What Is a Combination Washer and Dryer?

26 Sep What Is a Combination Washer and Dryer?

It’s the best of both worlds — an all-in-one washing and drying machine that cleans and dries laundry with the press of a button. These days, combo washers and dryers are available from many name-brand retailers, making them popular alternatives for stand-alone appliances. But how do washer dryer combos work, and is buying them worth it? Keep reading to see whether this machine is right for you.

What Is a Washer Dryer Combo?

A washer-dryer combo is one machine that washes and dries clothes and linens. These machines are the same size as standard washers and dryers, offering many of the same features as stand-alone appliances. Additionally, users can set the washer dryer combo to only wash or dry their items. As a result, individuals can wash and dry all their linens and clothes with one press of a button — it’s that easy to use a washer dryer combo.

How Do Washer Dryer Combos Work?

There are two kinds of washer dryer combos — vented and ventless. These machines work a little differently from each other, but they both achieve the same goal, which is to wash and dry clothing items in the same appliance. Here’s a deeper look at vented and ventless combination washer dryers:

Vented Washer Dryer Combos

A vented machine works similarly to traditional front-load washers and dryers. With the items and laundry detergent in the machine, the appliance will clean the clothes with tumble and spin cycles, draining the excess water. Then, it’ll use heat from its designated heat source — such as a gas burner — to warm and dry the laundry, and the heat will leave the machine through a vent. The result will be a fresh load of laundry.

Ventless Washer Dryer Combos

The main difference regarding ventless combos is that they don’t use vents. These machines follow the same washing process but are a bit different during the drying phase. Commonly, ventless washer dryer combos are called condenser dryers. After the wash cycles finish, the barrel heats up, spinning to create steam. Then, the condenser collects and drains the moisture before repeating the process until the clothes are dry.

Is a Washer Dryer Combo Worth It?

Depending on your uses, washer dryer combos can be an effective way to clean and dry laundry. But like any appliance, combination washers and dryers come with a few things you’ll want to consider before investing in one. Check out a few upsides and considerations of washer dryer combos below:

Advantages of Washer Dryer Combos

The advantages of washer dryer combos include the following:

• Take up less space: Regarding physical space, washer dryer combos are much better choices for small areas. Rather than installing two separate machines to wash and dry clothing, you can save room with a combination appliance. For facilities short on square footage, a few washer dryer combos can be the perfect solution for saving space that can be used for other purposes.
• Offer the same performance as stand-alone machines: Despite their compactness, combo washers and dryers can wash and dry clothing as effectively as individual machines do. These appliances also typically feature the same washing and drying settings. As a result, users can customize the water temperature, drying time and more.
• Reduce washing and drying steps: When an individual uses a stand-alone washer and dryer set, they have to move their laundry from one machine to the other to complete the process. That extra effort is unnecessary with a washer dryer combo. Instead, people can simply toss in their items, adjust the settings and wait for the load to be done. Then, they’ll have freshly cleaned, dry laundry.
• Provide flexibility: Users don’t have to put their laundry through each cycle. If someone simply wants to wash their laundry and then air dry it, they can skip the dry cycle. If they want to dry a wet towel, they can throw it into the machine and adjust the settings so the machine won’t wash the towel. These combo appliances offer just as much flexibility as their stand-alone counterparts.

Downsides of Washer Dryer Combos

On the other hand, combination washing and drying appliances come with the following disadvantages:

• Use significant amounts of water: Using a ventless washer and dryer combination machine requires plenty of water. If you’re concerned about water consumption in your facility, look at your chosen unit’s specifications before purchasing to ensure it’s in line with your needs.
• Feature small maximum capacities: Because washer dryer combos tackle both tasks in one machine, they can’t hold large quantities of laundry. These appliances often hold up to 10 pounds of clothing or linens. If you want to accommodate heavier loads like comforters and sheets or multiple towels, you may want to stick with a standalone washer and dryer setup.
• Have longer cycle times: Although users don’t have to manually switch their wet laundry over to a dryer, they may end up using the time they saved waiting for another load to finish. Washer dryer combos can take upward of two hours to finish completely. In contrast, if an individual uses separate washing and drying machines, they could add another load to the washer after putting their first load in the dryer and wash more of their clothes.

As you can see, combo washers and dryers come with an array of pros and cons. In the end, whether you install one in your facility will depend on your needs. Do you want to save as much space as you can? A combo appliance takes up much less room. Do you want to reduce your water bill? Using a standard washing machine might be the better choice. The answers to similar questions can help inform your decision.

Learn More About Laundry Equipment From H-M Company

As you consider whether washer dryer combos are a smart investment for your business, you might also wonder what other laundry solutions are available for easier washing, drying and water draining. To streamline your facility’s laundry setup, drain troughs make all the difference. 

H-M Company invented drain troughs for various laundry operations, ensuring facilities don’t have to put as much strain on their plumbing systems when increasing water drainage. With their fully customizable sizes, our drain troughs can fit any application. Alongside drain troughs, we also offer lint interceptors and baskets. This equipment helps you stay up to code, pass local inspections and save money on plumbing problems.

Would you like to learn more about how we can assist your laundry needs? Contact us today to speak with our professional team about which laundry solutions are right for you.