Howdens "Lamona" brand, where does it sit in quality terms?

Howdens "Lamona" brand, where does it sit in quality terms?

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anonymous-user

Original Poster:

53 months

Wednesday 13th January 2016
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It's a bit late to be asking this but thought Id get a feel for it anyway. We are having our kitchen replaced, and since we are going via Howdens we found the right spec for appliances within the Lamona range.

We have gone with dishwasher, washing machine, microwave, and fridge/freezer, and I never gave it much thought until someone else who had a Howdens kitchen said they would always source the appliances themselves.

In the scale of absolute-junk to NEFF, where does Lamona sit? and from what I can see on the net it is almost pot luck what the actual make is since Howdens re-brand it. Is there any way of identifying who actually made the appliances?

I could, with considerable inconvenience and some cost, have the appliances removed, sent back to Howdens, and better ones fitted, since they were only fitted into place yesterday (all integrated), but unless Lamona is complete junk I would try and get a couple years out of them and possibly replace then.

I would hate to have buyers remorse over the new kitchen by having appliances that are a total letdown, and appliances are such a big part of enjoying the kitchen I would hate to have any niggles about them.


Neil - YVM

1,310 posts

198 months

Wednesday 13th January 2016
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Lamona is Howdens budget range of appliances. And as its cost, sits at the lower end of the quality scale.

dazwalsh

6,095 posts

140 months

Wednesday 13th January 2016
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Moved into new house which had the lamona stuff throughout the kitchen, does a good job really for the price range. I would put it middle of the road on terms of quality.

anonymous-user

Original Poster:

53 months

Thursday 14th January 2016
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Thanks for the info, mid range would be fine, and it was all installed yesterday and I gave it a good look over last night and fridge/freezer/dishwasher all seem to be reasonable quality in terms of how sturdy shelves and trays etc feel.

I have seen a few other comments around it being low end but without knowing what makes they actually are I cant see anything that gives it away.

Guess it will be the test of time that counts, as long as they perform well for a few years I wont have any regrets.

HotJambalaya

2,022 posts

179 months

Thursday 14th January 2016
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I can't remember who, but the various bits are made by different suppliers, though I think the majority is made by a brand called Diplomat, which doesn't have the best reviews. It isn't great to be honest, and howdens prices on the big brands are terrible compared to buying them yourselves at AO.com in fact even their Lamona stuff prices werent great, and you can usually get 'proper' manufacturers from AO at a similar price.

Just as another point, you said you're buying a howdens kitchen, are you sourcing it yourself or is your kitchen fitter/builder doing it? you know about the 'discounts' and their weird hidden invoicing if you're buying it via someone else right?

Vaud

50,274 posts

154 months

Thursday 14th January 2016
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Dreadful in my experience. I'd rather buy used Bosch/Neff/anything etc from eBay than use Lamona at a given price point.

Matt_N

8,900 posts

201 months

Thursday 14th January 2016
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HotJambalaya said:
Just as another point, you said you're buying a howdens kitchen, are you sourcing it yourself or is your kitchen fitter/builder doing it? you know about the 'discounts' and their weird hidden invoicing if you're buying it via someone else right?
What he actually said was, he had the kitchen and all appliances installed yesterday wink

Oakey

27,519 posts

215 months

Thursday 14th January 2016
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We have a Lamona oven in our kitchen and it is terrible. It's not even a fan oven ffs. Trying to cook with it is like a juggling act. Oh, and the handle fell off the front recently (managed to fix it but still)

anonymous-user

Original Poster:

53 months

Thursday 14th January 2016
quotequote all
Yup, all being sourced by the builder. Bit gutted about the appliances but who knows, might get lucky.

We have a Rangemaster range cooker so at least that wont be cause for concern, and if I can get 2 years out of the Lamona bits I guess I just have to take it on the chin (if not, fight with them under warranty).

Next time Ill do my research before making the choice frown

Vaud

50,274 posts

154 months

Thursday 14th January 2016
quotequote all
Oakey said:
We have a Lamona oven in our kitchen and it is terrible. It's not even a fan oven ffs. Trying to cook with it is like a juggling act. Oh, and the handle fell off the front recently (managed to fix it but still)
I ripped mine out after less than 18 months.

