Buying Guide to Washers and Dryers

I remember with great pride the day I got my washer and dryer. I actually bought a used set from a friendly couple in my town who had it for close to 20 years. I knew it wouldn’t last forever but I had a immediate need and was excited to wave goodbye to the laundrymat. 5 years later I still have my faithful washer and dryer but the dryer has now stopped working, and the poor washer doesn’t have much time left. So off begins my journey to find a suitable replacement and in the meanwhile crawl back to the laundrymat.

The first decision to make is what type of washer I would like to have. They currently come with two choices, either front load or top load. Front load washers have some really nice features. They are able to spin clothes faster, use less water, are easier to remove clothes after washing as opposed to bending way down to get that last sock out of the machine and from my understanding can be stacked to save space. There are many cost saving benefits to owning a front load washer, however the upfront cost is higher than the price for a top load washer.

The second choice is the old faithful top load washer. This washer comes in many colors, is familiar to most people and is much more affordable at the time of purchase. The top load washer isn’t as energy efficent as the front load washer however it has worked wonders for other uses as well as washing. I used my top load for mommy tasking as I like to call it. When my son would be fussy I would use that time to do laundry and place him in his carseat on top of the washer and let the agitator lull him to sleep. Another perk is with top load washers you can still use regualr detergent, sometimes special detergent is required for frontloads.

The second most important decision to be made is how big of a machine do you really need. If you have a large family or do alot of laundry then you may want to consider getting a larger capacity set. If you don’t then you may want to go down a few cubic feet in size which is how washers and dryers are measured. One of the best pieces of advice I got was to make sure the dryer you get compliments the washer in size. It would be a real shame to be stuck with wet clothes waiting to be dried because your dryer isn’t large enough.

Another thing to look at is how much room you have for your washer and dryer. If you have a small place and hardly any room you may want to opt for one of the new all in one stackable sets that are available. Washers and dryers come in many sizes these days to fit almost any space. It is a good idea to measure the space you have and to take your measurements with you when shopping. A new feature on machines I am seeing these days are drawers at the bottom of dryers to place items such as fabric softner, detergent and other laundry supplies in. This is a great space saver.

In closing, I am still on my quest to find my perfect set. However armed with some facts and good info I should be back in my house and out of the laundrymat. I feel even better that I may not break the bank with my washer and dryer as price for sets range from $300.00 on up into the $1100.00 range.