Thread Number: 1628
new washer dryer combo or separates
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Post# 61137   3/24/2005 at 03:27 (6,945 days old) by kenmore1978 ()        

Friend of mine hates going to laundromat, andlives in an apartment, so is looking to buy either PORTABLE washer-dryer combination or separates. Any suggestions on best brands? What to avoid? Reliability?




Post# 61373 , Reply# 1   3/26/2005 at 16:04 (6,942 days old) by kenmore1978 ()        
Wow!

No opinions from this "opinionated" group? I'm shocked :-)

Was looking at a Supra, which is a Japanese company, but are they really made in Japan?


Post# 61378 , Reply# 2   3/26/2005 at 17:46 (6,942 days old) by foraloysius (Leeuwarden, Friesland, the Netherlands)        
Separates

foraloysius's profile picture
I would say separates if he has the room for it. You can wash another load when the first load is in the dryer. Besides that I don't like the Supra at all, it shouts 'CHEAP' to me.

Post# 61383 , Reply# 3   3/26/2005 at 19:34 (6,942 days old) by kenmore1978 ()        
separates

yeah, but which ones?

Doesn't EVERYTHING shout CHEAP! these days :-)

It's a Japanese company, but I wonder if Supra is Japanese made.


Post# 61388 , Reply# 4   3/26/2005 at 20:03 (6,942 days old) by Launderess (Quiet Please, There´s a Lady on Stage)        

launderess's profile picture
IIRC the Supra units are made in Korea, not sure but they do have a website (rather the company who imports them does).

Considering getting a Supra as a second unit but when spoke to the local repair person, he told me they were "ok", units but if they broke down I'd be waiting a month or more if parts were not in stock.

Supra does offer the only 220V combo unit on sale in the United States. Others may have a 220v dryer or washer, but not as a combo unit. 220v units are common enough in Europe, but no one seems to wish to import them across the pond.


Launderes


Post# 61397 , Reply# 5   3/27/2005 at 06:02 (6,941 days old) by lavamat_jon (UK)        
Supra

As I've mentioned somewhere else before, it still seems like the Supra models are another badged up Servis combo (like the Asko and Eurotech combos are). I wouldn't even touch these machines with a bargepole...

Jaune, has your friend tried looking at the Danby's? I'm not sure if they're still available in Home Depot (I haven't been following the Danby thread recently on THS), but if that fails why not try the compact Maytag/Samsung models? They seem like a good machine from what I've seen on the internet, and the equivalent Samsung machines here are very good.

Or, if you're still looking at combos, the compact LG seems like a better buy than the Supra. I'm not sure how much it retails for, but it has a bigger drum, LG tend to have a better build quality etc...

Hope this helps :-)

Jon


Post# 61472 , Reply# 6   3/28/2005 at 05:57 (6,940 days old) by kenmore1978 ()        
combos

In this particular instance "portable" is the concern, rather than "compact". "portable" will always be "compact", but "compact" may not be "portable"

Post# 61487 , Reply# 7   3/28/2005 at 08:29 (6,940 days old) by spiralactivator ()        

How about one of those Whirlpool/KM portable TLs that roll to the sink? That way your friend can have separate portable units and have a little confidence about reliability.

Post# 61493 , Reply# 8   3/28/2005 at 11:14 (6,940 days old) by designgeek ()        

The Danby front-loader can have its matching dryer stacked on top, and these have an excellent reputation.

Asko makes a combined washer-dryer that I've been hearing great things about, but first-cost tends to be high.

Danby also makes a twin-tub. I have one, it's excellent and also easy to move though it does require manual intervention in the cycle. There's also a Danby compact top-loader with fully automatic cycle. In both cases you may still need a separate dryer (though I find I don't need to use the dryer any more; an indoor clothes line is sufficient; your friend may still prefer a dryer).

Generally the more automatic the machine, the more it wants to have something approaching permanent water hookups.

Here's a heretical idea for you. Instead of bringing the washer to the water, get some extended hoses and bring the water to (and from) the washer. However make sure the discharge line is of the same or larger diameter as the pipe from the washer, otherwise you'll strain the pump and reduce its lifespan. (I'd be using extended hoses except I'm building a graywater recovery system, so the water tanks will be on casters and roll up to sit next to the washer.)

