Washer/Dryer Combo vs. Standalone Washer and Dryer?

LPantlessBobby on 30/07/2020 - 20:33

Hi all, after some opinions on having a washer/dryer combo or a standalone unit of each.

Context is my partner and I are at the tail end of house construction, and on our plans we made room for a provision for both a washer (under bench) and dryer (wall mount). We went and visited the house during the week after the cupboards were installed and noticed they put a full overhead cupboard where the dryer should go, leaving no provision for a stand alone dryer, though we really like the amount of storage the overhead cupboards will give us so not sure if we should raise it.

Planning on having kids in the next couple years, would having a stand alone dryer be a necessity?

Cheers.

Electrical & Electronics

Comments

  • wizzy on 30/07/2020 - 20:38
    +7

    As a mum with kids I am frequently drying one load of clothes while I wash another load on a rainy day. That is the main reason why I would not buy a combined washer/dryer.

  • [Deactivated] on 30/07/2020 - 20:40
    +3

    I heard combo units have terrible efficiency.

    An engineer tried explaining the reasons but… it is whitegoods. I just take it on good authority.

  • brokenglish on 30/07/2020 - 20:56

    If you have the space, separate is nice.

  • Stewardo on 30/07/2020 - 21:36
    +2

    Avoid the combos, they don’t wash or dry very well. The kg rating is different for each function, meaning you can’t dry a full load of washing.

    • ItsMeAgro on 31/07/2020 - 09:12
      +1

      Yep, they'll advertise a reasonable 8kg capacity (normal washing machine size) but when you read the fine print, they can only dry 4kg at a time.

      So unless you want to be standing around waiting to pull half the load out between washing and drying, it's actually a tiny 4kg machine.

      They are only for very tiny apartments that don't have a shared laundry in the building or close by.

  • JimmyF on 30/07/2020 - 22:10
    +3

    Used a combo unit a few times in rentals, hated them. So loooooooooong to wash and dry. Go grab a manual for one and look at the time for a cycle. Its like 5+ hours for a wash/dry cycle.

    So if you're having kids that isn't going to work well!

    Also you say wall mounted dryer, the only ones that can be wall mounted are the cheap nasty costly as hell to run dryers. Any heat pump or condenser dryer can't be walled mounted. Only stacked on top of a washer or placed on the ground.

    tl;dr - ensure you have room for a standalone Washer and Dryer, and don't do a wall mount dryer.

  • [Deactivated] on 30/07/2020 - 22:12
    +1

    do you have space in a garage that you could store a dryer?

    • ItsMeAgro on 31/07/2020 - 09:13

      Dryers can even be outdoors, as long as they are undercover.

      Used on on the back veranda for a year once.

  • John Kimble on 30/07/2020 - 22:17

    Never owned one, but pretty much everything I've read about them hasn't been very positive.

  • Sidog on 30/07/2020 - 23:19
    +1

    Just stack the dryer on top of the washing machine if you have the space, don't worry about the wall mount or a stacking kit just get a mat like this to put between them

    https://www.appliancesonline.com.au/product/appliance-washer…

  • Capo93 on 31/07/2020 - 00:51
    +2

    In the appliance industry here 🙋🏻‍♂️ Avoid the washer/dryer combos like avoiding Covid.

    They wash like any other machine but drying results are poor. In saying that, they are poor most of the time due to user error, but drying capacity is generally half of a wash load.

  • Sammy2000 on 31/07/2020 - 06:13
    +1

    I like the combo washer dryer. Washes and drys as well as my seperate ones did but it is an all day thing, it takes hours and most items come out creased and need ironing. Not suitable for families.

    • xyee on 31/07/2020 - 13:36
      +1

      Agree with this. All the washing comes out creased. I've managed to reduce the creases with lower wash rpm and normal dry. You're better off with a separate dryer. Saves you the hassle of ironing.

  • Archi on 31/07/2020 - 08:46

    never owned a dryer, even living in an apartment for 7 years and have 2 kids.

    having said that every place we have been over the last 20 or so years have had excellent northern exposure in the backyard or balcony

  • Bargain80 on 31/07/2020 - 08:51
    -3

    not sure where you live, but I live in Brisbane and have 2 kids. I don't have dryer and manage well so far.
    There are times where it's raining for several days, I either hold off the washing or if we're running out of clothes, we use the dryer at laundromat.
    You're going to have a house so you'll have plenty of space for air dry.

  • YTW on 31/07/2020 - 13:53

    It comes down to your lifestyle and expectations. I had an LG washer/dryer for 8 years and loved it, but when it broke (would have been a small fix but I wanted to upgrade the size anyway so sold it as repairable) I decided that I would need a larger capacity washer for my growing family. Big mistake. I hadn't realised how much I enjoyed just being able to throw a load on and come back to clean, dry clothes. Hanging stuff out and moving through to the dryer in the garage is a pain. The lint from the dryer gets everywhere in the garage and is annoying so I tend to avoid using it too much, which leaves me having to hang out stuff all the time. Ok, but I usually put a load on and go out so then forget about it and it's dark before I remember…so then my house ends up with washing all over the place which again, is annoying. I much preferred just putting a load on and forgetting about it. It does take a long time to do a load, so I used to put one on in the morning before I went to work or in the evening before I went to sleep. If you're the type of person who has a 'washing day' as such then you'll hate it.

    So next time my washer dies I'll be buying a large capacity LG Washer/dryer (some of the brands are really crap - so research any model you do buy) and keeping my dryer. That way I'll have the best of both worlds. Able to do a quick large load and chuck in the dryer if needed, have the dryer on hand if I need to quickly dry something but also have the ability to pop on a smaller load and have it clean and dry for us the next morning.

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