Quick Wash Washing Machine

[Onoff]

Elderly parents who have carers coming in on a daily basis. The Bosch washing machine is I think 36 years old and still going amazingly. Time though for a new one with quick wash cycles so the carers dont have to be there too long.

 

Simplest controls all the better.

 

Any pointers on quick ones?

 

Cheers

[Jeremy Harris]

We have an LG Direct Drive hybrid condensing washer dryer with a simple rotary dial and a 30 min wash that seems fine (but we have a water softener).  Has a 10 year warranty on the motor and drive system, too.  Only slight snag is that it plays silly tunes that you can't turn off.

[Onoff]

10 minutes ago, JSHarris said:

We have an LG Direct Drive hybrid condensing washer dryer with a simple rotary dial and a 30 min wash that seems fine (but we have a water softener).  Has a 10 year warranty on the motor and drive system, too.  Only slight snag is that it plays silly tunes that you can't turn off.

 

My old man's deaf and Mum doesn't know what day of the week it is. Should be fine. ?

[Cpd]

10 hours ago, JSHarris said:

We have an LG

Another happy LG customer 

[lizzie]

Ive had Miele in the past...mega expensive but good.  I had to leave last one behind as was integrated.  I bought a cheap as chips Candy for use in rental.  Over 3 years on its still going strong in new house (keeping everything crossed not wanting to tempt fate).  I am amazed 

......its a fab machine does a great job, has a simple rotary dial. Also has a 30 minute cycle and a 44 minute one that I use all the time.  Those are at 1000 spin, if I need a better spin I have a quick spin programme for 7 minutes at 1600rpm.  I am wondering why I ever bought such expensive machines in the past when this is so good.

 

I also bought the matching condensing tumble dryer for peanuts, dont use it that often, (mainly for towels) as have mvhr but dryer is really good too.

[Ferdinand]

10 hours ago, Onoff said:

 

My old man's deaf and Mum doesn't know what day of the week it is. Should be fine. ?

 

1  Make sure they are happy with a washer-dryer. I find the drying by those to be less than stellar. However, @JSHarris can probably attest to the performance of that model. But he has mvhr in an ecohouse, and your parents may not.

 

2 Check the readability of the controls. At worktop level, away from a window, in a utility it may be different to a brightly lit shop. Especially for oldsters. I have trouble with our new one, let alone mum.

 

3 Check on the exact programs used constantly by your parents, and that those ones in particular are easy to use eg if the dial position is at the top or top half, not at the bottom. And ideally that their favourites do not require further settings after the dial. God is in the detail of the defaults.

 

4 I can recommend a current Bosch, which have a dial and then a control panel that lets you adjust nearly everything easily. It also has a short cycle.

 

Ferdinand

 

 

 

 

 

[Jeremy Harris]

15 minutes ago, Ferdinand said:

 

1  Make sure they are happy with a washer-dryer. I find the drying by those to be less than stellar. However, @JSHarris can probably attest to the performance of that model. But he has mvhr in an ecohouse, and your parents may not.

 

 

 

You're right, the dryer doesn't work as well as a vented one, but we couldn't fit a vented one, so had to compromise.  In practice we rarely ever use the dryer to really dry stuff, as we have one of those hoist-up clothes dryers in the utility room, with an MVHR extract above it.  If we have to hang clothes up indoors they dry pretty quickly on that, so all the dryer in the machine gets used for is tumbling towels when they are nearly dry, just to make them fluffy.

[Onoff]

Tbh neither Mum nor Dad can really use a washing machine anymore. A case of whatever we buy will outlast them both anyway. It'll be the carers using it. The problem is compounded by Mum's mixed dementia. She will turn off, adjust mid cycle etc the existing machine then would until recently hang still soiled partially washed clothes out to dry. When she takes off clothes and immediately folds them and puts them in the airing cupboard/wardrobe is something else she's prone to. Wouldn't perhaps be so bad except for the double incontinence! 

 

She still has the thing about buttons. A neon is like a moth to a flame for her. Lost count of the times she's switched off Dad's phone linked call button box (he wears the call button around his neck). I then get the call of a probable power failure but it's just Mum switching it off. Tbh he hasn't pressed the button the last two times he's fallen and been hospitalized. 

