Need Help/Advice On Integrated Washing Machine/Tumble Dryer!

bazzie

Hi All,

After decades, we are finally getting our Kitchen & Utility Room refurbished & to keep everything looking neat & clean wish to get Integrated Appliances.

We usually try to buy decent brands like Bosch, Miele etc though this time round Miele is definitely out of the question due to price.

We also need to watch the budget but with so many brands & being out of touch for so long, would like to ask for advice on recommendations for Integrated Washing Machines & Tumble Dryer please.

Is it worth saving a couple of hundred quid or so on cheaper brands of washing machine over say a Bosch or similar brand that seem to go for around £800? I am surprised that even brands like Samsung, LG, Haier etc are similarly priced to Bosch, Siemens etc.

Do Integrated Washing Machines perform just as good as Integrated Ones?

Just do not know what to look for in a machine these days - would welcome any recommendations!

I have also noticed that despite numerous brands, Integrated Tumble Dryers are very few & far between - just a handful that I can find & none from any of the well respected/established brands. Even then they are only offered in the "Heat Pump" variety which although great for energy savings, take an absolute age to dry clothes but more worryingly, they really do not seem to get great reviews.

Not sure what to do now - again, if anyone can recommend a decent, reliable Integrated Tumble Dryer it would be greatly appreciated!

What in general would most here advise for best appliance performance & reliability please?

Many Thanks!




 

grumbler

bazzie said:

Is it worth saving a couple of hundred quid or so on cheaper brands of washing machine over say a Bosch or similar brand that seem to go for around £800? I am surprised that even brands like Samsung, LG, Haier etc are similarly priced to Bosch, Siemens etc.


 

IMHO, Bosch went down the toilet and nowadays is no better than many other brands.

Do Integrated Washing Machines perform just as good as Integrated Ones?

I don't see any reasons for this.

DavidT67

We had difficulties with finding integrated washers and dryers to fit the worktop depth available, due to the rear clearances required for plumbing, drainage, so went with freestanding.  

We chose Bosch's quietest models, amazingly good compare to the twenty year old Zanussi ones they replaced.

We did go with integrated fridges and freezers from AEG as no issue with depths and clearances. 

Billxx

DavidT67 said:

We did go with integrated fridges and freezers from AEG as no issue with depths and clearances. 

We went with AEG for all our appliances in a new kitchen.  Fridge, Freezer, Washing Machine, Dishwasher, Oven, Hood.  That was three years ago and so far no problems.  Down to our own stupidity we broke a freezer cabinet hinge, so I can also add that getting parts for AEG appliances is very easy.

EssexExile

Don't get hung up on names - a machine may not be made by the company who's name appears on the front. That's especially true with built in appliances, the market isn't big enough for everyone to make their own so they buy them in and re-brand them.

jennifernil

bazzie said:

Hi All,

After decades, we are finally getting our Kitchen & Utility Room refurbished & to keep everything looking neat & clean wish to get Integrated Appliances.

We usually try to buy decent brands like Bosch, Miele etc though this time round Miele is definitely out of the question due to price.

We also need to watch the budget but with so many brands & being out of touch for so long, would like to ask for advice on recommendations for Integrated Washing Machines & Tumble Dryer please.

Is it worth saving a couple of hundred quid or so on cheaper brands of washing machine over say a Bosch or similar brand that seem to go for around £800? I am surprised that even brands like Samsung, LG, Haier etc are similarly priced to Bosch, Siemens etc.

Do Integrated Washing Machines perform just as good as Integrated Ones?

Just do not know what to look for in a machine these days - would welcome any recommendations!

I have also noticed that despite numerous brands, Integrated Tumble Dryers are very few & far between - just a handful that I can find & none from any of the well respected/established brands. Even then they are only offered in the "Heat Pump" variety which although great for energy savings, take an absolute age to dry clothes but more worryingly, they really do not seem to get great reviews.

Not sure what to do now - again, if anyone can recommend a decent, reliable Integrated Tumble Dryer it would be greatly appreciated!

What in general would most here advise for best appliance performance & reliability please?

Many Thanks!




 

Is this a separate utility room?

if so, I would not bother with integrated appliances.  Freestanding ones are a good bit less expensive, and you will have more choice.

We have a Bosch washing machine, now several years old, and a newer AEG vented dryer.  It dries much more quickly than a condenser  or a heat pump, and costs less, so offsets any saving in electricity.

Our son recently replaced their Bosch WM from 1998, a wedding present from us, and our daughter still has her Bosch WM bought in 2009, so Bosch was good.   No idea about these days.

