I believe this photo was taken the the very day the plumber installed our ventless washer/dryer. You have never seen anyone more excited to do laundry!
Basically, from the time we got married in 2004 until right before Kate was born, I did not have a washer/dryer. (I KNOW!) We live in an older condo, and there are not washer/dryer connections in ours. It is my No. 1 complaint about where we live. There is a pretty decent laundry facility on the premises, but still. I think I hear the old Cinderella song "Don't Know What You've Got Till It's Gone" starting to play in the background ...
Anyway, it literally was a dream of mine to have a washer and dryer again. Oh, to not have to tote our laundry hither and yonder. To be able to have clean clothes without running here and there, making sure there is money on the laundry card, or waiting around for the dryer to finish at someone else's place (usually my ILs ... who, by the way, were--and still are--so gracious to let us use their washing machine and clothes dryer). I longed for the day when I could do my laundry in my underwear. Not that I would ... but just that I could ...
We went on like this for a few years. In 2007, we were expecting our first child, and I knew that laundry would be a huge issue. My sister- and brother-in-law, who lived in a washerless LA apartment when their first two daughters were born, said we'd need a laundry service--and that it was worth every penny those first few weeks. I was thinking about looking into this, but worried about the expense.
About this time I was hearing about these cool ventless washer/dryer units. It's an all-in-one piece--no separate machines. You just switch it from washer to dryer without moving your clothes. A few of our neighbors had them, and they looked pretty cool. They are very popular in apartments and condos where there is no W/D connection. I started doing some research (you know me), and this really looked like a great option for us. Installing connections for a conventional washer/dryer set wasn't going to work out for various reasons, so I concluded that this was the way to go.
OK. To make a long story short (or at least to attempt it--LOL!) ... Tanna bought one, and I was so excited when it was delivered. It actually sat in our living room for a little while until we figured out where to put it. We debated between the bathroom and the kitchen. We decided on the kitchen, and then hired a plumber to take care of the installation. It now sits next to our fridge. We had to sacrifice our sink disposal, but it is completely worth it to be able to wash and dry clothes without going anywyere!
Our ventless washer/dryer is about the size of a dishwasher (some people remove their dishwashers to install one). It is a high-efficiency appliance, and we actually got some sort of tax credit for it, if I remember correctly. With anything there are several pros and cons. In case you are thinking about getting one, I will tell you about some of them ...
On the downside, it takes a lot longer to wash a load of clothes (about an hour) and a VERY long time to dry. It usually takes between two and two and a half hours to get a small load of clothes dry. Remember, these are ventless, so the drying "technique" (for lack of a better word) is all different. Also, clothes can come out VERY wrinkled, even if you remove them immediately. I bet it looks like I have picked up some of my clothes off of the floor sometimes (especially jeans if I have just washed them). We do a lot more ironing around here. And by "we" I usually mean "Tanna"--having worked in his parents' dry-cleaning business for so long back in the day, he is super fast, picky, and has a great technique. He is a much better ironer than I am! Additional cons ... it's kind of pricey (but worth the investment IMO) ... does not accommodate large loads (I wash our bedding elsewhere) ... and can take a while for the door to "unlock" (at least if you are inpatient like me). LOL!
The upside is ... CONVENIENCE!! This pro far outweighs ALL of the cons! Even though I complain about it sometimes, this washer/dryer has been a dream come true! Thanks, Honey!
P.S. Here is a good resource for more info. And another one.
There was a ventless W/D at a B&B we stayed at once in Provincetown, MA. I was so excited that our room had its own machine. But I definitely did NOT realize how long it would take to do just a single load! The other thing that was a drawback to me was that it shook really hard and made a lot of noise - I kept thinking it was going to come flying across the room at us!
ReplyDeleteI had one of these when I lived in England. Well, I had the two in one deal for about a month and then I had the separate washer/condensation dryer (where you have a bucket that you have to empty that collects condensation). Either one did take forever. With the one you have, I didn't know what it was when I first saw it. I usually damepn my wrinkled clothes, throw them in the dryer for a few minutes and then run out the door to work. Well, I did that with this machine and the water started rushing in and I panicked - I threw open the door and water flooded the ground as I tried to retrieve my clothes...oh forget it. I learned quickly how to work it. Siggh. The joys of learnign a new country.
ReplyDeleteI'm currently inbetween washer & dryers while we renovate our basement in our new house. I hate it! I can't believe you did it for 4 years; I don't think I would have the patience.
ReplyDeleteOh, can Tanna please come and give my husband and me ironing lessons? We are both terrible at it! :)
We had one of these in our apartment in Vienna. I hated it with such a passion. Until it broke. For a month I had to tote my laundry to the laundrymat. That was a far bigger inconvenience. I cried for my washer/dryer back. The new one was delivered the week we moved back to the US. Go figure.
ReplyDeleteWe had to get a Washer dryer in our house due to the Weather in england Wet pretty much all year round now, and we didn't have enough room for seperate washer and tumble dryer but we're really happy with it and saves us alot of effort
ReplyDeleteso cool karen!
ReplyDeleteHello !.
ReplyDeleteYou may , perhaps very interested to know how one can reach 2000 per day of income .
There is no need to invest much at first. You may commense earning with as small sum of money as 20-100 dollars.
AimTrust is what you need
The company incorporates an offshore structure with advanced asset management technologies in production and delivery of pipes for oil and gas.
It is based in Panama with affiliates around the world.
Do you want to become a happy investor?
That`s your chance That`s what you wish in the long run!
I feel good, I started to take up real money with the help of this company,
and I invite you to do the same. It`s all about how to select a correct companion utilizes your savings in a right way - that`s it!.
I make 2G daily, and my first deposit was 1 grand only!
It`s easy to join , just click this link http://ilelokusib.freecities.com/ucydane.html
and go! Let`s take this option together to feel the smell of real money