Fisher & Paykel Top Load GW512 / GW612 / GW712

Just keep working, never stops – We purchased this machine in 2008 hoping it will serve our family well and nearly 10 years on and its till going strong. The machine washes very well and easy to keep clean and isn't too noisy. We only use medium spin cycle wish keeps a lot of the sound down. Doesn't seem to wear out the cloths and is also good on very dirty items. We… Read more

have replaced the agitator twice in that time but we usually find a replacement on eBay delivered for between $50-60 and that has been our only cost and repair in that time. The damage fin's were caused more by incorrect items and machine usage but the amount of cloths and towels it washes is huge.

We originally were going to purchase the 6.5kg but was offered a free upgrade to 7.5kg and so glad we went for the larger machine. Easily fits sheets, Doonas and washes without issue.

Due to an elderly person in the house and their hatred of technology, we set up the favourites feature with all the automatic settings on and its been perfect for all these years.

Switch the machine on, press favourite, than start and walk away until its finished.

We have recommended later models of these machines for family & friends and they are also saying how good they are. Very happy purchase.

I believe the drum balance to be an issue as others have stated – This machine, has been wonderful. Though one expects 10 years from a machine. It did wash well throughout. However when I first purchased the machine (2009) I was sceptical about the drum balance and suffered through it until I realised the warranty was about to expire. Low and behold when a technician arrived it appeared that the drum fluid… Read more

had been omitted. It was like a new machine after that. I had the drum looked at again this year and payed close to $300 in repairs, this lasted no time at all and to my amazement, the company I used to do the repairs, MEA were hostile when I phoned for advice. Even to the point of stating that if I put sheets in I should expect no less! The whole experience was so off putting that I am considering whether a European brand would be a better bet. I haven't experienced very good customer service with F & P with either this appliance or others and I probably will opt for a replacement European brand.

Good – I had one of these washers (the 7.5kg) for many years before I replaced it with my new front loader. The machine was still in great working order but wanted to move to a front loader for that extra cleaning experience (but that's a whole different story...) the F&P never let me down once. It washed well and quick. It was easy to use. I did notice… Read more

mine would get unbalanced easily and would constantly beep until I got up to fix it. (that got annoying after a while cause sometimes you didn't want to get up right there and then but the constant beeping drive me insane).... and when spinning it used to vibrate a bit (saying that - I do have timber floors throughout including the laundry so I believe that has more to do with the floor than the machine perhaps) ... but the fast spin meant the clothes were not as wet. The agitator needs to be cleaned often as build up from the poweder and fabric softener does leave a small residue but it is easy to remove and clean and won't be a massive problem if you do it frequently. From a personal experience, for those who want a top loader that is easy to use, cleans well and saves water (when compared to other top loaders) this is a really good machine!! It will not let you down. Easy to use, direct drive motor, cleaned clothes, quick cycles, spacious drum. Agitator needs frequent cleaning, becomes unbalance very easy.

Still going strong!! – Absolutely pleased with this machine. Its been in constant use since purchasing new and hasn't missed a beat. Equally good results with the delicate cycle or when washing more heavy duty clothes.

Great washing machine - thank you – We purchased our F&P GW712 over 16 years ago and have had a near flawless experience in all those years - thank you. We have just bought a new 7kg F&P and look forward to the next 16! Show details

Sudden electrical death – I was using this washing machine quite a lot over the past 9.5 years with no real complaints but was very surprised when, out of the blue, it just died. Turned power on. Lights blinked once and then went off and now it no longer turns on. I have always disliked the loud beeping at the end of a wash. It did go out of balance every time I washed… Read more

towels. But otherwise I will consider replacing it with another fisher and paykel unless I can get other info on better options

Will not spin nor empty rinse sounds like an empty dump truck ..... frustrating – Bought second hand was in storage two years prior. Agitator needed clean grime inside darkish and underneath. Worked well for 12 plus months. Stopped before spin cycle, water pump working ? Dismantled machine removed bowl and cleaned grey green slime from bowl with high pressure hose pump works had to clean much from pump cover and outer bowl yuck… Read more

!! Can get to spin empty but cuts out. Used full hot with vinegar and baking soda. Very good one touch preprogram was vg wash spin Pump faults are very common parts are very expensive

