I am pay $40/month doing my laundry, not counting soap, and I’m sick of it.
I’m getting a closet-sized washer/dryer combo for my one bedroom condo.
I’ve been looking at the LG ones, that combine washer & dryer into one unit. Pricey, though.
My late Father had a laundry center (mini dryer stacked on stop of mini washer, one unit), but the dryer didn’t work for $#!t.
Can any Doper advise me on a reliable, well-functioning laundry center unit, or combo unit?
Get a full-size stackable if you can fit it in, because you will be much happier in the long run; the all-in-one units are a smaller capacity and I always had trouble when I wanted to wash and dry a blanket.
No recommendations on brands, sorry.
We bought an LG stackable set a few months ago when our old one died, and it’s fabulous. We only had a choice of maybe 3 - 4 models that would fit in the closet where it needed to go, and they weren’t a ton more expensive than the next model down, which was an off brand, much smaller, and not nearly as nice. Plus the LG is much more energy efficient and uses less water.
More input, folks?
I’ve for an older Maytag full sized stacking set. It has been bullet proof. In 20+ years I have had to do the following:
Replace a little flapper hose ($5) in the washer 2X
Replace the handle on the washer lid that fell off
Vacuum lint out of the inside of the drier once.
I bought a Bosch Excell Maxx 5 WVT1260GB combination washer/dryer reconditioned for £125 from a firm on eBay.
It holds up to 5KG, I’m sure the American models will hold more; but I can only say it works correctly for both washing and drying.
Only two points: in GB at least there are basically a few actual manufacturers who own all the large number of companies, and thousands of different models, some of which are duplicated under different brands, giving a false sense of competition. So it’s best to check who owns what company first, since faults may be duplicated also: for instance, my previous washer was an Indesit, which is the same as Hotpoint and Creda.
The other is to avoid those sites which offer to sell a pdf manual: if you go to the manufacturer’s site one can usually hunt down a pdf either for the exact manual, or as near as dammit, for free.
The all in one wash and “condensing” dryer machines work well, but have a huge drawback. They are painfully slow. A friend of mine put a Bosch condenser washer/dryer in their apartment, and found that each load took four to five hours to complete. You’ll have to get into the habit of doing a load of something pretty much every day.
As for the poor performance of smaller dryers, some of them run on 120, so they will not get as hot as a regular 240 volt or gas dryer. An excessively long or clogged vent will also impair any dryer.
Almost all front loaders now can be stacked if you buy the cheap stacking bracket. For our LG machines, this thing cost all of $35. If you can fit a full-size stack, go with that as you’ll have far more options of brands and models. The only drawback to stacking is that the machines need to be the same brand and model line, plus, if you’re short, the dryer controls might be a bit of a stretch to reach.
Is your condo plumbed for a washer/dryer? Because if not, it’s going to cost a bit (in the hundreds?) to get that done. Also, if you don’t already have it, get a washing machine shut off valve installed, preferably an automatic one. Without it, the washing machine hoses are under pressure constantly and eventually they burst, which can be an expensive insurance claim. If you have to add the plumbing now, an automatic valve may be required by code.
The problem with full-size is, I’d have to have a carpenter remove part of the wall.
Ouch.
this is off topic…
But I would like to know why Americans build (and buy) condos for a hundred thousand dollars, and don’t include a $250 washing machine? Americans love privacy and convenience. (example: They drive alone, rarely using car pools or public transportation.)
But when it comes to doing laundry, they make it a group activity: complicated and time consuming-- using public laundramats 3 miles away from home, or sharing a laundry room in the basement with 15 other tenants.Weird. Most other countries have a washer in the home, just like they have a toilet and a refrigerator.
(I have no experience with stackable washers, so I can’t help. But if others reply to my hijack…please include some relevant advice for the OP!)…
Builders may leave out the washer and dryer since most buyers want to choose their own models or bring used ones from a previous home. Americans doing ‘group activity’ laundry, as you termed it, are either renters or people who own homes that are too small for a washer/dryer. This is common in dense cities where living space is at a premium. In other countries, it seems a washer in the home is common while a dryer is not; we’re fond of our dryers here in the States.
Bosda, your best bet would be a front loading washer stacked w/ a dryer, since they use less water the dryer could be of the 120 volt variety w/o being too inconvenient. But where you’d find such a beast in the smaller size you need…I couldn’t say. NM Ikea, they have no laundry appliances.
I hang most of my things to dry but I’m in 10% humidity Utah, unlike yourself.
How big is the opening?
What about a washing machine of your choice, coupled with a spin dryer? It works by spinning most of the water out of the clothes, and so doesn’t require venting. The clothes come out slightly damp and would still need to be hung up somewhere to dry completely.
Depending on your other options, model-wise, it may pay for itself in the long run. The high-efficiency front-loaders use less water and power, so lower utility bills. You might want to try running the numbers for various models.
Opening of the closet is 27 1/2 inches.
The closet is the only practical place for it.
Does anybody know where I can get a full-sized washer under 27 inches wide? Or a large capacity washer/dryer combo? Or a Laundry Station that runs on more than 120 current, & is less than $1,800?
I don’t think this would help much, with the amount of laundry I do.
I had a machine that was both washer and dryer, in a flat in London. I could do only one load a day, realistically. I set it to go before I left in the morning, and it was done… some time in the afternoon. I suggest you find stackable, for sure.
How much laundry do you do? And what does your laundromat charge? Because I’m also a single guy, and I do two loads a week (one white, one colors). Each cycle (wash or dry) costs $1.50, so I’m spending six bucks per week on laundry. And I live in much more expensive area of the country, so I wonder how you’re spending forty bucks a month on laundry.
When we got sick of the 'mat, we bought one of these (Haier portable washing machine), coupled with one of these (small tumble dryer). They both hold a lot more than you would think and work pretty good. Washing time on regular cycle is about 30-40 minutes, drying time is up to 150 minutes, depending on what and how much you’re drying.
You don’t need to do any plumbing or ducting, the washer hooks up to a sink and the dryer you can just vent out a window. You are limited to the length of the input and drain hoses, which is only a few feet each, and you really have to drain it into a bathtub (a sink won’t drain fast enough or hold enough water), but the machine is pretty light and can be pretty easily put onto a rolling platform or fitted with casters for ease of moving around. You will use a lot of water, as the washer uses jets of water rather than an agitator.
They may not work for you but they work fine for us. Once we got through our laundry backlog, we just throw in our dirty clothes as they come off and turn it on once it’s full (about every 3-4 days).