Hotpoint VTD00P

My VTD00P caught fire and was still burning inside when fire crews arrived and removed it from our kitchen today,we were luck,we smelt burning and saw the smoke early enough to act.(20/06/2013)

This Hotpoint VTDOOP tumble dryer is actually now 6 years old, however there hasnt been a year gone by when it didnt have to be repaired. I bought Hotpoint because in the past have always bought their stuff but unfortunatley it just isnt what it used to be. (this goes for their washing machines/dishwashers/cookers etc)

According to the engineers that i use this is badly designed as the wiring at the bad is too close to something and burns out. The fluff collects not only in the filter but down the sides of it as well as its a poor fit.Various bolts have sheared off in the past and had to be replaced and the belt has to be fitted by someone that actually has a hotpoint tool to do this as its not standard. All in all the same things keep going wrong and now the door clip has broken which means that the door actually blows open but the dryer still keeps on going (which i think is a really bad health and safety issue!!! ) It is also very noisey and makes a "whiring" sound even when its just been repaired. The only reason that i kept on getting this repaired was because i had taken out additional insurance cover. However it will now be going in the bin and i am going to try a different make.

This is an eight year old machine and I have had several problems BUT I maintain this is a cheap machine that can be fixed by a competent DIYer.

1. Fluff inside the machine - cause is that the black pipe that carries the exhaust from the front to back of the machine is a poor fit. Put electrical tape inside one end and outside the other to make a good fit. Vacum every year and empty the gauze filter after every use.

2. The bearings sheared. Get a fix kit for £10 - mine has been used daily for four years since I replaced it and is still OK. Easy to fit but watch you don't cut yourself on the sharp edges of the chassis.

3. Drum grinds into the chassis. As components wear out and get hot/distorted the tolerances between drum and chassis get less until contact is made and it gouges chunks out of the chassis making a grinding noise. Get the bearing from the inside of a kids scooter wheel (I had a busted one in my garden)and fit that inside the chassis removing the original washer used as a spacer, then fit a new washer on the outside and a split pin with a little grease to stop the squeaks. The drum runs on the new bearing beautifully and much more true than relying on the original type only plus the extra 3mm of clearance means no more drum scrapping noises.

4. Wiring can be dangerous. The original factory fit wiring has too few mounting points inside the chasis and gets trapped between the drum and chassis. I added tape to the vulnerable areas of wiring and cable tied all the wires safely out of the way.

5. Door handle breaks off. Weak design but I attached a piece of neoprene in the hole where the handle was and you can just pull on that to open the door.

Cost of all these mods? Nothing. Improvement in dryer operation and safety? 100%. The machine isn't as bad as made out on here if you are prepared to get your hands dirty fixing it!

Bought this because it was cheap.

Luckily it broke down twice during the warranty period, and was repaired quickly and efficiently.

Unluckily it has now broken down outside of warranty after 2.5 years. Admittedly we use it lots with 3 kids, but still feel its not long enough.

Still saved by not paying for the warranty!!IE can now buy a new one with the money saved....not that I would

Cheap & cheerfull. Easy to use but packed up after 16 months old. Siezed & smoking - poss fire hazzard. Hotpoint used to make quality goods, this is rubbish.

Hotpoint VTD00P worked well for 18 months then drive belt and rear bearing mount broke.

Bearing failed, replaced, then earth strap failed tripping the socket circuit. Door handle fell off, can't be bothered to buy any more parts for this Hotpoint VTD00P now. Now the drum scrapes against the chassis somewhere. I'm going to take the motor out and make a bench grinder out of it.

The chassis fills with drying dust, a real fire hazard so make sure you strip and clean the drier twice a year.

Cheap, but cheap for a reason.

The Hotpoint VTD00P is a very simple machine and low cost. Had the machine for three years now and it has moved house with us three times, no trouble, then the wife puts a rubberised mat in and it jams between the drum and door seal. Result one burnt through drive belt. No jockey wheel for the drive belt!!!!!

What were the designers thinking of.

Sharp edges on the side and back panels

My Hotpoint VTD00P belt snapped, rear drum bearing sheared, drum ruined, in 14 months.

Mine was replaced once under warranty in the 1st week and then packed up after 18 months with ceased bearings - the call out engineer (on the phone) said it wasn't worth calling him out, these things are notorious for breaking down and weren't worth fixing. when it was working the heater element would stay on and the drum would stop for minutes at a time causing it to overheat and bake the clothes. The fan blades grated against the casing making a horrific noise so we couldn't use it at night. I will never buy hotpoint again.