I'd remembered a post which Jayne from The View From Bag End had written recently when her drier broke. She'd had really good service from an online company so I searched for the post and found it, Appliances Online 1, John Lewis 0. One of the engineers who Mick works with had recommended the same company and online reviews of Appliances Online were very good. It was good enough for me, especially as I found a washing machine I liked on their website and an extra 10% discount code. You can purchase from this company through Top Cashback too so that's an extra saving.
I ordered the washer after 9pm last Thursday evening and it was delivered on Saturday afternoon without any delivery charge or additional charge for a weekend delivery. I thought that was excellent. There was a text first thing on Saturday morning to give us a four hour time slot so that we didn't have to stay in all day, and then a telephone call nearer the time of the delivery to tell us they were on their way and that they'd be with us within the hour. The washer was carried in to the kitchen for us by the delivery men. Unfortunately, plumbing it in wasn't such an easy job for Mick. The design of the kitchen makes it hard to slot it in to place because of its depth but he got there in the end, however, we came across another snag when the cupboard door wasn't so easy to fit. It's an integrated appliance and you'd think that each appliance would have the same fittings, but they don't. The door needed the hinges to be put in a different position to that which they'd been in on the last washer so this is how the washing machine sat in my kitchen until Monday when Mick took the cupboard door to work and got one of the lads who used to be a shopfitter to sort it out.
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This photo shows what I mean. You can see how the hinges have had to be moved in order to get the door to fit correctly. It's a good job it's on the inside of the door and can't be seen.
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Anyway, it wasn't a big job and I've got a working washing machine again, so now I've got a question for you all. How often do you wash? When Daniel and Eleanor were at school I would wash every other day. They each wore a clean shirt each day and though Mick doesn't wear a shirt for work every day, if he'd had meetings that week I could have six shirts to wash every two days, along with everything else which had been worn. I hate washing or ironing to pile up so I like to keep on top of it. Now that Daniel's not at home I have less washing but I still wash nearly as frequently even though I have smaller loads. This can't be cost effective or environmentally friendly so I've decided that I'm going to cut this down and leave the washing until I have a full load. This doesn't include the towels which I've always washed when I've got a full load or the bedding which gets washed as it's taken off the beds. It will mean that I have more washing and ironing to do in one go, but it will cut down on how many times a week I'm doing it.
We'll see how I get on.
Our washing varies! Bed as it is changed weekly, same for towels, otherwise I always do a full load of whatever it is as and when I have a load. So it can vary from week to week! I am glad that you got your new washer so quickly and with such good service! I have always had good service from JL, but not tried the company you use, although hopefully I will not have cause to for quite some time! xx
ReplyDeleteI think my washing will vary now that I'm going to do it this way. Eleanor has a big impact on how much washing is in the basket as most teenage girls do. I shall definitely use Appliances Online again it was such great service, but as you say, I hope it's not for a long time.
DeleteMy neighbour used Appliances Online when she had a new kitchen fitted and they were faultless in everyday - even arranging a swap of a fridge freezer when the first one ordered turned out to be slightly too high for the space. Glad you found them good too.
ReplyDeleteI think the test comes when something goes wrong. It's good to hear that Appliances Online were helpful when the fridge frezer was too high for the space. I think most companies would have said it was tough luck, they state the dimensions in the information. I'm glad your neighbour got it sorted out and more good feedback for Appliances Online.
Deleteperhaps about three times a week, depending on how mucky I get, but then hubby comes home at week ends and brings his washing and he has two loads to do, its all usually done on economy 7 so the electric is cheaper :-)
ReplyDeleteI'm hoping that I'll be able to cut it down to a couple of times a week, not counting the towels or bedding. Obviously that won't count the times Daniel comes home from uni and brings me all his washing, mind you, he's getting really good and keeping up to date with things there just lately. It's good that you have economy 7 to keep costs down a bit.
DeleteI don't wash Jacks clothes, although he is at home he does this and his own ironing. Godsend! So with just Ian and me I try to fill the machine, mine is a 7kg load so quite big compared to the older style with A+ rating. But I noticed they now do this in 9kg!
