Not long ago, I mentioned about how Beko's new air-cool technology cut the cost of laundry and how I installed the washing machine with the help of my husband. It is very straightforward but required a lot of strength to take out the transit bolts. The washing machine is 65 cm deep by 60 cm wide by 84 cm tall. It should fit nicely into a 60 cm by 60 cm by 86 cm kitchen under-counter. Please take a look at my previous post here on how to install it. We have used it for over a month and we are very impressed with it. The settings of the machine are very easy to understand and use. The washing cycle is quite quiet with a big drum which allows for a 9kg load.
The special feature of Beko’s washer dryer is that it uses ambient cold air, drawn in through the perforated vent on the front of the machine, to cool the condenser. This is then blown out through the back of the machine, a technique that can significantly reduce your water bills. Incorporating clever air cool technology, this machine can save up to 7,500 litres of water per year, the equivalent of 95 bath tubs. The handle on the door is large and is easy to use to open the door.
The Control PanelThe display symbols come with an orange light and the wording is big and legible. It took us a while to get use to the buttons. Some of the icons needed looking up in the instruction manual, particularly for the drying programmes. With our previous washer dryer, we used to have to push the buttons quite hard. For this Beko washer dryer, you can press the buttons gently as they can be quite sensitive. It took us nearly 3 weeks to get use to it.
To operate the child lock, press these two buttons together to activate or deactivate for 3 seconds.
Whenever you turn on the machine, the default programme is the cotton wash. However, you can store your favorite programme as well as change languages, screen brightness and the on/off audio warning. The big grooved programme selection knob is easy to hold and can be turned either way. The labelling around the knob is color coded where blue is wash and dry related programmes and black is wash related programmes.Detergent DrawerThis contains three compartments for prewash, softener and main wash. We used a powder detergent for washing our clothing. If you use liquid detergents, insert the liquid detergents container into the main wash compartment. You can see this on my video.
Air Suction FilterIt is suggested to clean the filter every 3 months. To get the filter off, use the tool (same tool that is supplied for removing the transit bolts) with the pointed end to lift out the latch. Be careful while using the tool as it might scratch the washing machine if you slip off. You can see how I removed the filter in my video.Also do remember not to block the suction filter while it is drying. It needs to be clear for it to be able to draw the outside air into the machine itself.
Washing and Drying ProgrammesThis washer dryer can wash a 1kg load, equivalent to five shirts, in just 55 minutes. With a super speedy washing cycle, the large capacity cuts the time it takes to do everyday household chores, cleaning a full 9kg load in less than 39 minutes.The Xpress Super Short wash washes small amounts of cotton clothing in 14 minutes! I use this when I need to get their favorite clothing ready for the next day!I tend to use the cotton wash at 40 degrees so that it will be washed more thoroughly as our children our dirt magnets!It also has the capability to wash and dry a 6kg load all in one cycle, meaning you can move on with other jobs without having to be on hand to start the drying cycle. Personally, I have not used this function as I still prefer to check all my clothing before drying, just in case. There are items that we wash regularly that we should not put through the dry cycle like my husbands sports support straps and the children's soft toys.It is equipped with an anti-allergy wash and dry cycle for small loads, endorsed by Allergy UK, which helps to reduce the amount of allergens, helping households with allergy sufferers or conditions such as asthma. This can only be used for up to 2 kg of clothing though. This is perfect for washing baby/infants' clothing.What is the difference between COTTON and SYNTHETIC wash/dry?The answer lies in the temperature. Cotton can normally take rougher treatment in the wash and the dry, relative to synthetics. I tend to use cotton wash/dry for most of our day to day clothing as it can wash and dry at higher temperatures. Comparing the cotton dry and the synthetic dry programmes on the same hanger dry setting, cotton dry clothing comes out very dry while synthetic dry clothing still feels moist to touch.This is my video:The WDA91440W washer dryer is available now from leading retailers including Currys, Appliances Online, Very and Littlewoods. For more information see www.beko.co.uk.
Overall, this advanced design, along with an A energy rating, means machine-cleaning laundry is now more affordable than ever before.
Disclosure: We have received the washing machine to do an honest review.
