Having decided to part with my hard earned cash on both a washer dryer and separate dryer as well. I would now like to share my experiences and observations.
My choice of purchase was split between two manufacturers, namely Hotpoint or Zanussi. The reason behind this was that both manufacturers in the past have had quite a good reputation for reliability. Having viewed both manufacturers I had noticed that Hotpoint do seem to have a somewhat more cheaper quality feel to them and not as well built as they used to be.
Before going into the details of the product I must point out that there are some good deals to be had when purchasing multiple items. I had intended to purchase on-line, assuming this to always be the cheapest option. However, to my pleasant surprise, I found my local "Independent" electrical retailer was not only able to match internet prices, but was able to offer better deals for buying the two items at the same time. There are other advantages to this type of shopping, 1 it helps support local business and 2, I found delivery times were within 1-2 days rather than 10-14 days typically quoted on-line.
Basically this is a front loading washing machine with 6Kg load capability and a whole host of various wash programmes and features.
To start with the wash performance. Lets face it at the end of the day this is what the machine is designed for. it can have all the flashing lights and bells imaginable, but if it doesn't produce the goods, its a waste of money. The wash performance of this particular machine however is superb. Even when washing heavily soiled items including grease stains, the results are very clean indeed. To back this up the machine has been awarded the highest possible "A" rating for wash performance.
The spin rating on the machine is rated as "B". I must admit to being a little bit surprised at this as I have found the spin to be very good. This is particularly noticeable on cotton towels where virtually all the water is removed.
Another surprise is the machines energy rating. This is quoted as being "C" despite having a number of energy saving features built in. Having said that, the energy rating is given to the machine as a unit including the tumble dryer rather than just as a washing machine. For obvious reasons there can never be such a thing as an energy efficient tumble dryer unless it runs on solar power.
The machine itself is very flexible in regards to the demands placed upon it. There are a number of wash and rinse programmes to suit everything from white cottons to silks and hand wash woollens. Depending upon how easy your garments crease up, again the spin speed can also be varied to suit.
in order to further cater for individual needs, there is also the ability vary the temperature, this is even more important as newer detergents are designed to operate with lower heat.
Drying feature ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ This machine is a washer / dryer combined. There are both advantages and disadvantages to this type of machine.
The main advantage is that subject to the load, you can wash and dry in one cycle. In other words you can put washing in last thing at night, and it will be ready to use (apart from the ironing) the next morning. Another advantage is that the dryer side of the machine is self condensing. With this type of system, there is no need for venting to get rid of the steam. The steam produced is cooled back into water and simply flushed down the waste pipe. Although condensing is available on dryers only, the purchase cost is significantly higher.
The big disadvantage of this type of system is the drying capacity. Although you can wash 6Kg, it is only possible to dry 3Kg (Hence my decision to purchase a separate dryer as well). The only other drawback is if your washer breaks down, you loose the dryer as well.
In terms of performance, the dryer I have found to be very good. The time taken to dry clothes is relatively short. Built into the dryer is a feature called sensor dry. This basically senses the amount of moisture and reduces the heat accordingly. Combined with the final cool tumble, this makes a significant reduction in the amount of ironing required.
As stated one of the advantages of this system is the ability to wash and dry in one cycle. A big advantage offered by this machine to make this possible for overnight use, is how quiet it is when spinning. Although not totally silent, vibration even at maximum spin is kept to a bare minimum. If you wanted to use this feature and wanted to get on with other things or even go out, a useful featured LCD display. The display panel will give an approximate time for the complete cycle to finish thereby giving you a guide as to when you need to return to the machine.
Would I Recommend? ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ YES! To sum up; the end wash results are good, it is well built, it's quiet, it does everything you need......what more could you want for??
Specifications ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
* Dimensions : H850 x W600 x D600mm * Loading : Front Loading * Spin Speed : 1200rpm * Wash Load : 6Kg * Drying Load : 3Kg * Energy Rating : C * Wash Performance : A * Energy Recommended : No * Number of Programmes : 21 * Variable Spin : Yes * Variable Temperature : Yes * Control Panel Type : LCD * Noise Level : 54Db * Super Silent : No * Anti Crease Programme : Yes * Easy Iron Programme : Yes * Half Load Function : No * Time Saver Function : Yes * Time to End of Programme : Yes * Audible End of Programme : Yes * Memory Function : No * Hand Wash : Yes * Quick Wash : Yes * Delicate Wash : Yes * Silk Wash : Yes * Wool Programme : Yes * Wide Opening Door : No * Child Safety Lock : Yes * Fuzzy Logic : No * Pre Wash : Yes * Rinse Hold : Yes * Reverse Action : Yes * Water Supply : Cold Fill * Final Cool Tumble : Yes * Intensive Wash Option : Yes * Super / Extra Rinse : Yes * Variable Rinses : Yes * Water Consumption : 104Litres * Drum Capacity : 46Litres * Drum Interior Light : No * Economy Wash : Yes * High - Low Drying Settings : Yes * Larger Porthole : No * Length of Quick Wash : 30Minutes * Refresh Option : Yes * Anti Bacterial Programme : No * Timer : No * Auto Half Load : Yes * Number of Drying Programmes : 2
More details
User's Manual
Good
Maintenance
Very easy
Safety
Very safe
How much did you pay?
Bought as package deal
Any repairs?
None
Special features?
Washer dryer combi
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