YOU were lucky then – anyway I am sure we have had this conversation before – some babies are just more sicky (colic etc) so you can't get away from having more to wash.

we have a hotpoint washer dryer and it was ok at first. It's 10 years old now, has been totally reliable, but in the last year or so they dryer hasn't been so great – I only use it in emergencies anyway as I prefer to line dry if I can. Having said that, I'd happily buy another – up till now we've had no complaints at all with it.

We have a Hotpoint one, three years old. Its gone wrong twice, first time it fixed itself as soon as I waved a screwdriver at it, second time I just had to take the top off and blow down a tube from the pressure sensor to clear foam when we accidentally put handwash detergent in it.

We bought it as we have a tiny house, no room in the kitchen for any white goods so plumbed the washer in under the stairs. House used to suffer from condensation before we purchased so we didn't want to buy a washer then have to replace it with a washer drier a few months later when the wet washing made the walls damp, (no room for a separate dryer) so just got a combined one in the first place.

The dryer is great in winter, we tend to do a two or three big washes at the weekend, if its wet outside with no prospect of drying up, we sort out the stuff that can be dried (usually about a 3rd of the load as T-shirts/cycling gear shouldn't be tumbledried) and then just stick it on for 30 minutes. Washing then comes out damp and hot and we stick in on the clothes horse and its dry within a day instead of taking three. Its also good for the bath towels, no fabric softener and a 30 minute dry cycle at the end of the wash keeps them nice and fluffy, again totally dry after a day on the clothes horse.

In the summer it only gets used for 30 minutes every couple of weeks for the towels as I can squeeze three loads onto the washing line 🙂

P.S – Mastilles…the water only gets sluiced through the condenser, it doesn't get added to the clothes before or during the drying cycle.

P.S – Mastilles…the water only gets sluiced through the condenser, it doesn't get added to the clothes before or during the drying cycle.

Fair enough – I had no idea what happens, other than clothes are sometimes wetter half way through a drying cycle on ours

That's toddlers, MF. I am talking lil babies. Seriously, we had one extra load of clothes a week and about 2 of nappies.

All kids are different, my first son had a projectile vomit 'problem' – the washer certainly got used more than once a week…

Stay clear load of rubbish they really do not work well, either use stand alone or hang.

apologies – wee hijack:

mrsf – how are you? When is baby due or has he/she arrived?

🙂 hello C_G. I'm fine ta according to my midwife today I have had the most uneventful pregnancy in the history of the world. due 22nd Aug, 2 days left at work and I can't wait to finish tbh!

We've had a Hoover one for 10 years and it's been okay – I think the trick is to get the get the clothes out as soon as it stops and hang them up – this allows any remaining moisture to evaporate outside of the machine. It'll do shirts etc no problem, only heavyweight things (towels etc) need the above treatment – I'd say go for one over just a washing machine, ours has been on probably once a day for the past 3 years!

mrsf – that's good though! It means you will be perfectly relaxed and will sail through. 8)

With all good wishes and, remember, sometimes they do arrive early!

Back on topic – Miele more than ever with children, particularly nappies. 😯

You want complete dependability and I'm speaking as someone who had two little 'uns in nappies with an unreliable Hoover. Miele all the way. 🙂