Caring for Your Kitchen's Largest Tin Can
- 3 minutes ago
- 2 min read
Every two weeks, we place our grey bin outside, ideally filled with tins, bottles, and plastic, with the hope that they will be recycled, helping to protect our planet from landfill and climate change. But what if I told you there's a larger issue hiding in our kitchen, and it's the unassuming washing machine?
They might be reliable, all the switches and displays work, and the motor runs perfectly, but some manufacturers are hiding a worrying truth: the washing machine drum is sealed. Or, to be more accurate, the two halves of the drum are glued together, making the replacement of the most common failure—the bearings—non-repairable.
Back in the '70s, all front-loading washing machine drums were made in two halves. One half was where you put the washing in, and the back half was where the bearings were, which connected to the motor. When the bearings failed, you simply removed some bolts, and the two halves would separate, allowing you to put in new bearings, which cost only a few pounds. But today, machines have changed. You often have to replace the whole drum, costing more than the machine is worth, because the halves are welded together.
What can be done?
Ask before buying - if the machine has a bolted drum, if it's bolted and parts are available your good to go.
Or better still, buy a British one which has not traveled halfway around the world and support the UK ecconomy. British machines from Ebac also have split drums.
No first impressions the cost of the Ebac machines seems price heavy but do consider the value.
£289 ish for a typical 10kg model with one year's warranty or £825 for an Ebac equivalent with a 7 year warranty - £117.82 per year and it's repairable. Ebac have a 1600 rpm spin speed so drying will cost less and they are hot and cold fill so if you are using a heat pump your washing machine and therefore your wallet can benefit too.
What does the law say?
The Consumer Rights Act 2015 implies that your washer should last a "reasonable" time, often interpreted as up to 6 years, so there is some protection in place and no need to buy a warranty (sorry appliance sales folk). But considering that you now know that many machines can't be repaired - if you're looking beyond the money and more at the ethics, then you can save your biggest tin can from going to landfill for much longer.
Caring for Your Kitchen's Largest Tin Can - created 12th March 2026
This leads us on to another white good: the toaster. There’s still a British make that keeps spares for toasters dating back to the 1950s, and any repair café can fix them.
In short, always ask if spares are available before buying any white goods. That way you are saving just a little bit more of our planet for our children to enjoy.
