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

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

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Discussion

Blue62

8,751 posts

151 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.
Not a repair man! The tumble dryer and washer were cremated. The advice came from a forensic specialist, simply passing on what he told me, but I know and understand the difficulty of validating product source. As an example he told me that Bosch rebadged a few thousand Hoover dryers last year, so how would you know? As for Siemens you may well be right, far as I'm concerned it's Miele from now on, probably overkill but been through hell for last few weeks and it could've been much worse. Your call

Blue62

8,751 posts

151 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.
Not a repair man! The tumble dryer and washer were cremated. The advice came from a forensic specialist, simply passing on what he told me, but I know and understand the difficulty of validating product source. As an example he told me that Bosch rebadged a few thousand Hoover dryers last year, so how would you know? As for Siemens you may well be right, far as I'm concerned it's Miele from now on, probably overkill but been through hell for last few weeks and it could've been much worse. Your call

Neil - YVM

1,310 posts

198 months

Thursday 14th January 2016
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2Btoo said:
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.
http://www.bsh-group.com/index.php?page=1070&language=uk

Oakey

27,524 posts

215 months

Thursday 21st July 2016
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Thought I'd return to this thread. Our Lamona oven recently stopped working properly, it wouldn't get up to temp. Top of the oven and top of the oven door was hot, bottom of the oven was cold with condensation forming on the bottom half of the door.

I assumed it's a problem with the bottom element and nearly two weeks on and we're still waiting for whoever services these things to receive a new part (it's still under warranty). I should point out that nobody has bothered to actually come and look at the oven to even make sure it is the bottom element and not something else. I asked if this was normal to which their response was "Yes because if someone comes to look at it and they don't have the part then that would add days to your wait". Erm, I've been waiting two weeks and there's no guarantee that's actually the fault!

Alex@POD

6,133 posts

214 months

Thursday 21st July 2016
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I moved into a house 18 months ago, the kitchen had been refurbed shortly before that with Lamona integrated appliances. Fridge/Freezer, double over, dishwasher and washing machine.

No complaints about any of them yet, though we haven't used the dishwasher, another one of those things I keep meaning to sell. If anything I'd like the washing machine to have a larger capacity.

broxie

80 posts

117 months

Friday 23rd June 2017
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Sorry to bump this thread after so long. I recently moved into a house that had a Lamona extractor. The thing was really noisy and was set to recirc but kept blowing the gas out on the rings below even on it's lowest setting.

I took it down and saw the fitters had set it to recirc but not added any of the carbon filters etc. There was an easy route to outside so I connected it up to a vent and thought it would run more quietly. It didn't. It is a noisy, cheap pile of rubbish. I've now bought a Bosch and in the process of retiling the splashback behind the cooker to accommodate the new size/shape of the Bosch.

I'd warn anyone against buying Lamona products, especially the extractor hood. It is a load of junk and is already lingering in the metal recycling skip at my local tip.

Look on the usual websites for second hand ones for sale. There are loads. And loads of unsold at low prices because nobody wants them. Howdens should be ashamed to be speccing these.


MrJuice

3,300 posts

155 months

Friday 23rd June 2017
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I've just had it installed at my new place. Yet to use any of it because we haven't moved in yet

I fully expect it to be in keeping with the cost. We are hoping to extend our home in a couple of years so this budget set up only needs to last until then

I have shoes more expensive than the hob and oven FFS. So I have no right to expect it to be brilliant quality

broxie

80 posts

117 months

Friday 23rd June 2017
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Good luck on trying to use it. We couldn't even have a conversation in the kitchen with the thing running on the lowest setting. The Bosch on the other hand is so quiet by comparison, it's much quieter even on it's boost/max setting and still chucks a load of air out.

oyster

12,577 posts

247 months

Friday 23rd June 2017
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Another Howdens kitchen here and our fridge freezer has failed.

Was fitted 5.5 years ago - I don't consider that to be a good lifespan.

londonbabe

2,044 posts

191 months

Friday 23rd June 2017
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I bought a house that had a Howden's kitchen with Lamona gas hob and extractor both less than 2 years old. The noisy and useless extractor basically fell to bits (brittle plastics that snapped in many places) and I replaced it with a superbly-built Miele that could probably propel the house along on full blast.

The hob is a bit crap looking too, but better than the Whirlpool I had in my old flat.

