Stacked Laundry vs. Combination Units - Pros and Cons

The life expectancy of appliances has dropped significantly since the turn of the century. A good washer and dryer has an estimated life of seven to ten years - and you're lucky if you get more out of them. One of our most common questions when discussing stacked laundry is, "Why would I get a combination unit? If it breaks I have to replace the whole thing!"

There are many reasons why all-in-one combination units like the LG Wash tower and the new Electrolux are increasing in popularity.

1. Accessibility. When the dryer gets stack on the washer, the dryer controls sit at about 76-78" from the floor. This makes it very difficult for elderly customers and shorter consumers. The Wash towers put the controls for both directly in between the washer and the dryer.

2. Size. Stacked units have gotten much larger than units from 15-20 years ago. the all-in-one units eliminate 4-6" of height, and in some case 2-3" in depth. Thus making it easier to retrofit into a cabinet or closet.

3. Design. There is no doubt that designer laundry rooms and mudrooms are on the rise in popularity. The wash towers have a flatter front, giving any laundry rooms a more modern design. As opposed to stacked units that bulge out in the front, making them look large and bulky.

The downside is yes, if one breaks and cannot be repaired, you will most likely have to replace the whole thing. However, there are instances where if you have two units stacked on top of each other you would have to do the same. For example, if you washer died after three years and you want to switch brands, you will also have to replace the dryer. Washer and dryer pairs have a specific stacking kit to allow the dryer to sit on top of the washer and be secure. The kits are brand, and sometimes model specific. So it is not cut and dry that when you have stacked units they can be replaced one at a time.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

To self clean or not to self clean?

That is the question! There is much controversy over self cleaning oven. They are immensely popular with consumers, but in the appliance world...not so much. Self cleaning oven uses high temperatures to burn off grease and debris leftover from normal use of your oven. It effectively eliminates the use of chemical cleaners and is the preferred way of cleaning given the convenience of set it and forget it. However they do pose some dangers. A self cleaning cycle get get to temperatures upwards of 800 and 900 degrees Fahrenheit and the oven door locks closed as a safety measure. The problem is if your oven is too dirty these particles will create a lot of smoke and a heavy odor. The high temperatures also present the potential to set fire. There are plenty of house-fire horror stories out there from homeowners using the self cleaning cycle and certainly those are few and far between when looking at the big picture, but still a looming danger. But the main reason to not self-clean your ove...
Read more

Induction Cooking - How to make the switch from gas to induction.

There has been a lot of talk in the appliance world surrounding the health risks that have been associated with gas ranges and cooktops. It seems the majority of our replacement business has been helping customers switch from gas powered appliances to induction.  Induction cooking is a direct heat transfer through an electromagnetic field. (People with pacemakers should not operate and induction cooker). The direct heat is the reason it it preferred over electric radiant heat, which is indirect heat. Induction is much quicker-even quicker than gas. While we don't foresee that gas is going to be completely banned in the near future, we are seeing trends with new construction that gas stoves are being swapped for more efficient induction stoves. Here is what we recommend you do before making the switch from gas to induction. 1. Do your research.  Induction ranges are expensive, before undertaking a project of this size make sure you can find something within your budget. Frigid...
Read more

Grills, Grills, Grills!

Image
  Grills, Grills, Grills! There are many different types of grills out there, and here's what you need to know. Not listed but honorable mention, are flat top grills. On the rise in popularity and opens up the possibilities of grilling like a burger joint or making pancakes and eggs like your local diner. Built-in Grills Built-in grills are typically fitted into a structure, usually some type of stone or granite surround. The cut-outs for these are not universal, so switching them out becomes difficult, but they do last much longer if taken care of than your regular grills. They are also more expensive, up to 10X more expensive than a Weber or Napoleon. Built-in grills are most popular in luxury outdoor kitchens. You can customize your surround with sinks, drawers, cabinets, refrigerators and icemaker, making a patio kitchen the epitome of outdoor living. If you're building an outdoor kitchen, make sure you consult your builder on location requirements and venting options if un...
Read more