Well I must admit that there isn't much that can be said about a spin dryer!
History of why we bought this spin dryer:-
We first purchased a spinner about 12 years ago when we got married and didn't have a washing machine. It was invaluable but after a couple of months we got our washer and gave the spinner to my mom. She has hung onto it all this time and it's still running strong. It has had light use but is there for emergencies and as she is in the midst of choosing another washing machine she is using her spinner again.
We've had a few washing machines over the years and currently have a Hotpoint First Edition. A basic 800 spin speed which has had about 8 repairs in the last 4 years (luckily my husband, Adam can do the repairs!). So lately we have been debating whether or not to replace our washer as it is still looking good and working most of the time. So we decided to stick with it and when it is no longer repairable we will just replace it with another basic machine and use this spinner as an add-on.
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Price:
We bought this spin dryer from Kays catalogue as they were offering a 20% discount with your first order. The list price was £129.99 and with the discount we will end up paying approx £104 which is I think is excellent for catalogue shopping and 40 weeks interest free payments!
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Ease of Use:-
This spinner is very easy to use. Just place your clothes into the drum (smaller items such as socks at the bottom) as evenly as possible and cover with the plastic guard. Push down the lid and it starts up automatically. When the spin is finished just press the button and it will release the lid when it has safely stopped.
This model has a pump hose as opposed to our older one which dispelled the water from a front outlet. I must admit that we prefer this style with the hose as you have the choice of plumbing it into an outlet like a washing machine or hooking it over a sink or bucket. The problem with spinners that have the front outlet is that you need to use a washing up style bowl to catch the water because of the height restriction. With this spinner we use a slim line 2 litre jug which is easy for lifting away when full and your not tripping up over it as it tucks out of the way easily.
Our kitchen is a decent size so we are able to keep it handy under the worktop near our washer and dryer. I find that anything that is actually put away in a cupboard will stay there so I try not to hoard masses of gadgets! This machine is about the size of a large pedal bin so it slots under the worktop and because it's not too heavy I can easily lift it forward to use. And if you don't use too large a bucket/jug then you aren't having to lift away a large amount of water.
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Advantages:-
As I said, our washing machine may last some time yet but then again..... Having this spinner is handy in that I now don't have to worry about how long I won't have the washer if it breaks and should I go to the Laundromat; I can just do some emergency hand washing and I know it will dry quickly.
As an added feature to our washing machine I can only give a rough idea of saving on time and energy but here goes. On a full washing load of towels which ends with an 800 spin speed, this will take two loads in the spinner. Each load will spin for 4 minutes (totalling 8 minutes) and the water that comes out of the spinner on average for these heavy items is approx 3/4 litre. On lighter garments with a 3 minute spin I get about 1/2 litre per full wash load. Today I did 1 load of towels, 1 load of jeans and a 1/2 load of light bedding and in total ended up with just under 2 litres of water in my jug.
It's difficult to calculate exactly the saving made but I can tell that my drying times are shorter. I hung the bedding up on an airer for a few hours and finished it off in the dryer. I am sure I cut at least 1/2 hour off my dryer time with the towels and jeans. Also clothes that I don't put into the dryer dry much quicker than they used to.
I imagine it will be some time to break even with the expense of the spin dryer with the savings made on electricity used in the clothes dryer. But the immediate advantage is drying time and it is nice to physically see the benefit of the water that does come out of that hose!
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Disadvantages:-
Other than another kitchen gadget taking up space and the time taken to spin the your clothes I cannot really see any disadvantages with buying one of these machines. The advantages far outweigh them. Just remember to use your timer as it is difficult to keep track of the spin time!
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Specifications:-
2800 spin speed safety lid automatic pump drainage via hose stainless steel drum 4kg/9lb load 2 carrying handles 345mm (W) x 620mm (H) x 345mm (D)
More details
User's Manual
Cleaning & Maintenance
Safety
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