February 28, 2022 / RefrigeratorPro Team
Bosch was established in the year 1886 in Germany as a supplier for automotive industry. As of 2021, it has expanded into several sectors and is reputed for delivering engineering innovations in several industries such as industrial technology, mobility and home appliances.
It is a pioneer in washing machine space as it one of the largest suppliers of washing machine drives for other washing machine manufacturers. Also, Bosch was the first brand to bring combined washer and dryer with a non-stop program, which is a close variant of front load machines that we see in the market today.
Bosch setup up its first sales office in Kolkata in 1922. This means that it has been present in the country for roughly hundred years now! It has a dedicated front load washing machine manufacturing factory in Tamil Nadu. This factory produces a whopping 350,000 washing machines annually as of 2021. By 2022, the plan is to double the manufacturing capacity.
Bosch initially offered only front load machines in India, but now it also sells top loaders. Some of its top load machines are quite popular as well.
Bosch offers washing machines in 3 ranges mainly based on affordability:
- Serie 4 washing machines are entry level machines that come with basic Bosch technologies.
- Serie 6 washing machines are mid-range machines, that offer more features as compared to Serie 4 and are more expensive.
- Serie 8 washing machines are premium machines that come with high-end features such as accurate detergent dosing, smart connectivity with home appliances and so on.
Table of Contents
Bosch Washing Machine Review 2021
Here we will mainly discuss key Bosch washing machine technologies. Let’s dive in.
EcoSilence Drive & AntiVibration Design
Almost all Bosch front load washing machines come with EcoSilence drive that is equipped with friction-free motor that gives silent operation, better cleaning and long life-span of the appliance and consume lower power. In fact, these motors come with 10-year warranty.
Due to this, Bosch produces some of the most silent washing machines in the market. On top of this, it comes with antivibration design. This design ensures that the vibrations are greatly reduced during the spin cycle (washing machines usually produce most noise during spin cycle).
Most of the Bosch front loaders (Serie 4, Serie 6, Serie 8) come equipped with these technologies.
iDOS for Optimum Detergent Usage
Optimum utilization of detergent is important because too much detergent can cause skin allergy / irritation. While, less detergent can result in poor washing of clothes.
Bosch’s iDOS tech ensures that the right amount of detergent is used for washing clothes. Based on hardness of water and degree of staining iDOS utilizes ideal quantity of detergent. It is usually present in Serie 6 washing machines.
AllergyPlus for protection against allergens
Clothes that are not washed properly can carry particles that can cause skin irritations / allergies. To counter this, Bosch’s premium washing machines come with AllergyPlus mode. This feature washes the clothes at higher washing temperature for longer duration and gives the clothes an additional rinse. This process effectively washes off allergens. It is perfect for users with sensitive skin or allergies.
In fact, Bosch is the first brand to get a certification from European Centre for Allergy Research Foundation (ECARF).
ActiveOxygen for Removing 99.99% Bacteria
ActiveOxygen is a natural substance that treats the laundry to remove up to 99.99% bacteria. Great thing about this feature is that it can be added to most of the wash programs.
It works by pretreating the laundry with oxygen molecules before the washing starts and treating the clothes again at the end of the wash to remove any remaining germs. This process takes a total of 30 minutes.
VarioDrum Design for Effective yet Gentle Wash
VarioDrum is the design of drum in Bosch washing machines. Most of the Bosch machines come with this drum be it Serie 4 or 6 or 8. This design not only washes effectively, but is also gentle of clothes.
As the drum spins in one direction, the flat side of the paddle gently cleans the laundry, and when it spins in the opposite direction, the laundry gets deep cleaned with the steep side of the paddle. This means that you can put expensive and delicate clothes without worrying about damaging the fabric.
ActiveWater Plus for Saving Water
All washing machines use good amount of water for washing clothes. But many machines do not use water optimally which not only wastes water but can also result in ineffective washing in some cases.
To prevent this, Bosch has come up with ActiveWater Plus technology that uses 256 sensors to adjust the water level based on the weight and type of fabric. For example, it can detect half loads and cut the water intake by half.
