Washing machines: questions and Band 8 answers

I'd say I put a load on about twice a week. I live in a fairly small flat with my partner, so clothes tend to pile up quite quickly, especially gym kit and work shirts. It's usually a midweek wash and then a bigger one over the weekend.

Yes, we did. We had an old twin-tub machine sitting in the utility room, which was incredibly noisy whenever it went into the spin cycle. My mum used to spend practically the whole Saturday morning sorting out laundry, whereas modern ones are much more automated.

Definitely at home. To be honest, taking things to a laundrette or paying for a service feels like a bit of a hassle and can get quite pricey. Doing it at home means I can just pop a cycle on while I'm getting on with cooking or watching telly.

I'd probably try to troubleshoot it myself first by checking the filter or the power supply. If that didn't work, I'd have to call out a local repair person, or perhaps head down to the nearest laundrette as a stopgap measure until it got sorted.

Without a doubt. Modern machines are far more energy-efficient and whisper-quiet compared to older models. A lot of them have quick-wash settings and eco-friendly modes now, which saves a massive amount of water and electricity, not to mention time.