Under-counter washer/dryer sets are very, very common in the US. … If you live in a high-rise condo or luxo apartment building. Probably 3/4ths of my neighbors (and I) have them. I agree that under-counter / in-kitchen washer / dryers are exceedingly rare in US single family houses.
Front-loading normal US sized machines are also pretty much universal now in upscale new construction or renovations, be they condos or single family homes. The fact a sizeable fraction of the machines on display at lowbrow appliance outfits like Sears and the big box DIY stores are front-loaders ought to be a good clue that they’re no longer the exclusive territory of the maids of the rich and famous.
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I lived in an apartment complex that once added a front loader to its laundry room. Although it cost 50¢ more than the top loaders it did a nice job so I used to always use it. However, as others have said, it too started to suffer from having a horrendous stink, like sewer water. It was only every so often, but eventually the complex had it removed and replaced with just another top loader. And it also sometimes had a small puddle of water left in it, which seemed to be related to when it stank.
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Possibly absent-minded guests.
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The Bosch brands aren’t available in large quantities in Houston, but LG and Samsungs are reasonably common and available. It’s gonna cost me between 600 and 1500 bucks for a set in decent or new condition though.
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Okay, next question: WHY are front-loaders more expensive than top-loaders?
I see one remark above that they are more expensive because there is less demand for them. Meaning there are less of them in production compared to top loaders?
I see other remarks above that front-loaders are more complicated machines than top-loaders. This is what I’m wondering about. What is complicated about a front-loader, more so than a top-loader? I get that front-loaders have this habit of reversing the direction of the drum rotation every so often (I wish dryers would do that too!), but is there something complicated about that? Top-loaders, in contrast, reverse the direction of the agitator with every single oscillation! You’d think they are driven by a reciprocating internal-combustion engine. And both top- and front-loaders share the feature of having multiple cycles (wash, rinse, maybe pre-soak and extra rinse) that all work about the same: Pour some water in tub, slosh clothes in water, drain and spin.
Top-loaders would seem to be needful of being built MUCH stronger: Much more water, thus much heavier load (including all that water), and the agitator has to move all that weight, including reversing the direction of motion with every slosh. It must take an awfully strong engine and strong belts and other parts to do that, compared to a front-loader. So what is especially complicated or especially expensive about front-loaders?
I have one problem with front-loaders. I have a back issue, and stooping to awkwardly reach inside a front-loader and pull out heavy wet clothes can be problematic. If they’re newer, top-loaders can also be energy and water-efficient, which ours is.
Dunno. However the go-to site in Britain is White Goods Help, run 'by a UK engineer with over 30 years experience’ ( and not unjaded ), where many questions on laundering and washers and such things are answered.
Now in hideous Flat Style**.**
I think it’s because it’s more difficult to get something to spin perfectly balanced, upright, like on a wall, than sitting flat on the floor. Doubly so if you’re going to fill it half up with water. (But I’m no engineer, just guessing!)
I’ve got one (a condenser dryer, that is). With a regular dryer, all that water vapor has to go somewhere, which is why dryers are generally vented to the outside via a hose. Condenser dryers don’t have to be vented to the outside.
I’ve got a stacked washer and dryer in a closet off my kitchen. This is in a New York City apartment, so space is at a premium. The advantage of a front-loader here is that you can put the dryer on top of it. It’s great.
However, the brand of washer and dryer I have (Asko) absolutely sucks. Horrible. They break all the time. And parts are not easily available in the US, nor are repair people who are familiar with the brand.
But it is true you can’t wash or dry as big a load at one time as most people in the US may be used to. I can do a double-size blanket without any problems or a lightweight artificial fibre duvet, but probably not a mid-weight duvet or heavier (not so much because of the weight as the volume).
One difference that takes getting used to is that with a front loader, the goal is to stuff the thing jam-packed full of clothes. The fuller it is, the better it works. With a top loader the goal is to fill the thing 3/4ths of the way at most, and make sure everything is loosely arranged & fluffy; no compacting.
So even though the washing compartment is smaller on a typical front loader than a typical top loader for the same market, the actual capacity per load is a lot more similar than it appears and may even favor the smaller front loader.
It takes a certain amount of faith the first few times to cram that thing majorly full-to-bursting then add a tablespoon (not a cup) of liquid detergent, select cold water wash & rinse, then push [start]. But front loaders eat that stuff up. The clothes come out clean, and wrung to darn near dry with near zero wear and tear.
Just to clear things up a bit, front loaders are usually higher capacity than top loaders, at least in N.America. My Whirlpool front loader is 4.1 ft3, and eats a king size duvet or a dozen pairs of jeans no problem at all.
As noted above there are actually only a few mfrs of laundry appliances:
Whirlpool: some Kenmores, Maytag, Kitchen Aid, Admiral, Amana, Creda, Magic Chef, Roper.
Electrolux: AEG, Eureka, Frigidaire, Kelvinator, and Zanussi.
GE: Hotpoint (NA),
Miele, Bosch, LG, Haiar, Asko and lots of others in Europe and Asia.
Many (all?) new top loaders in the US have locks now too. Not as mechanically robust as that on a front loader, but there’s still the same solenoid mechanism and control logic to keep the clueless from sticking their arms into the moving machinery.
You’re overthinking this. You’ve done excellent due diligence. Buy what you have discovered is a reliable, economical, effective product. There are too many variables to undertake a useful study for a product that changes practically annually.
Is there some equivalent in the US of our “Which?” reports, that do technical evaluations and tests on all sorts of different products and advise people on the various issues involved?
Meaning there are less of them in production compared to top loaders?