A couple of weeks ago, the inevitable happened: our 9 year old washer/dryer combo machine spun for the last time. Over the last few years, the machine has been rather iffy. Last year when we turned into what looked like homeless people and pushed all our laundry into the self-wash laundromat (which we actually had to drive 30 minutes to and barely found), we thought life was over for it already. But we just kept feeding more money into it, hoping it would hold out for another few years. Over the last 4 years, we’ve had it serviced 3 times…and if we added up those bills, we probably could have bought a new machine already.
I’m not sure what we were so scared of, but we just didn’t want to give out 1200 bucks for two new machines, even though we knew they would probably be more efficient in the end. But at some point you realize that paying out €150 each year for servicing and replacing of parts just has to end. It only cost us about €450 before we could admit that things were just going to keep getting worse with our machine.
And so, about two weeks ago, we headed to the electronics super center and started looking around. There were probably 30 different washing machines and at least 15 dryers…with more bells and whistles than anyone could possibly need in a machine. You can easily spend €1000 on each machine if you have some very specific things you want the machines to do. Unfortunately, they still don’t fold the laundry for you…but I imagine they’re working on that too.
I seriously had no idea that washers and dryers had become so advanced in just a short period of time. Do I need 30 wash programs? How about a silver particle filter? (Actually, I do think this feature is pretty awesome but we make our own colloidal silver anyway so I can save a lot by using our own silver water the wash cycle.) Will I ever actually remember what all these features and cycles do? Not likely.
But the great thing about our new machines is that there are two of them and they are way more efficient. I’m actually writing up a post tomorrow about why you should invest in new machines (especially if you’re on the fence) but for now, I hope you’ll just let me brag about my new washer and dryer for a little bit. Because I love our new machines. And I’ve had them running almost nonstop since we brought them home. Not because we had so much laundry backed up…but because I love using them. I have even started looking for random things around the house that need to be washed (like drapes and sofa coverings) but I just never got around to before. Oh yes, our home will be smelling fresh and look amazingly clean in no time. Too bad I can’t wash the dog in there. 🙂
We stayed at the lower end of the range and got what we needed instead of what was interesting to have. I’m sure the rack to dry toys and your shoes on would have been lovely…but was it worth 150 bucks? No. Just remember that if and when you go into a store to find a new machine, you should not allow yourself to get caught up with all the extras. Research the machine you want first if you can…or if you’re like us and a bit desperate, go for the best deal which is also in stock so it can be delivered tomorrow.
So we ended up with the Bosch Maxx6 Vario Perfect WAE32343 washing machine, which was slightly more expensive than the one I first picked out…but it also had a much faster spin cycle which means it can draw more water out of the clothing to cut down on drying times. Over here they have energy classes based on number systems…A+ is the absolute best,then A, B, C and so on. This machine is a “A” (I don’t think any washing machines have an A+) which means it uses something like 130KwH per year on average.
Here’s a few features of the machine:
- It shows a countdown of how much time it has left in the cycle (my dryer always did this but never my washer)
- There are many different cycles to choose from based on the material of the clothing (although I generally use the same one)
- Holds up to 6kg (13lbs.) of clothing — I actually wanted another model that holds 7 kg of clothing but we would have had to wait two weeks for it to arrive…not an option. More clothes fitting into each load ultimately means less loads of clothing to wash!
- There are a few extra settings that let you use less energy for a normal wash or cut down your washing time on really small loads.
We also picked out the Siemens runner E 46-3R Condenser Dryer. It’s an energy class “B” and that’s as good as it gets for a dryer. They suck energy so they can get your clothes dry — that’s how it works. But I am fairly certain our old machine was far worse.
Some cool features I’ve discovered about our new dryer:
- The machine turns itself off when the clothes are dry…long before the timer says. An average load takes about 30 minutes to dry. Our old machine took 1 1/2 hours or more and the clothes were still not necessarily dry — especially jeans.
- It uses a cool water condensing unit to capture the moisture it’s removing from your clothes. If you get a unit that catches the moisture (like ours) you can actually use that water for your plants or elsewhere around your home.
- We finally have a lint screen again — which makes all the difference in the world when you have a Newfie and two cats
- There is a light inside the tumbler so you can find lost socks. I really love this light…only wish the washer had one too!