SaverRate

Personally would recommend Bosch for Washing machine & tumble drier. We have AEG & Zanussi appliances too

Wouldn't recommend Hotpoint or Hoover/Candy appliances. Have had issues with those! 

bazzie

Hi All,

Thanks for all your replies so far! It is an Appliance minefield out there!

The Washer & Dryer will be going into the Utility Room so now considering freestanding units over Integrated after reading comments here - am I right in assuming that the Integrated ones are a smaller capacity to allow them to be integrated? The reason I originally thought about having them Integrated was that everything would be hidden & it look like all cabinets with that clean, uncluttered look but if Integrated are more hassle than they are worth then maybe it is not worth the bother?

Looks like Bosch & AEG are liked well here - my sister again will only want German so I will have to go with a German Brand - except Miele!

Which are better - Bosch, AEG, Siemens etc?

I am terribly confused by the Bosch Ranges - they do a Series 4 & 6 but each Series has so many models that is quite difficult for me to tell them apart & see how they differ & what advantages one has over another - maybe I am just thick! I need to get: Washing Machine, Dryer & Dishwasher & there must be around 6 models of each Appliance in each Series!

With regards to the Dryer - we are not heavy users - it will be mainly used in the colder seasons but if we assume twice a week with it not being used in Summer, I am undecided as to what type to get - Condenser or Heat Pump?

We cannot have a Vented one & I read that the Condenser & Heat Pump ones do not perform anywhere near as good but they consume the most energy. As we are not heavy/regular users, energy usage is secondary to drying ability as long as energy usage is reasonable.

How do Condenser & Heat Pump Dryers perform against each other in terms of drying times? Does the Condenser Type use noticeably more energy than the Heat Pump Types?

For example, if the Condenser Type takes say 30mins longer to fully dry a load but consumes double the energy than a Heat Pump one or vice versa then it will help me decide which type to go for.

I am trying to balance Drying performance/time against energy operating costs for our type of usage to try & determine which is the best type to get for the long term!

Many Thanks!

Ganga

My neighbour has a washer/drier and wishes she had bought separate appliances ,the programs on the washer/drier are terrible according to her.

EssexExile

bazzie said:

Hi All,

Thanks for all your replies so far! It is an Appliance minefield out there!

The Washer & Dryer will be going into the Utility Room so now considering freestanding units over Integrated after reading comments here - am I right in assuming that the Integrated ones are a smaller capacity to allow them to be integrated? The reason I originally thought about having them Integrated was that everything would be hidden & it look like all cabinets with that clean, uncluttered look but if Integrated are more hassle than they are worth then maybe it is not worth the bother?

Looks like Bosch & AEG are liked well here - my sister again will only want German so I will have to go with a German Brand - except Miele!

Which are better - Bosch, AEG, Siemens etc?

I am terribly confused by the Bosch Ranges - they do a Series 4 & 6 but each Series has so many models that is quite difficult for me to tell them apart & see how they differ & what advantages one has over another - maybe I am just thick! I need to get: Washing Machine, Dryer & Dishwasher & there must be around 6 models of each Appliance in each Series!

With regards to the Dryer - we are not heavy users - it will be mainly used in the colder seasons but if we assume twice a week with it not being used in Summer, I am undecided as to what type to get - Condenser or Heat Pump?

We cannot have a Vented one & I read that the Condenser & Heat Pump ones do not perform anywhere near as good but they consume the most energy. As we are not heavy/regular users, energy usage is secondary to drying ability as long as energy usage is reasonable.

How do Condenser & Heat Pump Dryers perform against each other in terms of drying times? Does the Condenser Type use noticeably more energy than the Heat Pump Types?

For example, if the Condenser Type takes say 30mins longer to fully dry a load but consumes double the energy than a Heat Pump one or vice versa then it will help me decide which type to go for.

I am trying to balance Drying performance/time against energy operating costs for our type of usage to try & determine which is the best type to get for the long term!

Many Thanks!

Bosch and Siemens are the same.

Yes, they aim to confuse! I don't know what their washing machines and dryers are like nowadays but going by my Bosch dishwasher, and my friend's almost identical Siemens one, I'd try to find out where each model is made. Our dishwashers were made in Spain and you can tell!

Mutton_Geoff

Whenever I build a kitchen, I use min 700 deep worktop along the side where the sink and any appliances are to go. This results in a nice gap at the back for pipes & connections.

If you are using standard pre formed worktop then you just buy the 900 wide "breakfast bar" size for that span and cut it down.

Much easier than trying to squeeze everything under 600 deep worktop.