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Advice please on washer dryers.

(72 Posts)
Nandalot Fri 09-Sep-16 14:56:12

Does anyone have one of these and would you recommend them?
My daughter's washing machine needs a repair. The house she has moved to has no room for a dryer. Her old dryer is currently languishing in the detached garage. It has not been used since she moved in a) because to remove it we had to cut the condensation hose off and b) it is one of the ones that has been recalled and there is a 6 month waiting list for the safety adjustment.
When the washing machine is working, if the weather is bad, you will see me carrying big blue bags from that Swedish furniture store full of wet washing 9 doors down to my house to dry. She has some space in her house for radiator drying but not a lot and no room for an airer.
Are these washer dryers really so bad at drying?

NonnaAnnie Sat 10-Sep-16 10:09:54

I really don't like my washer/dryer. It gets so hot it screws everything up, takes a age to dry as well. I do use it for towels in the winter though. Would never buy another one.

I hang my washing in the spare room with the humidifier running if it's raining It dries in about an hour and no condensation.

NonnaAnnie Sat 10-Sep-16 10:10:54

I meant dehumidifier.

Lupatria Sat 10-Sep-16 10:12:32

i had a hotpoint washer/dryer for years but didn't use the dryer very often. living on my own i had plenty of radiator space [and a conservatory where the clothes airer lived].
however when my daughter and grandaughters moved in we used the washer/dryer on a daily basis [loads of washing to be done as my daughter just chucked things in black plastic sacks to be out of where she was - i had 11 black plastic sacks in my conservatory at one time]. so the poor washer/dryer was worked to death - it died a couple of months ago.
so my daughter shopped around and we've bought a later model hotpoint washer/dryer and it's wonderful. you can programme how long the drying cycle lasts which is so much better than the old one which had a fixed drying cycle.
we are so pleased with this machine and, quite frankly, wouldn't be without it.
i always tumble dry towels but the machine is so useful when doing the washing on rainy days - you can imagine the amount of washing four people make during a week!!
i have had separate machines but haven't got room in my kitchen for both as well as a dishwasher which i wouldn't be without - see remark about four people living and eating in the same house!!

Greyduster Sat 10-Sep-16 10:17:33

I had one and said never again. Eventually we had separate ones and the dryer was in the spare bedroom - I just used to stick the vent pipe out of the window. At this house it is in the garage but I haven't used it since I came here.

Christinefrance Sat 10-Sep-16 10:27:26

I had one of the early washer/driers and said I would never have another one. Sounds like they are not much better now apart from the Hotpoint maybe. The Lakeland drier sounds like a good idea.

sylviann Sat 10-Sep-16 10:47:29

I had to smile when I read your post I've been on the phone all week to make sure I was getting the washer dryer I wanted . My W/D has just given up the ghost after16 years I insured it as there is more that can go wrong with a
2 in1 but it's served me well and can't be repaired because the parts obsolete .ive found it to be really worth buying it was my second one.make sure you get a reliable company to insure it .

sillup Sat 10-Sep-16 11:15:17

Having once had a washer/drier because of limited space, I would say never again. The dryer was never as good as a separate drier. I would also never again b uy a condenser drier which I had to because of lack of venting availability.

Liz46 Sat 10-Sep-16 11:19:46

I had a washer dryer. It was awful. Never again.

DaphneBroon Sat 10-Sep-16 11:35:57

Don't.
Better to buy a cheap dryer (not a condenser, the steam will be no problem in a garage) and put it in the garage if space is at a premium,
If her existing one has been recalled over safety concerns she should not be made to wait 6 months.
Maybe they are better than nothing, but they are usually expensive.
And 9 doors is no distance if you have a dryer at your disposal!

Neversaydie Sat 10-Sep-16 11:38:47

Dd1 (a researcher by profession )researched them thoroughly recently as has tiny kitchen and would love a combo.
But decided against them Apart from anything else they apparently go wrong quite a lot
There is a Mumsnet thread about Lakeland and ppl are very enthusiastic about the driers I might buy her one !

littlefierce Sat 10-Sep-16 12:08:16

Had one once, it was rubbish. I use my dryer to start off the drying process then continue with the Lakeland Dry Soon which others have mentioned. I bought my son & my daughter one each for Christmas & we all swear by them. I've got the biggest one, they now do a deluxe version as well & a cover (though I find an old sheet works fine). One thing I would say - be careful which room you use it in. I have it in the spare room (carpeted, curtains etc) & it's fine, but one winter I moved it into the conservatory - big mistake. The condensation it produced mildewed my wooden blinds!

GrannyMosh Sat 10-Sep-16 12:20:22

I heartily dislike washer/dryers they seem to take forever! I have a separate dryer, but even so rarely use it. I've found that by putting my clothes on hangers and hanging them on a clothes-horse, with my dehumidifier turned on, they dry beautifully and need much less ironing. Uses less electricity too.

Mumsy Sat 10-Sep-16 12:21:28

they are rubbish! you cant dry a full load in them would never buy one again!

Falconbird Sat 10-Sep-16 12:28:25

I totally agree with all the adverse comments regarding washer/dryers they are crap. I inherited one with my flat and only used it once.

The washing comes out all creased and hot and there was a lot of condensation in the kitchen.

