Posted January 19, 2017 Not sure if I'll get enough answers here on N-E, but it's worth a shot! We are moving into our house soon and are still looking for a washing machine. As I am tired of having our entire place filled with drying racks filled with wet clothes, I thought it might be a good idea to look at getting a washer-dryer combination to dry things like towels (no space for two separate machines sadly). I asked on HotUKDeals for advice or deals, but everyone on there is saying that washer-dryers are shit, don't dry well enough and eat electricity... Some of them suggested getting an electric air dryer like this: I'm not exactly sure what to do now! Washer-dryers are expensive and I don't want to spend all that money just to find out they are not worth it! What do the good people of N-E do to dry their clothes? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted January 19, 2017 In my (limited) experience the combo washer dryers are pretty shit. What you were told is right, they eat electricity and are nowhere near as effective as a separate dryer. I just use a clothes horse/hangers on a door frame, but then I live on my own and only have to do one wash a week meaning it only needs to be up for a day or so. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted January 19, 2017 They're pretty bad for the environment. Where is the boiler in your new house? Maybe you can put the drying clothes near that and they'll dry quicker? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted January 19, 2017 I've never had one because I've always been told similar to yourself - that they're not the best. Tbh I can survive quite ok without a dryer, though I do sometimes wish I had one in a pinch, and in some ways I prefer hanging the clothes out as it means less moisture in the same part of the house/hang outside in the warmer weathers. Similar situation as Eddage for myself though - so it isn't a huge impact on me either way. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted January 19, 2017 Where is the boiler in your new house? Maybe you can put the drying clothes near that and they'll dry quicker? Boiler is in a cupboard in the hallway upstairs, no way to put clothes there. We did use our boiler area in our flat to dry things like bed sheets and towels, and Jim's shirts. Will miss having that space! In our flat we currently use 3 air dryers to dry our washing... but it usually takes 3-4 days for things to actually be dry. :/ Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted January 19, 2017 I kinda like the look of that electric air dryer... might get one of those myself. Couldn't you put a condenser dryer somewhere else, eg garage? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted January 19, 2017 I kinda like the look of that electric air dryer... might get one of those myself. Couldn't you put a condenser dryer somewhere else, eg garage? Garage might be the only place, but even that would be difficult... it's not a massive garage (even our tiny Kia Picanto barely fits in it), so after we've turned it into our home gym, I'm not sure if there'll be any space left! Plus it would be quite annoying having to go all the way outside to the front of the house and into the garage to put the dryer on (as there is no connecting door between garage and house). First world problems eh? :P Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted January 19, 2017 Well now you have a reason to put a door in Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted January 19, 2017 Well now you have a reason to put a door in I don't think we can even if we wanted to. There's only one place where it might be able to go, but there are electricity cables and gas pipes running there, so not sure it's an option... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted January 19, 2017 Sounds like you might have a damp problem if it takes that long to dry stuff? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted January 19, 2017 Sounds like you might have a damp problem if it takes that long to dry stuff? Oh we know we do. We can tell by the mould that keeps showing up on the walls! That's one of the main reasons why we wanted to get our own place, because the damp problem in this flat is shit and the landlord doesn't do anything about it. :P Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted January 19, 2017 Well you might be OK anyway then. Our washing takes about 24 hours to dry in the winter, hung up behind a door in the living room. If you still have damp, maybe you go down the dehumidifier route? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted January 19, 2017 My parents have a really fancy washer-dryer, and that one works fine. It was very expensive though. I have one at home now which the landlord bought for us (we also have mould at home), at that one doesn't work that well. It takes very long to do everything (wash+dry is 6h with a normal program), and clothes are still humid afterwards usually. I just use it for towels and bedsheets (dryers are quite hard on the clothes as well, and most of mine are quite old already, they wouldn't survive for a very long time). So yeah, our living room is filled with racks of clothes. Lots of trees and humidity around my house That electric air dryer looks like a good option! I'd never seen it before. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted January 19, 2017 I had one at uni, it was really good. It was 8 years ago now though, not a clue what it was called. But yeah, they eat electricity, bills were included in the rent so I had no problem with abundantly using the electricity in that place, but normally I would steer clear of them. Maybe see what drying is like in the new house before making a final decision though! