FIXED IT! My washing machine just died! Replace with washer/dryer?

giantmutantbroccoli

I think my ancient washing machine just gave up the ghost :eek: It's been temperamental for a while, but now it won't spin at all. It's sitting full of water at the moment because I'm hoping it might somehow magically fix itself... It does all the other bits of the cycle fine, but it's been a bit odd over the spin cycle for a while now. It used to stop dead on a slow wash and sit there until I turned the dial manually to spin, and it wouldn't do anything if set to 'wool'. Now the fast spin isn't working.
Does this sound like a recognisable fault to anyone? I don't know anything about washing machines so I'm hoping someone will come along and say "Oh yes, you just need to adjust the whoodjiwotsit and it'll work fine." Also, (stupid question alert), whereabouts do you normally find the filter? I can't find any likely-looking panels.

Failing the discovery of a whoodjiwotsit, what's a reasonable price to pay for a washing machine? Is it worthwhile getting one secondhand, bearing in mind I'd still need to get it delivered and fitted?
I'm thinking of getting a washer/dryer, I've been running out of drying space in my flat in this nasty cold weather. Does anyone have any reccommendations? Do they tend to have more faults than regular washing machines?

diable

The filter is usually at the front of the machine at the bottom.

I would never buy a secondhand machine and a washer dryer does tend to end up with more problems

Yorkie1

Can't help with a whoodjiwotsit but I've got a heated airer / dryer which is great and costs a lot less to a) buy and b) run than a tumbledryer would.

Have a look at the Lakeland site, it's the (two or) three level heated dryer. It folds to about 3-4" wide when not in use and expands to about 2-3' square at full extension. Costs about £70-80 but the identical item can be found more cheaply through some of those catalogues you find in magazines.

jennifernil

If you have nowhere to hang out washing to dry, then a drier would be a good idea. Using a tumble drier will keep the amount of extra moisture in your flat to a minimum, drying clothes on radiators or an airing rack can lead to trouble with condensation unless you are using a dehumidifier.

A separate washer and drier would be best, but if you do not have space for 2 appliances, then a combined washer/drier would be a reasonable compromise.

My daughter has one in her flat. The washer bit is fine, but the drier takes ages to dry, and works best on only half the load the washer can handle. She decided to buy a separate drier.

I would expect a good quality washer drier to work better than her one though, she did not choose it, it was in the flat when she bought it.

boliston

I've always tended to get washer without drying facility as they cost less to both buy and run. I've only ever lived in flats and never had any problems with drying on a clothes airer. Clothes fully dry in 24 hrs in summer and 48 hours in winter.

bubblegumcola

My last two washing machines were washer dryers and I hardly ever used the dryer bit for fear of how high my electricity bill would be! I have 3 kids and just put all the washing on clothes airers in the winter, luckily I have a garden to put it out in summer but half the time I am running out to get it back in before a downpour anyway. You can buy airers which clip over radiators as well and pull out ones which you can attach to the wall and have over your bath if you are short of space. Failing that hang stuff on hangers on door frames, I do that all the time. You can buy cheap airers in Home Bargains for about £6/7, just buy a couple of them.

My washing machine broke about a month ago and was going to cost over £200 to fix. It lasted about 6 years so I can't complain but this time I just went for a washing machine, new from John Lewis. You get a two year guarantee depending on which brand you buy and free delivery and I installed my machine myself. It wasn't that difficult to install, apart from the transit bolts which were awful, had to get a ratchet socket set to remove them. You can pay another £19/20 to have it installed, similar to other retailers I guess. I thought I got a good deal. Plenty of washing machine offers out there at the likes of Tesco, Argos. I was under £300 for my machine but you can buy cheaper, cheapest I've seen are the Beko brand but I've never tried them.

Pitlanepiglet

Sounds very much to me as if your filter is blocked hence it's refusal to spin, especially if you don't know where the filter is so haven't emptied/checked it before!

Get down on the floor and have a poke around the front at the very bottom BUT READ THIS FIRST get a plastic tray or sometime similar low enough to go under the filter as it will be full of water!

You may be able to google for the location of the filter or post the make/model on here to see if anyone else can help.

I'd try that first before stumping up on a new machine!

giantmutantbroccoli

Thanks everyone!

boliston wrote: »

I've always tended to get washer without drying facility as they cost less to both buy and run. I've only ever lived in flats and never had any problems with drying on a clothes airer. Clothes fully dry in 24 hrs in summer and 48 hours in winter.

