[Kalota]

DF and I just bought a new washing machine. After always having top loaders, we decided to get a front loader due to the price/functions/energy and water usage that the sales guy told us about. We got an Electrolux Time Manager, 8kg.

Now, I knew when we bought the front loader washing machine that the wash cycles would be longer than what we are used to with top loaders, but when I put in my first load of washing it came up with the time of TWO HOURS AND TEN MINUTES! Are you serious?! To me, a very busy person, this is just ridiculous! I turned the temperature right down (it heats its own water) and it still said 2 hours.

The only thing that would reduce the time was if I used the 'Time Manager' function, and turned the wash down to "Super Quick" OR if I used the "Economy Cottons" option. If I selected these options, the wash times were reduced to just over an hour, which I still think is long but I can deal with!

So my question is, if I use the "Super Quick" or "Economy" options, will it properly wash clothes that have just been dirtied from daily use? (I.e. no big stains or extremely dirty clothes) just the daily use wash? What do you think?

I'm glad that I can reduce the wash times by using the "super quick" or "economy" functions, but am sceptical as to whether this function will properly wash clothes from daily use. I understand that very soiled clothes or big stains will need longer cycles...

Thanks in advance for any tips/advice for a front loader noob

This post has been edited by Kalota: 15/12/2012, 08:50 AM

[*LiMa*]

On a front loader, the economy mode reduces the rinse cycles, not the wash cycles, so it will be fine. Use a normal mode if you have fabrics you want to be rinsed extra well.

Also, the energy and water ratings the machine has are actually based on using economy mode, and the energy consumption rating is calculated on doing 1 economy cycle once a day.

This post has been edited by *LiMa*: 15/12/2012, 08:54 AM

[FiveAus]

We use the fast wash function on ours for almost everything, it's fine and our clothes are perfectly clean.

[Kalota]

On a front loader, the economy mode reduces the rinse cycles, not the wash cycles, so it will be fine. Use a normal mode if you have fabrics you want to be rinsed extra well.

Oh is this right?! Thanks so much! I guess economy mode will be okay to use for just day-to-day clothes washes then?!

That would make my life so much easier!

ETA: Thanks FiveAus! That's good to know. I think I'm gonna stick to the quick options then, I'm too busy with work and stuff to have 2 hour long washes! If it washes the clothes, that's all I want!

This post has been edited by Kalota: 15/12/2012, 08:55 AM

[Chelly_M]

I do every wash on the quick wash setting on our front loader, otherwise it takes too long. Clothes always come out fine. Even soiled baby clothes come out clean. For towels etc, I still do the quick wash but also change the water temp to hot.

[KRT]

I do everything except sports clothes on the economy cold setting. I would do sports gear in those cycles, but DH thinks it's not enough to get it clean. I, however, believe nothing will ever stop those clothes from smelling so I may as well do the job quickly

[Therese]

I wash everything except my husband's work clothes (he works outside and they are really dirty) on the fast cycle and they come out clean every time

[Kalota]

Thanks everyone for the replies! Great to know!

[tiggy2]

I use the "mixed load" function which is 40mins for lightly soiled clothes, the "60 min power wash" for heavily soiled and the 15min function for things like bathers and baby clothes. That's on a Bosch but you may find you have similar ones.

A word of warning, my old top loader never ever made clothes run and I was a bit slack about sorting. The Bosch washes mug harder and will colour run easily, especially if not on cold. I liked the mixed cycle as it is a more gentle wash and if a black sock has snuck in it doesn't kill all the clothes. Just something to be aware of!

[Kalota]

I use the "mixed load" function which is 40mins for lightly soiled clothes, the "60 min power wash" for heavily soiled and the 15min function for things like bathers and baby clothes. That's on a Bosch but you may find you have similar ones.

A word of warning, my old top loader never ever made clothes run and I was a bit slack about sorting. The Bosch washes mug harder and will colour run easily, especially if not on cold. I liked the mixed cycle as it is a more gentle wash and if a black sock has snuck in it doesn't kill all the clothes. Just something to be aware of!

Thanks tiggy, the Bosch seems to have much shorter cycles, 40 minutes, mine won't even go that low for lightly soiled clothes! Heavily soiled items the function is at least 2 hours... lightly soiled items it's still well over an hour. It's only if I put it on "super quick" that it goes down to an hour, in the manual it says that is just supposed to "refresh" items but hopefully it cleans them properly?!

I'll have to keep an eye on colours running, too - thanks!