So very true & far too many programs. I use only 2 on my appliance of science, quick wash & tumble dry. That is all you need.
Washing machines are designed to satisfy the Greenies hence the preponderance of low-temperature washes. These of course cause the wash times to be longer, and because they are longer, you donât actually save electricity in doing so.
When I started as an apprentice electrician in 1971, the company I worked for used to repair washing machines (far too expensive to merely chuck away like they do now). One of the most popular machines was the Hoover slope-front Keymatic. No fancy programmes in those days, the machine came with a square key with a series of notches on each side. That key fitted into a slot at the top of the machine and, depending which side of the key you slotted in, would determine the type of washing to be carried out. Usually a pre-wash, then boil wash and a rinse/spin cycle for cottons on one edge of the key, fast coloureds/rinse and spin on another, woollens/rinse/low-speed rinse on another, and finally, just rinses and spins in case you had done some hand-washing of delicates.
I donât now if this is true, but an engineer once told me we should use all the programmes from time to time.
He said something about using just the same couple of programmes continually, wears those parts out quicker.
Have I got that right? Any engineers on here? 
I only use one - No. 4 - non-fast coloureds and half-load. 
Not quite. But if you have a mechanical type programmer where the program is selected by a dial, maybe, but it would take a long time. Iâve been using the same setting for the last twenty years or so without issue.
Modern machines with electronic type programmers donât suffer this fate (no moving parts).
I donât know what youâd call the programmer on my Bosch Judd?
You do move a dial to which setting you want, but then there is a long narrow black glass strip above the dial which lights up and you can alter the temperature/ spin speed/pause the cycle/or open the door by pushing the red lights on it.
It is a bit of a nuisance sometimes, because it is so sensitive that if I happen to brush against it, or lean over the machine to reach something - or even my T.shirt touching it, immediately halts the cycle and I have to set it going again.
I love the machine though, m ainly because it has the quietest spin I have ever had.
My previous one sounded like a one-man band when it spun! 
Itâs a mechanical type as you set the program with a dial as opposed to touch-controls which seem to be the norm these days.
Itâs both I think.
You turn the knob, but that doesnât start it, you still have to fine-tune it with spin speed, temperature, eco wash, etc with the touch-control black strip that lights up with red pictures on it.
As I said, even my T.shirt lightly brushing past that lighted bit, stops it working.
I have been very pleased with it though, whatever it is.
Mine is a Zanussi, washer/dryer. It has dials & a start/stop, pause, plus a light up for the timing thingy. It is quite old now & has started not lighting up/starting, but seems to be an intermittent fault, as it only does it sometimes. It could be on itâs way out.:-(:surprised:
Whatever is on offer⊠Iâm not fussy⊠I buy own brand stuff if there are no good offers.
I long ago gave up on washing powders - too messy. I usually buy the Bold Tropical liquid. Never use a softener these days either because I usually dry in my dryer, although when the weather is good, I feel a bit guilty and and hang it out. Towels are much better in the dryer.
Modern washers now donât have a hot fill valve as the development of wash powders/liquids, are able to clean at lower temperatures, also in most cases the washer would fill to its level before the hot water reached the m/c, the old mechanical timers used to wear as they were little plastic cogs that were offset and pushed on little switches for the different parts of the wash cycle, now they are all pc boards mostly non repairable, when I worked for Hoover I remember people talking about the keymatic although I never saw one, I have worked on a commercial version of this with different cards for various programs you could even cut your own cycles with a special cutter, incidentally, the old mechanical timers were a bit of a nightmare to change as you had to change each individual wire and was really interesting if you got one mixed upâŠ
I feel your pain. The speed controllers on the machines, such as they were, were centrifugal switches on the motor pulleys with an integral brake pad, both the switch and brake pad had to be replaced at regular intervals. What a pain.
Fifty years ago nowâŠ
In 1997 I had Hoover washing machine used regularly for twenty years without any servicing, finally the spin dryer stopped working.
Later, I was persauded to get an expensive Samsung from Curryâs
A singing dancng machine, could even make the Tea, with 14 progrmmes. I do find the Wool cycle useful.
I preferred the Hover as this Samsung machine always has a residue of stale water left in .
I canât be bothered to call Curry.s as they take ages to reply and do not always honour the warranty which is for 10 years.
I never realised doing the laundry was so complicated. My machine is pretty old but still works fine it only has four controls two of which I never touch. I have never connected the hot water tap to the machine but it takes no longer to wash whether it is connected or not.
All those pipes hanging down are just looped over the taps only one is connected to the cold tap. They are left overs from old machines plus the hot connection not used for this machine.
The knob on the right clicks round with wash time probably a servo motor runs it. When this does eventually pack it in I would get another top loader they are so much better than front loaders in my opinion.
Personally I miss my twin tub.
This is the powder I am currently using but it seems to be different every time, from memory last time it was a tub of Surf I think.
I donât, I was always over filling it & flooding the kitchen where we lived before, but there it didnât matter so much as the floor was quarry stone tiled so I just swept the water out the back door.
Doing it here had dire consequences as the house is split level & the kitchen is above the bathroom.:shock:
I was very glad & grateful when I got my first automatic washing machine.
Surcare washing powder and washing up liquid arriving with my next Sainsburyâs delivery!
I live in a soft water area so I do not have to use a large amount of Surcare powder.
Depending on your water hardness, you might find the same or otherwise. You might test the reaction of the powder to your water with just a few items to start with ⊠thereâs no point in over-foaming âŠ
Have you tried either yet ⊠:?:
Been using the washing up liquid for about 6 days and am favourably impressed. It compares well with Sainsburyâs own brand for both quality and price.
Have not tried the washing powder yet as I still have a quarter of a box of Sainsburyâs own to use up. Surcare is more expensive for almost the same weight - so will see what the performance is like before I judge it.