Hot & Cold Fill UK Washing Machines

[myles_v]

I've never heard of a cold fill only washer, but they do sound like they would be a lot more efficient and I do like the idea of the washer not having to wait for the hot water to get all the way through the pipes from the water heater (even though the washer at my dad's house is in a closet that is next to the closet with the water heater, and my mom's laundry room is right above the water heater which is in the basement, but every house is different). My mom's house has a Whirlpool Duet Steam from 2006 or 2007 (house was built with a Panasonic which was replaced very soon after with the Whirlpool, I was too young at the time to remember why it was replaced now) which must have a heater in it, but the settings that use steam are very rarely used (I wash my sheets using the sanitize setting, to kill any dust mites. I don't think the sanitize setting uses steam, only the deep clean setting does but I'm sure the sanitize setting uses the built-in heater) and it is hot and cold fill. The Duet Steam dryer has a small tube coming from the cold water line that goes to the washer to the dryer for the steam settings (quick refresh and enhanced touch up) so I am wondering if the washer heats water from the cold or the hot line for the deep clean and sanitize settings.

 

[sebo_fan]

Houses in the UK can have different systems where hot and cold fill are concerned - some houses have the older tube running off from the hot water system in the home, others have a water "tap" /faucet running from the heating system installed next to the machine where effectively the washing machine will only suck in the water when it is required, leaving the water dormant until the machine is required next. Feeder tubes are then connected either side of the water tap if, say a dishwasher requires cold fill only.

I didnt know all this until my LG was taken out to plumb the Hotpoint in and we discovered that the tap had seized up, thus requiring replacement.

 

[turbo500]

Ryan, how did you think the Hotpoint compared with your LG?

 

[sebo_fan]

I still prefer the LG - though it doesn't offer as many low energy wash programs as the Hotpoint - the LG is far quieter to put up with as well as being a far better machine to live with where just me is concerned. I quite like the Hotpoint for its ease of programs and for many of them - but the fact that it uses a drive belt as opposed to the LG's direct drive means I'll be questioning how long the machine will last on our kitchen floor.

 

[turbo500]

Just reading your full review now - very interesting. One thing to point, the swing-open drawer is not a new feature and is actually a left over from the old Ariston machines that the first Indesit made Hotpoints were based on.

 

[sebo_fan]

Oh right - thanks for that - I did notice that the previous Aqualtis also has that "rotating" side drawer too.

 

[turbomaster1984]

"I still prefer the LG - though it doesn't offer as many,

'''low energy wash programs'''

as the Hotpoint"

#chortle#

 

[sebo_fan]

Chortle ??

 

[turbomaster1984]

Chortle, a noisy, gleeful laugh:

Just amused at your choice of sentence to do with the Hotpoint.

Low energy wash programmes was a feature Hotpoint penned in the late 1980's.

 

[sebo_fan]

Really? I did not know that. Sadly Im not as involved with washing machines as I am with vacuums - though Im aware of several designs from my studenty life. Washers and dishwashers are pretty much average appliances though I know what brands I like and the brands that have let me down.

 

[baglessball]

Energy efficiency

Well, these are my thoughts.

I have always thought that cold fill machines would be more efficient to heat up the water in the machine, as it saves all that hot water left and wasted in the pipe from the boiler, or hot water tank, to the washer.

I think the compromise for an energy efficient wash is a longer wash time. Instead of the machine using high amounts of water, electric and agitation to clean the fabric, it now relies on long periods of soaking to allow the detergent to do its work, rather than agitation. Which also results in less wear to the fabric.

If you want a short wash, i imagine the machine will be more active, whilst using more water through the cycle.

I can remember complaints made about Dyson machines stating that the high agitation and low water consumption caused more damage to textiles.

 

[turbo500]

Shaun, I wouldn't say washers agitate less these days. If anything, they need to agitate more to make up for lower water levels. The tumbles in my Miele are just as vigorous as any older machine, and more machines now do distribution tumbles or "powerstream" tumbles to force water through the fibres.

You're spot on with longer wash times, although I think at least half of the additional wash time is purely used for heating up rather than actual washing.

The Dyson machine was different as that had the 2 drum action. In some ways, the 2 drums worked really well, but not so good for anything delicate. In my brief experience of using them, they were also an absolute SOD for getting things tangled.

 

[suctionselector]

Sebo_fan

The review you gave was very detailed and explained what you liked about it and compared to your LG. I found the video very good - you could tell some of the others hadn't bought a new washing machine for years.

I love your massive laundry room on your pictures at the bottom of the review, I wish I had permenant plumbing and space for 2 machines at a time!

 

[sebo_fan]

Thank you very very much! I wasn't happy at being filmed.

And... that isn't my laundry room sadly - its one part of the kitchen lol. The LG hasn't been plumbed in as the Hotpoint is for the moment with the tumble dryer next to it. Luckily those vent hoses can stretch quite a distance and is a left over from an old White Knight gas tumble dryer we had in the 1980s when gas was cheap. Still managed to fit the Hotpoint tumble dryer though which was good to see.