A laundry washing machine includes a wash tub, a basket for receiving laundry and mounted for rotation within the wash tub, a recirculating duct extending from the bottom of the wash tub to an upper portion thereof, and a pump for recirculating the washing liquid through the duct from the bottom of the wash tub to the upper portion thereof. A housing is attached to the top of the wash tub to define a chamber, and the duct extends into the housing such that the washing liquid pumped by the pump through the duct is discharged into the chamber. Heater elements are located within the chamber to thereby heat the washing liquid discharged into the chamber. The interior of the chamber communicates with the interior of the wash tub through an overflow weir. The machine further may include an air drying circuit whereby air is recirculated through an air duct by means of a fan from the bottom of the wash tub to the chamber, wherein the recirculated air is heated by the heating elements.