Bosch WTE86302AU
Verified2 reviews
Love this machine – I am a fan of front loader washing machine but I am a far bigger fan of Bosch front loader washing machines. This machine replaced a Bosch front loader which also replaced a Bosch front loader. This one has a silver door frame and is quieter than the old one. It also has a few little extra's the old one didn't like a plastic gadget that fits into the soap dispenser allowing you to use a liquid. I love the ability to change the speed settings and water temperatures and it's great being able to see how much longer a load will take. It washes everything so well from delicate silk to garden dirty socks. Really there are no negatives. It is well worth the money. Gentle with silk and wool but hard on dirt. It is a front loader so forget about washing blankets or doona's.
The jury is still out on this one – In looking for a condensor dryer to upgrade from my 18 year old Fisher & Paykel vented dryer, we didn't want to spend a huge amount of money as we only use the dryer as a back-stop. We settled on this one (received in November 2011) as dryers that were at a lower price point had a really flimsy build, especially on the doors and water tanks - the bits that are going to get knocked about. We knew that this one had a not so good energy rating, but those with a good one were way outside our budget. However, I didn't expect it to heat up the room like it does after only 10 minutes of operation. It reminds me of the vented dryer and I open the windows to release the heat, just as I did for the vented dryer's moisture.
Another thing that has come up is that we use it to 'finish off' clothes that have been drying in cold air outside, and it tends to think they are already dry and stops after 5 minutes (settings: Low heat, Cotton dry, Very dry). We can tell that they aren't (and the F&P dryer coped with this well). This doesn't happen with a load put in straight from the washing machine and as we are only just starting to use it in anger, we will investigate this further, and probably contact Bosch. Otherwise it's been a good machine. TBC Large diameter drum, Moisture sensor drying, Low heat drying, Solid build, Internal light Sometimes doesn't dry clothes sufficiently or evenly, High energy consumption
I have since been in contact with Bosch regarding the issues raised here. They have advised that the sheet-balling can be eliminated by folding the sheets before putting into the dryer. I have done this and it is successful provided you put one sheet in at a time. I have not completed dialogue with them on the other points as yet. TBC
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Further to my earlier review (Joanne06 19 May 2012), I've now found that this machine creates a tight ball out of our sheets, whether one or more are put in at a time. It's a ball the shape of a football, though double the size, and when unravelled by hand the centre is still very damp.I've looked at the manual and not seen anything to suggest I'm doing anything wrong when drying the sheets. Secondly, I called Bosch customer service regarding the previously stated issues and was advised to check the air cooler, which I did and found nothing. Also, I looked for the moisture sensor to check it, but was unable to find it - the picture in the manual is not detailed enough. Though I think it will not have a coating on it as the air cooler didn't. I have now submitted a written request to Bosch via the tecnical support section on their website in order to resolve these issues and for advice on how it is to be installed under a bench, nestled between cupboards, when it gives off so much heat (ours is currently stand-alone but will be built-in soon). Hopefully it may turn out that these issues are unusual for this model. TBC