Is a separate washer & dryer more efficient than combined?

kjsmith7

Hi all,

I am about to move into my first unfurnished property, where not even the white goods are included (but the rent reflects this). I've been a furnished tenant during my student days and over the last year. I've saved up enough, but I'm unsure whether to buy a washer-dryer or a washing machine and a tumble dryer. I do barely use a tumble dryer at the moment and I don't have a garden, so I'm very used to putting washing on clothes horses, etc., but it would be useful to have said washing machine for bedding and in the Winter.

Any thoughts at all would be much appreciated, as would any recommendations as to good products.

macman

You can only only tumble dry about half a full load of washing in a typical washer/dryer, so I would say not. Only reason for choosing a washer/dryer is if space does not allow for a separate drier.

spinningsheep

Washer dryers are CR*P in my experience. My mum had one for about 6 months and it ended up in the local paper, utterly useless. As last post said you can only dry half a load at a time, and it took an absolute age to do it. Was totally impractical unless you were washing a few teatowels or some pants! Plus they cost more. SO, unless space is a serious issue ie you have absolutely nowhere to put a separate tumble dryer, buy both. Even if you have to put the dryer in the lounge and cover it with a throw, its worth it, oh, and if you have a window or door to hang the hose out of, don't buy a condensing dryer, again they cost more and take much longer to dry, I only had one due to the fact I had no window to hang the hose from at my last house, in this one, there is a vent in the wall right behind where it sits in the kitchen, so frustrating. Alas the money I would lose selling this condensing one and buying a cheap vented one would never match what I would save in electricity usage, so im stuck with it until it goes bang!

Barneysmom

It's better to only dry half a load at a time.
My washer/dryer has been really good, it's a Hoover.

Pincher

If you are on Economy 7 cheap overnight electricity, a washer/dryer is more convenient, otherwise you have to wake up early to move the load from the washer to the dryer.

Otherwise, the best way is a separate vented dryer.

Condensing dryers use a cooling mechanism to condense the moisture, which uses electricity, so it's more expensive to run. Some people complain washer/dryers don't dry properly, and that they are still damp, so you end up running the dry cycle again, which uses more electricity.

naked

I had an Electrolux washer dryer in the flat I used to rent. It was new when I moved in and it worked alright. If you had towels in the load it would take forever to get close to dry but for bedding it was quite handy as I didn't have enough space to air a sheet and a duvet cover at the same time!

Not sure about the efficiency, but I hardly used the dryer. I don't think the washer was the most efficient out there but my bills weren't astronomical so it can't have been too bad.

JodyBPM

When my washing machine gave up, I bought a washer/dryer and ditched (well freecycled) the very old separate dryer that I had in the shed. Like you, I don't dry often, but wanted the ability to do so if I need to, clothes to go out in that evening, pant and sock loads when I'm overloaded with stuff to put on the airers etc.

On an occasional basis, for me, it works fine. I think its not as good at drying as the old dryer, but I don't, for environmental reasons, want to be too tempted to dry everything all the time anyway.

So, for occasional use, I'd say a washer dryer is fine, but if you're likely to want to dry all the time, a separate dryer is probably far quicker.

karatedragon

I really like my Washer Dryer. I live in a flat so it saves space. Mine's a Miele.

screamer

Definately go for separate if you have the choice.

If one breaks, the other does too! Simple as that! You'd have to replace both if one breaks down!

karatedragon

screamer wrote: »

Definately go for separate if you have the choice.

If one breaks, the other does too! Simple as that! You'd have to replace both if one breaks down!

Thats is not strictly true. Depends on the fault. My Dad repaired white goods for years and says that this isnt totally true.

kjsmith7

Thanks very much for the input!! I think I'll have a good look at the prices of separates and also check the room measurements!