To Get or Not to Get Washer and Dryer Combos?

Having one instead of two appliances in the laundry room sounds wonderful! Doesn’t it? But is it worth it? At first glance, it seems to be a great idea, especially if we consider how much time we spend loading and unloading clothes in the washer and then, loading and unloading clothes in the dryer. But is it, really? Let’s take a look at the pros and cons of all-in-one washers & dryers to see where we are standing. Shall we?

The advantages of washer and dryer combos

• The main benefit of getting a washer & dryer all-in-one is space saving. Even if there’s sufficient room for two separate appliances, why occupy all this space when you can get a combo? Naturally, combos untie hands when there’s no space in the laundry room, but a need to have both a washer and a dryer.

• You don’t have to use both appliances. If you like to wash clothes and then, air dry them, you can do it. If you only want to dry some of your garments, you simply remove the rest from the appliance before you set the dryer.

• Combos work as well as separate appliances. This highly depends on the model and the brand but overall, the performance expectations are equivalent. There are programme choices with combos too.

• The cost of buying a washer and dryer combo will be high, but not higher than buying two separate appliances. This also depends on what brand and which model you choose but as an overall, combos can save you some money.

• The time you spend to load and unload is cut in half since you are dealing with one and not two appliances.

The disadvantages of two-in-one home appliances

• While you don’t have to load and upload two appliances, it’s good to remember that dryers dry a smaller load than that the washer can wash. So, you need to remove some clothes from the appliance, set the dryer, and dry the rest later.

• How about if you need dryer repair? Or washing machine repair? Well, if one of the two appliances is malfunctioning, it doesn’t affect the other – in most cases, at least. And so, you can still wash clothes if there’s a problem with the dryer. But how about if one of the two appliances is broken and totally useless? Even if the washer still works just fine, you will either have to do without a dryer or you will need to buy a new appliance.

• While you may decide to get a combo due to space limitations, some units are bigger – usually higher. And so, if you opt for a combo just to save space, you may get disappointed. Just make sure you measure well and check the dimensions of the combos you find.

What should you do? Get a dryer/washer combo or not?

While the pros outnumber the cons, the cons often contradict the pros. The space saving bit is an example of that. Also, if your intention is to save time, it’s good to keep in mind that dryers dry half the capacity washing machines wash. And so, you will still have to do some manual work there.

Technology has evolved, appliances get more advanced but let’s face it. Trying to fit the technology of the washer and the dryer in one appliance may be possible, but will still not match the capabilities of separate units. Individual appliances are always the best choice. As a matter of fact (and always depending on the brand and the model), front load washing machines have the best performance. So, make combos your choice if you really have no other option but to get one instead of two appliances.