Washer-dryers: FAQs
Is a washer-dryer a good idea?
They do save space and money compared to a separate washer and dryer from the same manufacturer. And the best washer-dryers are as good as washing machines.
But they're not as good at drying as a Best Buy tumble dryer.
The drying capacity doesn't always match the washing capacity. You may have to dry a load of washing in two (or more) separate goes. This is inconvenient, but could also encourage you to use the drying function less often.
The dryer also tends to be far less sophisticated than the average separate tumble dryer, lacking common programmes and extra features.
What do energy ratings on washer-dryers tell you?
Energy-label ratings are meant to help you choose a more energy-efficient model.
You can't always trust the manufacturers' energy labels
The ratings go from A (the highest rating) to C (the lowest rating). But in the past we've often found energy-label ratings on domestic appliances are inaccurate.
We use a different method from the energy labels to calculate energy efficiency, which we think better reflects the way people actually use their machines.
We look at the annual washing running costs on the most commonly used wash program, 40°C cotton, and drying running costs based on energy consumption per kg of washing on four programs.
Bear in mind that washer-dryers have just one energy label, so you can't compare them with those on washing machines and tumble dryers.
What's the advantage of a hot-fill machine?
None in these days of low-temperature washing programs.
A traditional hot water system is more efficient at producing hot water in large quantities, but the difference will only really be significant on high-temperature (60°C or 90°C) programs.
Most machines are now cold fill, which helps the machine control the water temperature and avoid damaging fabrics.
Is leaving a washer-dryer on overnight or when I go to work a safety risk?
A new washer-dryer is unlikely to break down in the first couple of years, but the older it gets, the less reliable it becomes.
Catastrophic breakdowns, which cause fire or burst pipes, are very rare but there is some small risk.
So it's worth fitting smoke or fire alarms if you want to use the machine overnight or while you're out.
If you are worried about burst pipes then you could look for a machine which is fitted with an Aquastop device which will cut the water supply to the machine and stop flooding if it breaks down.
How do we measure the size of our washer-dryers?
When Which? measures the size of any product, we ignore the manufacturers' measurements in the manual.
Instead, we measure the machines ourselves, allowing for any space taken up by the pipes at the back of the machine.
Is a washer-dryer cheaper to run than a washing machine and a tumble dryer?
There's not much in it.
In our tests, we found some washer-dryers would cost about the same to run as our Best Buy washing machines and tumble dryers added together – about £50 a year.