The washing machine part is great but I dry my clothes on a rack in the boiler cupboard.

suzybe Sat 10-Sep-16 12:30:15

I join the "Never again" brigade. Had to remove half the clothes for the drying cycle, it took forever and cost a fortune. My friend had one of the early models and advised against but I thought they must be more reliable after a decade or so and I was wrong. Used the washer until it broke then replaced it with a standard machine and had managed to find space in a cupboard for a condenser drier.

cheneslieges132 Sat 10-Sep-16 12:48:28

Hello - I have a wonderful Zanussi washer-dryer in UK, which is FANTASTIC - but here, at present in my holiday-home in France I have an Indesit (bought in England) which is pretty much hopeless - very slow wash programmes, (shotest one at 40 degrees is nearly 2 hours!!) does not spin very dry, and the Dryer part takes forever and does not really dry too well either. Go for a Zanussi if you can! Can honestly recommend - and mine in the UK is about 8 years old and still perfect. An excellent 59 minute wash programme at 40 degrees and just an hour in the Dryer part makes towels super fulffy

durhamjen Sat 10-Sep-16 13:01:51

I was getting worried about this as nobody seems to have a good word to say about them.
Mine's a Zanussi, which is fantastic, too.
It must be about seven years old, and still working fine. Hope this isn't jinxing it.

When you buy one, it gives you the amount you can wash and dry at any one time on the label, so you know it will not take a full load to dry.

I can if I want do a wash and dry following on from it, but I never have done, because I prefer to dry on the line.
When it's finished washing, take out what you want and leave half in for drying if you cannot dry outside.
I admit I tend to use the dryer to get rid of creases so don't need to iron. The dryer has a timer from 12 to 120 minutes but that's never needed. It also has two heat temperatures. I tend to just use the low one, because I usually wash towels when I can hang them out.

So that's two for Zanussi.

Tegan Sat 10-Sep-16 13:39:24

My condenser tumble dryer was one that needed to be fixed[Indesit] and, in the end I was offered a new Hotpoint one for £100; they had so many to fix it worked out easier for the company that had taken over. It's far, far better than the Indesit. You do have to clean the condenser on a regular basis, as it's both inefficient and dangerous if you don't. I bought my son a washer/dryer when they had the baby...I'll ask him if it works well.I usually put my washing next to a dehumidifier to dry. And, as one of lifes dinosaurs, I still have an airing cupboard.

Tizliz Sat 10-Sep-16 13:40:26

Another yes vote here. Put my washing on overnight and it is washed and dried when I get up. Do prefer to hang it out but here in north Scotland days when I can hang it out before work and come home to it dry are not very frequent. However today is lovely and my second lot is on the line drying nicely. I hate having wet washing hanging around the house.

Nibbie Sat 10-Sep-16 13:41:16

I had a zanussi washer drier for 16 years,only used the drier once,bought a drier from Lakeland,wonderful,well worth the money

grannybuy Sat 10-Sep-16 13:42:24

I know where you're coming from. I'm currently in a rental property with no outdoor drying space. Flat is supplied with a washer/dryer. I use the drying programme by itself, but only to finish off washing that has almost dried on a folding dryer. You can stop it when you want to. I don't like using it, as I'm sure it costs a fortune, but I have to say, that it is hotter than my own, currently stored, tumble dryer.

loopyloo Sat 10-Sep-16 13:46:32

Don't personally like washer dryers. Bought one for my daughter, but not a success as the whole thing took too long. Try contacting hotpoint again. They have now fixed my one. I assume you have electricity in the garage. Or buy a condensing dryer.Good luck.

Legs55 Sat 10-Sep-16 13:49:17

I had to buy a washer/dryer when I moved here 18 months ago as there is no room for both & no outside power or garage. I do like mine although it does take a long time to do a wash, I live on my own so I do small washes which do not exceed weight for drying. Only place I can put my airer is wet room or lounge so only use this for items which can't be tumble dried. No room outside for a washing line which I miss. Mine is an Indesit (had slight problem with space mine just fits!!!). Out of choice I would have separate but if this meant going outside in rain etc to reach it I'd rather not grin

Jan51 Sat 10-Sep-16 14:21:17

We have only ever had washer/dryers due to lack of space. I personally only use the dryer when I need to dry something quickly otherwise I hang things outside or on an airer in front of the fire ( we don't have central heating). OH uses the dryer for all his clothes including jeans and they seem to dry ok. DD1 has a 'dry buddy' which is an electric dryer where clothes are hung on a frame and enclosed in a cover and hot air blows up through the clothes. She finds there is enough heat generated to stand a 3 fold airer around the outside to dry more washing.

path20 Sat 10-Sep-16 15:23:23

We have a Bosch washer/dryer and wouldn't have anything else. The washer and tumble dryer can be used independently. It has a choice of settings. More often than not we use the quick wash choosing whichever temperature we want. We can also choose full or part load.We rarely use the dryer in summer but it's there if we need it.
We had a new kitchen fifteen years ago including all new Bosch appliances including the washer/dryer. It's still going strong as are all the other appliances.

PS We have the Domestic and General Kitchen Cover insurance which covers five(maybe six)appliances. We rarely have had the need to call them out over fifteen years.