Sara

**betharoo0** · 08-03-2007, 12:00 PM

Hey I was reading in a thread that you are going to lose your linen closet for your new washer and dryer. In the same thread on the slideshow, did you see the portable washer that delightful had & her retractable clothes line? I think that is a neat idea! The washer hooks up to your sink just like a portable dishwasher! A friend of mine bought a wall-mountable washer and dryer stack, and they are sooo neat! the washer still pulls away and hook into the kitchen sink!
If I remember right you are in an apartment?

**nuisance26** · 08-03-2007, 01:46 PM

~My MIL has been using a portable clothes washer for 25 years now. She had a family of 5 and it still worked well for her. She did have to compromise on things like bedding. The capacity is small so quilts and comforters are out of the question. She uses lots of very thin blankets instead and layers them.~

**Telephus44** · 08-03-2007, 08:35 PM

Yeah, it's actually something that we're still in debate on. Ideally, when we have a house, we'd like a nice set with a front-loading washer. But, here are are options as best I can figure:

1. Buy a stacked washer/dryer. Pros: fits in the space, and I'll have a washer and dryer. Can get one easily at the store on tax-free weekend. Cons: Not EnergyStar rated, not eligible for Energy Star Rebate, not what we really want in the long run. Cost: approx $1000

(option 1A - watch the ads in our complex and buy one second hand from someone moving out. Cost: approx $600)

2. Buy an "all-in-one" Washer/Dryer from LG. This has one drum and you don't have to take the laundry out of the washer and put it in the dryer - it's all the same drum. Pros: I can put laundry in before I go to work in the morning, come home and it's clean! It will easily fit in the space and leave me a lot of room for other things. Cons: It's a special order, takes 2 weeks to get. Can't get it in state on tax-free weekend. Not Energy Star rated and not eligible for rebate. It's not what we really want. It takes 3-4 hours to dry a load of laundry. Cost: approx $1700

3. Suck it up and buy the washer/dryer we REALLY want. Pros: When we buy a house, we'll already have the washer and dryer we want. We can get this easily in stores. Can buy it on tax-free weekend. Eligible for Energy Star rebate. Cons: Not sure if it will even fit in the space we have - these are huge! Cost: approx. $2000

4. Just buy a front-loading washer - no dryer. Pros and Cons are pretty obvious. We can dry clothes in our building's laundry facilities at $1.75 per load. Cost: approx $1000

The Energy Star rebate is $75, and the sales tax here is 5% - so we'd be saving $50 in tax on a $1000 purchase. My extra paycheck this month is about $1250 after taxes/deductions.

Yeah, we're STILL thinking about it. And Tax-Free weekend is Aug 11th-12th (here in MA).

I hadn't considered a portable washer, but we're trying to make this an investment purchase - that's not something I'd want for a long time. If we go with option 1 or 2 we can always sell it when we move out, and get some of our money back.