What I do not understand re the environment issue is WHY washing machines are nowaadays.....

[OtterInnit]

COLD fill?

Lots of folk have combi boilers which heat the water quickley as you use it...

or even a tank where the water heats along side heating the house

A giant element in the bottom of a machine MUST be less economical and environmentally kind than the other options or am i missing something?

Don't know, but this is the sort of thing that can keep me awake for a while at night.

I don't understand it either Otter. I had a new machine at Christmas, it's cold fill. I did find one hot & cold but it seem to be permanently out of stock (obviously everyone wants it). We have a combi boiler and I just can't see how this one saves power. The 'eco' wash is 2 hours 19 minutes long. I know it uses less water but if the water was hot when it went in, the wash would be shorter. Wouldn't it (??)

well i think so!!! Anyone CE of Bosch and can help us out on this one?

Perhaps it's because not everyone has a combi boiler and the manufacturers have to cater for all consumers, not just those who do have one.

But Hot & cold fill are really rare now.

Interesting info here

We 've had our Zanussi for 17 years and have always had it on cold fill only even though it has a hot inlet. The hot from the inlet is diluted by cold anyway so it has to heat it anyway. If you have a tank it takes water in at about 60o which is then cooled by the cold inlet and the tank has to reheat. Our regular programmes run for between 50 minutes and 1 hour 15.

StG - that link is interesting (and I mean that sincerely)

Yes it is - and the bit it links onto about smells and grease This new machine is the smelliest I've ever had so there's some interesting stuff there.

thats an interesting link StG. Not sure I can take this on face value tho. Anyone who thinks that you can 'mash tea' with water at 85 degrees is obviously suspect. Surely everyone knows that water needs to be BOILING for tea

I do one wash in 7 or so on a 90 degree cycle to combat the smelliness.

I do still have a hot/cold fill machine though, so I benefit from the 'head start' mentioned in the article.

oh in it's defence I have had experience of this over-hot phenomena at pils

you have to put germolene on your hands if you inadvertently get them under the hot tap

no joke

Fascinating article StG!

Will print it out and show to my Mum who runs the hot tap to get the water coming through hot before she puts her machine on and only every washes at 40.

Just realised I'm in Good Housekeeping! Don't often venture here, slattern that I am lol!

Brilliant link St G. We should never need to ask these questions again - but probably will!

Sad git that I am, I have bookmarked it for next time the questions come up

Crikey SG - will you be my housekeeping mentor please?

Nooooooo.

Unusualfactsaboutwashingmachines mentor maybe?

Housekeeping - WTF is that?

(blatently ignores topic title)

Hmmmmm....

Decided to do a maintenance wash. No detergent (ran out yesterday). Decided to add some clorox.

Half our later go into utility room. Floor covered in foam and water!

Bloody Hell!

We bought a cold fill when we moved here - to be honest, I had never, ever seen a cold fill only until then.

i still want a hot fill

i am also gutted tht my machine ends on a cold rinse
my old machine used to rinse hot at the end - just lovely to peg out all warm