Seeking a stacking compact washer/dryer set for a very shallow space
January 31, 2011 5:30 PM
Seeking a stacking compact washer/dryer set for a very shallow space.
We're having a hell of a time finding a replacement for our stacked, electric, front-loading Avanti Sensor Controlled Washing Machine W1092F and Avanti Venting Tumble Dryer D-24. Both models have been discontinued by Avanti.
Over the past few months my husband has been to a few stores, talked to various salespeople, and searched online but hasn't found anything he considers suitable. But I'm the one who actually has to go to the laundromat and I'm really sick of that, plus I'm beginning to suspect that I shouldn't have sent an optimizer to do a satisficer's job. So I told him that I'm just going to buy something "good enough" and be done with it.
The constraint that's giving us so much trouble is the space we have for our washer/dryer is very shallow -- anything deeper than 27" will block the bathroom door. (The other dimensions for the space are 36" wide and 84" tall.) The models we have now are 21" deep and use up another 5" to 6" of space behind for hoses, wires, the vent, etc., so they just barely fit (and we still occasionally scrape/bang the door on them whenever they vibrate away from the wall).
We can't relocate the washer/dryer without spending more on remodeling than we want to invest in this place.
We just need something cheap and functional that will last a few years, not forever (we plan to move and sell the place in a couple years). Our current set is electric so I assume the replacement set should be too.
I'm also willing to entertain creative alternatives, although I'll note in advance that hanging laundry outside isn't an option because we don't have a yard for a clothesline plus there's far too much windblown dust here.
Any recommendations? There are enough New Yorkers on MetaFilter that I'm confident that some of you have solved the washer/dryer-in-a-tiny-space problem. :)
We're having a hell of a time finding a replacement for our stacked, electric, front-loading Avanti Sensor Controlled Washing Machine W1092F and Avanti Venting Tumble Dryer D-24. Both models have been discontinued by Avanti.
Over the past few months my husband has been to a few stores, talked to various salespeople, and searched online but hasn't found anything he considers suitable. But I'm the one who actually has to go to the laundromat and I'm really sick of that, plus I'm beginning to suspect that I shouldn't have sent an optimizer to do a satisficer's job. So I told him that I'm just going to buy something "good enough" and be done with it.
The constraint that's giving us so much trouble is the space we have for our washer/dryer is very shallow -- anything deeper than 27" will block the bathroom door. (The other dimensions for the space are 36" wide and 84" tall.) The models we have now are 21" deep and use up another 5" to 6" of space behind for hoses, wires, the vent, etc., so they just barely fit (and we still occasionally scrape/bang the door on them whenever they vibrate away from the wall).
We can't relocate the washer/dryer without spending more on remodeling than we want to invest in this place.
We just need something cheap and functional that will last a few years, not forever (we plan to move and sell the place in a couple years). Our current set is electric so I assume the replacement set should be too.
I'm also willing to entertain creative alternatives, although I'll note in advance that hanging laundry outside isn't an option because we don't have a yard for a clothesline plus there's far too much windblown dust here.
Any recommendations? There are enough New Yorkers on MetaFilter that I'm confident that some of you have solved the washer/dryer-in-a-tiny-space problem. :)
What you're after is "Euro" sized washers -- ones that are about 24W x 23D and fit the smaller footprint that's expected of European white goods. The "compact" Bosch Axxis models are the spendy option (and are mentioned in passing in this recent NYT piece on Manhattan washer-owners), and I have friends who very much like theirs, but there are others fitting those dimensions.
posted by holgate at 6:25 PM on January 31, 2011
posted by holgate at 6:25 PM on January 31, 2011
As a fallback, if you cannot find something that fits, you could always get a non-venting (condensing) dryer, which would eliminate the ductwork from the depth equation. Probably would be more expensive, not less, but it is an option if you are stuck.
posted by misterbrandt at 8:37 PM on January 31, 2011
posted by misterbrandt at 8:37 PM on January 31, 2011
@sageleaf: Thanks for the referral to that site. I found a washer/dryer combo that looks like it will fit both our space and our budget and ordered it!
No more laundromat, yay!
posted by Jacqueline at 10:19 PM on January 31, 2011
No more laundromat, yay!
posted by Jacqueline at 10:19 PM on January 31, 2011
my room mate/land lady in Hamburg had a condensing drier in our tiny tiny kitchen and it worked very nicely. There was a tank you emptied into the sink after running the drier, and it would stop and signal if you'd forgotten and the tank was full. It's an excellent compromise if you don't have the plumbing/vent hookups available.
posted by yggdrasil at 12:13 PM on February 1, 2011
posted by yggdrasil at 12:13 PM on February 1, 2011
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by sageleaf at 6:09 PM on January 31, 2011