Washer/dryer combis

Ok, confirmed now. I Our new place is economy 7.  Currently we are on economy 10. We had some problems with the power company not getting figures correct and threatened to change. They basically said to DH "good luck. There aren't many companies that do economy 10"  So we have just dealt with it.

But going back to the washer/dryer combo thing.. does this have any bearing or how does it all tie in?

But going back to the washer/dryer combo thing.. does this have any bearing or how does it all tie in?

Whether separate washer and dryer or a combination unit, the practical aspect is that running the machine(s) at night on the low tariff will save money.   

It's the heating elements which use the most power, which means that the dryer is the most expensive unit as the elements are energized for just about the whole time it is running.   

If you want to take an example, assume a 3kW dryer on the Economy 7 tariff I have at the moment.  My secondary day rate is 11.66p/unit, night rate is 2.43p/unit, including VAT.  A fairly typical 90-minute drying cycle would thus cost 52.47p during the day, but only 10.94p at night. 

Whisper:
The higher the spin the dryer your closes will be.  1400 spin is about average - anything higher than that can technically damage more delicate clothes (unless you go for one that has a delicate cycle).

Also, Washer/Dryers do give you a break down on their efficiency ratings: energy, wash, spin & dry cycles...  The higher the energy rating the less you'll pay in the long run to actually run it, however it'll cost you more upfront for the higher energy ratings...     A bit of a catch-22 especially on washer-dryers as they're combi units (because of the dryers - they're not really energy friendly) - its not so bad on washing machines themselves.  Any machine worth its salt will usually give you a breakdown on what the energy consumption is to run it as just a washer & a combi unit - this'll help give a more accurate estimate as to how much it'll really cost you to run it.

Any machine that has a noise rating of 55 or below is considered to be a "quiet" machine.  You'll really notice the difference if you had an older machine from about 3 years ago and beyond compared to a quiet machine.  Plus, they don't rock near as much!

To get the most accurate information take a look at the manufacturer's website itself before making any big decisions.

Hope that helps.   

Washer-dryers are evil.    Just avoid if you possibly can.  I'd rather dry my stuff on the radiator!

I cant comment on the quality of my new one, as i've only had it 2 days

I like my new Candy model now I've had it a month or so.   The washer is much more quiet than my old one, and the dryer part is very good.  I usually set it to a 60-minute drying cycle, and only very rarely have i had to put the clothes back in for longer.

The key is not to overload it!

The dryer part of my combi is kaput. I don't really mind as we'll be buying a separate washer and dryer once we move. But it does mean that for the next months, I'm without a dryer. In the summer, that's fine. But in the winter? Yeesh. I have a drying rack, but how do you do sheets and duvet covers? They're so massive! Do they ever dry?

When I've had to air-dry sheets, etc I've hung them over doors. Some people fold them so they don't hang over the corner and get funny bits in them. Then they just continually turn them and fold them so new bits are exposed to the air throughout the day. As I have no real love for any of my linens anymore, I just drape them over the door and leave them there.

Sheets/other big stuff:  hang them from the curtain rods.  (My rods are strong
enough, hope yours are, too!)

I am feeling very guilty about leaving my tenants with a combi machine... hoping to get them separate units when we visit in the spring.