My only real complaint about both of the machines is that they could have a better overview of what all the various features and buttons are on the machine. I found that a bit hard to decipher and I don’t think it was just the fact that it was in German. But most of the manuals do have a quick overview of all the settings on the back page and you can keep that handy for the first few weeks to make sure you’re using the best cycle for your clothes.
So enough about my new love affair…I’m off to do more laundry!
Feel free to brag about any new appliances you have in the comments section below! 😉
So happy for you! I’ve used a similar Bosch machine overseas and liked it. We’re hanging on to our stack washer/dryer for as long as possible (but since they are still working just fine, looks like we should be good for a few more years) to save money. 🙂 As for me, my favorite appliance is our Bosch Dishwasher – LOVE. It does condensation drying, so no heating element (i.e. my plastic doesn’t melt!). Love, love, love.
All those years I have been trying to figure out the perfect gifts for your birthday and holidays – who knew something as mundane as a washer and drier would get you more excited than anything I have bought for you in the past lol. “The ode to my washer and dryer” must be the ultimate proof that NOH is turning into a mommy blog :-p
I love my dryer! That was one of my musts when I moved over here. Seriously priceless. 🙂
Now you just need to set up a Twitter account for the dryer so it can tweet you every time a load is done! 🙂
But I know how attached one can get to household appliances. Our first German washer held out for 16 years, and our second still works like new. They were both the Privileg brand from Quelle. Now that Quelle is gone I don’t know where we will get our next washer… but I hope we’ll cross that bridge in 10 or 12 years.
Our only problem with washers is our sewer outlet in the basement is about 120 cm above the floor, and the pumps can’t really pump the water up that high. My father built us a wooden stand for both washer and dryer, so they are up 60 cm off the floor so the pump doesn’t have to work so hard. My dad is a highway engineer, so I’m sure that stand could hold a semi-truck if it had to! 🙂
I actually think your twitter idea is pretty darn brilliant…but considering both machines beep about 5 times after they finish their cycle, I can hear them almost everywhere in the house. A big change from our old machine that never talked to me at all.
We were actually really concerned that we would need a vent for our dryer this time around (kinda forgot to check when we purchased it) but thanks to the cool new condenser functions, we didn’t have to start tearing a hole in the insanely thick wall!
Pretty ingenious idea regarding the stand. And at least the laundry basket fits down below the door. Our new machines have trouble clearing the top of the basket which is a little annoying.
One problem we experience back here in the USA is that many homeowner associations won’t let you put a clothesline in your yard. Dryers are okay but nothing is more comforting than bedding down at night on clean sheets that have been dried on the line. They have a wonderful fresh smell that comes from the germ killing qualities of sunlight.
Of course when it’s raining the dryer certainly beats the lines running everywhere in the house that I experienced as a child.
Could you get yourself a drying rack instead? Or are those prohibited also? Lots of places have them here (we have one as well) and they’re great for hanging up your clothes inside on frosty days or outside when the weather allows. I’m sure there must be some places that sell them in the US…or maybe you can even build something yourself.
You got the same dryer we did last year, from the looks of it. We dig ours, too. The first five years here, we made do without a dryer — our old place was so well ventilated that it really wasn’t necessary.
Not so in the new place.
I’m especially geeked about the ability to set up a dryer where it’s convenient with a Kondenstrockner — not only where you have a venting possibility, like with a forced-air dryer. Why don’t they have those in the U.S.?
I am a little leery of taking the condensed water of the dryer and putting it into our plants. Is that really a good idea? What about detergent residues and stuff?
When we moved over to Germany, we just couldn’t wrap our heads around the concept of not having a dryer. Which is why we ended up with a combo unit from the start. I do think the condenser dryers are starting to catch on in the US, though, even if they are still really pricey at the moment. And if you do move back, can always take your current one with you. Stefan’s mom had her machines in Florida with them and had no trouble with them at all.
Regarding the water, I wouldn’t put it on anything that you’re going to eat but we use a water bucket in our shower for our flowers in window boxes upstairs…plenty of shampoo and soap residue in there and the plants seem to love it. I think it might even help keep some bugs away from them. I’ll experiment with our other flowers downstairs and the water some more and let you know if I think they’re suffering. Most of the detergent should be washed out before the clothes get dried. So you might have a bit of fabric softener (I usually just use vinegar instead anyway) but that’s about it.
Aha. You said “plants” and I thought “herbs” — because we only have plants we intend to flavor up our meals with (basil, rosemary, and the ghost of cilantro).
I forget that other people have plants they don’t intend to eat sometimes.