Or, if to/from the sink isn't the issue, can you say more about the portability issue? Is it a matter of getting the unit up flights of stairs? Rolling it into and out of a closet for storage? Moving to new apartments frequently? Hiding the washer from snoopy superintendants or property managers intent on collecting their quarters from the common laundry and persecuting "illegal" washing machines?

Re. hiding the washer from snoops: Front loaders will tend to vibrate more during spin cycles than top loaders, and thereby invite snooping. What the world needs now is a stand for a front-loader that is designed specifically to dampen vibrations and insulate the unit acoustically from the floor, without being so "soft" that it tends to sag or tip in any direction. Hmm, idea for an invention...


Post# 61504 , Reply# 9   3/28/2005 at 13:19 (6,940 days old) by kenmore1978 ()        
portability

needs to rolled from storage to sink and back.

stacking takes away portability


Post# 61561 , Reply# 10   3/29/2005 at 08:13 (6,939 days old) by lavamat_jon (UK)        
Appliance Rollers

Jaune,

You should be able to put a "compact" washer on appliance rollers to make them portable. Most, at least here, have brakes on them so as to make washing machines etc. stable during spin cycles, and they can be unbraked so as to be able to move around. Just a thought...

Jon :-)


CLICK HERE TO GO TO lavamat_jon's LINK


Post# 61570 , Reply# 11   3/29/2005 at 09:16 (6,939 days old) by designgeek ()        

Hmm. How'bout this. Compact dryer that stays in a fixed location. Portable washer on wheels, probably a small top-loader. Whirlpool and Danby come to mind, both have agitators instead of pulsators.

I have a niche next to the kitchen counter where the washer fits perfectly and isn't in the way of anything, so I have to move it all of about six feet to be right in front of the sink. If your friend takes a few measurements, s/he may find there's a spot like that which is closer to the sink than expected, and then choose a machine that fits. Aside from which, keeping a washer in a closet means it might be all closed up and more likely to develop mold. Keeping it in an open area, you can leave the lid open for a day or so after doing the laundry, so it airs out and stays free of mold.


Post# 61574 , Reply# 12   3/29/2005 at 09:45 (6,939 days old) by kenmore1978 ()        
Supra quality

"IIRC the Supra units are made in Korea, not sure but they do have a website (rather the company who imports them does)."

Because the Supra company is Japanese, I'm less worried about quality than if they coming straight from South Korea. The Japanese being fanatics about quality, I imagine they would make whoever they contracted with with "toe the line" so far as quality is concerned. That's why "Japanese" cars made here in the US are as good quality-wise as cars actually made in Japan.


Post# 61607 , Reply# 13   3/29/2005 at 14:59 (6,939 days old) by cybrvanr ()        

I recommend the Whirlpool top loading compacts, also sold in the Kenmore nameplate too. I've had mine for about 7 years or so, and bought it when I lived in a college apartment. It's a very reliable and quiet machine. It comes with lockable casters, and a faucet hookup similar to the style that is used on portable dishwashers. You just hang the drain hose over the sink, and it pumps the water into the sink. Water temparature is regulated by what you set the sink faucet to. If you eventually get a permanent home for your washer, you can remove the sink hookup, and connect the lines directly up to the water taps in your new laundryroom easily.

For the first two years I had the washer, I lived in the college apartment and I dried my clothes either on the balcony, or on a clothesline in the kitchen. Once I moved into my own place, I bought the dryer to go with it, which although is compact, is not quite as portable due to it's utility requirements. Of course, it requires an exhaust line, and a 220 volt 30 ampere power hookup.

One thought though is if you want to make a dryer "portable" you could get a gas model and run it off a propane bottle. Then you could exhaust it out of a window using a panel of wood with the hose bolted to it. Just open the window enough to get the board into it, and then close it down on it, with the hose hanging out.



Post# 61675 , Reply# 14   3/29/2005 at 23:24 (6,939 days old) by kenmore1978 ()        
Supra

So far, he sorta likes the Supra, but I'll be darned if I can find a brick and mortar place that sells it in L.A. Anybody here a better searcher than I?

He would have space for separates except that it's a small kitchen and the place it could go is taken up by a KM upright freezer. And he's REALLY lazy, the idea of not having to transfer clothes really appeals to him.


Post# 61679 , Reply# 15   3/30/2005 at 00:34 (6,939 days old) by arrrooohhh (Sydney Australia)        

I second the choice of Danby!

