Simpson SWT5541
VerifiedMPNs: 35904938 and SWT554127 reviews
This is alright, not the best washing machine – This has a whole range of options for woolens, bedding etc...But I wouldn't say it does a great job with dedicate clothing, as I find it can be quite rough on delicates...I like the option where you can do a quick 30 minute wash and a tub cleaning and rinse option I don't like that this washing machine collects mould at the top of the drum and around the drum area...So for a washing machine it isn't amazing but it cleans things well. Show details
Not happy with – Our machine is only 15 months old had the gear box replaced now the tub has dropped right down so 2nd time at repair shop Think should be offered a replacement Show details
Lid mechanism defective, rending machine unusable – We had a swt5541 top loading washing machine. We kept it in pristine condition. We used it regularly and had no problems for almost five years. One morning it stopped working. Nothing from the user manual I downloaded dealt with our problem. To describe the problem in the terminology of the user manual: When the lid is up, there seems to be… Read more
no problem. The program selector knob functions normally, and the temperature, water level, soak time, and rinse option buttons all function normally.
When the lid goes down, the problems begin. All settings reset, temperature to hot, water level to full, soak time to no soak, and rinse options to deep. Each of these settings, as indicated by the light on the control panel, flashes off and on repeatedly, about every one second. The display flashes off and on as well, displaying the time setting from whatever program the program selector knob has been turned to. The indicator beeping goes off, about every second. And a dull clicking/ticking sound also goes off, in synchrony with the lights and beeping, about every second. (It seems to come from inside the control panel). Finally, no wash cycle initiates. Nothing happens but the beeping and the flashing and clicking.
From a layperson's perspective, it appears the lid mechanism (the one that freezes all processes when it is lifted) has malfunctioned and is now paralyzing all activity even when the lid is down. (From what I've read on other reviews on this site, this appears to be familiar problem.)
I emailed the company, who got back to me after three working days, but given the timing and the likely time and cost of repairing it, we decided to purchase another brand of washing machine and had the Simpson taken away.
We were surprised and disappointed that our washing machine would suddenly die (our previous model, from the same company, lasted much longer than this). Given the breakdown and the relatively short lifespan, we would not consider buying a Simpson brand again.
Dissappointing – Bought two of these for holiday rentals. Both have been trouble. One too expensive to replace the circuit board and the other with continual out of balance problems. Virtually no use. Will never buy this brand again.
SWT5541 Beeping and flashing, will not run – The Pros: this machine is small and compact and seems to wash clothes reasonably well for the size. The Con's: the cycles do take quite a while to run and there is no delayed start function. My machine is now flashing and beeping continuously, which i beleive is a sensor or PCB issue. Emailed the service number asking for advice on what it… Read more
'could' be and if its a common fault, which it clearly is, and they will only refer me to pay for a technician to inspect it at a cost of $145. Surely they could atleast acknolegde the common fault so I know what i'm up for and whether its worth repairing?
Simpson machines are not what they used to be – Had a Simpson machine for 20+ was a great machine still working when we got rid of it due to leaks & the weight(we were about too move) got a cheap machine from Aldi & was not happy with it & it died after 5 years, so thought we would go back to a Simpson......They are not what they used to be!!! From the start we were disappointed in the job it… Read more
did, lint collection was terrible.
3.5 years in & it has stopped working with the display flashing & beeping, similar to many of the other reviews online.
Not sure if it is even worth repairing as many have said the control board & repair will end up being nearly as much as the machine.
Very disappointing.
Cheap, but not so nasty – My old Hoover finally died and I went to the Laundomat for too long. I decided to buy this smaller machine, only myself on my own these days. Read mixed reviews, but took a punt anyway, free delivery, take the old machine away and 6kg of powder that I don't usually use but I will until it runs out, so that was a plus. Once I carefully set it up… Read more
and got it nice and level time to give it a whirl. As others said, long wash cycle, but that's OK. Very quiet and smooth and washed my clothes so much better than the Laundromat machines, so off to a good start. I've been using it for 7 months now, and no problems yet. It doesn't get a hard life, but nearly always does a full load about once a week.
It does what a Washing Machine is supposed to do, and that's wash my clothes properly. The short 45 minute cycle I've used a few times but mostly just the usual 60 minute wash. Hopefully it will continue to give me good service.