It couldn't hold a temp within 20 degrees c... and the door glass fell out.

It did do thin pizza quite well as it was incandescent at times.

croakey

1,193 posts

187 months

Thursday 14th January 2016
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Lamona are more often than not entry level Whirpool.


Legend83

9,947 posts

221 months

Thursday 14th January 2016
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Thunderhead said:
We have a Rangemaster range cooker so at least that wont be cause for concern
Don't be too certain about their build quality - the oven light blew on our new "Pro+" on day 2 of use...

Vaud

50,274 posts

154 months

Thursday 14th January 2016
quotequote all
Legend83 said:
Don't be too certain about their build quality - the oven light blew on our new "Pro+" on day 2 of use...
What's that got to do with build quality?

A certain % of bulbs go on day 1, 2, 300, 700. It clearly worked when it left the factory... it's a bulb - they don't exactly vary in quality.

Legend83

9,947 posts

221 months

Thursday 14th January 2016
quotequote all
Vaud said:
What's that got to do with build quality?

A certain % of bulbs go on day 1, 2, 300, 700. It clearly worked when it left the factory... it's a bulb - they don't exactly vary in quality.
I take your point but it just doesn't give you a warm and fuzzy feeling when something on your £2k appliance fails on day 2 - regardless of what it is that fails.

It's annoying and you don't expect it from a brand that charge more than the competition on the basis of superior quality.

Objectively it's irrational I agree.

Anyway, it was unrelated. On the topic of Lamona my observation is that despite the rest of my kitchen being good value, the Lamona appliances and tap-ware were strongly priced and I could get much better for the same price else-where.

V8RX7

26,762 posts

262 months

Thursday 14th January 2016
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They are the

CDA, Whirlpool, Hotpoint, Indesit type.

Some work for 2 years, some 10+

Blue62

8,734 posts

151 months

Thursday 14th January 2016
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Just a word of warning in regard to appliances. We had a house fire recently, the cause was our Hoover tumble dryer and the resultant loss and hassle has been unbelievable, insurance company have been slow because of their workload (floods and Xmas), but it looks like our humble tumble will end causing £50k worth of damage!

The forensic guy who took it away said he only buys high end appliances and won't have a tumble in the house, he did NOT consider Bosch to be high end, said they're often rebadged. Rated Miele, Siemens and Samsung (which surprised me). If I were you OP I would keep an extinguisher handy and if you have a dishwasher as part of the set then only run it when you are at home and fully awake. Though I'm now paranoid, we are replacing our washer and tumble with Miele, costing a bomb but I don't care, the prospect of another fire does not bear thinking about.

Neil - YVM

1,310 posts

198 months

Thursday 14th January 2016
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Blue, odd that the repair man rates Siemens, but not Bosch as they are from the same company, Neff also.

HotJambalaya

2,022 posts

179 months

Thursday 14th January 2016
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Thunderhead said:
Yup, all being sourced by the builder. Bit gutted about the appliances but who knows, might get lucky.
oops, didn't realise you've got it installed already, didnt' mean to st you up about it! since you've bought it, just use it until it gives up, no point wasting money ripping it out until it goes wonky.


But in all seriousness, make sure your builder isn't doing you over on the cost of the kitchen. -Unless you've agreed he can mark up on it.

Howdens will sell it to him, then issue a different invoice to you, allowing whatever mark up he wants. The "discount" level I was offered was around 75% (if I recall) and that was on my first one, so there's a lot of wiggle room for a builder eager to make a few quid. Howdens will also refuse to tell you the exact amount they charged him...


2Btoo

3,404 posts

202 months

Thursday 14th January 2016
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Neil - YVM said:
Blue, odd that the repair man rates Siemens, but not Bosch as they are from the same company, Neff also.
I think that used to be the case but I've seen some pretty shonky Bosch stuff recently. I'm not entirely clear as to which brands are co-owned but would think twice about paying for Bosch nowadays.

Igurisu

146 posts

137 months

Thursday 14th January 2016
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Our Howdens kitchen was installed 5 years ago with all Lamona appliances. My idea at the time was to replace them with better quality appliances as they failed. Oven, hob, microwave, dishwasher, fridge, freezer still all going strong. My experience is that their quality is pretty good.