[sunny35]

Hi,

It is worthwhile shipping my 3-year-old zanussi washing machine? I’ve never had any bother with it and I have heard that Australia has top loader machines. Is that right?

[PamInPerth]

Hi,

Front loaders have become a lot more common in the last few years than they used to be. The zanussi brand is not well known so the issue would really be if it broke down how much the parts would cost. If it works once it arrives for a while then it will have been worth shipping it. I would say if you have room take it, but there are plenty of front loaders in Aus now.

Also, the price of front loaders has come down a lot recently and in addition if have an efficient machine (4.5 star water efficiency rating) you can qualify for a $150 rebate. The rebate is open until 30th June next year so there is plenty of time to make your mind up.

The main brands in Australia are Simpson, Bosch, Samsung, and Fisher & Paykel.

[Housewife]

Hi,
I have a samsung washing machine front loader and it is great. Good spin and it even sings a tune when the washing cycle ends. The only thing it is unhappy with is washing single or a couple of garments – then the spin does not work properly.

If you are going to budget for a washing machine then I would suggest about $600 - $800 Aus. You may get a rebate on this from the gov if you buy an efficient one.

[fran]

You want to avoid top loaders as they can ruin clothes. We had one in our furnished rental when we first arrived, and the clothes were shredded unless I used a really gentle cycle.

Also top loaders can have problems with the spin. If the load is lop-sided the machine will not spin properly and will just cutout with a big 'klunk'. You then have to rearrange the washing so that it is even and try again - very frustrating if you are in a hurry.

We had a 'Simpson' top loader - maybe others are better or ours was really old - but until I got a front loader, washing was a nightmare.

[Cliff]

Washing machines are so heavy that I doubt that it's worth it. Unless you have a really expensive one I would not bother taking it. There are plenty of front loader washing machines available in the shops these days.