Waste of money – Bought this for granny flat hasn't had more than 6 months use, but just over 6 months of warranty running out it died, whatever happened to washing machines at least lasting 6/10 years, always swore by Simpson brand but bitterly disappointed, should take this to consumers complaints a washing machine should have more than 2 1/2 years of life in it, replaced it with and LG lets hope I have more luck??? Show details
Hopeless - third machine to develop RUST – Original machine purchased 19 July 2017 from Appliances Online. Noted rust marks on white items 27 December 2017. Technician arrived 8 January 2018 and stated impossible as stainless steel drum HOWEVER he inspected and was most surprised to see that I was right. Rust developed in the seam connecting the stainless steel drum to the plastic base.… Read more
That machine replaced by SWT6541 (6.5kg) on 16 January 2018 as no 5.5kg machine available. Was advised by Electrolux to use the 6.5kg until 5.5kg became available, I had been without a washing machine for weeks at this stage so was happy to use UNTIL the 6.5kg machine developed RUST in the seam after THREE (yes 3) washes. Replacement 5.5kg machine arrived 19 January 2018. This machine has now left rust spots on my white towels, sheets and mattress protectors. Most likely have rust spots on my coloureds too. Inspection of the interior shows rust patches in the seam as per previous models. This seems to be a manufacturing fault. I believe that these three washers were made in Thailand. Other users of Simpson washers who have noted brown marks on their washing may have been told they weren't using their machines properly. Not so. These machines develop RUST in the seam which will eventually transfer to your washing.
Not impressed – Worked OK till 2 months after warranty ran out. Control board faulty. I used it once a week on mainly fast wash program using cold water.Will cost $200 for part plus labour unless i do it myself. Better off buying new one.Will not buy Simpson again .Shoud have lasted longer than 26 months. Show details
Hi Dunbar, Tania from Electrolux here. We would… Read more
Just Purchased...very quiet good washer – Grabbed a bargain on this model at David Jones Half Yearly Clearance sale. Could not find any front loader to fit laundry. Small size fitted tiny laundry perfectly. Mr Electrolux delivered it by surprise in four days instead of two weeks quoted. Removed the twenty five year old Simpson washer (still working!) and installed the new model in… Read more
minutes. Am finding this machine very quiet during use. Only noticeable noise is water fill and the end of cycle beeper (can be silenced). Water use and program options are great in variety and operation. Washes well in all temperatures. Spin and water saving options great. Will see how it performs over the next twenty-odd years!
So far, so good! – My clothes come out very clean and at a right dampness level. I have quite a few fragile clothing so I just put that in a laundry protector bag so none of it is damaged. What I love about this washing machine is that it is not noisy at all and also collects the lint very well. Show details
Just lasted to the warranty ran out – recommended repairer,wanted $165 to come out and wait over a week and they had no clue of what could be wrong,even after I told them Simpson said it was a top problem (E40). Got a local guy ($50) he took the top off.... Condenser leaked and sprayed water over computer Show details
Find out how Simpson SWT5541 compares to other Top Loading Washing Machines
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Happy with the size and features – I had seen mixed reviews for this washing machine, however purchased anyway as it was the latest model of the 18+ year old Simpson we needed to replace. Very happy so far - I don't think it will be as long-lived as our old one, but reasonably priced, and one of the smallest I could find (household of two, and I tend to do more frequent, smaller… Read more
loads). Similar noise level to our old Simpson; washes and spins efficiently. The plastic lid seems to mark easily, however, more practical than the metal lid of the old one which rusted early on.
Helps with water saving – I like this machine as it has a "hold"option which enables you to save water. It is quiet when in use and it cleans clothes as good as other more expensive washing machines I have used. The dials are very user friendly, I think this machine is value for money. Show details
Flimsy exterior dints just with gentle moving, unhelpful company – So sorry to have to write this as my first washer was an awesome Simpson many years ago, which is why I came back to them. What happened? The company is as truly annoying and unhelpful as they can be. They wanted nothing to do with my problems with the product. It was like bad luck, we produced a flimsy casing and you bought it. The main reason I… Read more
bought it is my dog, he freaks out with front loaders which I had before, so the best thing I can say is it is dog friendly, he can handle it. But it's not quiet. Mine does work though, so I persist and try not to let the massive dint on my new machine get me down. It happened just by shuffling a small way to clean behind it, I aim neither big, nor strong. Crap materials. The curved lid (also crap material) is a pain to place things on, they probably curved it because it is also weak.
