Washers and Dryers, any recommendations?

[Jeff Kelly]

Depends, but at that rate probably not over the lifetime of the products.

You can calculate it yourself pretty easily if you know the energy consumption and water consuption values for both the old and new models and the number of times per week (or day) you use those devices. You'd also have to take into account that the used ones probably don't last as long before they break for good.

[Chimpy]

The decrease in water usage reflects electricity cost reduction more than water cost reduction. You heat less water for warm/hot cycles, the pumps run less, etc. That adds up a lot faster than water usage.

Also, Jeff, you don't need front loading for stacking. They have sold stacking top-load washers in the states for decades. It is hard to find the typical american MEGAJUMBOCAPACITY ones in that fashion though.

[Jeff Kelly]

OK, now I'm curious. How do you stack two appliances on top of each other and still retain the ability to load up both when both are top loaders?. Do you have an example?

[dd0029]

Something like this -http://imgur.com/0BzbRfw

[Sky]

I should add I'm biased with cheap, plentiful water (I think I pay less than duse but it's rolled into my mortgage escrow) and wash in cold water. Benefits of living in a sparsely populated temperate forest, though NYC is trying to steal our resources. That should be a cassus belli.

[MahrinSkel]

OK, now I'm curious. How do you stack two appliances on top of each other and still retain the ability to load up both when both are top loaders?. Do you have an example?

Typically the drier is a front loader in the US, and in the stacking ones it's on top (yes, this means you have to lift the wet clothes up to the drier).  There's a gap of about 1.5 feet and the washer lid only opens to about 45 degrees.  It's not a great design (among other things, they're sold as one unit and have to be replaced and moved together).

--Dave

[Trippy]

It's a common setup for apartments, though (I had one for a while). That unit is essentially designed to fit in an apartment-sized coat closet.

[dusematic]

The decrease in water usage reflects electricity cost reduction more than water cost reduction. You heat less water for warm/hot cycles, the pumps run less, etc. That adds up a lot faster than water usage.

Interesting, didn't think of that.

[Numtini]

My water bill is like $30 a month.  How long is it going to take to recoup the expense of a $1,000 HE model versus a used washer and dryer for less than $300?

Less water also means less water to heat if you use anything other than "cold" and the spin is more aggressive, which means less energy to dry the clothes.

[Jeff Kelly]

Do you know that there are front loader washer/dryer combinations? It's basically a front loader washer that can also function as a dryer. Like this machine for example: http://www.lg.com/us/washer-dryer-combos/lg-WM3455HW-washer-dryer-combo

[Chimpy]

OK, now I'm curious. How do you stack two appliances on top of each other and still retain the ability to load up both when both are top loaders?. Do you have an example?

Typically the drier is a front loader in the US, and in the stacking ones it's on top (yes, this means you have to lift the wet clothes up to the drier).  There's a gap of about 1.5 feet and the washer lid only opens to about 45 degrees.  It's not a great design (among other things, they're sold as one unit and have to be replaced and moved together).

--Dave

I had one that the lid on the washer was a bifold and slid backward so there was more room to get into the washer. Worked pretty good.

[Merusk]

My sister had the same setup in her college apartment.  The lid's just there to keep things from falling in and water from spraying out so it makes sense.

[Fraeg]

next question,

gas vs electric dryers... my garage is set up for electric dryer,  I "want" gas because I "believe" it is cheaper in the long run..

I am on a raised foundation, and the quotes to plumb in a gas line to where it would be needed in garage is about $750.  I am gonna guesstimate that for a single guy who will be using a clothesline much of the time (in sacramento valley, ca) that I won't be making back that $750 by using gas any time soon?

In short, any really convincing reasons to go with gas given that I need to shell out $750 right off the bat ?

[Chimpy]

I seriously doubt you will save the cost of running the gas line over the entire life of the dryer.

If you have a gas line there, then it comes down to personal preference, honestly.

[Selby]

Yeah I went with gas because my old ancient house didn't have anything but that option.  Personally I feel gas is a more efficient heating system and less parts to burn out or go wrong with, but electric is what everyone uses these days.  My current house was fortunate enough to have the hot water heater run on gas and be all of 4 feet away from where the dryer is so adding a gas line was easy.

You won't save on the cost for shelling out $750 though unless electricity gets REALLY expensive up there or you live there (and have the same dryer) for 10-15 years or more.

[Merusk]

the hot water heater

 

Why would you heat hot water. You wouldn't! 

[Selby]

Why would you heat hot water. You wouldn't!

Yeah yeah yeah, I was tired when I wrote that and figured someone would call me out on it.  Older water heaters heated hot water because of how inefficient they were ;-)

[Sky]

f13: Come for the snark, stay for the pedantry 

[Merusk]

I have two big pet peeves from my time in the construction industry.  That's one, the other is people who pronounce Masonry (May-sun-ree) as Masun-airy.

[Sky]

Joisteses.

[Fraeg]

I just did this song and dance two months ago. We sold the house and the buyer wanted our 12 year old washer & dryer, which I was more than happy to give up.

We bought one of the top end LG models because they were on sale at Home Depot during the weeks we were looking.  Consumer reports rated them the top brand for the price we wanted, and it has the advantage of being top-load vs. front load.  The front loads are nice and all but I've seen many reported problems about mustiness/ mold/ mildew at the seals.  Top loads avoid that.

http://www.homedepot.com/p/LG-Electronics-4-3-cu-ft-High-Efficiency-Front-Control-Top-Load-Washer-in-White-ENERGY-STAR-WT1101CW/203578178
http://www.homedepot.com/p/LG-Electronics-7-3-cu-ft-Capacity-Electric-Front-Control-Dryer-in-White-DLE1101W/203578180

I'd considered buying one of the steam dryers, but then read that the steam system is only best used for anti-wrinkles and doesn't work that great.  The 'odor removal' doesn't appear to do much.

So far we've loved these models.  They're great and I don't feel we overpaid for them at all.  The HE stuff has saved us a lot in electricity vs. the old models from what I can see so far.  The only disadvantage to them is the longer wash cycle needed because of the lesser amount of water used.

This is what I ended up going with,  though I got the slightly larger washer version.  Thanks for the all the great responses/feedback

Cheers