Stackable full-sized washer & dryer?

[DavidLeBlanc]

Is there such a thing? Front load prefered.

NO way am I going to resort to those "apartment" stackables. The notion of washing one (queen-sized) sheet at a time and not being able to wash blankets and other bedding at all does not appeal (BTDT and it is not fun!)

Is a bathroom a bad place to put a w/d? (It makes sense to me, but not if the machines die young due to prolonged exposure to humidity!)

[Greenbank]

I think all that is required is a front-loading version of each with controls on the front. We used full-size models in our last house (that we placed under-counter) that said they could be stacked. They were purchased at Sears, one of their house brands, I think.

[Terence]

Bosch Appliances has full size stackables that my wife and I looked at. The quality is great and they are the quietest machines I have ever heard. They cost a bit more than the regular washers and dryers that Sears sells. I belive Samsung has a combo washer/dryer in one unit which can be purchased through Canadian retailers. It is all in one unit so there is no need to change the load from the washer to the dryer. I saw one in Canada and the owner loved it. It might also be the LG brand though. I'm pretty sure it was Samsung.

[glenn-k]

I looked at specs for the LG combo to see if they ran on gas or electric.  It appears to be a small electric drying unit in the small one.  It takes up to 1 1/2 hours to wash and on some cycles nearly 5 hours to dry.  You might want to check out the specs on the PDF file if you consider one of these to see if it will be satisfactory for you.

[Amanda_931]

David LeBlanc also wanted to know if or why a bathroom might be a bad place for a washer dryer.

a) dryers need to vent to the outside.  So they need to be on--or very close to--an outside wall.  There are some systems that purport to both remove lint and conserve the dryer heat for the room, but they don't seem to be well regarded.  (Was it Brown Lung that cotton mill workers got?)

b) one of my--many--pet design peeves is utility rooms with no exit to the outside.  All other things being equal I'd RATHER hang clothes outside on the line.  They're not always equal.

c) it would be nice if, in addition to the above, the utility area was right next to the linen and bedroom closets.  

d) I've heard gripes about "it isn't sanitary" for both kitchen and bathroom locations.  That might be taken care of if you can have counter space dedicated to laundry.  No spilled spaghetti sauce on this counter, no towels or dirty clothes that have set around wet for a week.  But if you could use that counter space for only laundry then why would you need stackable units?

e) I've heard of people running fresh air not only intothe bathroom but even into CLOSETS in high-humidity areas.  Especially when they have allergies to mold.

f) in a small house HAVE FUN trying to put all of these things together!  

[DavidLeBlanc]

I don't have a problem with a washer and dryer in the bathroom, but would in the kitchen. Also don't care for the idea of a bathroom opening directly off the kitchen. Nor do I like clothes closets that open directly into the bathroom: I am allergic to molds and mildew and especially allergic to replacing clothes so aflicted Also quite allergic to frequent replacement of washer and dryer - thus, that part of the original question!

No problem with washing and drying clothes in the bathroom and then taking them, hot and dry, away to a closet or drawer.

As my scheme stands now, no problem with putting the dryer on an outside wall either. It would be in a closet right next to the tub though...

[Chris Baggott]

We have the LG and it is awesome.  For a cabin you might want to consider the GE or Neptune.  The advantage of a front loader is a bigger load yet they use significatly less energy, and more importantly where we are...water.  

[Terence]

Here is the Edgestar moder Washer/Dryer combo.

http://www.compactappliance.com/xq/JSP.detailmain/Supra_Washer_Dryer_Combo_(110_Volt)___Ventless;_12_1_lb__Load/itemID.8837/itemType.PRODUCT/iMainCat.24/iSubCat.45/iProductID.8837/qx/shopping/product/SW5L30D.htm?mtcCampaign=1501

[Amanda_931]

Cute.