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Original poster

Washer Dryer recomendations please

25 replies

Beccarollover · 18/03/2004 21:55

I have NO room for seperate washer and drier but desperate for a tumbler and sick of washing on radiators all the time

Are washer dryers any good?

Any recomendations?

OP posts:
popsycal · 18/03/2004 21:58

washer dryers are rubbish - i long for a real tumble dryers
im my personal opinion that is!

Janh · 18/03/2004 22:00

Becca, I wouldn't have a washer-dryer unless impossibly desperate for space. You can only do one thing at a time, the dryer can only dry half a wash-load at a time, and if it goes wrong you have neither.

I have mine in a cupboard in the bathroom, with a sturdy shelf across the top of the washer and the dryer on top of that. Or you could keep the dryer in eg a bedroom or dining room and vent it out of the window. (They have wheels so can be trundled about.)

carla · 18/03/2004 22:09

No, No, No - don't go there. Haven't had one but couldn't bear thought of washing being dried whilst another bit of washing was waiting to be washed - IYKWIM!

Original poster
Beccarollover · 18/03/2004 22:18

Janh - never thought of that, think I will get a condensor (so no need for window!) and put it in my wardrobe - means I wont even have to carry washing upstairs to put away as well! Bonus!

OP posts:
twiglett · 18/03/2004 22:26

message withdrawn

jodee · 18/03/2004 22:26

Can someone tell me what a condensor is? My washer/dryer has had it's day (would never buy one again) so need to go for separates (got a house move imminent, time to get rid).

Janh · 18/03/2004 22:30

jodee, a condensor turns the steam into water, so instead of having to vent it out of a window or a hole in the wall, it catches it in a container which you have to empty when necessary.

miranda2 · 18/03/2004 22:31

Well we've got a Bosch washer dryer which we've had for nearly 8 years (it was a wedding present!) and it is brilliant. Only broken down once, and (great embarrasment) that was actually just because I hadn't realised you were meant to clean out the filter....(5 years on this was!). It takes quite a while - c.1.5 hours for a wash, and about the same for drying a full load. Dont' know if that's normal or not. Its an 'Eco' one which is meant to use less water, and you only need to use half the recommended amount of powder too. Highly recommended.

popsycal · 18/03/2004 22:32

could someone point me in the direction of the washer dryer filter pls?!lol

kiwisbird · 18/03/2004 22:34

total crap, leave creases, melt anything plastic and make clothes smell, use a line if you have no space for drier
Honestly dreadful invention

Janh · 18/03/2004 22:38

kb, I use a line in the summer and a rack indoors in the winter, but then I put everything into the drier to finish off, get rid of creases and avoid ironing altogether - mine had to wait 2 or 3 weeks for a part once in a cool time of year and I found it a nightmare getting things thoroughly dry and not musty. (5-6 of us, 1-2 and sometimes 3 loads a day.)

carla · 18/03/2004 22:43

One and a half hours for a wash? Yimme strength! I wash dd's uniform once a night and it takes me 20 minutes! But then, not very eco-friendly to just have one uniform, I suppose!

Ailsa · 18/03/2004 22:59

I had my first Hoover washer dryer for 10 years, and have had my current one for just over 2 years. I love it generally, put a wash on before I go to bed and it's dry when I get up. When this one eventually pops it's clogs I will probably go for a different brand, the metal hinge on mine cracked and the door fell off, it took a month for the new hinge to arrive, It had to be ordered from abroad, can't remember where.

Don't forget to clear out the filter periodically either, if you don't the washing machine will just fill up with water when you're trying to tumble dry! Took me 12 months to figure that one out, we could still wash though, but couln't guarantee that it would spin and drain properly.

popsycal · 18/03/2004 23:00

but where is the filter?!?! sorry - not kog had my washer dryer!

Croak · 18/03/2004 23:42

I'm waiting with baited breath for the answer too Popsycal (not that my evenings are quiet or anything). I'll have a closer look on mine though and let you know where it is if I find it.

Ailsa · 19/03/2004 00:23

The filter on mine is under a panel, on the front of the machine at the bottom. Have to pull quite hard to get the panel off but it clips back on easily.

Croak · 19/03/2004 01:38

Ah ha, thanks Ailsa, mine seems to have a panel on the bottom at front but I can't get it off. Will ask dp in the morning though - it must be completely fluffed up considering how much I use it - my german öko warrior friends would be horrified. Very strange that there is no mention of the filter in the instructions, every other tumble dryer I've used had one.....tomorrows mission - find fluff

jodee · 19/03/2004 07:37

Thanks Janh! Am soooo fed up with my machine - spins when empty, as soon as anything heavier than a sock is in it, it doesn't spin, so I'm lugging everything up to the lauderette to spin it..no chance of drying anything either, it immediately goes into a wash cycle before I can open the door!

hmb · 19/03/2004 07:47

I agree that a separate dtyer is better, but we have always had a combined w/d. We have moved a lot and we have often been short of space. We have a Zanussi and it is a very good washer, and a reasonable dryer. It has a condenser, so no hassle with a vent etc

Hulababy · 19/03/2004 08:38

We have one - Baumatic. Washer is great, drying aspect is nightmare. Takes hours to dry anything - literally. Many washer dryers dry over water and it just leaves everything feeling damp unless you have it on for ages - convinced it must be costing me a fortune. Infact we rarely use it and prefer to use an airer now as a result.

My parents, and my brother have one too - both different makes - and they have exactly the same problem.

Given a choice I would not choose to get one.

luckymum · 19/03/2004 11:58

We have a Hoover and the washer is great but the drier is ......well crap really. It takes for ever plus whenever the machine breaks down its always a dryer part at fault. I have a proper tumble drier in the garage and now only use the washer/drier for my smalls (well you can't really call them small )

miranda2 · 19/03/2004 12:24

actually just noticed mine isn't Bosch, but AEG Oko-Lavamat.

miranda2 · 19/03/2004 12:27

Also, when the repair man told me to empty the filter (again,under panel at the front bottom - have to unclip the panel then unscrew the filter bit and pull out), he said it helped to do a really hot wash (80 or 90 degrees) once a month, either empty or with some sheets or towels that could take it. Apparently this helps to flush out remains of washing powder etc which otherwise cake up in the filter housing and elsewhere.

CountessDracula · 19/03/2004 12:41

Oh god I had no idea that a washing machine has filter to be emptied. Will have to go and look at mine. It's a Bosch I think or is it Miele?

CountessDracula · 19/03/2004 12:41

I want to know more about these condensing things. How often do you have to empty

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