Very few manufacturers have produced direct drive washing machines, as opposed to the normal conventional system used in the vast majority of machines available on the market.
There is always a lot of hype around a launch of something new in the washing machine world. It may well be worth taking you through the differences between the systems, and the pros and cons for both system. You may find this useful when selecting your new washing machine.

One point to make up front is that the direct drive system has been around for quite a long time, and most manufacturers have not taken it up.
The main difference is that the direct drive system does not work on the normal drive belt and pulley system, used in most washing machines on the market today.

On a direct drive machine, the system itself is bigger than the normal belt and pulley system. This means that the weight is carried at the back of the machine, and will restrict the size of the drum.
Pros and Cons of the Direct Drive System are set out below, but please be aware that most of the Pros are from the advertising claims for this system.

It is claimed this system uses less parts, which they suggest will mean less problems. Due to the additional sensors required, the difference is not necessarily less parts, but more like different parts.

The lack of the belt and pulley in the direct drive system means there is less wear and tear, and the machine will last longer – so it is claimed. However, over the last 20 – 30 years, the design and manufacture of domestic washing machines has improved considerably and it is now very unusual to come across problems with belts stretching. It is fair to say this was a common problem in the past but rare these days. In most cases when the belt does fail, it is generally down to the way the machine has been misused by its owner over a period of time, specifically by constant overloading. Not only does this cause problems with the actual washing of the clothes themselves, it can cause the drum to be off-balanced, putting strain on the belt and pulley system.

The motor itself is attached directly to the centre of the drum, making it more stable and thus reducing vibration. This is not necessarily the case. With most washing machines, excessive vibration is caused by poor installation, meaning that the machine is not level, causing it to rock from side to side during the washing cycles. Also, overloading can cause a machine to vibrate as it tries to move the drum fast enough to spin clothes, putting unnecessary strain on the belt.

There is no brush in the direct drive system, which reduces the amount of friction and the washing machine is, therefore, extremely quiet. This is true, but can also be said of induction washing machines that are available on the market. One thing to bear in mind if you are looking for a very quiet machine, an induction machine will be more expensive.

The claims are that a direct drive washing machine is more stable. Unless you are comparing the direct drive with a very cheap machine, the fact that vibration is caused with the high spin speed, you will probably not notice any improvement at all.

You can obviously choose to buy any kind of washing system for any appliance that you want, but there seems very little point in the direct drive system, especially if the cost is higher than the normal belt and pulley system.

Space, or lack of it, seems to be the only reason why anyone would want to purchase a washer drier. They are really more trouble that they’re worth:

• They don’t do what they say on the tin in most cases
• The driers are generally terrible and take forever to dry your washing load
• They break down far more frequently
• Parts are expensive
• They cost a lot to run
• They cost a lot to purchase

At one time, these machines were quite popular but they have fallen out of favour for very good reasons. People thought that it would be great to put on a washing load when you go out to work in the morning, and come home to clean and dry clothes. Great idea in principle, but after 8 hours at work you may well find that your clothes are still being dried when you get home. One pair of jeans can take up to 2 hours to dry!

The use of dryers has fallen quite a lot over the last few years, not only from an environmental perspective, but also due to the cost of using dryers in the first place. If you are lucky enough to have outside space, it is much better to dry your washing in the open air. I know it is a drag when it rains when you are out, but that’s part of the fun of living in the UK!

There are also plenty of items that you would not dry in a tumble dryer anyway, as it could damage them and there’s always a chance that your clothes will shrink. A lot of people generally tend to use their driers in the winter if it is not possible to dry washing outside, and then just use them for jeans, towels and bedding, as the rest of the washing can be hung on airers around the house. Bit of a pain, but cheap.

Back to the choice of washer dryers.  It is very hard to make any kind of recommendations, and the consumer magazine, Which, has only been able to identify 3 models they could recommend as Best Buys.  There are so many manufacturers producing these appliances out there, that it shows how problematic they can be.

Unlike other appliances, the price of the machine does not necessarily give you the best option. There are only three manufacturers that spring to mind, which will cover the three main price bands:

• From the cheaper end of the market – £400-450 range – only one stands out and that is the Zanuzzi washer dryer. It is not saying that it’s great, but is better than the rest in this price range
• From the medium range – £500-750 price– the best of the rest would be the Bosch washer dryer.
• Top of the range, there is even less choice, and only one manufacturer is worth the purchase, Miele. This is for machines costing up to and over £1000.

The best alternative would be to buy a reasonably priced washing machine, and a small tumble dryer, if you are pushed for space. It may be a bit of a nuisance but think you would be much happier with the result.