The Supra is a Servis machine, the same manufacturer of the cheap Whirlpool FL at Lowes.

You can stack the Danby dryer on top and it should fit nicely in a cupboard or unused corner, will spin dry fast and not give you a nightmare.


Post# 61681 , Reply# 16   3/30/2005 at 03:20 (6,939 days old) by kenmore1978 ()        
Danby

OK, any such thing as a Danby combo?

Post# 61685 , Reply# 17   3/30/2005 at 06:19 (6,938 days old) by kenmore1978 ()        
narrowed down to combo

"You can stack the Danby dryer on top and it should fit nicely in a cupboard or unused corner"

No unused nooks or crannies in his house. So it sounds like we're looking for a reliable companct portable combo. Apparently Supra/Servis doesn't cut it, any expperience with other brnads of pportable combos? I heard Haier was awful.


Post# 61695 , Reply# 18   3/30/2005 at 09:07 (6,938 days old) by westytoploader ()        

The Thor combos can be made portable, and I've never heard any bad comments about those. Cost about the same as a Haier too I believe...

Post# 61701 , Reply# 19   3/30/2005 at 10:01 (6,938 days old) by designgeek ()        

DANGER!!! Re. propane bottles and gas dryers: There are some technical differences between appliances designed for gas from the public mains, and those designed for propane. Consult a qualified appliance service shop or licensed plumbing & heating contractor BEFORE you try ANYTHING involving gas. Mistakes can be DEADLY, including risk of axphyxiation, fire, and explosion. As far as I know, bottled propane is intended for outdoor use such as grills & barbequeues, not for indoor use. If a valve has a slight leak outdoors, the gas will blow away on the breeze. Indoors it could accumulate and ignite.

Personally I would no more have a bottle of propane indoors than I would keep a crate of dynamite under my living room table.

Re. stacked machines: see today's picture of the day, the GE portable compact. Very clever design for a stacking unit, where the dryer is actually on a shelf at a height that allows the washer to roll in underneath. The dryer stays up on the shelf, the washer can be rolled out to the sink and rolled back in under the dryer when done. This could probably be done with any stackable machines, whether the washer is a TL or an FL.

Re. Haier: I've heard variable reports, ranging from "lots of trouble and can't get parts" (for machines a couple of years ago), to much more positive reviews of their current ones. In all likelihood they had some initial problems when moving into the USA market, and have been working through them to where the quality has improved. If you're thinking of Haier, the best bet might be to go to a place that sells them and look over the floor/demo unit carefully, including plugging it in and running the agitator or pulsator, and the spin cycle, to see if it looks & sounds smooth when it runs, etc. etc.

Generally, most of the machines made in China are more lightly built than e.g. European models, so they should be treated more gently in service, in which case they will probably last a good many years.


Post# 61733 , Reply# 20   3/30/2005 at 16:42 (6,938 days old) by tolivac (greenville nc)        

There are some forklift trucks whose engines run from propane-and sometimes these are run indoors-and-at the Food Lion out here-one night I stopped off there to get some breakfast goodies after my mid shift-and someone was polishing the floor with a buffer whose motor ran from propane-sounded like someone driving a motorcycle thru the store.In the case of both the forklift and buffer-the propane fuel has special additives in it to reduce the toxicity of the gas-but ventilation is still required. I used the forklift with the propane tank for power.also I have seen some "pack" style emerg gen sets for home use whose engine runs from a propane tank that you have to send out to be filled.In this case the genset sits outside the house.

Post# 61745 , Reply# 21   3/30/2005 at 18:02 (6,938 days old) by Launderess (Quiet Please, There´s a Lady on Stage)        
Does This Answer Your Question?

launderess's profile picture
Nicely built combo washer/dryer. Non tilting tub and can be made portable, but probably better off stationary.

Launderess


CLICK HERE TO GO TO Launderess's LINK on eBay


Post# 61831 , Reply# 22   3/31/2005 at 07:29 (6,937 days old) by designgeek ()        

Propane in large well-ventilated commercial and industrial spaces, can be safe. In the much smaller, more closed-off spaces in most apartments and houses, no way.


Post# 65849 , Reply# 23   5/8/2005 at 11:10 (6,899 days old) by kenmore1978 ()        
Decision coming up

OK, after surveying the situation with my friend, here's the final criteria.

