Energy efficient washer dryer

matelodave

The op may live in a flat with nowhere to hang out washing nor have enough space to accomodate a separate washer and dryer.but generally they wouldn't be my first choice. At least with separate units you can wash and dry simultaneously, more than halving the time it would take for a washer dryer.

TBH an integrated unit may seem like a good idea but they are notoriously unreliable - getting the same drum to swish hot soapy water around (keeping it away from the air ducting and air heater) and then to blow hot air through the washing doesn't enhance their reliability. Many can only dry 50% of their wash load so they can take an awfully long time to do a wash/drying cycle and they dont tend to do it everso well.

I've not got any personal experience of combined washer/dryers but my mate managed to chew his way through two in less than four years before he gave up and got individual units. 

TBH the discusiion of the merits or not of a heatpump dryer should be the subject of a separate thread

niktheguru

matelodave said:

The op may live in a flat with nowhere to hang out washing nor have enough space to accomodate a separate washer and dryer.but generally they wouldn't be my first choice. At least with separate units you can wash and dry simultaneously, more than halving the time it would take for a washer dryer.

Like you say, washer/dryers are invaluable if living in flats, without the luxury of being able to put all your washing out on a line in a garden, or if space is a premium and you prefer not to have all your clothes smothered around your house.

When I lived in a flat I had a hotpoint washer/dryer and it worked really well and dried clothes relatively quickly. I had no complaints with the washing or drying of the appliance.

Certainly, if you have space a separate washing machine and dryer are better. But if you don't have that luxury a washer dryer is invaluable.