All-in-One Washer Dryer Combo in the Kitchen

We are trying to decide on a plan for a pre-fab cabin. We were considering plans from Deer Run until we drove down and toured Westwood Cabins in South Carolina. We want a cabin that is more like a small typical house, not like a tiny house. We want rooms that are large enough to arrange normal sized furniture and we want storage.

One consideration is laundry. Plans show a few options. Some show a laundry room. Some have a stacked washer and dryer or one of those all-in-one stacked laundry centers in a closet off of a hall-way. Some have a stacked washer and dryer in the bathroom. And some show it in the bedroom closet. There are also some options with side-by-side washer and dryer in a laundry closet or in a laundry room.  All have advantages and drawbacks.

But what about another option? They make washing machines that are also dryers. And they are sized to fit under a kitchen counter. I see them all the time in photos of kitchens in other countries. And I thought I saw one in a photo of a Westwood Cabin kitchen.

That would be brilliant! We could put it in instead of the dishwasher! Or both, we could have both dishwasher and clothes washer/dryer in the kitchen. It would take up practically no space at all. And it would be so convenient! Just push one button and the clothes will wash and dry!

I follow Shetland Islands real estate on Facebook. I know. I’m not moving there, but I really like looking at the houses.  And they all have the washer in the kitchen.

Harper Macleod – Leading Estate Agents based in Shetland, Scotland

Research on Washer Dryer Combos

The first thing I noticed when I did some research is that they cost more than a typical washer and dryer bought separately once you add the prices together.

Although they are 120 volt, you probably can’t just plug it into the same plug as the dishwasher. They use more electricity. And some of them should not be left plugged in all the time.

Cautions when washing clothes

Please remember to disconnect water and power supply immediately after the clothes are washed.

KoolMore Owner’s Manual Model FLC-3CWH

If you have to unplug and disconnect the water, it could hardly be installed like their picture shows. (The user manual also said; “Gasoline and alcohol etc. shall not be used as detergents.” Words to live by.)

Then I realized this brand is KoolMore. I thought it said Kenmore.

Lowes has a whole category for All-In-One Washer Dryers. They are made by Black+Decker, GE, LG, and Whirlpool, who I’ve heard of. And Comfee, Equator and other brands that don’t sound at all familiar.

Equator comes in pretty colors. Blue, Red, Yellow, Periwinkle, Green, Pink, Merlot, Silver, Gold, Black, White, Black and White.

Vented or Ventless

Most of the combo washer/dryer machines are ventless. Some have vents. Some can convert, they have a vent, but don’t have to use it.

The vented ones I found were from companies I have never heard of. I don’t feel comfortable spending this much money on a brand I don’t know anything about. I want to know that parts will be around and that I can have it repaired if I need to.

This GE Profile All-in-One is ventless but uses a heat pump. Interesting.

 GE Profile All-in-One 4.8-cu ft Capacity Ventless All-in-One with Eco Dry

Fast Airflow Drying – warm, high-speed air extracts moisture from garments to gently dry even large loads fast with less heat; wash and dry everything from a comforter to delicate items from start to finish virtually eliminating the need to hang dry.

• 20V and no need for a dryer exhaust vent
• 50% more energy efficient drying with ventless heat pump

But it’s tall, 46.7” high. That’s not going to fit under a kitchen counter.

Washer Dryer Combos Take Longer

The other thing I noticed is how long they take. My washer and dryer don’t take anywhere near that long. And I can be drying one load while the next load is washing.

I looked at some reviews. This is the most practical one.

Unless you have no other choice, an all-in-one, single-drum, washer-dryer combo is almost never the best way to do your laundry. We spent 10 hours looking into 13 models, and couldn’t find a model that works anywhere near as quickly as a separate washer and dryer.

The Best Washer-Dryer Combo (But We Don’t Recommend It)
www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/reviews/best-washer-dryer-combo/
Liam McCabeUpdated May 24, 2023, NY Times Wirecutter

He came up with a lot of the same conclusions I had reached. “The washing aspect works fine, but drying takes a couple hours longer than a separate machine would.”

If you are seriously considering this option, you should read the article.

So, What Am I Seeing?

So, what are they using in all of these kitchens I see on Shetland, Scotland Harper Macleod Estate Agents website?

Even the smallest kitchen looks like it as a washing/drying machine in it.

They are not washer/dryer combos. They are just washing machines. Google image search thinks they are made by Bosch.

This is the dryer.

And the one I thought I saw on the Westwood Cabins website? That’s not a combo washer/dryer or even just a washing machine. It’s a dishwasher with a chair in front of it. You can see more photos and floor plans at www.westwoodcabins.com and www.facebook.com/westwoodcabins.