The washing machine had broken weeks ago; we called a guy out but it was going to cost more to fix it than buy a new one. Could he recommend a good replacement? He muttered something about low quality rubbish and the decline of British manufacturing as he gathered his tools. I made up my mind to go out and get a new washing machine but then two weeks had passed and all I had to show was a bunch of clothes piling up in the corner of the kitchen next to an ex-washing machine.

As far as I know launderettes didn?t exist anymore (it felt almost like they never did), although I did take a detour round town after work in search of one. By now I was wearing clothes I hadn?t seen for years, odd holey socks and shirts that were so out of date they?re probably back in vogue again.

It got to the stage where there was literally nothing left to wear that wasn?t going to grow legs and walk. Buying a washing machine is simply not an easy task. There?s just too much choice these days, too many features and styles and gadgets you think you?re going to miss out on something if you don?t get it right.

Fortunately we had some sort of goal in mind ? to reduce energy costs around the home. We had one thing in mind ? running costs. I could pretend I was concerned about the environment ? which I am ? but let?s be realistic, energy efficiency is also about saving money, which is also rather nice, especially when you don?t have a lot of it in the first place.

We were already spending a lot more on electricity, either through using more or it was just becoming more expensive, and are not the sort of household who have the available funds to just go out and buy a windmill to stick on the roof.

The energy ratings go from A or AA or something to something higher up the alphabet which is difficult to work out because most of the models we found were either A or AA, which means they?re either all really good or it?s easy to make them like that and there should really be a triple A rating for those really fantastically efficient models.

In the end we got a Beko washing machine. It works, it cleans clothes, it apparently is energy efficient - I just hope it doesn?t break down. At least there?s a 12-month guarantee. None of the washing machines we looked at seemed particularly flash, although I can?t say I?ve ever actually seen a good-looking washing machine.

The pile of dirty clothes has now vanished from our kitchen floor, but you know? The one thing I did miss while were washing-machine less, was going to a launderette ? I kind of miss that Zen like experience of sitting reading out of date gossip magazines to the tranquil, purposeful hum of commercial washers spinning in the background.
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Sarah Maple uses a Beko washing machine for energy efficient washing of clothes.