Good little helper – Fairly good for the price. Had been using front loader for quite a while but now I require something that allows me to soak my clothes. Was in the market for something cheap and reliable and Simpson came to my mind. Had been using one during my unidays and never had any problem. Clothes come out pretty clean and smells good (after soaking). The… Read more
noise level was pretty low compared to my front loader which sounded like a F1 racing through my house.
The only downside for this unit is the dust collector and the ability to spread the washing power around the clothes properly. At first I got huge chunks of washing power sticking on the the clothes and dust particles as well. A little trick to that is to dissolve the power before hand and mix it around manually.
All in all, it's a fairly good unit.
Not off to a very promising start – Well now, what to say about this machine. We've found it to be a mixed blessing which has not inspired great confidence in its longevity. Pros: On the positive side, it does do a good wash though it takes about an hour to do it. (it doesn't really matter what cycle is chosen either - 1hr minimum) The spin cycle works a bit too well but more on… Read more
this later. Plenty of programmes to choose from (in fact it seems to have a programme for just about everything). Physically, the machine is quite light weight and small in size with a max load capacity of 5.5kg. Price wise it's a steal but there may be a good reason for that. Service from Electrolux (both customer and mechanical) are friendly and efficient.
Cons (only the one but unfortunately a biggie):
That spin cycle I mentioned earlier remember? It may do a great job of drying out clothes but it sounds like a bit like a jet fighter spooling up! When it does hit top revs heaven help you if the load is unbalanced! The machine claims to have a self balancing function which, from what we've observed, seems to operate in reverse. Manually balanced loads find themselves unbalanced within a few minutes of operation. (and there are plenty of those because the washer cuts out regularly and beeps for a helping hand) Additionally, when the machine does become unbalanced it transforms into the meanest bull in the rodeo! It once tried to escape but was fortunately arrested by its hose connections. In fact, despite almost daily leveling, this problem exacerbated to the point that the tub restraints gave way. The inner drum then decided to lead a life of its own, quite indifferent to the outer tubs feelings. The serviceman took one look at it and called time on the operation - replacement time. As I write this, we are a day away from having a new machine delivered to replace the original.
So a new machine will shortly grace our laundry while I spend significant time researching consumer law as it pertains to suitability for purpose. I have a feeling that a 12 month warranty is not going to be nearly long enough.
Caveat Emptor!
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UPDATED Review: Feb 2020
So here we are less than 3 years after initial purchase and it has been a very sad association.
The machine was replaced after 5 months as described in my first review - 21/11/2017 Now, a touch over 2 years later the replacement machine is in need of major repair - 10/02/2020
A severe leak has developed from what appears to be the very centre of the machine so I'm thinking main drum water seal? After looking at spare parts listings it appears the drum bottom and bearing seal come as an assembly at $70~$80 per. If a user was to have a serviceman do the job I could see this running to more than half the cost of total replacement and, as I cannot find a service manual, DIY looks to be a limited option.
So the replacement machine has lasted 2 yrs and 2 1/2 months before the next major issue occurred.
Total cost of this machine over less than 3 years of ownership will have run to over $1000 (split with Electrolux): Initial price (me) + replacement cost (Electrolux) + estimated repair (me)
So my ultimate review of these machines after less than 3 years of ownership? I can sum it up with one word - LEMON
Cheaply built, poor quality, made in Thailand rubbish I'm afraid. Save your money and buy something else; it looks like that's what I'll be doing. I doubt as this is worth fixing given all the other problems reported of faulty boards (over $200 each) and various other mechanical issues. I should mention that the metal parts of the body are also starting to rust.
Maybe I'll simply put a new clutch in the 20 year old Simpson this replaced. It will probably go for another 10 or 15 years.
Hi Col, Lynette from Electrolux here. We would appreciate… Read more
Very bad – The cleaning seemed to be ok in the first couple of months but now I am really annoyed by the amount of lint that comes in the clothes each time the clothes are washed. Went to Good Guys to report the matter. They created a service ticket but the customer service is horrible. They never came and we can't reach them on phone either. Now we are… Read more
stuck with a stupid washing machine and we are spend at least 5-10 minutes each day removing lint from our clothes.
