New washing machines are crap

Could not agree more. The one I've got scrimps to save on water, like .... WHY? I flush more than it saves in one absent minded little pee.

Stuff comes out feeling like it's not had enough water in so I put everything on a prewash without putting soap in just to make sure more water is in the mix!

Agreed. Unfortunately you're better off biting the bullet and shelling out a fortune for a Miele. They're horribly expensive, though.

What you save in water you pay for in electricity - standard wash, 3 bloody hours in a cupful of water, it's ridiculous!

You need to read the instructions ( ) and see what they are calling eco ,some settings as said are water saving others are electric saving ,here in Northern Britain we dont have to worry about 02 cost so dont need any water saving settings ,agree about the stuff coming out dry cause its never been wet . sIngle water intake a bugbear as well ,but the worst settings are the speed /rapid settings ,had to take over the washing duties because she kept using these rapid settings that are very noisy   and hard on the cloths .Upon closer scrutiny of our washing procedures it became apparent the mrs had never read a washing label in 20 years ,boiled everything to death with large quantities of non bio and even larger quantities of conditioner ,many new fabrics dont want the rapid noisy cycle but she boils the whites ,always has aways will and its nowt to do me , so unless you want trouble best leave the washing of cloths to little feet long hair .Mere suggestion of using a bio and the 3 hour 30/40c cycle was a toys out pram job ...