Lights up and doesn't fnish cycle – Have a machine that has just turned 5 years (just out of extended warranty) and has started playing up. Three lights come on and machine does not complete its wash cycle. Also starts leaving lint on the clothes. Machine not used much so I am surprised it is playing up. Very dissappointed. Used to be OK Playing up so soon as machine is hardly used

Been a great machine and still going strong – Have had this machine 15 years with minimal problems. Still going strong. But a baby is on the way and I'm concerned it may die in the middle of a cycle so, with a degree of sadness, we are going to replace it before it dies. Show details

Excellent washer – We have been using this for years and it is still going strong - highly water /energy efficient as well. Quiet and easy operation. Especially impressive given we got it second hand! Show details

Lasted 12 years!! Highly recommend – Has been an amazing machine, got 12.5 years out of it, and I used it a LOT! Finally it just stopped spinning and paused through the cycle. Recommend this brand in general Show details

Does a great job – Have had the GW712 for 8 years and its been an absolute work horse with no problems doing the weekly washing for a family of 5. Really easy to use and seems pretty efficient and cleans really well even when using just cold water. discontinued now but would make a good second hand purchase for a family starting out im sure.  Show details

Still going strong after 15 years – OK we're from the UK and front-loaders are standard there. The GW612 does not wash quite as well as a decent front-loader. However, we bought it second hand at 10 years old and it's been used heavily for a further 5 years. It was getting noisy on the spin, so I just changed the bearings and seal myself for $30 without too much trouble. I'm… Read more

impressed with the direct drive motor - brilliant technology. The button panel is starting to crack now. F&P supply replacement decal panels fairly cheaply.

Awesome machine – Had this machine since moving out of Home approx 15 years ago. Never had an issue with it until yesterday when it died. Always washed clothes well and was quiet to run. Absolutely loved it and devastated mine has now died. I wish they still made them like this one.  Show details

I love this Machine!!! – This was my first new whitewoods purchase after graduating from uni and am a bit sentimental about it. Have been delighted with the longevity. Have had it for 14 years and moved it over 20 times including interstate. I bought it because its a nice looking machine and easy to clean around the touch panel. The machine has been a workhorse each week… Read more

and aside from needing to change to water pump a couple of times because it was making funny noises, not because the machine wasn't working it has been hassle free. The times I have called Fisher and Paykel for repairs have been easy to organise and have cost approx $200 each time. Clothes are well cleaned and not damaged. It isn't too loud. Bought my mum a second hand one of these and 8 years later and a houseful of students using it daily and its not been a problem. Will definately repurchase Fisher and Paykel when this one wears out.

Not invincible – Plucky. Bought 2nd hand and exposed to many conditions. The control board just died after owning secondhand for 5 years. Great Value. I recommend this highly but keep away from bugs. The only reason the board shorted was due to a pesky insect. Other than that I believed it would last forever until that point.  Show details

Awesome - never misses a beat – Have had this washing machine over 8 years now and it has never missed a beat. We are a family that fishes, plays a lot of sport and has tradesmen (so produces some very dirty clothes) and it washes them beautifully. The delicate setting lets it also handle light, fragile garments so it works well on everything!  Show details

Great Machine – Machine never skipped a beat. Have been using it for a family of five for 10 years now and never had a problem with it. Just purchased a house with room only for a front loader, so bought a Fisher & Payke again, hopefully it is as good as the last one.  Show details

Best Machine – I have only ever owned Fisher & Paykel . My present one is 13 years old, it has serviced 2 Adults and 3 kids, now only 2 adults. It washes my clothes beautifully, doesn't take an age and is so quiet. I luv that the clothes come out spun perfectly, not still sagging with water like some of my friends machines produce. due to my carelessness of… Read more

overloading it the other day and not being there to stop the machine, it had unbalanced and the barrel had come free.

I was devastated, annoyed at my carelessness.

Lucky for me my hubby took a look and said I think I can fix that, it's come off one of the springs.

He was right my faithful machine is once again going good as new.

Can't really believe it, 13 years and still going strong.

Great Machine.

The best washing machine I have ever owned – My Fisher & Paykel top loader washing machine is just the best. Hot and cold fill, so no heating element is used to heat up the water = lower bills Top loaders are good because they work WITH gravity rather than against it - resulting in minimum chances of bearings going, Top loaders also have better spin results. But overall this is a damn… Read more

good make of washing machine and I dread the day anything goes wrong with it.