All manufacturers buy some stuff in and rebadge it. Most Meile stuff is made in house but (some of?) their fridges are made by Liebherr. (No bad thing as Liebherr also build them to last.)

bristolbaron

4,757 posts

211 months

Saturday 24th June 2017
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I'm a bit surprised not to see anyone mention a lamona/beko link? I'd read elsewhere the majority of lamona is rebranded beko?

mike9009

6,919 posts

242 months

Saturday 24th June 2017
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We had a Howdens kitchen fitted about 6 years ago.

The fridge/ freezer is Beko.

Extractor fan has given up the ghost but all other bits (hob, oven, fridge/ freezer) are all working well still.

Mike

Pheo

3,324 posts

201 months

Saturday 24th June 2017
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Remember the Lamona stuff is cheap - relatively speaking - unless your builder is ripping you off. You arnt buying Miele etc!

So no worse reliability than the parent brand who actually makes it

jammy-git

29,776 posts

211 months

Saturday 24th June 2017
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Girlfriend has a Howdens kitchen with Lamona appliances that's now 3 years old. The range oven has had the fan or element replaced every year so far. The fridge/freezer and dishwasher are just about OK, but very basic. The dishwasher has this incredibly annoying feature where by the bottom tray will slip off the runners on the door unless you open/close it very carefully.

Agree with what everyone else has said. Cheap and built to a price.

fouronthefloor

457 posts

83 months

Sunday 25th June 2017
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I've had a Lamona fridge and freezer for about ten years now. The hinges break on a regular basis and cost around £35 to buy. I'm on my fourth set.
There's a design fault with the plastic bearings. I wouldn't buy again for that reason.

jammy-git

29,776 posts

211 months

Sunday 25th June 2017
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Good point actually. The shelves on the fridge freezer were really poorly designed - carrying all the weight on four plastic corners, which of course split and I had to use some metal angle strip to fix the problem.

Rogwat

1 posts

80 months

Sunday 23rd July 2017
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Just read posts. Had all Lamont equipment fitted into my kitchen 9 months ago so far it's all been perfect. Just found out that my washer dryer is identical to one in Currys for £749.00 made by Smeg. I didn't pay that much.

Callumrowley53

2 posts

78 months

Friday 15th September 2017
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Blue62 said:
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.
Your chap is talking out his bum. If you open a neff or Siemens appliance it's Bosch components because Bosch own the group. Bosch would never embarrass themselves rebadging samsungs. Years ago when mfi was on the go both howdens and mfi used diplomat. Mostly made by stoves. After mfi folded howdens started a brand called lamona. Most of the items in this range are from beko. In my opinion not the best. Ive installed lots of lamona appliances and haven't had a call back. Not the best out there but you get. What you pay for. I'd have them over the likes of candy but my personal preference is Bosch. It's good value for money and has a really low fail rate compared to many other major brands.

Callumrowley53

2 posts

78 months

Friday 15th September 2017
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HotJambalaya said:
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...
Yes your builder will put a mark up on it that's why he buys it at trade only supplier and sells you it closer to retail. It's how a business works. Do you go into Tesco and buy beans at the same price Tesco pays? Of course not a business is not a charity the chaos there to make some money.

bakerstreet

4,755 posts

164 months

Friday 15th September 2017
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We are in the process of speccing up a Howdens Kitchen and their range cooker offering isn't as cheap as a Kenwood from Currys, but their other stuff is comparable to the Beko stuff from AO.com

Its a tempting option, as it means only managing one delivery as opposed to half a dozen.

Worth noting that we have only ever had cheap appliances with varying levels of success

First House
Beko Built Oven from Currys Factory Seconds (Lasted five years and needed a new element)
Beko Fridge Frreezer (Worked perfectly for 7 years. Bought for £289 and sold for £90
Hotpoint Washer Dryer (Bit hit and miss. Repaired twice in 7 years)
HotPoint Dishwasher (Was ok. Repaired once in five years)

Second House
Hotpoint Fridge Freezer (Same price as the Beko and not as good. Freezer is just poor. Happy to be leaving it with the house)
Hoover Washer Dryer (Bought as a factory second on Ebay. Been excellent. Hasn't skipped a beat)
DeLonghi Range (Bought when Comet went bust). Oven controller has just been replaced. Lasted five years
Whirpool Dishwasher (Not been the best if we are honest. Will probabaly spend more next time)

Next House will probably have Beko F/F, Kenwood range, Beko Dishwasher and another Hoover Washer/Dryer.