Is it ever worth buying a second hand washing machine, and how do you know where it has been, who has used it or how long will it last?

These are very good questions, and you should really think very hard about it. I know there are times when your old machine has broken down, and it may seem like a good idea at the time, but you may well be buying yourself a whole lot of trouble.

If you know the person selling the machine, and you know how it has been used and you also know the genuine reason for selling the machine, then you would be able to feel far more confident in this kind of purchase.

Most people will only be changing their washing machine for one of the following reasons:

• Moving home
• Updating their kitchen or utility room
• Not happy with the machine they have
• Like to have the latest gadgets going
• It is broken, needs new parts or plain just doesn’t work – which is what they don’t tell you

It is a huge gamble to buy a second-hand machine on line, as you have no idea where this machine has come from, and also how it has been used. For all you know it has been in a short let premises, which means it has probably had a very hard life, and as they don’t own it, some tenants in this type of property would not necessarily treat the appliances with respect and you have no idea what has been washed in the machine.

It could also be from a private seller who knows the bearings are going – very noisy machine – or something else is going wrong that will cost a lot of money to rectify.

In other words, you will have absolutely no idea where this machine has come from. Also the quality of the machine cannot be verified, the seller could claim it is a bona fide manufactured machine, when in fact, it is a cheap far eastern copy. There is no way you can tell from a picture.

You may also be interested, or amazed, to learn that there is likely to be a considerable amount of slime contained in the machine, that you will never be able to see, from countless washing cycles and has built up over years. This slime may not only come with a noxious smell, but will also contain bacteria.

Apart from purchasing a second hand machine from someone you know, as detailed above, the only other safe purchase would be from a local shop that deals in second hand domestic appliances. They will have stripped down the machine, cleaned and sanitised it thoroughly, plus replaced any broken parts. In fact, in most cases, they will have carried out a full refurbishment. These machines will come with a higher price tag than the cheaper ones available on line, but will also come with a warranty of some kind. If they are not offering a guarantee, then it is probably a good idea to find another shop!

On the matter of cost, we are all aware of some very cheap washing machines available – these are generally again from a non-European Union country. You should also give these a wide berth as not only are they made from very cheap materials, they will only give you a poor performance, and, as will more than likely happen, when the machine breaks down, it is almost impossible to get spare parts. You may also find that you will struggle to get satisfaction from the warranty provided by the supplier.

On the whole it is fair to say that, purchasing second hand machines or very cheap machines, you need to proceed very carefully and can only repeat the only recommended purchases would be:

• From someone you know well, and you are happy with the reason they are selling the machine.  This is even better if it is a family member.
• Buy from a well-know local company who specialise in refurbishing old machines, and provide a genuine guarantee.

Caution is definitely the watch word.

There seems to be some confusion around the whole question of detergent dosing which relates to the amount of water being used in modern washing machines.  There is some suggestion that over-dosing of detergent can cause skin irritation.

As we all know, modern washing machines are designed to be both more efficient and to be kinder to the environment.  However, by using less than the recommended dosage of detergent can mean that your laundry is not cleaned thoroughly and, conversely, using too much detergent can mean the washing machine is unable to rinse all product out of your clothes, leaving detergent residue.  Read more about this here

You may have noticed that a garment has some grey coloured marks which, if you touch them, may feel slightly rubbery.  Unfortunately the garment may also have been torn.

Apart from the technically-minded among us, most people are not that interested in how a washing machine is put together, they just want to know that it works.  However, set out below is a quick review of the types of materials used in the construction of your washing machine, which should satisfy you that any stains on your washing could not be caused by the machine itself.

You may have noticed that some of your clothes start to look old and tired before they should.  This is not caused by a fault with your washing machine, which is good news.

You may have noticed that some of your larger items, such as bedspreads or curtains, appear to have faded when you have put them through your washing machine.  This has not been caused by your washing machine,  the detergent or fabric conditioner you are using.  Read more about this topic here…

Overview of Washing Machine Stains

Apart from the technically-minded among us, most people are not that interested in how a washing machine is put together, they just want to know that it works.  However, set out below is a quick review of the types of materials used in the construction of your washing machine, which should satisfy you that any stains on your washing could not be caused by the machine itself.

One thing that should reassure is that this is generally not a problem with your washing machine. In modern machines, the electronic detector would have picked up a fault, and the washing cycle would be stopped. By the mere fact that you have been able to empty the machine shows that the programme had completed. There are always exceptions to this rule, but hopefully the following reasons and solutions should help you to return to a good result for all your laundry.  Read more…