ReplyDeleteI don't think Daniel would have ever learnt to turn a washing machine on if he hadn't moved out, I'm far too eager to do everything for both Daniel and Eleanor, bad I know. You've trained Jack well, I'm very impressed. My old machine was only a 5kg, it was a washer dryer and I think they're usually smaller, but I never used the dryer, it was rubbish. My new machine is 7kg so I should definitely be able to leave the washing until I have a bigger load now. I was wondering whether I should go for an 8kg but the one I liked had a lower spin speed so I went with the 1600 and it really does get more water out of the clothes.
DeleteMine is a 1600 and its quiet, doesn't make the house feel like its shaking and we now use just two or three wash settings. The turn dial did break on ours very quickly and we found out too late when I'd shrunk some of Ians cloths! The boys fixed it but it must have been a known fault because the new machines have just buttons (Hotpoint Aquarius WM PF 742, three years old).
DeleteI'm very impressed by the programmes available now, there's three fast washes on my new machine, my old one didn't have anything like that, though some of the programmes seem to take ages. I like how it tells you how long's left while it's washing too, that's handy to know.
DeleteI'm glad you managed to get a new machine sorted so easily. I wash about 5 days out of 7 and that includes towels and bedding. I find that I have much more washing during school holidays and I try to only wash when I have a full load but that's not always possible.
ReplyDeleteI think you use a washer much more when you have younger children. I used to find that I had less washing in the school holidays as they'd make their clothes last longer than a day, whereas they had clean school uniform on every day. I was amazed at how quickly I had a new machine, I couldn't fault the delivery timescales.
DeleteI have the spin speed set low on my very old washing machine because I hang everything outside to dry and I hope slower spin means less electric, I try and watch the weather forecast for the best days. Two of us is 2, 3 or 4 loads a week. The max load is 6kg but I've been overloading with no ill effects for years because with the spin speed low it doesn't go mad and jump about.
ReplyDeleteWill a slower spin use less electric? I suppose it will, I hadn't thought of that. I find things like this so confusing. Not every programme on a machine will use its fastest speed, one of the washers I looked at used its top spin speed on only one programme, all the rest were a slower spin speed. I definitely overloaded my old machine, it was very small at 5kg. I'm sure I'll find the larger 7kg wash load much better and I'll definitely be able to do less loads.
ReplyDeleteAs we have a deposito and have to have our water delivered I only use the machine when I have a full load. It slows down in the summer as the main attire is swimsuits for most of the time. Glad you managed to get your replacement, sounds like a good company to use. xcx
ReplyDeleteIt will be even more important for you to use the washer sparingly with your deposito, the summer months will certainly help in your climate. I'm really pleased that I wasn't hanging around waiting for a delivery for ages, a washing machine is something we can't do without.
DeleteHow annoying, but it's good to see that you got a new one without any real fuss or bother. Flighty xx
ReplyDeleteI'm so pleased that I managed to get another one delivered so quickly. I hate to be without a washing machine.
DeleteWhen we worked we did the laundry on Saturday, 3 or 4 loads and then into the dryer. Now that we're retired I still do 3 or 4 a week, but it's spread out and I don't use my dryer, I hang it outside.
ReplyDeleteMy last machine was a washer dryer but the dryer was useless so I never used it. During the better weather I hang the laundry outdoors to dry but otherwise it's hung on clothes horses and dried indoors. It's not ideal but at least I get it dry.
DeleteI'm old fashioned and have all my appliances on show in my kitchen so no problems for us with doors. With Fliss staying with us we do have more laundry, but do try and have full loads, the warmer weather helps as we know it will dry. Hubby does the ironing on Sunday mornings so we try and have everything done on Saturday.
ReplyDeleteI don't think it's old fashioned. When I eventually get a new kitchen (which won't be for some time) I will go for appliances which are on show. You're so lucky having a hubby who does the ironing. Mick is really good around the house and tackles most things but one thing he's never done is iron, yet it's a chore I hate.
DeleteThe whites tend to hang about for ages before I have enough for a wash. Sometimes I only put in a small load because I can't stand them hanging about any longer.
