せんたくき　しんじゃった　(なみだ) / washer died 

It was Friday. I came home from work, and decided I should do my laundry. I gathered my soiled clothes and stuffed them into the washer. It was a routine honed into a well-worn habit since I started living on my own 2 years ago.  I turned the dial on the Electrolux washer to the usual wash progam. Hmm? No lights?  What’s happened? 

A tiny wave of uncertainty washed over me. I pressed other buttons on the washer. Uh-huh. The wave morphed into ‘panic’. But still, it remained tiny. Hell, what’s wrong? How could the washer go on strike barely 2 weeks before I was due to go on a long trip?!?!?!

涙

I gave up. Maybe it would be well again tomorrow. Afterall, I’ve only had this washer for less than 2 years and I’d never abused it much except maybe close the door too roughly. (Die-hard optimist?) Meanwhile, I googled for solutions online. There were sooo many suggestions. Check the fuse in plug -maybe it was burnt. Check switch – perhaps it was short-circuited. Check the washer computer-  had it become deranged?

For the next 1 week, I tried to revive it myself. I changed the fuse. Tested the switch. Opened the top. Finally I enlisted the help of a technician. He tweedled for all of 2 hrs. Still, it wouldn” be revived. With an air of finality, he said: the computer needed to be replaced. 

I called the Electrolux service centre and was told that it would cost $200+ to replace the computer parts, $85 just for their tech guy to drop by and take a look and $140 to send machine to workshop for repair. Well, my 2-year warranty had just expired (because I did not take delivery immediately after purchase) so making good the washer will make my wallet feel bad. 

Meanwhile for 2 weeks, I lived with an ever-rising pile of dirty laundry and a depleting stash of clean clothes. I didn’t realise I had  become so dependent on the washer. The feeling was akin to, not being able to shower or take baths. that really sucked.  

涙

I asked around, almost everyone affirmed that Electrolux was the leading washer brand in Singapore (really?) A friend had exactly the same model for 5 years and it’s still working well. ( Just my luck?) However, when I burrowed online, its a different story altogether. Apparently, it was quite common for Electrolux washers to breakdown shortly after the warranty period.  Some even suggested that it was built that way on purpose. Well, they don’t make washers like they used to. Mum’s had her National for more than 10 years and it’s still going strong. 

I couldnt extract any meaningful recommendation from local online forums. Most were still stuck in the top-load vs front-load debate (yawn).  One thing I was very clear about: no more Electrolux for me.

Well, I couldn’t wait. When I returned from my trip, I had 3-4 loads of dirty laundry needing a wash. So I  quickly headed to Best Denki and bought a Panasonic ( desperation is the best antidote for procrastination). I decided to stick to Japanese brands and to Best Denki. Why Panasonic?  Because the size fits nicely and its easy to use. Why Best Denki? Good experience, longer warranty period, good service. 

So glad,  I can wear clean clothes again. 

笑 (わらい)

PS:  I’m beginning to like the Panasonic. It is very quiet; it has a greater capacity @ 8kg for almost the same size, has a wide opening so it is easy to retrieve items and clothings don’t get stuck at the side after washing’s done. There are a lot of programs to select from and it is almost idiot-proof. Of course, it looks pretty too.