I'm curious. How do you dry sheets? The only space I have that's anywhere near big enough is the banister rail that leads to my front door, and that little hallway is always freezing cold. Sheets and towels can take four days or more to dry out in there, but I've nowhere else to put them. Everything else takes more than 2 days in winter. I'm lucky enough to have a garden though so in the summer (or when it's not actually frozen outside) I can hang stuff out there.
I'm guessing your flat is probably warmer than mine

bubblegumcola wrote: »

My last two washing machines were washer dryers and I hardly ever used the dryer bit for fear of how high my electricity bill would be! I have 3 kids and just put all the washing on clothes airers in the winter, luckily I have a garden to put it out in summer but half the time I am running out to get it back in before a downpour anyway. You can buy airers which clip over radiators as well and pull out ones which you can attach to the wall and have over your bath if you are short of space...

Ididn't think of the bill! I already have airers on all my radiators plus one of those stand alone folding ones, they do work pretty well for most things. Also my flat's really dry so there's no mold problems. It's mainly big stuff like sheets and towels that cause trouble, they just never seem to dry.
I've been hearing good things about John Lewis so I might go with them. When they say delivery, is it to the door or to the room? I live on my own, no way I could lift a washing machine up a flight of stairs!:eek:

Pitlanepiglet wrote: »

Sounds very much to me as if your filter is blocked hence it's refusal to spin, especially if you don't know where the filter is so haven't emptied/checked it before!

Get down on the floor and have a poke around the front at the very bottom BUT READ THIS FIRST get a plastic tray or sometime similar low enough to go under the filter as it will be full of water!

You may be able to google for the location of the filter or post the make/model on here to see if anyone else can help.

I'd try that first before stumping up on a new machine!

Did that, thank you!
I finally found the model and looked the manual up on the hoover website (it's a soft wave autowasher 1000, apparantly). But unfortunatly, there is no filter! I'm puzzled, there's a section in the manual on cleaning etc but no mention of a filter except for the water inlet pipes. I've read that some machines have filters built into the pump but I don't feel like dismanteling the thing since I also discovered it's 14 years old! It came with the flat - I rent - and my not knowing who was using it for the past 14 years doesn't exactly make me want to delve into its innards.

I have looked at prices online and decided to just get another washing machine, not a washer-dryer. I can afford either an okay/good washing machine or a cruddy washer/dryer so it makes sense to just get the washer.

Thanks again you guys! :T

caitybabes

Hello,

Since your flat is rented and came with the washing machine, your landlord should replace it for you (especially since it was so old and has probably expired of natural causes).

Worth checking with them before shelling out for a new one yourself. As, if you leave, you'll want to take it with you as you bought it, but they'll be wondering where the washing machine is that came with the flat.

HTH,

Cait

Sensemaya

Giant

Have a look at this website.

http://shop.ukwhitegoods.co.uk/index.php?osCsid=d11fb33a2c47d0f2ff4a4abfc3b9e6ca

The ISE AW23 is really good. There is a thread about these washers somewhere on this forum. I've been meaning to write a little review on the AW23 but haven't got round to it yet. It was ordered on the Saturday and delivered on the Monday.

http://shop.ukwhitegoods.co.uk/Washing+Machine+Parts/ISE/ISE+New+Appliances.htm

You can check for stockists here

http://www.iseappliances.co.uk/search.php

I'm pretty sure they do a cheaper model too...ISE2...

bubblegumcola

caitybabes wrote: »

Hello,

Since your flat is rented and came with the washing machine, your landlord should replace it for you (especially since it was so old and has probably expired of natural causes).

Worth checking with them before shelling out for a new one yourself. As, if you leave, you'll want to take it with you as you bought it, but they'll be wondering where the washing machine is that came with the flat.

HTH,

Cait

My brother rents his house and their washing machine went kaput and he ended up just buying another one himself. Personally if I was in that position I would ask the landlord to replace it but I do understand that landlords can be difficult to get in contact with / get them to do or repair anything and there is a chance he might just get it repaired. You probably pay enough to the landlord in rent, would you not rather save your money and get the landlord to sort it/replace it?? I'd be annoyed having to buy one myself if I didn't have to. If you left your rented accomodation you probably couldn't take it with you as there would presumably be an inventory to be checked??

Sheets dry not too bad, you can fold them and they should dry ok as they are thin. Towels definitely take longer but just find the sunniest spot in your flat. Don't put too much on your airers, if I cram loads on it just takes way too long too dry and give your clothes a good shake before you hang them up so theres less creases....well its worth a go anyway! When we had a flat our living room got the sun the most so all my DH tops got hung up on hangers at the window, it was the best/quickest way to dry them!

BTW I'm impressed the Hoover model lasted 14 years, it was a Hoover model I had for about 6 years and I never liked it, would never buy another.