To give up on a washer dryer?

[MotherOfBeagles]

So first is an apology, i'm posting for traffic out of desperation!

Our crappy zanussi washer dryer has finally given up the ghost leaving us in the lurch. I'm now frantically trying to find a replacement and my dh is freaking out at the cost of a halfway decent washer dryer. So now i am wondering if we should just give up on the dryer and just get a decent washing machine!?

We have a tiny new build house with absolutely no room for two seperate units so needs to be either all in or just a washing machine. We also have two beagles which add greatly to our washload and are currently expecting our first child. We do have outdoor space to dry and a pretty decent airer (not heated but willing to look at these if theyre any good) but dh is worried about heating costs spiralling if we dont have a dryer.

Can anyone offer any help or advice? Do you have a fantabulous washer dryer you can recommend or am i crazy for thinking about giving up on a dryer with our first kid on the way?

[fanfrickintastic]

We have a hotpoint aquarius washer dryer. I think washer dryers are crap, but this one is ok, I guess. Like you, we don't have room for separate machines and were expecting our first child when we bought it. It dries ok if the load is small.

[DameDiazepamTheDramaQueen]

I have had a Meile washer drier and got it replaced within a few months as it was astoundingly shite! I've only used them since in holiday cottages and I'm reminded how bad they are as you can only dry half the wash load.

I'm all for tumble dryers but seeing as this isn't an option- I wouldn't bother,although we had one in a bedroom with a cover over it when not in use when we lived on a flat.

[PersianCatLady]

Generally washer dryers are not very good at drying.

Could you get a washing machine and one of these small White Knight tumble dryers??

www.very.co.uk/white-knight-c37aw-3kg-load-compact-vented-dryer-white/1268348249.prd?sku=sku14398682&gclid=Cj0KEQjw9r7JBRCj37PlltTskaMBEiQAKTzTfM-hWj_QuaPxezdYZ8yGdojgS_979Pmmrb5kM-5VmKEaApG_8P8HAQ

[PersianCatLady]

as you can only dry half the wash load
Also if you have a lot of washing to do, you can't put in another load of washing while the first load gets dried.

[LegoCaltrops]

We managed for 5 years without a dryer after DD was born, but my mum used to help with the laundry in winter... and we have a heated airer & 2 unheated ones. (!) Plus a south facing yard with a line. I won't lie, it's a pain & difficult in winter. We don't increase our heating to get things dry though. Just make sure you keep a window open a tiny crack to let the damp out. I've literally just bought a washer-dryer (worried now that it will be rubbish, not even used it yet!)

[MotherOfBeagles]

Thanks all, nice to know I'm not mad for giving up a dryer!

Unfortunately there just isn't space for any unit that cant be folded away like an airer. We have a box kitchen, a tiny open plan living area and two bedrooms (ours and future nursery) so we just have no room. Think im just going to have to bite the bullet and give up on a dryer!

[MadisonAvenue]

I was in the habit of always having a washer dryer, always hoping that a new one would be an improvement on the last one. That was three washer dryers over 25 years. I've now given up on them since the last one went pop last Summer and I replaced it with a washing machine. I didn't miss it at all over the Winter.

[NotEvenListening]

We have a washer dryer and it's pretty rubbish tbh but the damp caused by condensation from drying on the radiators was causing too many problems. Do you have an outhouse you could put a dryer in?

[NotEvenListening]

lego my number 1 tip would be to run an extra spin before attempting to dry the clothes. Cuts drying time by quite a bit

[howabout]

I replaced my 7 year old washer / dryer with a Smeg one with 1400 spin. My new model is so good at spinning I never use the dryer option. I live in a flat with DH and 3 DC and no outside drying space. No change to use of the heating, although there are people at home all day which may make a difference

[x2boys]

i have had a washer dryer never again they were ok for washing but shit at drying ,i have a garden and a washing line and dry as much as i can on the line ,have also aquired a new beagle puppy shes very cute [sorry to derail]

[TheTurnOfTheScrew]

I don't think not having a drier is a massive problem TBH.
we're in a house with no room for a drier, 2 adults, 2 mucky DC, and manage fine.

