Had bought AEG for a long while and always lasted well but this one when it arrived was showing a made in Italy badgeOur previous washing machine was an AEG. Was about 24 years old when we decided to change it. No drum bearings in that time. The drum was supported on a much fatter shaft than earlier machines. AEG are generally a cut above the average - but I suppose it depends on the model chosen.
Most long-lived was the 500 spin-speed Bendix, I think - but that was a better (as in pricier) machine than many of the day. The hotpoint was utter rubbish (was second hand from a good neighbour, due to motor control board unreliability) but it was low quality mechanically, too.
Most washing machines are/were built for 2000 cycles. Little point making some parts last ten times as long if the cheap, built-in obsolescence period has expired for most of the machine.
