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.

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.

Netmums member Rosie F is in a bit of a quandary after working her way through two washing machines and a tumble dryer in the last five years. Instead of separate units she wants to get a washer dryer and after having spent a small fortune on other brands in the past wants to know if the extra initial investment in Miele will be worth it.

CathH immediately recommends Miele on the strength of their customer service and warranties after she had repairs made to her vacuum cleaner, while lizm recalls the advice given to her by an appliance engineer of choosing either a cheaper brand and replacing it every two-three years or spending the extra on Miele which will last twenty.

Rosie F concludes with the thought: “…I have to say a lot of my fears about washer dryers have been confirmed! Buying a cheap one is a bit of a gamble…”. If you’ve got any further suggestions for her why not leave a comment.

Over at the Speaker’s Corner section on the PC Adviser Forum, Diodorus Siculus has asked the immortal question: “Who makes good washing machines?” There are many mentions of Miele from various posters, such as Eow is nighe who writes “You won’t get any better than a ‘MIELE’”.

Stuartli mentions that he used to own a Zanussi washer dryer, but replaced it with a Miele on the advice of a friend and because of the company’s “superb quality and reliability”. He reports on how the Miele was £100 cheaper than the Zanussi cost to buy 13 years ago and how it is now 5 years old, used at least twice a day “and has never missed a beat.” FatboySlim71 agrees, telling how he finds his own Miele washing machine “fabulous”. It’s extremely quiet, even at an 1800 rpm spin and he thinks that “Miele are the Rolls Royce in washing machines”. Stuartli also links to a review of the Miele W864 washing machine previously covered on Forever Better.

Head on over to the thread to read the different opinions and if you have any of your own for Diodorus Siculus, let him know.

Over at the Damsels Forum there’s a bit of excitement coming from ChelseaHarvey, who reports that she’ll move in to her new abode in less than 17 days.

Part of this excitement comes from the fact that she can now buy herself a dishwasher, something she’s not had the space for previously. A self-admitted “dishwasher virgin”, she isn’t entirely sure what she wants but does know that she needs “a big one not one of those slim line ones”. What she wants to know is are dishwashers much of a muchness, or do some brands stand out among the others?

While Bosch receives a number of recommendations in particular, Booh recommends Miele as “they always come out best on the Which reviews!” and from fifitrix who’s own inbuilt Miele is “…so quiet you wouldn’t know it is on.” ChelseaHarvey is still open to suggestions, so if you’ve had any dishwasher experience, head on over and let her know.

Chrismccarthy has posted his thoughts on his new Miele W1512 washing machine over at Review Centre, which replaced his old Zanussi when it broke down after only four years “with a PCB fault”.

Giving the W1512 a very positive review with an overall score of 9 out of 10, Chris explains how he chose to replace the departed appliance with a Miele W1512 in the hope that it would “last up to 20 years as they claim”. As well as being more durable, Chris mentions that the W1512 has “faster washes than my old Zanussi”; a typical wash taking 100 minutes. Other good points include its “very quiet operation”, plus a ‘time remaining’ display which tells you exactly how long each wash will take.

Chris concludes by reporting how he extended the 2 year parts and labour warranty to 6 years for a mere 30 euros. You can read the full review here.

Although happy with her old Creda the years have taken their toll and UK Whitegoods forum member MrsC is looking for a new tumble dryer to replace it. Her problem is she’s not sure whether to go for another Creda or a different manufacturer.

In addition to asking the experts for their recommendations, she’s also done her own research and narrowed it down to Whirlpool, Zanussi and AEG with Miele and Bosch as outside chances. All she has to do now is check whether they’ll fit in the space vacated by her old machine and in the meantime has asked for a final vote on which brand to go for.

If you’ve got a recommendation for MrsC why not jump over to the UK Whitegoods forum and have your say or find out more details about the different types of dryers available here.