If you don't have space for standard full-sized separate washer and dryer units, you can select a stackable or all-in-one unit to meet your needs.
Having your own washer and dryer is right next to having a dishwasher on the list of things that make life easier. No trips to the Laundromat with a fussy baby, or to the dank laundry room in the basement of your apartment building. But if you don't have much space to work with in your home, you'll have to think beyond the standard separate, bulky washer and dryer. The good news is that you have options. You may have laundry hookups, including dryer venting, for a stackable washer/dryer combo, but even if you have no laundry hookups, you may still be able to wash and dry clothes in your home with an all-in-one combo unit.
Selecting a Stackable Washer/Dryer
Stackable washer/dryer units, sometimes called laundry centers, are often found in apartment homes. These units usually have a top-loading washer on the bottom, controls for both the washer and dryer in the middle, and a front-loading dryer on top. Sometimes, the washer and dryer are sold separately; this arrangement can make more features available on both machines and the washer may be larger, but the stack then tends to be taller and the dryer controls may be out of reach for the vertically challenged. A stackable unit is the best solution for you if your home has a space designed for such a unit (that is, you have a tall, narrow space with laundry hookups) or if you need to reduce the space your washer and dryer take up.
Your first consideration must be your power supply. Standard laundry hookups have a 220-volt power supply, but in some cases you may have a dryer hookup with vent, but only a 120-volt outlet. You will need to select a unit that matches your power supply; smaller units are available that run on 120-volt power. If your home has gas, find out, too, whether your dryer hookup is gas, electric, or could be either. Stackable units are available with both gas and electric dryers; gas dryers generally cost more, but may be cheaper to operate.
Because stackable units tend to have smaller washer capacities than do standard machines, your second consideration will likely be size. If you have 220-volt power available, you'll probably want all the washer capacity you can get within your budget, unless you live alone or tend to do a lot of small laundry loads anyway. Also look at the capacity of the dryer; ideally, a dryer should have twice the capacity of the washer you'll be using it with, as the clothes need room to tumble around.
A further consideration is the machine's ease of use. Look at units in the store and consider whether you can reach all of the controls, see into the dryer, easily open and reach into the washing machine without conking your head on the dryer, etc.
As the features and brand names change, stackable units vary enormously in cost, from under a thousand dollars to over two thousand. All the units wash and dry clothes at a number of different settings, so unless you have unusual laundry needs, features will likely not be high on your list of concerns- but price probably is. As you compare the cost of different units, don't forget to compare their energy efficiency as well. A unit which costs a little more to begin with may be cheaper over the long run if it uses less electricity. Take into account how many loads of laundry you do per week to help you weigh initial cost against efficiency. If you don't do much laundry, you might never save enough money on energy to justify the cost of a more expensive, more efficient machine. Use consumer magazines or websites to investigate the reliability of particular brands, as the life of the machine and its need for repairs will also affect how much it costs to own.
All-In-One Combos
With an all-in-one combo, you open the door, put the laundry inside- and take it out about three hours later, both washed and dried. Extremely common in Europe, these are a great option anywhere you don't have access to a dryer vent (although for drainage purposes they will need to be a near a sink or bathtub), and they are comparable in cost to stackable units. Some units can be permanently installed, not unlike a dishwasher, while others are designed to be portable.
All-in-one combos allow many people who thought they couldn't have a washer and dryer to do their laundry at home for the first time, but some people even prefer them over stackable or standard units as they often use much less water and energy, thereby being cheaper to run. On the other hand, many people hate them! The primary disadvantage of these units is the time they take to operate; you can't have one load in the dryer and one in the washer at the same time. They also always have a much lower drying capacity than washing capacity; for satisfactory drying performance, you will need to either wash smaller loads, separate wash loads for drying, or hang some of your wash on a clothesline to reduce the size of the load.
Be very careful when selecting a combo. Investigate customer reviews of the machine's reliability and customer service, as many brands seem to be plagued by breakdowns compounded by inept and unhelpful customer service. This is not the time to purchase on price alone. Also consider the noise of the machine- difficult to judge, but the product specifications and consumer reviews will give you some idea- and where you will be placing it. You don't want a noisy machine operating overnight in the master bathroom!
