Motoring forum Pistonheads isn’t just a hotbed of automotive experts as we’ve seen before on Forever Better. Their knowledge also runs to domestic appliances too and this is demonstrated in the latest discussion started by Dibble in his quest for a new washing machine.

His Zanussi has “given up the ghost” so would like suggestions for a replacement. While he initially baulks at the expense of Miele after recommendations from Fume Troll, randlemarcus and plotless, it’s Red Firecracker’s description of them as “…Built like a tank and I don’t expect to replace it.” which changes his mind. Defblade too chips in with “Miele. It will never break, and when it does, they keep parts even for discontinued models for years and years. Beats hell out of a cheapie breaking every 2-3 years…”.

Tonker also explains that he “…sold the 7 year old Miele dishwasher from the old kitchen on Fleabay - they gave me just under £200 for it. People want Miele stuff. It’s worth the money in my book…” So this got us thinking, have you sold on your old Miele for good money? Let us know your story.

Over at the UK Parents Lounge Forum, Scrummy mummy has something of an urgent request. Her Hotpoint tumble dryer has just short-circuited the entire house and as a busy mum with lots of laundry needs a reliable machine that won’t let her down. Her quandary is whether to “go for a Miele” or “can someone recommend me a reliable make with a large large drum which will last more than 2 years?”

Crank Parent immediately recommends Miele as “you can get a free 5 year labour and parts warranty on lots of models just now and they have a life expectancy of twenty years.” as does plopcar and traciej who’s mother-in-law’s machine “…lasted over 20 years with excessive usage!”

While scrummy mummy is sold on Miele’s reputation for longevity, the question has arisen whether the extending the standard two-year warranty is worth the extra outlay? The unanimous decision being that for a further £60 an further five-years peace-of-mind is definitely worth it.

To read the rest of the discussion, pop over to the forum and if you’ve got something to share get involved.

Aside from the tongue-in-cheek suggestions about the ‘other-half’ being the best dishwasher, fancy*footwork over at the eBay UK Forums would like recommendations for a new dishwasher as the repairman has declared her current machine kaput.

She’s looking for something built-in, about 59.6cm wide and “…not a Smeg!”, so has asked the question: “What do you have, does it work well, and would you buy it again? AEG, Bosch and Siemens are all recommended by furryfur, faeriedak and numptygirl1969 respectively, while ivvie loves her Miele describing it bashfully as “…A+ rated and very quiet. Clever cos it has sensors to regulate the temperature and water depending on how dirty the dishes are”. She also loves the peace of mind of the standard five-year warranty and “…not the usual one year thingy.”

Again the recommendations from all concerned is to avoid the lesser brand names, as not only are they noiser and appear to clog more easily, they don’t last as long as a prestige brand.

To read the rest of the conversation or add a comment of your own, drop by the forum.

Looking back at the subjects we cover most often at Forever Better, washing machines are the second most common household appliance after vacuum cleaners on which people seek recommendations before buying.

While not necessarily the most expensive whitegoods item, the time and cost of removing an old machine and plumbing in a new one, especially if it’s to be fitted under a work surface, means that the wrong decision can lead to a lot of inconvenience not to mention a mountain of unwashed laundry.

Which is why Countrymouse69 has once again turned to fellow members of the Weight Watchers community for their suggestions for the best washing machine and the responses are as varied as the owners themselves. AEG, Bosch, Dyson, Miele and Zanussi all have their advocates, covering such areas as durability, reliability and load capacity, the consensus being though to avoid cheaper brands as these are often a false economy.

If you’re particularly fond of your machine or have had a bad experience with a lesser brand why not drop by the Weight Watchers Forum and share your experiences.

Handbag.com member Daisy Chain is so fed up with the problems her Whirlpool Sixth Sense is giving her, she’s asked her fellow forum members for their recommendations not just for the best washing machine, but least favourite too.

Scuttles is also the owner of Whirlpool appliances and hates them, describing them as having “…silly design flaws” and suggests going for a Hotpoint or Zanussi instead as does Stormatia_Tart, Demi_Glace and watergirl13. Bosch and Siemens likewise have their fans, but it’s Dot ~ Spot who puts her hand up for Miele. A former Dyson washing machine owner, who hated it so much she”….just got rid of it in the end…” bought a Miele on her sister’s recommendation who’d had her machine for sixteen years. Although she admits being “…tempted by the LG steam one. After my dyson experience though, I wouldn’t risk another ‘gadget’ machine if you know what I mean…”.