Moreover, it also uses hot water to remove the detergent residue and germs formed inside the wash drum. This ensures effective disinfection of clothes.
VarioPerfect for Reducing Wash Duration and Energy Consumption
VarioPerfect feature comes with two options- EcoPerfect and SpeedPerfect. SpeedPerfect reduces wash cycle duration by up to 65%. It is ideal when you do not have time in hand. EcoPerfect feature uses 66% less power than regular washing machines. This is perfect when you have time at hand.
ExpressWash for Fast Washing
Similar to SpeedPerfect, this feature completes the entire wash cycle in one hour. Basically, washing, spinning and drying will get done within 60 minutes. It’s prefect when you want a quick wash.
Reload Function to Add Clothes Mid Cycle
One of the biggest drawbacks of regular front load washing machines is that once the wash cycle starts, you can not add clothes in them. Bosch’s Reload Function caters to this by allowing you to add the clothes early in the wash cycle. Many Bosch front loaders have this feature.
HomeConnect to Connect the Machine to Smart Phone
HomeConnect feature allows you to control and monitor the washing machine with the help of your phone. All you have to do is install the HomeConnect app on your phone and follow the setup guide to connect your phone to the machine.
With this feature, you can do your laundry remotely, get notified when the wash cycle is complete or get a reminder to take out the laundry.
This feature is present in many Serie 6 front loaders.
Anti-Wrinkle and Anti-Tangle Features
Most of the Bosch washing machines come with anti-wrinkle and / or anti tangle features. They ensure up to 50% less wrinkles or tangling of clothes. This are quite good features that help in minimizing time to untangle and iron clothes.
Monsoon and Sari Programs for India-specific Needs
Monsoon mode is an India-specific mode that gives clothes a hot rinse and spin to reduce drying time. This can be especially useful during monsoons.
Sari mode is suitable for saris made of cotton or synthetics. It washes the sari at very low RPM, thus washing the sari gently and ensuring longer life of the clothes.
Additional Features- Child Lock, VoltCheck, Power Off Memory, Inbuilt Heater
Bosch washing machines come with child lock function to protect kids from accidental press of buttons. This works by locking the touch panel, which ensures that any inadvertent press of buttons will not affect the working of the machine.
New Bosch washing machines are come with VoltCheck technology to protect the machine from power surges / voltage fluctuations. This feature pauses the washing machine when the voltage exceeds the safe operating limit. Good thing is, it resumes working when the voltage gets back to acceptable levels.
Power off memory is a convenient feature that is present in most of the modern washing machines in India. This function saves the settings just before a power cut so that the washing machine, when the power comes back, the machine resumes with the settings that were prior to the power cut.
Inbuilt heater is present in some of the Bosch front loaders so that you can wash certain type of clothes and certain stains more effectively.
Bosch Washing Machine Pros and Cons
Bosch is a European washing machine brand that is known for good quality and long life. Moreover, it manufactures motors for its machines inhouse. This gives Bosch better control over integration. These motors are so reliable that many washing machines brands buy these motors from Bosch!
Bosch is known for offering silent washing machines not only in India but in many parts of the world. Bosch is able to achieve this with the help of innovative EcoSilence Drive and Antivibration side panels.
It has established itself as one of the premium washing machine brands and caters mostly to customers with higher paying capacity.
Talking about the cons, some users have complained about Bosch’s after-sales service. Therefore, it is recommended that you check on the service reviews of Bosch in your locality. Another point to consider is that due to its premium position, Bosch has not been able to attract buyers looking for affordable washing machines. Also, as of 2021, Bosch does not offer semi-automatic washing machines in India.
Conclusion
Bosch is renowned for its front load washing machines not only in India, but also in many parts of the world. Even though it entered late in top loader category, it has quickly made a name of itself in this space as well.
Bosch acquired home appliances division of Siemens few years back which has further enhanced their capabilities and reach. Bosch’s washing machine factory in Sriperumbudur in India is equipped with several automated testing tools that can even detect small scratches in the machine without human intervention. Such testing ensures highest level of quality in the final product.
Best Bosch Washing Machines
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