Stackable Washer Dryer
A stackable washer dryer is a type of combined washer and dryer where the letter is stacked up on the former. As more and more people have begun to live in small urban apartments and the price of space in the cities has become expensive, there is a need to utilize the available space in the most efficient way. You can, of course, eliminate the question of washing machine completely by taking your clothes to a Laundromat but these daily trips cannot be much fun. They also turn out to be more expensive and time consuming in the long run. The space saving alternative is to buy a stackable washer and dryer.
Features of a Stackable Washer Dryer
A stackable washer dryer is a two unit machine where the dryer is present on top of the washer. The features are:
These machines are highly compact in shape and size. Since the washer and dryer units are stacked, you need a height clearance of 76” or more. So, space is utilized vertically rather than horizontally.
Most stackable washer and dryers are front loader in design though the top loader variety is also available. The latter will be somewhat less expensive. However, the front load washer is now the preferred choice because of its many advantages.
The stackable machines with front loader features cause less wear and tear of the clothes. This is because they use gravity rather than electricity to agitate the clothes.
These types of machines come with many different settings. You will have to choose the correct setting for the washer and put in detergent corresponding to the load of your laundry. Once the cycle is finished, you will need to manually transfer the load to the dryer. Here also, there are several options like cotton dry or permanent press or delicate. Condensation is used to dry the clothes. Once the process is finished, an alarm sounds for you to take the load out.
Stackable Washer Dryer – Some Points to Consider
If you are feeling undecided about whether to buy a stackable washer and dryer or not, consider the following:
- It is one of the most compact and space saving devices.
- There is no need to install any separate ventilation system as it uses condensation for drying the clothes. Often they are mounted on small wheels. So, you can shift the position as you wish and store them beneath the kitchen counter or beside a cupboard.
- These are cheaper than buying two separate machines for washing and drying. Provided you load is small, these stackable washer and dryers are also more energy and water efficient.
- Front loader type of machines will cause less wear and tear to your clothes.
- However, the load capacity is less than a washing machine. If you launder a lot of clothes regularly, the stackable machine will prove to be uneconomical.
- Most often it is seen that one component of the stackable washer dryer is not functioning as well as the other component