ReplyDeletexx
It's the same here. We don't tend to wear many light coloured clothes so the whites are mainly underwear now that white school shirts are done with which don't add up to much.
DeleteI usually do two loads of towels on Sundays, and three loads of the other washing on Mondays - white/light coloured things, dark things, and trousers and jeans. Bedding is done on Fridays. (I do like a routine!) It's almost ten years since Malcolm took early retirement, and I don't miss washing and ironing all those shirts!!
ReplyDeleteYou sound super organised, but I think you know exactly where you are when you have a routine. One thing I was pleased about when Daniel and Eleanor left school was no more uniform, two shirts a day got on my nerves, it wasn't the washing so much but the ironing. Mick's got a meeting today so he's gone to work in a shirt, other days he wears t shirts which are much nicer to iron.
DeleteOur washing machine died at the mature age of 23 years. I missed it for a long time! We replaced it with the same model, which is a bit modernized but essentially the same. We wash between 4 and 8 loads of washing each week (six of us), I try to spread it but in reality, most gets done on the weekend. I am a strong believer in cloth re-using, what doesn't smell and looks clean enough gets worn again. I'd be washing full time otherwise :)
ReplyDeleteWow, your washer did well for you. I'd love to know which make and model it was. I don't blame you wearing things more than once, we do too if we can, though Eleanor does sometimes pop things in the wash when she's worn them for an hour or two, that really annoys me.
DeleteI had the opposite luck with Appliances Online. I ordered a chest freezer, was given a date for delivery (a week and a half later was the soonest I could get) then, the day before it was due, was called to say it was no longer a line they carried and so they cancelled the order. Just like that. I was *furious*. If they didn't have it in stock, how could they get to the day before delivery before they let me know? I got the same freezer from our local Curry's, delivered within 3 days and they took all the wrapping away too. Same price, much less hassle!
ReplyDeleteAs for how many times a week I do the washing - Saturdays and Wednesdays usually 2 loads at the time saver setting (28 minutes). There's only Douglas and myself in the house now.
I'm sorry to hear you had a bad experience with Appliances Online. I agree, it wasn't very good that they had a line they no longer carried for sale on the website. I'm surprised by the delivery too, a week and a half is a long time compared to the choice of delivery dates we had. I wonder if that's because they knew it wasn't in stock and they were trying to source it from elsewhere. The delivery you had from Curry's was good, I went to order an oven from them a couple of years ago and the delivery date was about six weeks. Who can wait six weeks for an oven? I suppose there's good and bad tales to tell about all companies. I was surprised by the time saver settings on my new machine, there wasn't anything like that on my old one, mind you, some of the programmes take a long time now too.
DeleteGreat washer Jo, nice and compact and its location is super.
ReplyDeleteAs you know I'm a die hard laundry nut but here in North America most think big is better. Finding a compact washer is a chore but I have one which is energy efficient and requires less water.. I love doing laundry, and hanging it out are my moments of reflection. Right now the birds singing in the early dawn is my company... in Winter its the frigid north wind.
I wash almost everyday. I bring home my parents' ( that are in their eighties) laundry twice a week and all the stuff I seem to come up with in between.
Iron what is that? Ha! Whatever way it comes off the line is good enough for me.
Enjoy the weekend and your new washer.
Susan x
From what I've seen of washers in America, many are quite large and top loading too, quite different from what we have here. I love to get washing drying outside and it makes me happy to see it flapping in the breeze. My parents are still doing their own washing, they're in their eighties too, but I do go round and iron it for them, in fact, I'll be heading over there to do it shortly. I try not to be too fussy about ironing things like towels and bedding but I confess that I do iron most other things.
DeleteI hate it when anything electrical 'packs up' but a washing machine is not good.
ReplyDeleteGlad all worked out ok in the end.
Happy Washing Days
All the best Jan
It's so inconvenient to be without a washing machine, I'm glad I managed to get a new one sorted out so quickly.
DeleteOoh, my washing machine is 15 this year, but probably doesn't get used quite as often as there are only two of us, though I do wash bed linen and towels weekly and clothes can vary. Of course I don't use my drier very often as we can usually line dry most of the time and I usually have somewhere under cover anyway. Hope all is well now. Take care.
