andrew-theasby
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| posted on 7/6/11 at 11:42 AM |
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OT washer dryer advice
Looking at buying our first washing machine soon, so could do with peoples experience of good/bad brands, what spec to get and whether a washer dryer
combination is wise compared to seperate units? Would prefer to save the space of 1 unit unless theres some big drawbacks? Dont really have a
budget, just want to spend enough to get a reliable machine without going mad. A Zanussi 1200 spin seems a reasonable choice at the mo, any comments?
Thanks
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UncleFista
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| posted on 7/6/11 at 11:51 AM |
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I've had a few washers over the years, I have a Bosch at the moment, it's in a class of it's own.
Very well made, quiet and does the job.
I bought a Bosch after my last washer broke and the cost of parts to fix it was a joke.
I did some research and Bosch spares were considerably cheaper than most others.
I've always been advised not to buy a combined washer/dryer, supposedly they're more fragile, but I dunno whether this is bollox or not 
Tony Bond / UncleFista
Love is like a snowmobile, speeding across the frozen tundra.
Which suddenly flips, pinning you underneath.
At night the ice-weasels come...
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mcerd1
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| posted on 7/6/11 at 12:06 PM |
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I had to get a combined one (not got enough space for anything else  )
the dryer bit is more or less the same idea as one of the condensing dryers - and they take forever and a day to dry anything 
So on that basis alone my vote is for separate ones, as long as the dryer is the old fashioned kind with the big air hose coming out the back
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blakep82
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| posted on 7/6/11 at 12:18 PM |
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bosch for washer and seperate dryer
or if money won't really allow, bosch washer, and my gf has a white knight condenser drier, does the job very well, and was only just over £100
i think. edit, might have been 160 actually, she didn't go for the smallest one she was originally looking at
i'm never keen on things that do 2 different jobs. combined tv and dvd player, scanner/printer/fax, microwave/conventional oven, washer/drier
etc, never really trust them to be as good as 2 seperate units. besides, get seperates and while your clothes are drying, you can get the next wash in
[Edited on 7/6/11 by blakep82]
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austin man
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| posted on 7/6/11 at 12:19 PM |
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combined ones generally have a smaller drum and if one breaks both break so to speak. We use separate washer dryer the dryer is a white knight well up
to the job and small enough to hide under the staircase
Life is like a bowl of fruit, funny how all the weird looking ones are left alone
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britishtrident
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| posted on 7/6/11 at 12:25 PM |
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Washer dryers are a lot more unreliable than washing machines, one of the problems is the condensor gradully gets clogged up with fibres and paper
hanky debris, very slowly the drier performance falls off until the drying function becomes useless.
Over the last 11 years we have had a couple of very basic Hoover/Whirlpool washer driers because they are reliable cheap to buy and very easy to
fix.
One thing to watch when buy is drying capacity it is always less than washing capacity.
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britishtrident
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| posted on 7/6/11 at 12:33 PM |
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I should also say to restore drying performance it is just a matter of removing and cleaning out the direct contact condensor (pressure washer works a
treat) and cleaning the fan.
The condensor is large banana shaped plastic duct at the rear of the drum, access is tight but removing it isn't rocket science, connected to
thi is the fan housing which is pretty obvious sitting on top of the drum.
[I] “ What use our work, Bennet, if we cannot care for those we love? .”
― From BBC TV/Amazon's Ripper Street.
[/I]
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stevebubs
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| posted on 7/6/11 at 02:51 PM |
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most washing machines will last 4/5 years before conking out and costing you money.
there are 3 approaches:
- treat it as disposable and buy a cheap one
- buy a reasonable one (Miele) with good spares support
- buy a very good one that should last a long time (e.g. Miele)
Depending on your wallet/economic view any of the 3 are perfectly good routes to take.
I went down the middle route at first, but switched to the "good quality, long life" route about 5/6 years ago and bought a Miele with
10yr guarantee. So far, there have been absolutely no issues with it - be aware though, Miele machines weigh a bloody tonne as they're cast iron
frames not steel with concrete slab!!
S
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Dusty
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| posted on 7/6/11 at 03:32 PM |
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Another vote for separates. You can get the basic Bosch washer with 1400 spin for £300 and it is quiet, efficient and lasts years. Don't know
why I wasted years with cheapo models that were always noisy and lasted no time at all. Tumblers, even little cheap ones last forever. (Well mine has.
Crusader. Currys own brand from about 1995!)
Thing about buying Bosch is it's like buying a basis Merc. Still cheapish and will last for years longer than a top spec equally expensive focus
or astra.
[Edited on 7/6/11 by Dusty]
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cliftyhanger
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| posted on 7/6/11 at 03:33 PM |
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We just bought a miele with a 10year bombproof warranty, VERY pleased. Not cheap though....
Prior to that a Zanussi (11 years, I replaced a heater element and cleaned out the water level pipes a few time before it died ) and a hotpoint (about
7 years, just packed up, and I wasn't spending real money to repair it)
The in-laws had a lightly used bosch which lasted 3 years before dying, motor , bearings and something else the repair man mentioned, way beyond
economical repair. Don't expect any machine under about £500 is going to last more than 300 washes
However, for our student rentals we have a simple ethos. Buy the cheapest machine and a 5 year warranty. The machines often last the 5 years, some die
before, in fact one a few months before the warranty was up so got vouchers for the purchase cost, just bought a new one.
driers last well, ours has got squeaky after 7 years, but it goes once warmed up
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Bare
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| posted on 7/6/11 at 04:11 PM |
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My Washer and Drier Machines (separates) have lasted 16 and 15 years respectively and still counting... that's with going through diapers years
and almost every damned day usages since.
2 in 1 machines have proven just a poor joke. I've specified these on Large residential complexes.
A Total mistake.. Never again !
Better to buy one of those horrid umbrella thing to air dry your knickers on :-)
In this part of the world (Wet coast of Canada) Bosch is OK (not good just ok) but pricey service is passable but again pricey. Miele is reviled :
unreliable machines with truly crap service.
'Kenmore' the Sears brand (believe it or not) is heads above both in reliability and lo costs. Lo status though :-)
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Ninehigh
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| posted on 7/6/11 at 05:42 PM |
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The problem I've been told about with combi ones is access, there's 2 units in the same block so getting to some bits (which you're
going to try yourself once the waranty's out) is a PITA.
Another note is we've found that if that machine does its thing but the drum doesn't spin the brushes for the motor are a couple of quid
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andrew-theasby
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| posted on 8/6/11 at 11:39 AM |
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Thanks for the replies only just got back on to check, some valuable pointers there, think its convinced us to go for 2 seperate units now without a
doubt, and save a bit on a budget dryer to put toward a better washer. Thanks
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