Decent washer / dryer

I'd love to recommend one. We bought one the day we moved into our new house 2 years ago because it doesn't have a utility room. Its a Hotpoint from AO. The washing function is excellent. The dryer function got used twice because we could fit our old dryer in the porch.
I seem to remember it worked those times.

We got a Bosch a couple of years ago to replace a loathsome (unreliable and poorly-performing) Indesit. It’s been fine so far, washing about four or five loads a week and drying one or two of those.

Go with one with a large drum and a higher spin speed(1500 rpm or greater). They are ruinously expensive for drying compared to heat pump dryers. Personal experience is that a heat pump dryer uses 10p and hour whilst a D rated washer-dryer runs at 30p plus.

Thanks all

John Lewis own brand has been good for me

I've been through a few for exactly the same reason, bog all space in an 1890s galley kitchen. Despite spending a lot of money I failed to find one that didn't have all the worst features of a washing machine combined with all the worst features of a tumble drier. Separate machines are night & day better. If I had to go back to a single machine I'd buy the cheapest I could find, reassured by the knowledge that at least it'd be cheap crap rather than expensive crap.

Something like Bosch or Miele might actually be decent, I don't know, but I can only imagine how many kidneys you'd need to sell first.

The heat pump comparison above is slightly misleading as they tend to take considerably longer than a normal dryer, so that offsets the difference a bit. Still better though.

Can't comment on washer-dryers personally but for anyone thinking of Miele, it's worth looking in their outlet: https://www.miele.co.uk/c/miele-outlet-abingdon-1409.htm

Scroll down for the current stock price list which is updated regularly. They appear to have 5 washer-dryers at the moment, one of them's under a grand so you may get away with only one kidney 😀

We had a Hotpoint one which was terrible and kept breaking down. Very glad we had the unlimited insurance with it! Replaced it with an expensive Samsung washer that was equally as awful. Replaced that with a Bosch washer (+ separate cheap dryer) and so far that's been spot on.

So not Hotpoint or Samsung.

Bought a Hoover one off AOL for temporary use purely on the basis of the reviews - still going strong 5 years later, but with any washer drier we’ve had it takes ages to dry anything. FWIW Indesit, Hotpoint and Whirlpool are the same company. Likewise Bosch & Siemens.

The heat pump comparison above is slightly misleading as they tend to take considerably longer than a normal dryer, so that offsets the difference a bit.

2 hours to dry a full load of towels is personal experience, that's properly dry but not surface of the sun hot when removed from the machine. The washer dryer required 2 lots of 3 hours for the same result. TBF this is arm and leg Miele teritory though.

We've got an Indesit one.  Washing is fine, can't really see the need to spend more.  The drying (only used occasionally) is slow.  It's about 5 years old now and works as it should.  A bit of rust has appeared, though.

Go with one with a large drum and a higher spin speed(1500 rpm or greater).

I've read a few things that say super high spin speeds aren't actually any more effective (much more than 1000).  Our Miele tops out at 1400 but adjusts the speed for uneven loads so sometimes things come out wetter than others (especially stuff like towels)

Also, look at the sizes of the machines - Samsung have a large capacity but they're much deeper than most machines (like 15cm deeper).  I bought one and had to sell it on as it wouldn't fit in the cupboard the previous machine had been in.  Ended up with an AEG instead and it seems to work.

2 hours to dry a full load of towels is personal experience, that’s properly dry but not surface of the sun hot when removed from the machine. The washer dryer required 2 lots of 3 hours for the same result. TBF this is arm and leg Miele teritory though.

so we have a Miele heat pump drier and I think it definitely takes longer than that for towels - it senses how wet they are and adjusts the time so even if it says 2 hours when it starts it can be longer.  (but see above - they sometimes come out of the washer more wet).

I've had a midrange Siemens washer dryer for good 6-7 years now. Used pretty much everyday. Not a single problem with it. If it dies, I'll be getting another Siemens/Bosch, just bigger capacity one.

FYI

Siemens/Bosch/Neff appliances can be bought with 25% discount through Perks At Work, if somebody has access to it.

FWIW Indesit, Hotpoint and Whirlpool are the same company. Likewise Bosch & Siemens.

That doesn't necessarily mean they're the same product. Bentley, Lamborghini, Skoda and Seat are the same company.

Bosch are regularly rated as one of the top (if not the top) in Which? reviews. They get highly rated for both good performance and reliability.

I’ve had a great success with Bosch washer/driers and washing machines and are highly recommend by me.

Also look into dehumidifiers for drying the laundry too.

Bosch are not what they were, like most things.

I'd recommend a beko, reasonably priced and plenty of parts.

Hoover /candy are awful machines. I'd avoid these.

@b33k34 Latest Miele washer on Eco wash and a 2 hour dry, ymmv. I can set alarms to get up and do more washing and change the load in the dryer they are that good. Bought this year though, comparing to a 4 year old HiSense which was a useless piece of kit.

Comparing 7 - 10 year old machines as above will not really help OP as they will be buying new. Latest washer/dryers on AO are D rated our old one may have been F or G such is the rate of improvement.