What should a washer and dryer cost?

Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
1

This new place I’m looking at doesn’t have one and I’m going to have to buy one.

I’ll rent the place until our house sells but they want a $550 deposit (in return for a three month exclusive right-to-buy). I’m thinking I could put the Washer/Dryer in as the deposit if they go for it.

But what does a decent W/D cost?

Anyone show me some love here?

2

The real question is how much you want to spend. I’ve seen washers from $250 to over $1,500.

If you don’t care for front-loaders or fancy features, $500 would likely get you as nice a pair as you’ll ever need.

My last washing machine cost $50, bought used from an out-of-business laundromat. Harvest gold Maytag, complete with coin slot. You can hear the spin cycle from a half block away. I’ve spent the last 5 years wishing for it to just die already.

3

We recently bought both pieces at Costco for a total of right around $550. That was for a gas dryer, however, which may not be an option in your circumstance. I have no idea how the prices of electric dryers compare.

How much you’ll pay will definitely vary based upon how advanced you wish to get from a technology standpoint. Do you want simple white boxes which have 12 or so wash settings and perhaps 6 dry settings and just do the job or do you want the ones that are advertised to “cradle clean a gown” or have on-board computers that have preprogrammed wash settings based upon the particular stains and/or specific types of items in a load? For our ~$550 we got a little better than the former but not nearly as much as the latter. This is more than sufficient for doing everyday clothes, linens and diapers.

My advise would be to check warehouse stores, if you’re a member. I think Sams also has major appliances, though they may be a special order item there. The big box retailers have awful prices and get very snippy (IME) about customers attempting to record price and model information for comparison shopping. Screw 'em, I say, there’s always Sears, which frequently has sales and still employs people who want to sell you products and know smething about them.

4

OK, we just bought a washer/dryer. Posters are pretty right on, so far.

A gas dryer will cost you 50 to 100 bucks more, but may be cheaper to run over time. Some say they dry better.

Consider front loading washing machines. More expensive, but they use less water and hence less energy heating the water. Again, savings realised over time. Front loaders do not use agitators, meaning less wear & tear on clothes.

Kenmore W/Ds come highly rated by consumer reports for reliability and washing. Their top of line rated highest of all. Whirlpool makes the same W/D combination for 100-200 less.

If you think you’ll have the W/D for a long time, its worth it to consider higher priced ones for energy use, reliability and noise levels.

5

Jonathan –

We just bought a new dryer, so my input is: these are the hidden costs.

  1. delivery: typically $35-$40.
  2. removal of old dryer (I know that’s not your issue): $20-$40
  3. gas vs. electric. As others have pointed out, there’s usually a $50 up-charge for gas. We’re pro-gas bigots. But wait, there’s more . . .
  4. most stores will try to sell you an installation kit consisting of approved gas hose and vent tube. These cost about $15 at Home Depot – but they’ll likely want $30-$40. Installation, which takes 5 minutes, is “free” because you just paid for it. Consider doing it yourself – but not if you’ve never sealed gas lines with pipe dope (obsolete) or Teflon tape.
  5. carefully consider the size of the dryer drum: the ones with larger drums will accomodate comforters that you might normally have to travel to the Laundromat to get done. (We also love the light in the new dryer but that shows what appliance geeks we are.)
  6. Many people are sensitive to the noise of appliances. The squealing of the bearings in our 25-year-old dryer finally led to its replacement. But there’s a big difference between even brand-new dryers.

The washer/dryer combination was the first thing that my beloved wanted after we were married. The dishwasher was next. Just a few historical facts with which to close this narrative. . .

Best regards,

Mooney252

6

JC-I’ve bought many reconditioned appliances for absentee landlords, and a good pair of Kenmore large capacity units should not cost over $300. The Kenmore (Whirlpool) units that I bought 7 years ago for myself have been great, parts are plentiful, and any appliance guy worth his salt can fix them easily. (But I still wish I had the Maytags I left in my last house)

Turning ear to grinding noise in basement-dammit I spoke too soon! Just kidding :stuck_out_tongue:

7

Jonathan -

I don’t know where you’re located, but if you’re lucky enough to have a craigslist in your neighborhood, have a look there. I recently picked up an apartment size washer and dryer for $40 as a “fixer.” After I pulled a lost sock out of the pump, it works just fine.

Otherwise, hunt out the nearest Sears scratch and dent outlet. The one by me has roughly two acres of appliances. A few years back, I got a Kenmore (made by Whirlpool) washer and dryer for roughly half off. Small dent on the side? Who cares? It’s going in the garage anyway.

8

Check out estate auctions, too. I’ve seen nearly new washers and dryers go for about ten bucks apiece because no one in the audience wanted to try to haul them away (and most auction houses will deliver for a very small fee.)