Washer dryer for off peak electric

xxxdarlingxxx

I am moving to a new home that has off peak electric. I would like an integrated washer dryer that can be timer set to wash then automatically dry a load overnight. Can any recommend a model please?

grumbler

My Hotpoint WDD 960 Ultima has a delay timer. It's few years old and, I think, was replaced with a newer model.

Bendy_House

I recently connected my Bosch W/M to their phone App to see how useful it could be. It's cool - it does lots of stuff - EXCEPT start a wash. Apparently a safety feature - it insists on someone being physically present in order to start a cycle.

This would seem to preclude it from being used as you want - a remote or delayed wash start. Are you sure others aren't the same these days? Or is a timer-delayed wash 'ok'? Ie, someone can be present to start the timed-'cycle', if not the actual wash? If so, then I'd tentatively suggest that any WiFi-enabled W/M will surely also have a delay start. That 'might' help to short-list?

Getferret

I have E7 and a delay feature on washing machine.  I never use the delay feature on the machine as I go to bed early and it’s still using electric while waiting to start the programme.  I use timers for the off peak hours only.

You can buy manual or digital timers cheap from the likes of Tool station, B&Q and Screwfix anywhere from £5 upto £15.  Just make sure the timer is capable of 3kw and any cables are not wound round as this can cause over heating and fires.

rach_k

I think they pretty much all come with a delay timer.  A quick look at the AO website suggests that they do - I just looked at the largest capacity washer dryers and picked the first of each brand that came up and the full spec for each one said they all had one.  

Personally, I've been happy with the two Hotpoints we've had.  Whatever brand you go for, I'd get the largest capacity machine you can afford as the drying capacity will always be smaller.  A 9 or 10kg machine for washing may have a 7kg drying capacity, which is fine - 7kg feels like a normal load - but if you start with a wash capacity of 7 or 8kg, you might only have a 5kg dry capacity, which feels quite small.

grumbler

Getferret said:

I have E7 and a delay feature on washing machine.  I never use the delay feature on the machine as I go to bed early and it’s still using electric while waiting to start the programme.  I use timers for the off peak hours only.

I don't understand this altogether. And  machines consume almost no power while waiting to start. The most power is needed for heating the water after the machine starts after the delay.

You can buy manual or digital timers cheap from the likes of Tool station, B&Q and Screwfix anywhere from £5 upto £15.  Just make sure the timer is capable of 3kw and any cables are not wound round as this can cause over heating and fires.

Most modern machines have a button to start the cycle, not a switch. For this simple reason external timers won't help.

Bendy_House

rach_k said:

I think they pretty much all come with a delay timer.  A quick look at the AO website suggests that they do - I just looked at the largest capacity washer dryers and picked the first of each brand that came up and the full spec for each one said they all had one.  

That makes sense.

The App won't allow a remote start, because the user cannot guarantee it's all still set up safely and properly in advance, and that no-one has interfered with it since.

Setting a delayed start on the machine itself implies that you have set it all up correctly, in person.

I s'pose.

Bendy_House

Getferret said:

I have E7 and a delay feature on washing machine.  I never use the delay feature on the machine as I go to bed early and it’s still using electric while waiting to start the programme.  I use timers for the off peak hours only.

You can buy manual or digital timers cheap from the likes of Tool station, B&Q and Screwfix anywhere from £5 upto £15.  Just make sure the timer is capable of 3kw and any cables are not wound round as this can cause over heating and fires.

As Grumb says, the 'delay' feature will be consuming next-to-zero power, like any other electronic device that's on on 'standby'.

Do you turn off at the mains your TV, laptop, radio, phone charger and everything else that has a 'standby' setting? Ie, anything that can be brought to life by pressing a remote-control button, or a squidgy 'on' button?

Your W/M won't/shouldn't be consuming any more on 'delay' than that.

Also, you'd need an old-fashioned W/M with a manual 'on' switch for it to work with a separate timer. And, frankly, I'd be more concerned about the load on the timer than anything else; it should handle it, but it's still a biggie.

Bendy_House

Damn! Missed a trick!

I should have replied to the OP's question with "Hello darling..."

Getferret

I have a Hoover machine which is WiFi enabled, no switches only buttons.  I set the timer to start/end for the off peak hours only.  Using the Hoover App I start a programme delaying the start while the timer is on.  In the morning the machine plug and timer is removed from the socket.  

I prefer not to pay for electric 24hours a day when the programme is only an hour, I mostly only do 3-5 loads a week.  It might be small but everything counts.

Getferret

Bendy_House said:

Getferret said:

I have E7 and a delay feature on washing machine.  I never use the delay feature on the machine as I go to bed early and it’s still using electric while waiting to start the programme.  I use timers for the off peak hours only.

You can buy manual or digital timers cheap from the likes of Tool station, B&Q and Screwfix anywhere from £5 upto £15.  Just make sure the timer is capable of 3kw and any cables are not wound round as this can cause over heating and fires.

As Grumb says, the 'delay' feature will be consuming next-to-zero power, like any other electronic device that's on on 'standby'.

Do you turn off at the mains your TV, laptop, radio, phone charger and everything else that has a 'standby' setting? Ie, anything that can be brought to life by pressing a remote-control button, or a squidgy 'on' button?

Your W/M won't/shouldn't be consuming any more on 'delay' than that.

Also, you'd need an old-fashioned W/M with a manual 'on' switch for it to work with a separate timer. And, frankly, I'd be more concerned about the load on the timer than anything else; it should handle it, but it's still a biggie.

Yes I turn everything off nothing is left on standby, I take plugs out of sockets when not in use, the only two items left on 24/7 is the automatic garage door and WiFi