Its the only appliance I could never be without.

washing machine GW712 – i just replaced the rotor censor 420296P Part it worked the first time but know it doing the same it wont fill probaly and keeps coming up with error code 10000010 i have pulled it apart twice to check all the wires are on looks all ok can you help plse

Reliable – I bought this machine for a fully-furnished rental property on the basis that it was the cheapest machine in the store. 10 years and a divorce later, I live in that property and regularly use the machine. It is still working well. I have never serviced or repaired it. I only have 2 complaints: 1. It is not really big enough to handle king size… Read more

quilts so I take them to the laundromat;

2. If I overfill the machine, my clothes come out with dirt/ lint all over them and there is no lint filter for me to clean to resolve the problem. However, I was recently told that machines without lint filters actually do have a lint filter at the back that can be unscrewed and cleaned out. I'll investigate this when I can be bothered. The problem only arises occasionally.

That Good I Married The Woman That Owned It – My wife had this before I married her it was one of the reasons I ended up marrying her. I mean I liked her a lot but once I saw the GW712 the deal was sealed. It worked perfectly for the first 4 years of our marriage however now it has started to stop and error. It was working fine until we had the big storm that left us powerless for… Read more

nearly a week, when the power came back on we found it would not proceed from the shower rinse it would just endlessly shower it.(my wife said it was a bit like me taking a long shower but endless).

Now it will only randomly wash small loads and have fights with us, then if we make up it may decide to furiously wash a load (we call it a make up wash).

Trying to find another that we can use for parts to keep this one alive we can't bear to part with it as it was one of the reasons we married.

Just keeps going – 14 years old and still washing clothes perfectly... As the old guy that sold it to me said if you want the best washing machine buy a Fisher & Paykel He wasn't wrong... Does a minimum of two loads everyday and other days up to six loads. Family of 5... Can't give this model one ounce of negative feedback AAA+++

Mine is Model GW52-F so I don't know if I'm in the right place to write a review – Fisher & Paykel told me it is 24-25 years old. I inherited it and it was as though the much younger Haier I was using had been upgraded. How, I wondered, could changing washing machines make my washday seem so much easier? But it sure did, partly because of its much quicker wash cycle. It is also much easier on the clothes than the Haier was and… Read more

it takes out more water. I am dreading the day this machine breaks down on me in a way that means it can't be mended. (But I'll be pestering the hell out of Fisher & Paykel to do it, that's for sure.) They just don't make them half-decent any more! What is the matter with manufacturers these days? Their machines should be so much better, not worse. Fridges and freezers, washing machines, cake mixers (just about every appliance you can think of) are mostly rubbish.

Great machine, still reliable since 2003 – I purchased the GW512 in 2003, and it is still running to this day. I have been luckier than some of the other reviewers that have had issues with balance and issues with nil operation or noises, I suppose, as I have not experienced these at all, it runs as if it's new, and is used on full loads a couple of times a week. I have moved from… Read more

state to state dozens of times, being in the military, and only one time did the PCB have to be reset into it's position as one of the moves dislodged it, and the led lights where out of alignment, which the removal companies insurance fixed the next day, and I don't blame Fisher and Paykel for.

Over all it has great features, looks good, and washes very well. Very happy with this machine..

A possible fix for the unbalance problem – We have had our GW712 for more than 6 years. It is a fantastic machine... A couple of months ago the machine started acting up.. Bouncing around and trying to self-destruct. Could not finish a wash without having to start it after stopping due to vibrations. We decided to disassemble the machine to see if something had broken inside. To our… Read more

surprise we found the outside of the drum covered in a,dark grey layer. We removed this layer by high pressure water cleaning, taking care to ensure that all the holes in the drum wall were open and clean. We carefully assembled the machine and the change was like magic. The machine is washing so clean and balance problem is gone.

Before giving up, give it a,go. You may be pleasantly surprised. Fantastic wash and very dependable. Balancing problem..

Buyer Beware! – What amazes me on these review pages is the number of people who recommend this range of models without any reservation whatsoever in the face of clear evidence that not everyone is happy with the machines. Just because *they* haven't had trouble with their particular unit, that isn't reason enough to effectively urge people to simply disregard… Read more

the negative comments and rush out to buy one.

We bought the GW712 in December 2008 and for the first year we were absolutely delighted with it. Then the problems began, ho ho! As others here have stated, after a certain period of use, the unit quickly (*really* quickly) goes out of balance and jumps around the floor. Ours made a loud thumping sound that shut down the machine so that now it will no longer work on spin cycles.