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted January 19, 2017 Well you might be OK anyway then. Our washing takes about 24 hours to dry in the winter, hung up behind a door in the living room. If you still have damp, maybe you go down the dehumidifier route? We have a dehumidifier which we run every evening in the flat's bedroom (otherwise it just feels horrible in there). That's not where we keep the washing though, but maybe I can use the dehumidifier for that in the future, dry things quicker! Maybe see what drying is like in the new house before making a final decision though! That might be a bit of a challenge without a washing machine though! :P I think we might just go with a normal washing machine then, all the bad comments about washer-dryers are putting me off! Especially as they are quite expensive to buy as well. That electric air dryer might be an option for the future if our normal air dryers are no good. Though in the summer I expect to make full use of our garden and put stuff outside in that glorious English sun! :P Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted January 19, 2017 Before I moved in with my girlfriend I lived by myself and had a washer dryer. They ruin your clothes. Avoid. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted January 19, 2017 That might be a bit of a challenge without a washing machine though! :P Oops! It would be a challenge.... but if hand washed clothes dry ok you would be sure machine washed ones would be! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted January 19, 2017 Might be late to the party but generally no... the combi's are not a good idea. More expensive to buy and fix, and you can't use both at the same time. If ones broke generally they both are. You can't have space for both? I only have room for one machine in my kitchen... but i have a condensing dryer in the spare room. (i have to keep the window open when i use it as it gets a bit condensated lol) And a dehumidifier which I could NOT do without. Would be the best method of drying asides an actual tumble dryer. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted January 19, 2017 I'm definitely going to have to look into one of those clothes dryer things. We currently have all our clothes on racks in the kitchen and even after 3-4 days, they're still sometimes damp. We have shit heating in there and we tried moving the clothes to the living room, but we ended up with damp walls. I really hate the winter. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted January 19, 2017 I'm definitely going to have to look into one of those clothes dryer things. We currently have all our clothes on racks in the kitchen and even after 3-4 days, they're still sometimes damp. We have shit heating in there and we tried moving the clothes to the living room, but we ended up with damp walls. I really hate the winter. Get a dehumidifier, its far far far superior. http://www.argos.co.uk/product/4020237 its a lot of money at 120 but its a real investment. Small ones are a waste of time (from experience) I cannot tell you how many times its saved my ass. From mould growing in my flat, to drying out my car when i left the window open on a very wet night. I usually use my tumble dryer for most things but stuff like jeans i hang on a airer (i have a 6ft tall one) and fire on the DH, you really cannot beat it. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted January 19, 2017 Get a dehumidifier, its far far far superior. http://www.argos.co.uk/product/4020237 its a lot of money at 120 but its a real investment. Small ones are a waste of time (from experience) I cannot tell you how many times its saved my ass. From mould growing in my flat, to drying out my car when i left the window open on a very wet night. I usually use my tumble dryer for most things but stuff like jeans i hang on a airer (i have a 6ft tall one) and fire on the DH, you really cannot beat it. Our house isn't too bad for damp or mould, it's just there's nowhere warm enough to dry the washing. The living room is pretty much the only place that gets warm enough, but even that isn't ideal. Out of curiosity, what's the cost of running a dehumidifier? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted January 19, 2017 I had a combo washer/dryer a couple of times back when I was in London and they were terrible. It was a long time ago so might be better now but it really put me off them. It would take hours and hours for them to dry anything. My Mom has one of these and it's really good. It folds away pretty small when not in use and she just sticks it up in the bathroom out of the way when needed. Dries clothes pretty quickly and because stuff is hung up inside it they don't come out crazily wrinkled. I'd reccomend it. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted January 20, 2017 I normally have to put mine on for 3 and a half hours to dry decently. Even then some stuff isn't always completely dry. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted January 20, 2017 What sort of room do you have? If you can fit a single unit; is it possible to fit one of the top stacked machines. Washer on bottom, dryer on top? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted January 20, 2017 What sort of room do you have? If you can fit a single unit; is it possible to fit one of the top stacked machines. Washer on bottom, dryer on top? Nah, this is a very typical small English terraced house, our washing machine will be in the kitchen under the worktop. It has been decided though, I have ordered a normal washing machine, no dryer included! Should get delivered on Tuesday, ready for our move next weekend! We will just have to see how the drying goes with normal drying racks, or invest in that electric air dryer at some point. Thanks for your input everyone! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
