verdict
With an A-rated wash cycle, the Hotpoint ActiveCare NDD8636DAUK is one of the cheapest washer-dryers to run for laundry. Tumble drying isn’t as efficient as all washer/dryers, but it’s a good all-in-one machine. If you want a washer dryer that is a better washer than anything else, buy this model.
Strong Points
- Low running cost for cleaning
- Excellent dirt removal at low temperatures
- Wide choice of cleaning programs
Cons
- Confusing dry-only option
- Dry cycle is expensive
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typeThis is a free standing washer/dryer. -
capacityIt is a washing machine with 8 kg of washing and 6 kg of drying. -
energy ratingThis machine has a D washing and drying rating and an A washing rating.
prologue
Washers and dryers are convenient, but they are usually much more expensive than stand-alone appliances, especially for tumble drying.
To save cash, it makes sense to focus on buying relatively inexpensive appliances to use as washing machines, and more sparingly on tumble dryers. This is exactly what Hotpoint ActiveCare NDD8636DAUK offers.
With an A-rated 8kg washer, this is as efficient as a washing machine, and even a D-rated 6kg tumble dry isn’t too bad as far as washer-dryers go.
design and function
- Choosing a decent program
- A little troublesome dry only selection
- good capacity
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. Hotpoint’s current styling hits just the right balance. It just catches the eye and makes your appliances look great without being too flashy. Externally, the Hotpoint ActiveCare NDD8636DAUK looks very similar to the Hotpoint NDB 9635 W UK.
Both have nearly identical layouts and program selections, with differences in size and capacity. Both machines can dry 6kg of laundry and are rated D, but the Hotpoint ActiveCare NDD8636DAUK has a smaller wash capacity of 8kg (9kg for NDB 9635 W UK) and better wash performance with an A rating.
For the most part, the NDD8636DAUK is very easy to use, with a clean interface and a smart LCD screen on the front. Everything is manually controlled and this washer/dryer has no smart app.
From the main program dial you can choose from a variety of wash and dry programs, including special programs for wool, 20C Wash, Bed & Bath, Steam Refresh and all the usual options.
Oddly enough, there is no dry-only mode to choose from here. Instead, there is a dry-only button next to the LCD that can be turned on by a program of your choice to put the washer-dryer in tumble dryer mode. This is confusing, so it makes more sense to have a dry-only program selectable from the main program dial.
From the LCD you can select the tumble drying mode. You can iron, hang, cupboard, choose extra dry, and set a timer. I prefer sensor drying mode. It shuts down early when the clothes are dry enough to save running costs.
The wash program can also be overridden by selecting options such as temperature, spin speed, additional rinse or steam.
When all options are selected, the display will show an estimated cleaning time, which will be adjusted during cleaning depending on the size of the load.
There is a standard pull-out detergent drawer that holds fabric softener and detergent for the pre-wash and in-wash. The fabric softener container is finished in blue, but there are no markings on the wash area, so I had to check the manual to see which one I should use for the main wash.
There is no light inside the drum on this model, but it does have a fairly large door that makes it easy to pack large items such as sheets and towels.
performance
- Competitive cleaning cost
- Decent drying cost (for washer dryer)
- Excellent dirt removal at low temperatures
A standard test set of Hotpoint ActiveCare NDD8636DAUK was used starting with Eco 40-60 wash. We measured the water and energy usage for a standard 5 kg load of laundry and found a cycle cost of 31 pence. This was 6p per cycle than the larger NDB 9635 W UK (assuming a unit cost of 34p per kWh).
The clothes are 35.08% heavier than when they were put in. This indicates that the spin cycle is working properly.
The stain removal effect was excellent. The red wine stain (far left) is still visible, but the vegetable oil, ketchup, orange juice, and gravy stains are all mostly gone.
Next, I moved on to the Cotton 30C cycle. This cycle used more water and cost more electricity, bringing the cycle cost to 48 pence. It’s still competitive. My garment added 38.06% weight, indicating that the spin cycle is working well. Blot removal was equally good with this cycle.
