The washer dryer combo unit is really a different animal than what most of us are used to in washers and dryers. It's not for everyone. If we get one and expect it to be exactly like the ones we already know, that will be a problem and will likely lead to disappointment. You need to know exactly why you're getting this unit, what it can do for you, and what it can't do for you. No single appliance can do everything for everyone. The most sophisticated, advanced washer with huge capacity is not going to meet the needs of someone who wants a smaller appliance. Conversely, the best small washer will not meet the needs of someone who has mountains of laundry to do.
Don't get the washer dryer combo unit expecting it to handle the same size loads as the big laundromat washers.
A full size standard washer can hold about 22 pounds of clothes. That's a lot. The larger combo units can handle about 15 pounds, and you may want to keep each load to less than that if you want the clothes as dry as possible at the end. Realistically, the combo unit is best for someone doing laundry for just themselves or maybe one or two other people in addition. If you are doing laundry for a family of eight, my hat is off to you!:) And I will tell you that you don't need and won't want this combo unit. You need the biggest appliances you can find, and if that means going to the laundromat, so be it!
Don't get the combo washer dryer expecting the clothes to be super hot at the end.
These combination washer dryers don't dry the same as standard dryers. Standard dryers force super heated air through the clothes, and they can do this because there's a vent to the outside where all that heat can go. Otherwise your room would be a sauna! Appliances that wash and dry in the same tub use a condensation method.
After the air is heated and circulated through the clothes, the air is sent to a drum where the air is cooled and moisture is condensed out of it. This water is pumped out to a drain and the cycle continues, with warm air circulating through the clothes. This process is actually much easier on clothes than the forced hot air style. The clothes will get dry, but you need to anticipate that the condensation method will leave a surface moisture that will dissipate if you just lay the clothes out for a minute.
Don't get the combination unit expecting the washing and drying cycles to be done as quickly as with standard models.
With conventional washers and dryers we are used to wash cycles of about 30 minutes and dry cycles of about 45 minutes. Depending on the cycles chosen and the kind of laundry, the wash cycle on the combo unit can take up to 90 minutes, and the dry cycle can take up to 180 minutes. What a lot of folks do is set the machine going as they leave for work or go take care of chores or errands, and when they come home the clothes are done, without having to move the wet clothes from washer to dryer!
The people who are very pleased with the combo washer dryer unit are basically those who realize they are trading large capacity for space-saving size, trading hot clothes and vent to the outside for convenience and portability, and trading speed for running off a standard 3-prong outlet. Owners are often surprised to find that they gain in some other areas too, such as cleaner clothes and considerable energy saving.