ReplyDeleteMy old machine was a washer dryer but I've gone for just a washer this time. I never used the dryer bit of it because it was rubbish. I much prefer line dried washing but I end up with it on clothes horses around the house when the weather's bad.
DeleteWe've done well with electrical appliances such as a washing machine over the last few years as we had some little-used white goods left in our present house as part of the purchase deal and they've proved reliable. I usually do two or maybe three washes a week; a load of whites and bedding and one for coloureds - the coloureds on economy wash, but then there's only the two of us. I try and be organised to cut down on water which is on a meter and monitor electricity, although I do use the fast spin. Recently we've been doing a weekly wash for our local daughter as her washing machine broke down and couldn't be mended. It was just out of warranty and she was upset that the life of it had been so short. She's planning to buy a replacement soon, but it's always difficult to know which to buy and from whom. Glad you've had a good experience of service yourself.
ReplyDeleteWe had a new kitchen fitted about ten or eleven years ago and bought everything new then. The problem with buying everything at the same time is that they all seem to break down around the same time. I think you really do have to be organised when you're on a water meter as using more than you need can be quite costly. We do need our mums in times of need, I took a couple of loads of washing to my mum's to wash whilst mine was out of action, one load was the bedding which was in the machine when it stopped working. I hope your daughter gets sorted out with a new machine soon, it's so inconvenient when you don't have your own washer.
DeleteWe have used this company too, for our fridge freezer I think. Glad things got sorted for relatively quickly. Washing machines are so very difficult to do without, thank goodness we've got them these days! I wash every other day, more or less. There is a blue/green/beige wash, red/pink wash, white wash and darks wash. Everything we have fits into one of those catergories and I wash them when I have a load.
ReplyDeleteLisa x
I'm pleased that I wasn't left without a washer for long. The programmes have changed so much since I got my last one, I had to remember which letter to choose on my old machine, now you just turn the dial to which wash you want, much easier.
DeleteWe do about 3 dark washes a week and one white/light wash for the shirts. Sheets get washed every 10 days (ish) and towels at the weekend. I load and unload my machine, but S is happy to do it when she's feeling domestic, and the Lads hang out the wet washing for me. Peter does his own ironing, nothing I wear needs ironing and when the sun shines bright I hang out washing as a meditation exercise.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you got such good service from Appliances Online.
It sounds like a family affair in your house, I wish it was here, they all leave it to me. I quite enjoy hanging washing on the line, it's the ironing which I hate.
DeleteI'm glad you were able to get the new washing machine so quickly and without much hassle. I remember when we moved into this house, we couldn't use the dryer right away because there was a different kind of plug outlet in the wall and our cord wouldn't work. There's always something with appliances. We've recently had to replace the motor in our dishwasher and had to get a whole new fridge a few years ago. I wash about twice a week, three loads at a time (plus a load of whites once a week). It would work out to a small load each day if I did it that way, I guess. It seems like a lot, doesn't it. I think it's because my husband changes his clothes twice a day so it makes more laundry. It's mostly his stuff in the wash, come to think of it! :)
ReplyDeleteYou're right, there's always some problem or another with appliances. We bought all ours new when we had a new kitchen fitted and everything seems to be breaking at the same time, we've already had a new oven and dishwasher, I'm just keeping my fingers crossed that the fridge freezer lasts a while longer. I have to say that there's usually more of Mick's clothes in the wash than anyone elses too, it's the shirts which are my worst things to iron but at least I don't have school uniform any longer.
DeleteLaundry is such a hassle for me. :P
ReplyDeleteI just call for the laundry shop nearby to pick them up and deliver at my doorstep. :)
Have a great week ahead!
What a luxury. I wish someone would do my laundry for me, well, the ironing anyway.
DeleteI'm just catching up with everyone's news. It sounds like you had excellent service with your new washing machine. Jx
ReplyDeleteI'm really pleased with it. It's working hard today, it's such a nice day that I've stripped the beds as well as doing a full load of towels and they're all on the line.
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