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Housekeeping

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Original poster

Washer dryer or dryer in the cellar?

28 replies

Rainallnight · 31/08/2020 22:48

I can’t go through another winter with no dryer. I don’t have room for a separate one anywhere in the house. The only option is down in the cellar.

I’m torn between a washer dryer in the kitchen - convenient, but perhaps compromises on performance - or putting a dryer in the cellar, which would involve traipsing up and down to the dusty basement.

Thoughts, wise ones?

OP posts:
Nacreous · 31/08/2020 22:51

I haven't had a washer dryer for 4+ years but unless they've changed a lot I would rather tramp down to the cellar (mine lives in the shed) than have something essentially as useless as no drier. Ours just used to make things hot and a bit less wet. Even after removing 3/4 of the load. What I want from a dryer is to shove towels or sheets in it and my old one couldn't cope with that.

GreeboIsMySpiritAnimal · 31/08/2020 22:57

You know, I've only ever had washer dryers and had been told two separate appliances was more effective. Well, that's what we had in our holiday cottage, and it was a pain in the arse. No just sticking a load on, going out, and coming back a few hours later to it being clean and dry. No, you have to hang around, unload one machine and load the other. No thanks, I'll stick with my washer-dryer.

Fatted · 31/08/2020 23:02

I've only ever known no dryer or a washer dryer. A washer dryer is preferable to no dryer. I only use mine to dry underwear and socks, towels and bedding. Everything else gets hung up to dry in the box room. I guess it depends on how much washing you do and how much you plan to use it. I was planning on using mine to dry everything, but I shrunk my favourite jeans.

Are their spiders in your cellar? This would be my main concern TBH.

middleager · 31/08/2020 23:06

I'd go for the cellar everytime. My washer dryer was useless - slow and expensive.

In the end we bought two separates and although this involved a trek outside to the garage, the dryer was a Godsend.

Voice0fReason · 31/08/2020 23:12

I have used both combined and separates.
Without doubt, hands down, a separate dryer is the only option I would choose.
Washer dryers do not dry well, they are slow (as you can't wash and dry at the same time) and they are a pain. I had to empty to washer to remove the items that either can't be tumbled reduce the size of the load for tumbling. Such a faff - I hated it.

I would have a look at your cellar, maybe put some floorboards or lino or carpet down to make it less dusty.

AlwaysLatte · 31/08/2020 23:18

If you have decent space in the cellar
I'd clear it all out, plasterboard and paint it if not done already, possibly install a low cost heater of some sort, then turn it into a laundry room - so both machines in there. We had our washing machine in the kitchen for a while and it was a real pain - so noisy! So good to have evicted it!

Medievalist · 31/08/2020 23:19

Washer dryers are the devil's work. My dryer is in our workshop - about 30 yards away. I'd rather traipse backwards and forwards any day of the week in any weather than deal with a washer dryer.

CrotchetyQuaver · 31/08/2020 23:26

go for a dryer in the the cellar. we tried to manage without a tumble dryer, then summer 2012 came along when it never stopped raining and nothing dried. in desperation i went out and bought a tumble dryer which i 'plumbed in' down in my shed as no space anywhere else (and the previous one had lived in the garage and died prematurely of cold). we were all just so grateful to have dry clothes again we have got used to it being a short walk down the garden. it's much better than the alternative of no dryer!

RedDiamond · 31/08/2020 23:29

Definitely put a separate tumble dryer in the cellar.

I had a washer/dryer for 7 years, it was a pain, you could not tumble the whole of the washing load you had done. And even when you did "tumble" it in the washer/dryer, it still felt damp.

Also, 2 machines, means 1 is washing and the other is drying. So chance to get more loads done.

Wildwood6 · 01/09/2020 13:11

Like @GreeboIsMySpiritAnimal I love having a washer dryer, I love putting a load of washing on before bed and then coming downstairs in the morning to laundry that is clean and dry. There's only me and DH at home though, it might make a difference if I had a lot more laundry to get through, and it sounds like they vary hugely in performance as well.

Alfiemoon1 · 01/09/2020 13:16

Years ago had a washer dryer it was useless to ages to dry and could only do half a load much prefer separate machines now

Bezzi · 01/09/2020 13:35

I recently bought a washer-not-dryer. Never again. It takes like 3 hours to do the drying cycle and then the clothes are hot but still wet. I hate it. Worst thing I ever bought

perfumeistooexpensive · 01/09/2020 13:39

You can only dry half a load in a washer drier so you have a basket of wet washing waiting for the first lot to do. I’m puzzled by those saying that they put it on and then have all the washing dry. Are they only washing a half load? That’s really wasteful of energy. Full sized dryer in the cellar is the only way to go. The dryer part of my washer dryer broke down so often. They are awful.

GreeboIsMySpiritAnimal · 01/09/2020 13:55

No, I put on a full load and end up with a dry full load. Confused

DazedWifelet · 01/09/2020 14:09

A dryer in the cellar sounds the way to go.

AriettyHomily · 01/09/2020 14:12

Dryer in the cellar.

We replaced our shite washer dryer in the kitchen with a washing machine in the kitchen and dryer up in the attic conversion.

perfumeistooexpensive · 01/09/2020 14:24

@GreeboIsMySpiritAnimal Mine specifically said they I could only dry half the load. It was the same in the holiday cottage we had last year. We couldn't put much in if we wanted it to dry properly. What make have you got?

GirlCalledJames · 01/09/2020 14:26

I had an indesit washer dryer and it dried fine but the clothes always smelled weird, of hot rubber.

Lellochip · 01/09/2020 14:32

Are their spiders in your cellar? This would be my main concern TBH.

Previous owner left me a dryer in my cellar. It has not been used once in years because spiders and mould

NeverHadANickname · 01/09/2020 14:45

I loved my washer dryer. The dryer capacity was less than the washer one so if it was going straight to dry I'd have to put a smaller load on. I now have a separate washer and dryer in the basement and the setup works fine, you get used to it.

thelegohooverer · 01/09/2020 14:52

I’d say it depends on how much washing you do.
It’s very convenient to put on a load in the morning, come back to dry clothes in the evening after work.
But if you’re at home with kids generating mountains of laundry 2 machines will get through twice as much, and changing over isn’t a big deal.

Original poster
Rainallnight · 01/09/2020 21:30

Well, that’s a pretty overwhelming consensus! Thanks all.

I think the cellar might need a bit of work to make it work. It doesn’t have proper flooring - it’s not a ‘sealed’ cellar - and it’s very chilly. I wonder if I read somewhere that the room needs to be warm-ish for a tumble dryer to work or did I make that up?

OP posts:
Original poster
Rainallnight · 01/09/2020 21:31

And sorry, in answer to questions, we’re a family of four, including two under 5s, so we do quite a bit of washing!

OP posts:
Notwiththeseknees · 01/09/2020 22:01

Have you tried one of those electric airers by Lakeland? Ours was pretty good - took it to the Alps as our flat doesn't have a dryer and it was fine.

Original poster
Rainallnight · 01/09/2020 23:27

I’ve thought about one of those, but I’m just very attracted to bunging everything in the drier and walking away!

And I’ve just spent 6 months living in a house with a drier and LOVED it.

OP posts: