Can somebody tell me about washer/driers please?

[scrimper]

I have always had a separate washing machine and tumble dryer. and next year, for the first time in my life I will be having a utility room, with brand new appliances.

my friend was telling me this morning that it's so much easier with a washer/dryer that just does it all. put it in dirty, comes out clean and dry. I like the idea of being able to put it on before I go to bed or go out and not have to return to it to put it in the dryer.

but I have a large family and currently do 2 large loads per day. so its important to me that I have something good and efficient.

does anybody know the pros and cons? obviously it also frees up some space for storage etc.

I find it can take hours just to dry a half load. I've never had separates before (current washer - dryer was included with the kitchen) but I think they're less economical. It can take upto 6 hrs to wash and dry one load. No good with small dirty children.

Agree with pp it takes a lot longer to dry than a regular tumble dryer, plus as it is doing twice the work it will need replacing sooner than separates would

Our old one had a washing capacity of 5kg and a drying capacity of 2kg for cottons.

Useful

I have a washer dryer and it's wonderful, but if I had the space for separates, I'd have them. You can't wash and dry a big 7kg load in one go, only a 4kg one, and it'd take half the day, as the dryers are slow.

My advice would be to stick with separates, since you have room for them.

And you'll pretty soon have someone coming along to remind you that you shouldn't run them overnight, as they're too much of a fire risk.

thank you! I think you have confirmed what I previously thought a about them, but that my friend made me doubt this morning when she said they were brilliant. I will stick to separate ones!

They are rubbish
We had one in our apartment. If you live alone they are ok but as soon as you clock up any amount of washing they are both expensive to run and inefficient. The dryers get very hot too and items will come out dry but with creases from hell in them. Exh has destroyed a school skirt which is non iron in his already. Sheets were a nightmare and creased to buggery.
When we moved and got separates I really noticed how much better a big standard tumbler is at not creasing all your stuff. I haven't ironed since I've been here - 13 months
I would say they are sort of good if you don't have any room or can't put a tumbler pipe out anywhere but if you have a utility room I doubt that's an issue

DS2 had one and that lasted just shy of 18 months before the motor went open circuit, me and him were chatting and it was on, all of a sudden there was this horrific smell of burning, the motor had gone dodgy.
It wasn't too bad at drying but things would be creased and it was hopeless with towels, overall it wasn't bad but not a patch on separates

They are notoriously unreliable. If you have room for both get a separate washing machine and tumble dryer.

Your friend needs her bumps felt!!

Glad you have seen sense

Just moved house and gone from a washer/dryer to separates and would never entertain a washer dryer again especially if you have children.

The last washer dryer I had only lasted 18 months and started to give off a burning smell similar to that mentioned in one of the earlier posts. That said the first washer dryer I had lasted 6 years and when it was just me and DH it was fine.