) ) for the chimney and a 2 burner glass top stove. I think the chimney is available for around 11,500. If you are going for a chimney of 90 cm or more, do make sure that you are getting more baffle filters (3 or more - I have seed models which are 90 cm wide, but the extra width is just glass canopy - the filter are is exactly same in both 60 cm and 90 cm models).

What brand of non stick utensils are you people using? We have been using Prestige for years but of late, their quality is very bad. We do not use metal spatulas or metal scrubbers, but then also, the non stick coating last barely 6 to 8 months. We are fed up of replacing our set of non stick utensils at least once in a year, so we are looking for some other brand which is more durable.

--Anoop