I line-dry for 8 months of the year. If we didn't have a shady, north-facing garden, or lived elsewhere than England's rainiest city then we'd probably be able to line-dry all year round. In the depths of winter the clothes dry ok on a maiden parked next to a radiator, window open, door closed, so the water vapour escapes without condensation. I don't think out heating bill is any bigger than the next person's.

You do become slightly obsessive about the weather though. If I had a drier I'd probably just stick a load on each morning, but currently I don't bother if it's wet, but make sure I do two or more loads on a dry day.

[Etymology23]

Could you put a dryer in a shed? That's what I've done where I've no space for one inside!

[user1471545174]

I had two that went pop and I now accept this is not a combination that can ever work for long.

[littlemissangrypants]

We had to replace our last washer dryer as it was a nightmare. Now got this one www.johnlewis.com/john-lewis-jlwd1613-washer-dryer-9kg-wash-6kg-dry-load-a-energy-rating-1600rpm-spin-white/p2331775

It had great reviews and 6 months in it is coping with 6 loads a week. It is huge, quiet and is great at washing and drying. I found the trick is to give it an extra spin every wash and that seems to help with the drying. Not cheap but it does do a wash and dry small load on 30 minutes which is great for those last minute things teenagers must have at last minute.

[DeliciouslyHella]

We only have a washing machine. We had a washer drier in our rented flat and it was useless, so when we bought our own place we swore to just get a washing machine and cope. We have a washing line, two airers and a JML dri buddy. The dri buddy is really useful in the winter and can be dismantled and stored away quickly.

[AnnieAnoniMouse]

They are all notoriously useless. I've tried a few in holiday houses but I'd never buy one. A friend who works in the industry said the only one worth buying is the Siemens one. Though, littlemiss sounds impressed with hers.

I don't have a drier, I don't like them.

[Kpo58]

Surely the heating bills will be larger for the first couple of years due to having a new baby? The heating is duel purpose, it will keep the baby warm and dry your clothes overnight.

[MotherOfBeagles]

Thanks everyone, i think we've accepted might be worth investing in an ok priced washing machine for now with a good warranty and dealing without a dryer. Too bad living in Lancashire means more rainy days than not but I'm sure will find a way to cope...

After all... having a baby cant bring that much more washing!

[TemporalUser5k]

I made a massive fuss about washer dryers before I moved into a house with one but it's actually been quite good! It's a Candy one, a replacement for the original smeg appliance which previous owners informed us was rubbish.

[NotTodayBillyRay]

I have had my hotpoint washer dryer for 7 years now and I love it.
It has a 5kg wash and dry or 7kg just wash. If the weathers good I don't put the dryer on and get through a lot of washing.

It also has an hour wash and dry function which has been a godsend somedays!!

There's 6 of us in this house, plus a dog and two cats and we so 4/5 washes a day, more when there's good weather.

[raspberryrippleicecream]

You could always get a dehumidifier.
I love ours. Gets washing dry and gives out some heat.

(Three DC, no dryer and also rainy north).

[dontcallmelen]

Hi Op I had a neff washer/dryer which was shite, I'm the same not enough space, bought a John Lewis own brand washer/dryer & it's really very good, washing machine takes a large load & quite a few useful programmes & dryer has 6kg capacity, drys much faster than previous machine, has a five year guarantee was about £530.
It's very quiet too, it doesn't annoy me & have to admit pretty impressed with it.

[shazkiwi]

Our washer dryer was useless, so when the time came we just got a washer with a really high (1600) spin speed which has cut down on the time things take to line dry. November - Feb I also use an electric airer which I got at Lakeland & sometimes use a (non electric) airer as well. We're a family of 4 & easily cope this way. When my youngest DD was born we didn't have the option to line dry so we just made do with an airer beside a radiator. You just have to keep on top of it & never let a day go by without washing because it builds up really quickly. Things would dry faster in the winter when the rads were on.

[Kokusai]

Are you in a house? Cant you just put a TD on the patio?