To ask for your experiences with Washer / Dryer combos

[Tweedypie]

Apologies, I'm blatantly posting for traffic.
My washing machine has died this afternoon and my tumble dryer went a fortnight ago.
I really only use the tumble dryer for bed linen, pjs, socks etc.....
Could you please give me your pro's and cons of having a washing / dryer combo versus separate machines?
I like the idea of saving the space for perhaps an under counter freezer .....
Or would I be frustrated and annoyed with one and wish I had bought separate machines again.
I need to get ordering quickly hence my AIBU topic post for traffic.
Thanks so much

Also have the Bosch Which? best buy one. It was expensive but I tell my DP often that it was the best £850 I ever spent. It's great being able to chuck a load in the machine in the morning and by the time I'm home it's clean and dry. Our kitchen has been reclaimed from having airers stuck up all over the place in winter too.

I had a Whirlpool washer dryer in my last house. Thanks to our British Gas repair contract it was still going after 8 years (had a new programmer just before we moved). However it took ages to wash and dry, and could only dry half a load.
I now have a separate washing machine and dryer. So much better. I wash a load, put it in the dryer, then put the next load in to wash. I would never have a washer dryer again.

Utter shit. Don't do it.

I hate mine. It takes several hours to do one small load.

I never use the dryer because it is crap. All th clothes get monumentally creased

Have an LG one. It’s fine. Big drum
So can get lots of clothes in. Had it for 5 years, and it has recently had an issue with fluff inside which needed repairing, but has been fine until now. We have 3 children, so lots of washing. If I had space I would have separated just so you can dry and wash at the same time, but we don’t, and it works well for us.

Had one years ago that was awful , just didn't dry anything
Recently had a beko , brilliant washing machine but the drier was hopeless and didn't dry anything well , took hours so didn't bother using it

A good friend used to work on the helpdesk for a company that repairs washers, dryers and washer dryers. She reckoned she would never buy a washer dryer as all the engineers used to say how unreliable they are...

The washer dryers I had didn't last long. Had to remove half the load of washing to dry it, and went wrong so often I got to know the repair man really well.

I also like to be able to dry and wash at the same time in order to get it all out of the way. However I only use the dryer for towels, bath robes and (sometimes) fleece throws, everything else dries on the rads or the airer/outdoors.

I wouldn't ever get another combo.

Absolute crap. We’ve got a zanussi one, somehow dark trousers and jeans come out with greyish white marks on them, and the drying timer doesn’t work and counts down a minute after about 20 seconds. I’ve just turned it on to dry for 2 hours and 13 minutes (the longest it will allow) but it will stop in about half an hour. Bloody annoying. Especially in a shitty new build open plan flat.

I inherited a built-in one when I bought my flat. Replaced with similar when it died but in about 2 yrs have used the dryer a handful of times. The creasing is awful, it takes hours and it's expensive. But I wanted to have the option. I generally dry on a Lakeland airer or on my balcony.

A good friend used to work on the helpdesk for a company that repairs washers, dryers and washer dryers. She reckoned she would never buy a washer dryer as all the engineers used to say how unreliable they are...
This sounds familiar.
Until three years ago we never had any sort if dryer and then we got a washer dryer. The washer bit was fine but in the space of 18 months we had repair people out several times to the dryer. The repair men were generally dismissive of washer / dryers and said they are usually rubbish,
Eventually we gave up and bought a tumble dryer, realising we had room in the garage. God it is SO much better. Even when the washer/dryer was apparently working it took forever and got nowhere near as good results. I would never advise getting combined ones.

I had an amazing Bosch one lasted 15 years but cost about a grand. Tried replacing it with a cheaper hit point when it finally died which was utterly useless and so did a bit more research and basically realised there is a threshold of around 700 quid and anything cheaper is pants, smells, takes ages and doesn’t dry properly. I paid a bit more and swapped the hotpoint for a Siemens on sale from John Lewis again about 900 quid but amazing. It has a quick 1 hour wash and dry function and it dries stuff properly and doesn’t smell.

Thanks so so much to all of you for your replies, it's really helped me.
I've decided not to do the washer dryer combi and going to replace my washing machine with an ecobubble and get a separate dryer that's mid Priceline.
Looking on AO and John Lewis to see who can deliver quickest .
Thanks again I love the combined knowledge Mumsnetters provide so quickly and also so much better detailed than online reviews.
Cheers!!!!!

Dont buy an AEG,,they are not Advanced German enigneering and AEG no longer exist. They are made by whirlpool and sold at premium prices. I bought one,it lasted just over a year and AEG/whirlpool washed their hands of it,,i forced a repair via the supplier using the SOG,it ran for another year then died again...i then had the PCB repaired by an electronics expert and it has run ok since. sorry, it was a condenser drier,not a WD.. If you are looking or advice re what to buy,go check out the apty named uk whitegoods forum where the white goods gurus hang out.

I used to have combined washer/drier to save on space but have gone back to separate.

With the combined one I could only dry half a washload at a time so had to remove half of the wet washing to dry as two loads. It took ages to dry and was inconvenient.

I now have a separate condenser drier which I love.

I also agree with checking the Which? report for 'Best Buys' and 'Don't Buys'. Price isn't the best indicator either, hence the suggestion to check which? which is based on their physical tests.

Definitely don't buy any makes connected with fires over the last few years either.

Also in my view,if buying white goods and electricals, its john lewis all the way for great prices, service and extra no quibble warranties.

If you are a household of 1 or 2 Id say go for a W/D.

Mine served me well. Dryer function lasted 11 years washing function is still going strong- now have a separate dryer. Advisable to do regular service washes to clean out the lint.

Also drying should be about half a washing load or a little less that way clothes are less likely to crease.

If you have a family forget it and buy separates.

You mentioned lack of space- would you be able to stack a dryer above your washer?

What bianca said
They have two jobs and do neither well.

The dryer was terrible and because the drum was so small would dry the washing into a knot of clothes/sheets which then had to be ironed.

I air dry in the summer and now have a BEKO dryer and Siemens washer stacked in a cupboard.

I have this Indesit one. I’m really pleased with it.

www.johnlewis.com/indesit-iwdd7123-washer-dryer-7kg-wash-5kg-dry-load-b-energy-rating-1200rpm-spin-white/p230926765

I wouldn't recommend the Ecobubble. It creases everything.

There is a button called "easy-iron" which simply reduces the spin speed so it come out creased AND wet.

I wouldn't. My dp used to have one and it was crap, took forever to dry.

Plus your stuck if you want to tumble dry one load and hang another...

Ok I'm researching again if Ecobubble not great re creases, I do hate to
Iron.
I've got the room for side by side and could also consider stacking....will check into that.
I've had a Siemens IQ which was great but thought maybe go for a change and also as the tumble dryer has gone too I don't fancy paying out a huge amount. Maybe I shall get a high end washing machine and put the dryer off for a couple of months.

I've had combined last 2 places I've rented. Major con not being able to open the door during the dry cycle.
Also forgetting to switch the dry cycle off (current machine is cheap crap). Drying takes ages longer than in a normal drier. Also not having a traditional fluff tray to empty is frustrating.
If you don't have to get a combo don't.