Washer dryer. Any which aren’t a total waste of money?

[KTD27]

So we moved into our house last year and the candy washing machine we inherited is very much on its last legs (and stinks! Eugh) With a toddler and one on the way I am desperate for a dryer but can’t get a separate as no room and plumbing. So a washer dryer it is.
I know they’re pretty rubbish unless you spend ££££ and buy a Miele one which we can’t afford. It will likely be a two year purchase as chances are we will move anyway and leave whatever we buy with the house.
So. What is there out there which is an A rating and relatively quiet (if that’s possible) dries clothes as well as can be expected and ideally lets you open the door halfway through a drying cycle as I keep seeing ones which don’t.
Anyone got any good recommendations?

Could you make room for a condenser dryer? No plumbing needed, I have tucked mine in a built in cupboard. The only bugbear is emptying the water tank but it is such a good dryer that I don't mind.

I have used washer dryers before but it just takes so long if you have lots of washing to do, which I why I suggested the condenser dryer.

I have this one , which was second on Which's best buy reviews after Miele, and am pretty impressed so far this winter. It has a large drum so I can do a big wash, then I take some out before tumbling all the baby clothes and underwear. It's pretty quiet too. Downsides are that it doesn't have a separate spin option (I used to spin clothes twice when I was relying on my heated airer) and you have to wipe the seal out after tumbling as all the lint collects there which would mess up the next wash. Apart from that I love it - it has given me so many hours of pegging stuff out on the line or hanging it all over the house on bad weather days!

Personally I wouldn’t buy one, as I’ve never used one that wasn’t a complete dog. However, I was with a friend who was looking at them one day & the sales guy said the only two he’d consider would be the Miele & the Siemens. He said the others just weren’t up to it. He had nothing to gain as he knew my friend wasn’t buying one until she moved several hundred miles away.

They’re not that big & most can be turned upside down & wall mounted as they’re not very heavy. At home we had one like that and it still seems odd to me to see them on the floor & not the wall.

We can’t fit a condenser in a cupboard unfortunately. Little kitchen and we have zero space. That would be the preferred option but it’s just not possible.
Will look at the ones mentioned - thank you

What about other rooms though? Bathroom, hallway, garage, bedroom at a push?

I’m trying to work out if there’s a way to have one in the bathroom. No garage and not the hall. It’s a really awkward shaped house now I look at it!

We have one space but it’s only 57cm wide. I don’t think you can get them that small. Bugger. Right need some creative thinking about our free space...

I saw a very small hotpoint dryer the other day (I was looking at freezers and 1 caught my eye), I'm not sure if it was a condenser though.

They’re not that big & most can be turned upside down & wall mounted as they’re not very heavy. At home we had one like that and it still seems odd to me to see them on the floor & not the wall. is this really a thing?!

We have an AEG washer dryer that was a Which Best Buy some years ago. Things keep going wrong with it. The engineer who came to fix it when it last broke (a few weeks ago), advised against getting another washer dryer. He was suggesting we find somewhere to put a condenser dryer instead, but we are also v tight for space. I’m considering heated airer plus dehumidifier as an alternative.

Ok. A condenser it is. I knew that to be the right choice I just figured that with our stinky washing machine about to be replaced we could do a two for one.
Now to find some space!

Hi OP, just in case you change your mind, i have this washer/dryer from John Lewis and it's brilliant!

m.johnlewis.com/john-lewis-jlwd1613-washer-dryer-9kg-wash-6kg-dry-load-a-energy-rating-1600rpm-spin-white/p2331775

I've never had any bother with it, and it's served us very well in the four years we've had it, especially since our son was born and it deals with his reusable nappies brilliantly!

Glitter thank you! If we can’t find a space I might need to rethink

I also have tiny kitchen (can't even fit a dishwasher) and have a washerdryer. The clothes dry very well. I needed one that had a shorter depth and it was one of Which's best buys when bought it just over a year ago. It's a AEG L75670NWD.

I had a Hoover washer dryer before it and that also performed well. It was another Which best buy.

So don't be put off by the negativity around washer dryers. There are bad washer dryers and good ones even within the same brand. Just do your research and read the reviews.

Thanks pinky! I guess once you’ve had separate machines there’s no comparison but there will be no comparison from a stinky machine and washing drying over days of being hung on a dryer.

Just an update. We bought this one after our washer gave up and we knew we needed two machines m.johnlewis.com/bosch-wvg30461gb-freestanding-washer-dryer-8kg-wash-5kg-dry-load-a-energy-rating-1500rpm-spin-white/p1979720?refreshcachedbasket=true&client_token=OztEWU5fVVNFUl9JRD0xOTY3ODIzMjY2O0RZTl9VU0VSX0NPTkZJUk09ZTgyMzA1NGJlMWQxM2M2YzQwOGY0YjNhNTI0MjljMzI2ZDYxN2E3NA==&sku=234401875&s_kwcid=2dx92700030285472211&tmad=c&tmcampid=2&gclid=CjwKCAiArOnUBRBJEiwAX0rG_Xg1OiP7Gn3kxuZS1iSO-zSjRwQpwPuef8zKZgbTWujhM8uJ-0ZZZBoCVEMQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds
Holy moly I’m in love. It’s pracically silent which is a revelation. Washes perfectly and the drying!! Not having had a dryer before I accept my standards are low but I can put clothes away straight away!! No more hanging on the clothes horse! I love love love it.

Are you still enjoying the Bosch washer dryer?

I came across this thread as I'm looking at getting one so wanted to see how your going with it. I would ideally like separates but we don't have the room. I've had a washer dryer before but the dryer function wasn't very good so very interested to hear how well yours dries too.

Thanks!