This machine has a special 20C anti-stain wash that I also tried. There are very few traces of red wine stains left, and ketchup stains are more visible, but nothing that a regular Eco 40-60 wash can’t remove.
Spins weren’t as efficient in this mode, but my clothes only weighed 42.4% more, so there’s not much difference between this and the “regular” cycle.
For quick washing, it has a fast wash cycle that can handle up to 4.5kg of lightly soiled clothes. This resulted in a laundry cost of only 23p, but the slower spinning speed made the clothes slightly wetter and weighed 61.73% more.
All washers are most efficient when run at full load. An average of 1,370 kg of clothing is washed in the UK each year. Hotpoint ActiveCare NDD8636DAUK requires 171.25 washes. The Eco 40-60 has a full load of 39p per cycle and costs £66.91 a year. This is cheaper than the larger Hotpoint NDB 9635 W UK which can do the same amount of laundry with less load.
One area that has not been improved is tumble drying. Here, the Hotpoint ActiveCare NDD8636DAUK has similar running costs to its siblings.
We started by testing a cupboard drying program. This brings the running cost to £1.05. Washer dryers are much more expensive than traditional tumble dryers due to their inefficiency and the need to use water during the cycle. This cycle removed 96.89% of the moisture when measured on dry clothes. This is more than enough to fold and put away.
Then I measured the drying settings in the cupboard. This costs 85 pence per cycle to run in the test. This cycle removed 96.14% of the moisture, so use this setting to save running costs.
Overall, assuming the UK average of 160 and a 6 kg load used, the running cost of a tumble dryer is expected to be around £144 per year.
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should you buy it?
If you want a washer/dryer with low laundry costs, this A-ranked model is for you.
If you tumble dry frequently and can buy them separately, doing so will keep your running costs down.
final thoughts
Nice to see the washer and dryer rated A for laundry. This is one of the cheapest models I’ve reviewed. While it works well for washer-dryers, tumble dryers are still relatively expensive.
A difficult decision between this model and the Hotpoint NDB 9635 W UK. Here, your laundry costs less, but your tumble drying costs are practically the same and you have to pay a little more. The Hotpoint NDB 9635 W UK has a higher capacity but a higher cleaning cost per cycle.
On balance, both machines are great, but you’ll pay a little more up front for the Hotpoint ActiveCare NDD8636DAUK to take advantage of lower running costs and better dirt removal at low temperatures.
test method
Unlike other sites, we thoroughly test every washer-dryer we review over an extended period of time. Use standard tests to properly compare features. I’ll let you know what I find. We never take money to review products.
See our Ethics Policy for testing methods.
We test compatibility with leading smart systems (HomeKit, Alexa, Google Assistant, SmartThings, IFTTT, etc.) to see how easy it is to remotely control each machine. ONLY SMART WASHERS.
Test each machine on the same dirt to see which machine works best for cleaning.
You can compare energy costs and drying performance between tumble dryers by testing the same set of clothes in each washer and running cycles on the test washer.
If you don’t mind…
Frequently Asked Questions
8 kg for washing and 6 kg for drying.
No, this washer/dryer is controlled by the program dial on the front.
Test data from Trusted Reviews
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Energy consumption 30C wash
Water consumption 30C wash
Remaining percentage of water 30C wash
Energy consumption 40C wash
Water consumption 40C wash
Remaining percentage of water 40C wash
Applications with high annual running costs (washing machines)
sound (spin)
sound (normal)
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United Kingdom RRP
Manufacturer
size (dimensions)
release date
first review date
model number
Rated efficiency
dryer type
drying the sensor
dry mode
drying capacity
drum capacity
speed of rotation
Special cleaning mode
countdown timer
delay timer
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sustainability
TrustedReviews holds the fact that global warming is not a myth as a core value and continually strives to protect the planet from harm in our business practices.
As part of this mission, every time we review a product, we ask the company a series of questions to assess the environmental impact of the device and increase transparency.
There are currently no answers to questions about this product, but we will update this page as soon as we receive answers. You can find a detailed breakdown of the questions we ask and why on our Sustainability Information page.
