Is there such thing as a washer and dryer in one unit?

Wreckem

Diamond Member
Sep 23, 2006
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There is and they are commonly used in Europe and other places where people have limited square footage.
 

Red Squirrel

No Lifer
May 24, 2003
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www.anyf.ca
Hmm you put the clothes in the washer, when it's done it automatically transfers to the dryer part and runs the cycle? That would be awesome!

Would probably not be too hard to do either. An alternative way is to just leave the clothes in the same drum but have it totally drain out and then dry, but if it has two seperate tubs then it would be better so you can throw another load while it's still drying. When it's done drying it would dump into a laundry basket in the front.

I'm calling Kenmore, Inquis, Whirlpool etc so I can give them my idea and get a 1% cut of all profits. :p
 
Mar 11, 2004
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Whatever happened to the steam washer/dryer that was being lauded as a big thing a couple of years back? Its basically a closet where you hang your clothes. It was supposed to use a lot less water and have other benefits (wrinkle-free for instance).
 

lxskllr

No Lifer
Nov 30, 2004
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That's a horrible idea. If 1 half breaks, you have to replace the whole thing.
 

Eli

Super Moderator | Elite Member
Oct 9, 1999
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Originally posted by: lxskllr
That's a horrible idea. If 1 half breaks, you have to replace the whole thing.

Uh... yeah?

I think the convenience would far outweigh the potential downside. If your washer dies, your dryer is useless, and if your dryer dies, you're fucked.

Imagine being able to put a load of clothes in, and come back to them dry. No having to worry about transferring them to the dryer.

That would rock.
 

silverpig

Lifer
Jul 29, 2001
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Originally posted by: lxskllr
That's a horrible idea. If 1 half breaks, you have to replace the whole thing.

That's true with most things. Car, tv, dishwasher...
 

seemingly random

Diamond Member
Oct 10, 2007
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There's the top/bottom type. I have one of these and it's been great. A definite space saver. Probably not enough capacity for a big family.

And then there's the truly all in one type (see link in previous post). These are common in europe and big boats. They're very expensive.
 

lxskllr

No Lifer
Nov 30, 2004
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Originally posted by: silverpig
Originally posted by: lxskllr
That's a horrible idea. If 1 half breaks, you have to replace the whole thing.

That's true with most things. Car, tv, dishwasher...

Not at twice the cost. It's more like your car dies, and you replace the motorcycle too.
 

IronWing

No Lifer
Jul 20, 2001
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In England they had washers that had the final spin cycle from hell that got the clothes nearly dry.
 

bobdole369

Diamond Member
Dec 15, 2004
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Imagine being able to put a load of clothes in, and come back to them dry. No having to worry about transferring them to the dryer.

No separate dryer, no separate washer. You put in clothes and detergent, and get out dry clean clothes.

That would absolutely freakin rock.


Unfortunately I don't think such a thing exists. If it does I would have expected to see it on some of the boats (megayachts) I work on. They always have the smallest most efficient things to do the job. They have no utility space at all on those boats.
 

IronWing

No Lifer
Jul 20, 2001
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I just throw the dirty clothes in the basket in the bathroom and they reappear in my closet...clean! :shocked:
 

SSSnail

Lifer
Nov 29, 2006
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Yeah, they have those and let me tell you, don't get one. When I was living as expat in SG, my company put me up in one of those condo at Orchards and they have those. It takes about an hour to wash, and another 3 to dry. Capacity is lacking, seriously lacking, and the machine would take forever to do anything. The funny thing was, there was space in the separate kitchen to put a washer, dryer AND a pool if they wanted to.

After the third time of doing that, I gave up and hang dry everything, the electric bill came up to be about $400/month. I think the 24/7 aircon might have something to do with that number...
 
Oct 27, 2007
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My brother had one in a very small apartment he lived in. Quite nifty. It looks like a frontloading washing machine. You just put your clothes in, start it and a couple of hours later you have clean, dry clothes in the drum. Sweet.
 

bobdole369

Diamond Member
Dec 15, 2004
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No shit:

from what was linked earlier:

"have owned combination washer/dryers for over a decade, and the LG WM3988HWA is my third such machine. This is absolutely the best combo unit available. The capacity, cleaning performance, and ability to dry in the same drum without a dryer vent make this the ideal machine for me. The biggest complaint about combos is that they take a long time to dry and that half loads are recommended for good dry performance. The reason the drying takes longer is that ventless combos dry using a condensation process. By passing the hot drum air through a mist of cool water, the "steam" from the clothes is condensed into water and flushed out by the washer/dryer's water pump. The heavier the fabric, the longer it takes. A full load of cottons will wash and dry in 4.5 hours. A full load of synthetics and some light cottons will wash and dry in 3 hours. I love this machine. The steam feature, both during the wash cycle and as a way to freshen dry clothing, is something I use all the time. There are many other great features like a drum light, delay wash, the ability to customize cycles. Bottom line, this machine takes longer to do what separate machines do, but it requires no vent, just a standard electrical outlet, and everything gets washed and dried after you press start. I love the WM3988HWA, and if you're thinking about a combo, get this one; you'll love it too"

 

paulney

Diamond Member
Sep 24, 2003
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Originally posted by: seemingly random
There's the top/bottom type. I have one of these and it's been great. A definite space saver. Probably not enough capacity for a big family.

And then there's the truly all in one type (see link in previous post). These are common in europe and big boats. They're very expensive.

Not really - I just googled the price on the model linked above. It is discontinued and sold for less than $1,600. The replacement model is sold for $1,300. That's less than my washer and dryer of the same type (Steam) from LG. I bought both for 2k at Sears.
 

seemingly random

Diamond Member
Oct 10, 2007
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Originally posted by: ironwing
I just throw the dirty clothes in the basket in the bathroom and they reappear in my closet...clean! :shocked:
I would consider worshiping the deity who could cause that to happen...
 

IronWing

No Lifer
Jul 20, 2001
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Originally posted by: seemingly random
Originally posted by: ironwing
I just throw the dirty clothes in the basket in the bathroom and they reappear in my closet...clean! :shocked:
I would consider worshiping the deity who could cause that to happen...

Every single day.
 

ElFenix

Elite Member
Super Moderator
Mar 20, 2000
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yes, they have them, and they never get your clothes dry.

A full load of cottons will wash and dry in 4.5 hours
that's not convenience right there.
 

silverpig

Lifer
Jul 29, 2001
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Originally posted by: lxskllr
Originally posted by: silverpig
Originally posted by: lxskllr
That's a horrible idea. If 1 half breaks, you have to replace the whole thing.

That's true with most things. Car, tv, dishwasher...

Not at twice the cost. It's more like your car dies, and you replace the motorcycle too.

You know there was a time when you had to buy a car and a radio separately. Today they're integrated. Your car goes kaput, you get a new radio with your new car.