Put it for sale but no one is willing to pick it up. Never going to buy again
Hi Chander, Jenny from Electrolux here. We are sorry to… Read more
Just bad – Had it for 18 months and it's always having uneven load problems. Now it's just broken. The whole control panel is flickering and beeping and it will not start any cycle. As there is no error message or indication of what could be wrong, there is no idea on whether it's worth calling someone out to fix it. Going to just replace it. Show details
Hi Gooba, Catherine from Electrolux here. We would… Read more
Not happy - Marie – Maybe washes OK. Takes too long to rinse and spin dry. No provision for a quick spin dry, which my previous machine had. Also some clothes wind around the spindle , causing a problem. The closthes come out very creased, which means for more ironing. Cannot change the cycle once started. Show details
Great machine for a single person and very economically priced – Previously had a Simpson for 14 years, the Simpson is reliable, very quiet and always cleans and rinses my clothes to my satisfaction. I like all the new additions with this machine as to temperature, cycles etc - a lot more options than the previous Simpson machine. It also is a perfect fit in the space available in my laundry. Show details
Find out how Simpson SWT5541 compares to other Top Loading Washing Machines
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Disappointed! – Machine appears not to have a sud save of clean wash water for re-use. Also, continually unbalances even though clothes are carefully placed so as not to do so. rebalancing up to four times per wash cycle is a common occurrence and adds to the overall washing time which is very frustrating. Show details
Hi Kacee, Marina from Electrolux here. We are sorry to… Read more
It is a very good machine – I read the user guide first up and keep it handy in the laundry. Always choose the best programme to match the manufacturer's label and the detergent requirements. I'm into the habit now of diluting ANY detergent in a litre of water before the wash. I didn't with the old model. It cleans well, quiet and the end of cycle buzzer is helpful. Updates… Read more
to follow.
21/8/16
The machine is working well. No problems. I make sure the detergent is diluted before use and empty the lint filter regularly.
It cleans and rinses well. Make sure you pick the right programme. It is a little noisy at times. I disabled the end of cycle alarm.
Jan 2017. I thought I had a problem developing. A strange ticking noise during a spin cycle. The machine is fine. It's one of those noises made during an Eco wash. If it concerns me still, i'll record a sound-bite for the manufacturer to analyse.
Feb 2017. Washed a woollen underlay. single bed size. set to woollen cycle and used appropriate detergent. It washed up brilliantly. However friends, the lint filter almost exploded with the excessive fluff.
December 2017 - I've noticed in the past 6 weeks or so, a grating noise. It's as though gears are damaged and not meshing correctly. the machine seems to perform okay. However, I've taken a sound bite of the noise and will email to manufacturer.
July 2018 - After leaving it so long to have the noise looked at, i called service. Easy fix. The noise was caused by suds overflow of the tub which affected the hanging connections to the tub. I will say another user who doesn't come in the house now, used to do a load of washing for my elderly father and i noticed some detergent powder around the top of the tub rim. she probably did a vigorous sprinkle. anyway, the four joints are in the corners under the top plate affected. the tech sprayed a bit of WD40 on these suspension joints, tested and went away. i did a load of washing this morning and it seems okay again.
*Did another wash this morning....there's still a rattle when its spinning. So much for the expertise of the tech. I starting to get real negative feelings about this machine.
bad machine and company to deal with – After only a few months the machine started to develop problems by May it was impossible to get any washing done. When the service man came he said it needed a new control board and this would take approx 3 weeks to get. While checking out the machine he damaged the lid of the machine. The new board now takes 36min to do a rinse and spin. A fast… Read more
wash is now 15 min longer than before (nearly 1 hour to complete). They tell me that the new board has been improved. You call the service centre always get a different person and then after several calls they say it is not their problem you have to deal with the company you bought it from. Will not purchase any more products that are linked with the Electrolux service centre.
Hi Judy, Lynette from Electrolux here. We would… Read more (+1 reply)
Cannot fault it! Perfect height – We had our machine delivered today. It was that quiet that though it had the count down timer of how long it would take, I still had to go downstairs to see if it had finished or not ;p The lint filter is incredible! Couldn't believe how much lint the filter was holding just from bed sheets. My favourite features were how simple and easy it is to use the panel and being wider inside.
What a Lemon – I don't know what else to say, the pump broke the first week, and two months later the drum mountings have snapped. I don't want another or a repair, I want a different make. I'm very disappointed and this has inconvenienced me no end. Simpson cannot possibly say this is acceptable.
Hi Karen, Leslie from Electrolux here. We are sorry to… Read more (+2 replies)
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Hi Clare, Linda from Electrolux here. We would appreciate… Read more (+2 replies)