pumpkin blossom

Weekends are my washing time. Hubbie is under strict instructions to round up the huge amount of clothes he manages to leave around the house on Fridays ready for me to put the first lot on as soon as I wake up on a Saturday morning (and how does he end up with 3 pairs of jeans behind the sofa so often????). Depending on the weather (as I try to hang everything out) I try to get it all done on a Saturday.

I have found with the front loaders here the standard settings are 40c, but in the UK all the new ones seem to be 30c to be more environmentally friendly. Also, it is near impossible to get a high spin on a washing machine here. My last one in the UK was a 1600, and the one I have now is an 800. But it still seems to get as much water out. I my washing machine.

BadgeIsBack

We got the same Bosch Maxx FL with a 15min express cycle to replace the old Bosch FL. Key decision point 1 :Even the salesman slagged off TL's and said once you've had a FL you'll never go back to a TL. 2: The water usage, and electricity consumption also pointed in this direction. 3: Mrs B liked it which meant of course price was not important - these are not cheap.

Mrs B is over the moon with our new toy and is giving it a go now.

So - we may not have a boat, 4x2, trailer or plasma/LCD tv but we have a new EUROPEAN* FRONT LOADER with EXPRESS programme.

*In-joke : apparently Australians have wet dreams over European brands.

BadgeIsBack

Bloody hell. Pipped to the post and outdone once more. This new one spins at 1000, the 1200 was even more.

Rainydaze

Have read through all these comments with interest. Just recently discovered the joys of the toploader - after a typical wash my clothes are horrifically tangled and frayed - the first time I spent 10 minutes untangling a bra from just about every other item in the load! You should see the state of me switching on taps, moving dials blindly, trying to decipher what the strange gurning noises mean, since the machine is giving nothing away! And I'm trying to deal with this as well as cope with an outdoors laundry in a spidery environment Trying not to sound like a whinger, but it's hard when something straightforward is suddenly an ordeal!! Thank god we're in temporary accommodation and will be getting our own machine when we move.

I am sadly regretting abandoning my zanussi electrolux 30degree frontloader in the UK, never thought I'd take for granted the joys of programming a machine at all stages of the wash and knowing (thanks to the digital display) what is happening at any stage in the wash, when it's due to finish, etc.

Can anyone recommend anything similar to my old machine, or a good frontloader in general? Am gearing myself up for the costs and the need to persuade OH that we need a frontloader At least the posts here make the case for frontloaders' energy efficiency/environmental credentials.

Cant rain all the time2

Zanussi/Electrolux are available here but are badged as Simpson/Electrolux. You will recognise them when you see them on display in the shop.

Rainydaze

Thanks a million, you're a star Cant rain, that'll give me a head start in the showroom anyway...!

Rug13yLeague

Can you still get top loaders in the UK, new? If not, then when did they dissappear, the early 90's?

Ozzy dog

Remember that in many kitchens in the UK a top loader just wouldn't be practical as they need to go under the counter space. Back in the day my mum used to have to pull hers into the middle of the kitchen on a Saturday to do her washing. Most modern households just would want the inconvenience.

T x

best4ever

Yes. Thats all I am going to say on that subject, otherwise I could write a book.

MartinLuther

With European brands; Aussies are thinking, designed by Italians, built by Germans and innovated by Brits. What they get is something designed by Germans, innovated by Italians and built by Brits

PoppetUK

The Bosch front loader we purchased has a water rebate on it. Apparently they are more water efficient than top loaders. My sister in law tried a number of top loaders and ended up going back to bosch front loader.

We've got bore water so the only thing that uses water is the taps and washing machine and our bills seem very low.

sinderelle

Just another thought - an experience that I've had

make sure that the water tank/heater that supplies the water to the top loader is bigger than the capacity of the machine

We had a huge american top loader when we lived in Bahrain (don't get me wrong not all homes in Bahrain are like this) and each bathroom/kitchen/laundry room had it's own small external water heater - hence my top loader would fill with hot water from the water heater, stop, the water heater would then refill with cold water and then the top loader would need to take more water from the water heater to reach it's required amount to perform the cycle - but this time cold

It took me a while to work out why my whites always had the same stains coming out as they did going in until I stuck my hand in the water one morning to find everything was being washed in cold water - took me even longer to work out why

My first and last experience with top loaders

Oh and yes, before anyone else says it I am blonde

Ozzy dog

I wash everything here on 'cold' only. My whites are white! Lots of powders are now developed to work with cold water.

sinderelle

Sure I appreciate and realise that you can cold wash and hot wash with top loaders and front loaders and that 'now' soap powders can do amazing things

I was just pointing out that with a large top loader and a small water heater you wouldn't have a lot of choice in the matter.

irishfamily

Don`t worry northernbird ur not alone that sounds just like my life i think partying till 6am would be a hospital visit 4 me lol