The r/BuyItForLife community broadly recommends Bosch/Siemens as a reliable, long-lasting choice for home appliances, particularly in European markets. They are consistently positioned as the best value-for-money option below Miele, with many users reporting 15–22+ years of trouble-free use. However, a minority of voices warn that recent build quality has declined compared to older models, suggesting the brand's legendary durability may be eroding.
Bosch/Siemens remains one of the strongest mainstream appliance choices for durability and value, but emerging concerns about declining build quality in newer models mean buyers should research current model generations carefully before purchasing.
Bosch/Siemens appliances are praised for durability, good spare parts availability, and strong value relative to their price point. Multiple users report decades of reliable service across a wide range of appliance categories.
Some users report a noticeable decline in recent build quality, with newer machines failing much sooner than older ones. Availability outside Europe, particularly in North America, is also a recurring limitation.
A former white goods salesperson noted that Bosch has by far the best component quality among mainstream brands and features some of the better spare parts availability and warranty structures in the industry.
A UK-based user reported that their entire home has been running Bosch/Siemens appliances for 22 years, and wished the brand had a larger presence in the US given how much cheaper it is than Miele.
One user cautioned that while Bosch/Siemens used to easily last 20 years, their most recent purchase broke down within 3 years, was repaired at high cost, and then failed again — effectively paying for the machine twice in 8 years.
A commenter summarized the European appliance hierarchy neatly: Liebherr or Miele at the top, but Bosch/Siemens is the go-to if you're not made of money, with 15 years of personal trouble-free use to back it up.