If you’ve got a love/hate relationship with a particular brand of washing machine, drop by the forum and share your thoughts with the girls.

AaronG from the Digital Spy forum isn’t very happy with his washer dryer. After putting a load in overnight he’s found that his laundry is still damp in the morning even after the drying process.

While some members ask if the machine is broken or whether AaronG appreciates the difference in washing loads and drying time, the main debate centres around whether washer dryers are as good as separate machines. 555 points put that “they all take twice as long to dry clothes. If you know that, you work with it, and it’s not a problem” and recommends either Miele or Bosch as the brands to go for. Luxxy too, comments: ” unless you buy a Miele, you may as well forget it…the next machine I get will be a Miele, you get what you pay for.”

AEG, Bosch, Hotpoint and Zanussi all have their share of happy owners with the concensus being whatever brand you have, it’s best to dry only half the load at a time.

If you’ve got any washer dryer stories to share with the folk at Digital Spy, pop over to the forum.

Getting a foot on the property ladder has never been more difficult, so you can imagine Claire484’s delight when she finally bought her first home. Now she’s looking for a washing machine and fridge freezer and is finding it hard to make a decision over the best ones for her.

So she’s turned to her fellow Money Saving Expert’s for advice and Miele once again come out as the preferred choice. Kay41 bought a Miele washing machine to replace her old Zanussi as “…they are built to last (15-20 years)” and is “…chuffed to bits with it”.

Likewise Snapelover has just ordered a new Miele machine and is taking delivery tomorrow. After contacting Miele and “being advised to go for the W3922WPS” she compared it against a Bosch and decided that Miele’s reputation for longevity and ten-year guarantees against Bosch’s two-year warranty was a no-brainer. Such is her excitement she concludes with “…Got lots of washing waiting and longing for Friday to come!!!”

The dilemma of the best fridge freezer for Claire484 remains unresolved however so if you’ve got a recommendation for her, why not drop by the forum and share your thoughts.

Members of the financial and money-matters emporium Fool.co.uk know a great deal when it comes to all things fiscal and value for money, so any recommendations for whitegoods are bound to be worth taking notice of.

None more so than this thread from AwoodbMaven who’s looking for a new washing machine and wants pointers as to which brands to go for and which deals are available. Both Bosch and Miele receive the lion’s share of the recommendations, but it’s Miele that really gets the thumbs-up, with elaine27 describing hers thus: “Washes beautifully, tons of programmes and reasonably quiet.”, RedSturgeon: “…Built like a tank outlasted my first marriage…she took it with her…” and drusse13: “having spoken to their sales and technical service they all seemed to know their stuff”.

The remaining testimonials are as equally lofty in their praise, so hop over to the Fool and see for yourself.

The Dyson Animal vs the Miele Cat & Dog is a debate we cover often on Forever Better and once again another community member is looking for recommendations on which one to buy.

Hugo Brambles over at the Hitched Forum is looking at the Dyson DC20 and wants to know if they’re “worth the money”. Oh Zippy immediately recommends the Cat & Dog, while former Animal owner Portia comments “you need to be a weightlifter to carry [the Dyson] up and down stairs, it’s so heavy.” However, although she’s now a Cat & Dog owner the cost of replacement bags has been a disappointment and “…with hindsight, prefers it to the Miele, from a cost perspective if nothing else.” Hugo Brambles “would love the Miele as I’ve heard good things”, but since he requires a bagless cleaner has had to rule the Miele out unfortunately.

Is there another vacuum you would recommend to Hugo? Preferably lightweight. Jump over to the forum and have your say.

At the Overclockers UK Forum, HAz has reported that the time has come to replace his Dyson and wants recommendations for a new vacuum.

He makes the point that the new cleaner “…must be strong and have good suction” which leads to a multitude of suggestions from fellow Overclockers, including several recommendations for Miele. Following HAz’s rejection of ‘Henry the Hoover’, Rocklobster writes “If you don’t want a Henry get a Miele”, while Psymonkee recommends the Miele Cat & Dog due to HAz’s need to clean up after his feline companion. Gumbald chips in to say “Everyone normally says get a Miele in these threads” while radderfire agrees with him, recommending Miele as one of the brands he’d look to as “I normally trust the Germans to make something decent”.

If you’re a Miele vacuum owner now’s the time to let the world know. Head over to Overclockers UK and share your knowledge with HAz.