Buyer Advice for New Compact Laundry

Best Prices and Best Selection at UAKC

For too many households, the choice for washing clothes has been between using a laundromat, or a dingy public laundry room in the basement of an apartment or condo complex.

Today, however, there are often laundry spaces in townhouses, condos, and apartments that are designed for compact laundry installations for owners or renters. Here are three possibilities for space confined laundry.

Compact single unit Washer/Dryer Combo

LG WM3488HS

The LG WM3488HS above is a combo washer/dryer unit that does washing and drying in the same drum. It's only 24″ wide, and it fits where others won't. The LG unit above uses a 120v motor to run both the washer and dryer. Of course, drying with 120v. power will take longer than a traditional 240v. unit, but sometimes that's all you have. The dryer is a ventless condenser model. All in all, there is no need for 240v., no need for a gas line, and no need for an exterior exhaust vent. Just hook up to water and drain lines, plug-in, and go. Some users complain about a longer dry time.

Single unit Stacked Washer/Dryer

GE GUD27ESSJWW Unitized Spacemaker® 3.2 DOE cu. ft. Washer and 5.9 cu. ft. Electric Dryer

Unlike the single unit LG, the popular downsized GE model above has a washer on the bottom and an electric dryer on the top. The washer is a traditional agitator-type machine, and the dryer is also a traditional dryer in that it must be vented to the outside. The electric version needs either 240v or 208v. power just as a all full-sized electric dryers. So, even though this combo is small, the washer work much like a full-sized unit, and the dryer will dry a load of wet clothes just as quickly. There is also a matching unit (GUD27GSSJWW) with a gas dryer instead of the electric dryer that we featured here.

Stackable Individual Compact Washer/Dryer Units

Electrolux Washer EIFLS20QSW – Electrolux Electric Non-vented Dryer EIED200QSW

This washer and dryer pair above are “stackable”. That means they can be installed side-by-side as pictured, or they can be stacked one on top of the other. The Electrolux washer has a large 2.4 cu. ft. wash basket, yet still has only a 24″ wide cabinet. The dryer IS a non-vented unit, so you won't need to worry about having an outside vent. It does require a 208/240v electric hookup.

If you have limited space, are not able to vent outside, lack 208/240v electric, or a gas hookup, there are options here that just might work for you. It's not likely you'll find a solution at the big box stores. So just call or visit the experts at Universal Appliance and Kitchen Center for the right appliances or decorative plumbing fixtures to fit YOUR needs.