Tuesday, July 6th, 2004 04:14 pm
In a sudden mood of domesticity, I have now re-ordered my dishwasher from the handy little electrical goods shop around the corner - it will cost about £30 more than Currys had quoted, but should be with me in a fortnight. Currys took two months to tell me nothing, so I cancelled the order with them.

Now I just need to get a washing machine and the kitchen will be complete. Do any of you domestic gods and goddesses out there have any advice regarding washing machines? Are washer/dryers more trouble than they're worth? What should I be looking out for? What should I avoid? Are any of you subscribers to Which? [grin] All I know is that I'd like something in silver, to match the other appliances ...
Tuesday, July 6th, 2004 08:35 am (UTC)
I hear washer/dryers can be quite good these days, but my own experience is that they do neither well.

Tuesday, July 6th, 2004 08:42 am (UTC)
the old addage, jack of all trades master of none. If you have a washing line its much more efficient but succumbs to the english weather! we have a separate drier in addition to the washing line so that we can both wash and dry at the same time! that is all...
Tuesday, July 6th, 2004 08:46 am (UTC)
I've never had a washer-dryer, but I'm told they break down a lot, and don't dry particularly effectively. You have a garden, anyway, so (British weather allowing) can hang stuff out there.
Tuesday, July 6th, 2004 08:49 am (UTC)
I'd avoid a washer dryer, and go for German machine - the German water usage laws are much more restrictive than ours, so will be more economical. We have an AEG. With fuzzy logic...
Tuesday, July 6th, 2004 08:50 am (UTC)
The zanussi washer dryer has coped with abuse from me for years! Touching wood. It doesn't dry quite as well as a dryer alone would, but is perfectly good at washing, and clothes jsut need a brief airing before they can be put away.
Tuesday, July 6th, 2004 08:55 am (UTC)
It's all very well people suggesting that you use the garden, but remember that you have to remember to bring things in within a day or so, else they a) get dirty again and b) get rained on....

[g]
Tuesday, July 6th, 2004 09:01 am (UTC)
Having beem married a long time, I've had my fair share of washing machines..the first was like something from the Victorian era,that you had to keep poking the washing around with wooden tongs,but it had a wringer!
Anyway,I've had expensive ones,that were always going wrong,so now,like my hoovers,at which I get through at the speed of lightening,I just get the cheapest..mines a Candy..basic and very good,but I doubt they make them in silver.
Most people only use a couple of programmes,so no need for all the fancy stuff.
Good luck!
Tuesday, July 6th, 2004 09:05 am (UTC)
Washer/dryers are OK, though the drying function seems to use a lot of electricity and (on this machine at least) it's best kept for sheets and towels - even then it makes them smell funny.
Tuesday, July 6th, 2004 09:10 am (UTC)
I've got a washer dryer (cos I've also got a very small kitchen) and I haven't really had much problems with it. However, one thing to bear in mind for most washer dryers is that your optimum washing load is about twice your optimum drying load so you either

a) let it try to dry a full wash which takes longer and which might conceivably break the dryer eventually
b) wash half loads and let them dry, thus taking much longer
c) wash a full load and take half of it out to let the other half dry which is frankly a faff.

Given that mine is a rented machine, I'm going for a) on the grounds that if it breaks, they'll come fix it.
Tuesday, July 6th, 2004 10:19 am (UTC)
The concept of a washer/dryer is still new to me - in Australia we have separate dryers that get mounted to the wall or sit on top of the washer, either in the bathroom if you're in a flat, or in the laundry (utility room). And the brands are all different here (except for Hoover). The only things I can recommend is look for energy and water efficiency, a stainless steel drum and a removable lint filter :-)

We were hoping to get one of the Zanussi compact dishwashers (the ones that sit on the bench), but our kitchen's too small even for one of those :-/
Tuesday, July 6th, 2004 12:31 pm (UTC)
you want a decent energy rating and a fast spin, which will probbably dry your clothes faster than a washer dryer. Also useful to look for a cold fill machine if you have limited hot water and a front filter so you can actually clear it when it gets blocked.

H
Tuesday, July 6th, 2004 02:02 pm (UTC)
hurray for getting a dishwasher.
Wednesday, July 7th, 2004 03:42 am (UTC)
i think just wanting the silver finish knocks down your choice quite a bit, which is a good thing 'cause then you have a chance of actually taking in the differences.

i've just bought a AEG washer, £350 from john lewis. my last one was AEG too & they seem to be pretty resilient machines. variable spin (600/1000/1200rpm) & even the 600 setting gets things most of the water out.

it's terribly '70s but i have one of those collapsible washing line things, a box that attaches to the wall & you pull out a bar with 5 or so lines attached to it that attaches to the opposite wall. it sits high up above the radiator/kitchen table in my kitchen & fits most of a load of washing. it means that i can hang up the washing & forget about it until i have time to put it away. you don't have room in the kitchen for something like that but what about the study? much, much better than airers that always get in the way of everything.
Wednesday, July 7th, 2004 04:57 am (UTC)
Washer dryers - most of the bases have been covered here (unreliable etc - if you do get one an extended warranty is an absolute must). I would also add that they aren't energy-efficient - they're thirsty as hell, in fact. But needs must when the devil makes you live in a small flat. Where's Mrs Tiggywinkle when you need her...

Wednesday, July 7th, 2004 06:17 am (UTC)
IME washer dryers are a complete pain - doing neither job as well, and gobbling electricity. If you've got room anywear in the flat for a single airer, then I'd say get a decent washer, with a good spin cycle nd go with that.

http://www.whitebox.co.uk were really usefull both for tracking down / comparing machine options [yes - you can filter by colour - I did!] and for the actual purchase - they were quicker and cheaper than my neigbourhood shop by a long way.