Washer dryer recommendations?

HappyMJ

chelseablue wrote: »

I'd love to buy separate but there is not room in my kitchen (oh how I dream of buying a house with a utility room!)


Cant face another winter of having damp clothes drying round the flat. Im sure that cant be good for little ones?

Can you put a condenser dryer in another room? A dryer doesn't need to be in the kitchen.

The other option if you drive is to take your damp washed clothes to a laundrette and use their large industrial gas dryers which will dry your clothes very quickly for quite a reasonable price.

Drying clothes in a washer dryer takes forever.

I have a washer dryer supplied by my landlord in my flat.

Once the 2.5 hour wash cycle is complete you have to remove half the clothes and put them aside and then put the dryer on for a 2 hour cycle then put the other half of the wash load into the dryer for another 2 hours. That whole cycle has just taken you 6.5 hours and you've hardly washed anything as the machine has a much smaller capacity than a normal washing machine. Our machine takes 6kg on the wash cycle and 3kg on the drying cycle. It's a Bosch and seems reasonably reliable. It's very expensive to run compared to a normal dryer so we just wash with it and dry everything on drying rails with the window open. Generally the half load that I've removed from the washer is almost dry by the time the first half of the load has dried.

no1catman

The previous people had the washer & tumble dryer in the garage, and a dishwasher in the kitchen. How they managed in winter, having to lift the garage door up to load & unload, load & unload each machine I hate to imagine.
We used the dishwasher space for a washing machine, which has been replaced by a LG washer/dryer - expensive but a very good machine, will take a big load. Use it every day, did have a problem with the dryer part - shaken loose, but has been fixed.

chelseablue

I've been looking at Bosch and Samsung ones. Have good reviews plus both come with a 5 year warranty

meer53

chelseablue wrote: »

I'd love to buy separate but there is not room in my kitchen (oh how I dream of buying a house with a utility room!)


Cant face another winter of having damp clothes drying round the flat. Im sure that cant be good for little ones?

I've never heard of children becoming ill from damp clothes, it won't affect them.

I guarantee, even with the swankiest most expensive washer dryer you can buy, you will be frustrated. With two small children you'll have a fair amount of washing, not being able to wash whilst you're using the dryer is annoying. And thats before you start to factor in your electricity bill ! The tumble dryers in washer/dryers are no where near as efficient as stand alone dryers.

If i had the space, i would buy an American washer and separate dryer.

Gigervamp

I'm looking to get a washer dryer too. Had an Ariston one a few years ago, but it packed up after about 5 years.

The problem with them, as others have mentioned, is that you can't dry a full load, which is a pain.

We don't have any laundrettes around here. There's only a dry cleaners who do service washes.

chelseablue

My mother in law has a tumble drier she said we can use, but that involves a drive across town

Gigervamp

Forgot to say, the other option I've been considering is getting one of those heated airers that Lakeland sell. Several people on the Old Style board have and recommend them.

Would this be an option for you OP?

Rambosmum

We inherited a washer dryer when we moved in to our house. It was a prima one (cheapo brand). I constantly thought it would give up the ghost but 7 years later and it's still going strong - we've just given it to a friend and bought a new one, a hotpoint aquarius 7kg washer/ dryer.

I'd still get separate machines if you can but I like our new one so far (we don't have room for separates).

getmore4less

HappyMJ wrote: »

Once the 2.5 hour wash cycle is complete

Unless you are filthy stick it on a mix load 40c(or less) 1hr cycle

Most people can get away with even shorter cycles just don't over powder.

The 2.5 hr cycles are designed to hit a specific measured goals for A ratings(low energy/low water) not real life peoples loads.

If you have the buttons "extra water" & "shorter cycle" things will still wash. (actual name model dependant)

The occasional 60c long wash for certain items will keep the machine clear.

HappyMJ

getmore4less wrote: »

Unless you are filthy stick it on a mix load 40c(or less) 1hr cycle

Most people can get away with even shorter cycles just don't over powder.

The 2.5 hr cycles are designed to hit a specific measured goals for A ratings(low energy/low water) not real life peoples loads.

If you have the buttons "extra water" & "shorter cycle" things will still wash. (actual name model dependant)

The occasional 60c long wash for certain items will keep the machine clear.

I just had a look at the manual and the Quick cycle only takes half the washing (3kg) of the full cycle which is 6kg. I suppose one advantage is I can set it to dry as well and don't have to pull out half the load when the washing bit is finished.