Must be compact
must be portable (on wheels)
must be a combo
reliable brand

price not an issue.

Whichever brand/model gets the most positive comments will be the one.


Post# 65858 , Reply# 24   5/8/2005 at 12:00 (6,899 days old) by foraloysius (Leeuwarden, Friesland, the Netherlands)        

foraloysius's profile picture
none!

Post# 65872 , Reply# 25   5/8/2005 at 12:34 (6,899 days old) by david (CA)        
Let me get this straight-

About combos sold here in the states. Why would anyone want a combo that uses 110-120v instead of 220-240v? I can't think of what one would be like other than having an extremely long drying time. If that's ok with the buyer of the machine then so be it. I would want something a little speeder.

I remember as a kid our old westinghouse could be configured for 120 or 240. But with 120 you could only use the low heat setting and air fluff. Has any of that changed now?

If these are some portable model or compact, I know that 220 is an impossiblity. But geez, I would keep on shopping until I found one that didn't take an eternity to wash and dry.


Post# 65902 , Reply# 26   5/8/2005 at 17:29 (6,899 days old) by mrb627 (Buford, GA)        
LG?

mrb627's profile picture
What about the LG Combo?

MRB


Post# 65903 , Reply# 27   5/8/2005 at 17:35 (6,899 days old) by kenmore1978 ()        
110/220

Yeah, we know it'll be slow, but he lives in a rented place, there's no laundry room, and 220 hookup is impossible. Most people who live in apartments have this situation, even with separate machines. He's not a laundry fan, he hangs out in front of his computer monitor all the time, so the long cycle times wouldn't really bother him. To him, a small price to pay to not have to pack everything up, go to the laundry, and hang out there, even though it would be for a shorter period of time than it will take him to do the laundry at home. And it won't be too bad since he won't let it build up to huge proportions like he does now trying to put off going to the laundry.


Anyway, pour on those recommendations


Post# 66038 , Reply# 28   5/9/2005 at 14:17 (6,898 days old) by westie2 ()        

Have you looked into the Thor compact WD.

CLICK HERE TO GO TO westie2's LINK


Post# 66085 , Reply# 29   5/9/2005 at 17:56 (6,898 days old) by david (CA)        
That Thor's kinda cute

Hmmm. Is this company the Thor of old that we in this group are familiar with? The emblem did say since 1907, I guess so. But didn't they take a hiatus beginning in the late 50's until recently? Or were they owned by someone else and marketed overseas? I haven't seen anything of them in years until recently, just wondering what gives on em'?

Post# 66092 , Reply# 30   5/9/2005 at 18:46 (6,898 days old) by toggleswitch (New York City, NY)        

toggleswitch's profile picture
Here is a good resource from which to get ideas. Be forewarned their prices appear to be highway-robbery.

I had a comb-o-matic years ago(Made in Italy) that was very cool.Tiny capacity though.

Please pay-attention to whether it's a vented or condenser dryer. Also, my vented dryer did not have the capability of adding a dryer hose. Although it had a lint filter, the house would fill with moisture,heat and lint!

here is one compact brand (Supra)that claims to be the only 220v. compact combo unit made for N. America. Nice-- but basically facilitates a water heater. It seems that the dryer is still 120v and slow as S$%^!

BTW I loved my compact Kenmore portable washer with a "new improved" larger tub! Great if no or a separate dryer will do.



CLICK HERE TO GO TO toggleswitch's LINK


Post# 66165 , Reply# 31   5/9/2005 at 21:45 (6,898 days old) by Launderess (Quiet Please, There´s a Lady on Stage)        
Thor

launderess's profile picture
No, this is not that "Thor", but the name slapped on Asian and maybe low end Euro front loaders. IIRC the man/company that sells Quietline washers is the one behind all this.

As for a compact front loader that is portable, I'd stick with toploaders. Front loaders really need to be on a firm and level surface. Stores selling those portability kits for front loaders should be lined up and shot. Our first front loader was a Malber, and we indeed purchased those danged wheels. After about a week or so of use, we had the company repair guy out and he stated just what I said. Of course having paid for the darn things I duly noted his advice and wanted to keep on using the washer as a portable. Two weeks later had him back to put the feets back on and attach extra long drain/fill hoses. We moved the washer off to a corner of the kitchen and it worked like a champ.




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