Right, who has long Bosch cycles on their machine and are they worth it?

[CaptainWarbeck]

I've got a Bosch washing machine, all good, I like it, does what it says on the tin. But the wash cycles are SO LONG! I want to use as little water and energy as possible.

So would you -

a) utilise the shorter cycles on 'quick wash' in the thought that less time has to = less energy?

or

b) use the eco option (which can be up to 4 hours!) because: 'ECO', although how this can be I don't know.

I don't have a Bosch but if I'm doing a long cycle on my machine I set it on a delay timer overnight to finish when I get up. Would that be possible for you?

Does it have the mixed load cycle? That's about an hour, use it for everything

I have one, I never use the normal cycle always eco and do most stuff in the Mixed Colour load at 40 which takes 43 minutes with whites on an eco 60

No, longer cycles don't equal more energy. The drum isn't going round for most of the time.

IIUC, the longer cycles soak the laundry for longer, to get a decent wash for less drum movement.

If you do a shorter wash, the clothes spend less time soaking and the machine has to do more work to get them clean.

Sorry it's not Eco just checked it is the Speed Perfect I use which on a Mixed Loan takes 48 minutes. The Wool load takes just 40 and Delicate 38 but they don't spin as fast. I use mainly the Mixed Load with Speed Perfect. Eco appears to extend the wash time?

The big use of energy is heating the water. So the less water there is to heat, the less energy used.

But also, the less water, the longer the cycle will have to be to compensate. Still, most of the time the drum won't be going round.

Actually this is reminding me that I phoned the Bosch helpline ages ago and, IIRC, they said pressing "Eco" means the machine washes 10 degrees cooler than its telling you.

Which made me .

I get that the lower temp saves energy, but why then show a false temperature? Are we poor pathetic users too dim to be trusted with our own washing machines?

I use the mixed load too cycle too. It has a lower capacity (in terms of weight of laundry) than the cottons cycle though. In the instruction book it tells you the energy and water consumption for each cycle.

I never do the long wash on mine! I have a large family and would never get through the washing!
I use 40 degree mixed load and normally speed perfect it which cuts it down to 50 mins or so and i have never had a problem .

b.

I have a miele and the long cycles take a while (3 hours) but uses much less water and electricity and clothes come out clean.
large drum so we don't have to wash more often.
the quick cycles are for stuff that's needed quickly.

check the manual about water/electricity usage.

I have never used the regular 2 hour wash. Always the speed perfect one. Mostly the cotton one which I heat to 40% or same one at 60%.
Takes an hour.

I nearly always press the speed perfect button reducing the time. I also use the 15min wash one a lot , it's so quick it must use less electric and water. I have found the eco wash doesn't last for the length of time it says.

I found the the quick 30 is ok.

Intensive 60 is probably the best happy medium. I just change the temp down to 40.

I don't get the eco washes that take hours and hours.
I use to use a twin tub (I really am not that old) each program was 10mins long, clothes were never cleaner then when we had it.

it's so quick it must use less electric and water

no, it uses shitloads of water & elec because it's so fast.

another thing to consider, esp if you have sensitive skin, is that the 'short' button often cuts out a rinse cycle.

have a look at the manual

I mainly use the cottons at 40, which takes about an hour, just use the longer 90 cottons for bedding and towels, which I usually put on a timer so that they're done as I wake up.

In the instruction book it tells you the energy and water consumption for each cycle.

Okay, so when I've been using 'speed perfect' to save time and energy, actually the machine is working overtime to get the clothes clean in a short time. Is that right?

I don't mind using the long cycles, in fact I quite like the sound of the machine going, I just couldn't quite believe it was the cheaper/water saving option.

I use the long cycles, and use the timer thing so it's ready for morning. Works perfectly for us.

Second what the poster above said about the shorter cycles not rinsing as effectively. My DS has slightly sensitive skin and his eczema will flair if detergent isn't rinsed effectively- hence using the longer cycle. Xx

I use the eco cycle as others have said if you look at the manual it uses a lot less electricity than the normal cycle. The speed cycle uses far more.

This has been really interesting, thank you.

Still boggling at the fact that a 4 hour cycle uses the least water and energy but I'm glad to have been corrected!

Long cycles from now on then. Hopefully my energy bill will be a bit lighter too

I heavily use the speed perfect button!

Quick wash uses more energy than the long cycles. It uses more water to compensate for the shorter wash time and has less time to heat it up. The motor, which makes the drum turn, uses barely any electricity. The heat element is the power guzzler.

If you want to use speed perfect, it should still wash ok but will use more energy. If you do, make sure you use extra rinse too as speed perfect skips a rinse

So Choice says washing in cold water saves energy, which makes sense like rabbit says because you're not using the guzzling heating element.

But then it also says

^If your machine has energy-saving features, use them
These can include a 'fast wash' program for lightly soiled clothes or water-saving programs.^

So I'm all confused on the speed perfect bit again.

another point to consider is that if you check the manual, quick washes only hold half or less capacity, whereas the longer cycles will wash a full load.

I've never and will never wash in cold water. Everything goes on 40, 60 or 95 cycles in our house

CaptainWarbeck, does your washer have a delay start function? You could set the washer to come on over night or during the day when you're out. That way, you can make the most of the long wash cycles.

Also, bear in mind that your Bosch will reduce then wash times if the washer isn't full - it has a sensor built into it