AIBU?
To ask you what you think about washer/dryers?
pippa999 · 26/10/2018 20:13
I have a decent washing machine, (had it 3-4 years,) and although our washing has dried beautifully all over the summer, I don't want another winter of towels and jeans and jumpers and thick t-shirts hanging round the house (trying to dry!)
Causing the windows to steam up, blocking the heat (when it's cold) with the radiators covered in clothes, having to put the heating on to dry the washing, (when it's wet outside but still warm..) Both situations waste gas!
DH suggested a washer/dryer, but I have heard some negative things about them. Varying from taking waaaaay too long to dry the stuff, to not being able to do another load over the 2-3 hours that the machine is drying, to causing messy creased clothes, to causing high running costs.
There are 2 adults in our home (the kids have left home,) and I do maybe 6 or 7 medium sized loads a week.
Does anyone have any opinions and views about washer/dryers please? And if they are a good idea?
I mean like can you wash a load, and then pull it out and hang it outside if the sun comes out, or does it always go through the full wash and dry cycle?
I just wondered, if they're so amazing, why doesn't every single home have one? Why have a washing machine (to wash!) and a tumble dryer to dry? Why not just have the one?
Also, my (current) washing machine is great, and I'm a bit loathe to get rid of it for something less adequate. So wondered whether to keep it and just get a tumble dryer?
Thanks for reading. Hope someone can advise.
Sashkin · 26/10/2018 21:20
If you are going to get one, get one with as big a capacity as you can manage. Because the amount that they can dry is about 1/4 of what they can wash.
But yes a separate tumble dryer is SO much better. The clothes don’t come out creased up and full of static. You don’t need fabric softener. It’s a complete revelation.
When I had a combined washer-dryer I used to use it for things that didn’t get creased, like towels and underwear, and air-dry everything else. So it did reduce the amount of wet clothes hanging about. But the difference with a separate tumbler is like night and day.
Thesnobbymiddleclassone · 26/10/2018 21:22
BlueJava · 26/10/2018 21:28
Our washer/drier was really good (we moved and since we got more space we got separate washer/drier). With ours you could just wash then either take out to dry, or continue with the drying cycle. The only downside is if you have a ton of stuff to wash and dry you can't wash the next load whilst you are still drying the previous load (obviously). I don't think it took longer to dry than our curent drier to be honest. They are certainly worth it - if you can do really a load each day then it's easier to get through everything. By the way stuff is only wrinkled if you dry it far too much - I take it out when still slightly damp and fold/hang immediately.
pippa999 · 26/10/2018 21:45
Again, thanks so much for all your responses.
I am leaning towards not getting one at the moment. Especially as I have heard even before I posted here, (from some people, online and irl) that they aren't great. The odd person has said theirs is great, but for every one who swears by theirs, another 5 or 6 will say 'don't do it, don't get one.' Depends on which one I guess, and how much you spend.
Ontheboardwalk · 26/10/2018 22:02
I’ve thought about them in the past as well however like you pippa if they are that great why hasnt everyone got one?
I’d love to claim the dryer space back in my kitchen but it can get a full load dry in an hour. I couldn’t have it taking hours to dry towels. The cost of electricity would put me off
pippa999 · 26/10/2018 22:26
Exactly @ontheboardwalk surely if they were that great, every home would have one.
I think the amount of time it takes to do a wash (and dry it all) puts me off. And then there's the smell people talk about, the clothes coming out creased, and a potential 4-5 hours of the humming and whirring and noise.
Each load I do takes 35 minutes (I do a longer, very hot boil wash once a fortnight to kill any germs (when I do the whites,) but the rest of the time I do short eco-washes...
So I think I would struggle with washes that take 5 hours. Even if it did dry the stuff as well, especially as some people have said it doesn't even dry it that well, and comes out crumpled.
As I said, I do have room for a tumble dryer in the garage, so I think I'll get one of them. Especially after some 85% or so of responses on here advising me against a washer/dryer...
Thanks again everyone. 
WillChellam · 26/10/2018 23:04
Main issue is that you cant wash the next load whilst the first is drying like you can in separates, plus, they take an age to dry compared to a separate machine.
DOI do about 5 loads of washing per day, need to replace the machines approximately every 18 months, couldnt live without a vented dryer (less efficient than a condensor / heat-pump, but much, much faster and cheaper to buy)
catinboots9 · 26/10/2018 23:08
Sorry apologising for the brevity of my last post. I've had three in various rental properties (albeit the last one a decade ago) - but always found that the wash was fine but the drying was super slow. Basically just spinning the washing for hours on end, heating it up and producing steam. Ok for underwear, tights and kids tops. Crap for jeans, towels etc
Celebelly · 26/10/2018 23:28
My stuff just never came out really dry. It came out kind of clammy and I had to hang it up anyway. And oh lord the creasing.
Now we've moved we have a separate tumble dryer (ours is also in garage) and everything comes out bone dry and ready to be put straight away. And it doesn't crease!
I'm about to try to sell the house with the washer dryer though so I'll be listing it as a selling point 
5foot5 · 26/10/2018 23:28
Get a proper tumble dryer instead.
Until about 3 years ago I didn't have any sort of dryer and like you, in the colder months, washing was draped over a clothes horse in the kitchen. Anyway when we got a new kitchen I decided no more, we will have a washer dryer.
Well it was a CRAP dryer. The washer part was fine but the dryer took ages and kept breaking down. We had repair man out several times and he admitted that washer dryers are very unreliable.
In the end we got a tumble dryer which we keep in the garage. It is great, I wish I had one years ago. Very good and surprisingly fast,
RedBlu · 26/10/2018 23:45
We have a washer dryer, when it was just me and DP it was "ok", took a long time to dry clothes and more often than not, things were still damp after hours.
When DD came along, it became clear the washer dryer wasn't up to the job, so we purchased a separate dryer. We only use our washer dryer as a washing machine now.
The separate dryer is much much better. Far quicker, clothes are actually dry and seem softer!
When the washer dryer goes, it will be replaced with just a washing machine.
Sashkin · 27/10/2018 04:15
Don’t get me wrong, a washer-dryer is better than nothing. But separates are sooo much better.
I used to read American websites going on about tumble drying everything and think they were insane. But on that one specific point, they are right (they are still wrong about toploader washing machines).
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