Exchanging washing machine for washer/dryer

[balloonsong]

Should I do it? We have a tiny flat with limited space for drying clothes, a small child who comes with lots of laundry (and drying) and no space for a dryer on top of a washing machine.

The other thing is, our Bosch washing machine is 7yo and in very good condition (has never broken down or anything) - are there any shops that would buy it off us if we bought a w/d from them?

Most boring post ever. Sorry. Any help greatly appreciated!

[BananaPie]

It's AEG Electrolux. It was fairly pricey, but came second after the ridiculously expensive Miele one on the which best buys at the time.

[balloonsong]

BananaPie, which washer/dryer have you got please?

[Hazchem]

Get a dehumidifier instead!
after a wash you cna run just spin cycle to get extra moisture out if you need things done fast then put clothes horse near the dehumdifier and it will be dry over night. I'd also get a square rack like this one that way you cna not fill the lowest rack and stick the dehumidifier under the clothes.
This is what I used in a flat with a baby in cloth nappies over winter with no outside drying space at all.

[EarSlaps]

Washer dryers are pretty rubbish IMO. Everything I've dried in them comes out damp and really creased.

Could you find space in a cupboard for a good old fashioned spin dryer? That could squeeze loads of water out so stuff dries in a lot less time.

I have a tumble dryer and a dehumidifier and I still dream of getting a spin dryer .

[BananaPie]

As a lone voice, I've been pretty chuffed with my washer dryer. Had it 4 years now, and it does the job! Definitely better than no dryer / separates in a small space.

[MinimalistMommi]

Yes, White Knight, they're fab but they need to be vented.

[juliascurr]

ditto - mine was crap and broke
look on www.which.co.uk/home-and-garden/laundry-and-cleaning/reviews/washer-dryers/

[balloonsong]

Thank you all for the useful information, much appreciated!

Anyone know if there are any reliable compact tumble driers in the market?

[AnnieLobeseder]

(though on reflection, the tiny table-top appliances may have been dishwashers rather than tumble driers )

[AnnieLobeseder]

We keep our condenser drier in our bedroom cupboard. Have you thought about unusual places to put one?

I've also seem threads on here where people rave about their tiny table-top driers (I forget which brands etc), or who use a heated drying rack.

But I have never heard anyone have a good word to say about washer/driers.

[Madamecastafiore]

No. I would never get a washer dryer again. Rubbed hands with glee when it blew up (long story DHs fault).

What abut getting me of those heated airer things?

[MinimalistMommi]

We have same problem, no space for tumble dryer. I give all my washed clothes an extra spin and then dry outside on airer. Bring airer in overnight and its dry by morning. When it's been raining all week, washed clothes get piled into huge Ikea bag and taken down to laundrette. Three loads will dry in 20 mins (yes, seriously) in a large industrial dryer. It costs £2 for twenty mins. It works for us. It's easier in summer, everything just gets line dried.

[ouryve]

Had washer dryers for 11 years, now and the only time stuff hasn't fully dried is when they're knackered. With the AEGs it was always the condensers clogging - but the condensers are buried on the newr models, which meant that replacing them caused even more problems with leaks etc. When Our Siemens stopped working, it was because of a faulty bearing in a fan, which had stopped it from getting up to temperature. It's been fine since it's had the new fan.

And yes, you have to divide your laundry load to dry it, but you get used to doing that and everything comes out with very few creases in a smaller drying load, anyhow, so it saves time and energy, at another point.

If I had space for a separate dryer, I'd have one, in a flash. I don't though and it doesn't matter how fast your spin your laundry, it's still wet and my little 2 up 2 down can't accommodate wet laundry hanging around. Yes, I can dry jumpers, bras and delicates on an airer in my room with the help of a dehumidifier, but any more than that and we have damp problems (and nowhere to put it, during the day. Slow tumble drying is a small price to pay for the problems it avoids.

[Minisoksmakehardwork]

Not worth it imo. We had a washer drier already fitted when we bought our house. It was replaced twice and then the dryer part packed in. It wouldn't dry as big a load as we could put in to wash, so we'd either end up washing less so it would dry straight from washing, or wash a full load and split it for drying.

Best think we did was get a separate tumble drier as could then wash and dry at the same time, and also dry a decent sized load in good time.

When washing machine finally packed up we went for one with a really good spin on it. Now washing isn't half the chore it was.

[Pantygirdl]

No don't do it! I've just gotten rid of one any my fix it guy says they're really unreliable. Nothing used to dry fully, not worth it. If you have a washing machine that's working keep ahold of it!

[firesidechat]

Oh - and definitely get an extended warranty. One of the few electrical items they're essential for!

Totally agree with this. I got one for ours and I never usually opt for extended warranties, but boy did we need it.

[firesidechat]

I've had a washer and a separate drier, a washer drier and now a washer and a heated airer. I hated the washer drier because it took forever to dry and everything came out looking crumpled. It also broke down constantly and only stopped breaking down when I stopped user the drier part.

I'm quite happy with drying clothes on my heated airer. It's cheap to run and works well.

[Missingsleepandthecat]

DS2 had a washer dryer, it was OK at drying, left things very crumpled and hopless at drying things like towels

[ouryve]

Oh - and definitely get an extended warranty. One of the few electrical items they're essential for!

[ouryve]

I don't think you'd get much for the washer, even if you sold it.

Stick with the same brand family, though - Bosch or Siemens. We have a Siemens and it's much better than the AEGs we've had in the past. Yes they're slow, but they're better than a house/flat full of wet clothes and mould.

[mouselittle]

I had a washer dryer and would never have another. took ages to 'dry' the clothes and they were never fully dry so still had to air them. Ended up being better off getting a machine with a higher rpm spin and drying the clothes on an airer.
to be fair I did have mine over 10 years ago so they may have improved since then.