Admittedly our home is raised above ground level on galvanised tubular iron pipe supports and so the timber floor will wobble a little when subjected to vibration, and is not completely even, too. Even so, no machine should be so designed to allow the floor conditions to compromise its functionality so drastically. Needless to say F&P were conveniently uncontactable when we wanted answers.

I was told by a local repairman, and I believe this may well be true, that the main PCB is interfering with the magnetic self-balancing system of the unit. That's because it's only when the unit is powered up that the drum rotates assymetrically (when turning it by hand). So the PCB issues that longer term users have mentioned are no doubt very real and should be strongly heeded. They have nothing to do with how much care is applied or not when using the machine, as my wife is the most careful person I know and is very practical and savvy in handling machiens.

It is clear to me from all the comments here and from my own experience that there is a fundamental design flaw with this particular range - not just a problem with some units or a particular batch of them. I strongly urge prospective users as well as all current users, to write to F&P and ask the company to address this problem as a matter of urgency, and then to let us all know the outcome. Probably nothing much will happen, but it may shake them a little out of their lethargy and they badly need this wake-up call from the consumer market. Washes fine when working. Has good looks and is easy to use. Balance issue, loud thumping sounds on spin cycle after a year of light use (two washes a week) caused unit to stop working altogether.. Effectively no service support..

Best by far – I have had 2 F&P top loader machines in 18 years, the first one I had to sell because of moving and I am still using the second one and it has been transported through 2 states and 3 moves.. I decided I would like to try a front loader next time and as it turns out even though my current machine is still working perfectly its starting to make… Read more ·  1

screeching noises during spin cycle.. SO that ill be my excuse to replace.. Eco smart easy to use and always reliable.

GW712 - Reliable and easy to use – We have had this machine for 6 years or so. I had one call out a few years ago as I was getting black flakes in the washing. (We had been away so the grime had dried and flaked off into the wash.) He showed me how to clean out the machine with Epsom salts (or a more expensive commercial cleaner). Now I never use any fabric softeners, and I only… Read more ·  2

use environmentally friendly washing detergents. I have never had any problems since. It will only fill up with enough water for the size of your load, so it doesn't waste water. It's really easy to use. You can save your favourite settings and just press 'go'. Nothing really. I suppose the spin cycle is a bit noisy, but then it's probably no worse than other models.

Bad – Was disappointed with this machine; it often didn't wash that well and would leave marks on clothes. I have always used liquid not powder, but didn't seem to make much difference. Broken suspension rods, husband fixed once, then bought 4 new replacements 2 months ago. Now Main Circuit Board has gone, repairman came back to replace with new part… Read more

$250 and advised the rotor spin speed circuit is also 90% fried and he thought the 3rd circuit board up in guts of machine also faulting. So he advised "buy a new one" now. Very disappointed in this machine. ease of use, different wash programmes, or set up own favourite one. Quick cycle and good for delicates and woolens. Various issues, often left white detergent marks on black clothes, would alarm when out of balance and stop. Three circuit boards have failed, now junked at 5 years old.

Good – We'e had our machine for 3 years now and I haven't experienced any of the problems I've read other people having. Our machine is used daily, sometimes twice a day and I love being able to select which wash I want with just a press of the button. The lid is slightly curved so don't put things on top!! Washes clothes well without damaging the… Read more

fabrics! A great machine for a family. Washes a large load with ease, but also suitable for small loads. Great for woollens and delicates whilst still cleaning the materials. Very easy to use. Can be noisy. Would love if the water rating and energy rating was better!

Excellent – I have a GW712 and it has worked extremely well for me over the past 6+ years. I've heard of others who've had problems with the computer in Fisher & Paykel machines but if you go with the extended warranty or add electrical items to your home contents insurance it should cover the replacement of it if there's any problems. My husband had a… Read more

2nd hand Fisher & Paykel before we were married and he found it to be good as well.

I love it and would buy another one in the future when it is necessary. It's a great size to fit towels, sheets, and great at the end of winter blankets for etc.It washes everything well and you can adjust the spin speed according to the type of washing.I find my delicates aren't damaged if on the delicate cycle or with a slow spin speed (as has been the case with previous washing machines). Occasionally I find a little fluff or lint on a pair of pants or a shirt, but it's not a major problem.