 

They're living, kept alive by medical science but they're not living well. 

 

One thing I would say is that I think MVHR would be a boon to assisting the elderly in remaining in their own homes a bit longer. Mum has a habit of shutting and locking all doors and windows, drawing the curtains then barricading with whatever she can find. The smell can be nauseating. That foul air can't be good for them anyway, leads to mould on the walls and ceilings and I imagine could contribute to some breathing, infection, possibly even dementia related illness. MVHR might even mean people visit them more.

 

Shoot me if I get to that stage please.

[Onoff]

27 minutes ago, Ferdinand said:

I can recommend a current Bosch

 

I think all I've ever done to their Bosch is replace the brushes on the motor. In the case of this model you have to buy a plastic housing containing both brushes unless you want yo cut and solder the brush braiding but it's cheap as chips to do. V.impressed with the build inside. The drum is on proper shock absorbers not silly springs.

[dpmiller]

I've a liking for AEG/Zanussi stuff and am pleased with the current washer dryer, a Lindo 1000. Hot cotton wash is 1 click to the right, 30min cycle 1 to the left. Would cover most bases for your application..

Plus the dryer, whilst not spectacularly fast is only 1200W, and it's got a 3phase motor so is darned quiet.

[Temp]

Perhaps look at one with a brush less motor. Should be quieter and less maintenance.

[SteamyTea]

On 20/07/2019 at 21:12, Onoff said:

The Bosch washing machine is I think 36 years old and still going amazingly

I have a Bosch one now as I did a few years back, as does my Mother, all of them still working fine.

On 21/07/2019 at 08:27, lizzie said:

 I bought a cheap as chips Candy for use in rental.  Over 3 years on its still going strong in new house (keeping everything crossed not wanting to tempt fate).  I am amazed 

Second choice, but the new ones have more controls and displays than NASA did 50 years ago.

On 21/07/2019 at 08:44, JSHarris said:

You're right, the dryer doesn't work as well as a vented one,

Certainly not as quick, or takes as large a load.  But occasionally I have used the tumble on mine and after 2 hours things seem fine.  Probably used it 10 times in 10 years and not used it in last 3 years I think.

I can't comment on all the other posh ones, but my experience of Hoover and Hotpoint has not been good.  One of them had a plastic drum, bearing went after about 14 months.  After some argument about being out of warrantee and fit for purpose, I got my money back, plus 100 quid.  Bought the Bosch.

I think the trick is to not overload them and keep the speed speed down to 800 RPM.

Soft water helps, though I never had to change an element when living in Aylesbury, and the water is actually solid there.

 

[lizzie]

51 minutes ago, SteamyTea said:

Second choice, but the new ones have more controls and displays than NASA did 50 years ago.

MIne doesnt.....

[SteamyTea]

2 minutes ago, lizzie said:

MIne doesnt.....

My Bosch has 9 buttons and one dial.

My old Bosch had 1 button and 2 dials.

I seems to remember that the Candy combi I looked had 10 buttons and 2 dials.

And a screen that would put early Teslas to shame.

I use two settings for my washing 40°C (takes 50 minutes) and 90°C takes longer.  I hardly ever use the 90°C.

And why do we have 3 options where the soap goes.  What is that all about.

 

[lizzie]

5 minutes ago, SteamyTea said:

My Bosch has 9 buttons and one dial.

My old Bosch had 1 button and 2 dials.

I seems to remember that the Candy combi I looked had 10 buttons and 2 dials.

And a screen that would put early Teslas to shame.

I use two settings for my washing 40°C (takes 50 minutes) and 90°C takes longer.  I hardly ever use the 90°C.

And why do we have 3 options where the soap goes.  What is that all about.

 

my candy..... its just a washer I have a separate dryer. Have had combi in the past, never again unless absolutely no alternative they are hopeless

 

 

[SteamyTea]

2 hours ago, lizzie said:

my candy

That is what a proper washing machine should look like.

I suspect that they learned a lesson a decade so back.

If I had room, I would have separate dryer.  If I put a dryer in, I would loose 8.75% of my kitchen.

Actually I could live quite happily without a dryer.  I just hang things on hangers from the curtain rail.  Open the window and let the draft do its stuff.  I never understand why people dry clothes on dedicated dryers in the middle of the house.