google: washer-dryerLook under sponsored links

Thanks, Sevans. I did that. I don't just mean that the washer and dryer should be connected, I mean eliminate the fact that there are two machines and turn them into one which does both processes. I didn't see any machines like that in my search. And, even if there are one or two brands out there, why aren't they all made this way? (and, would love to see a version of this if it already exists)

It's funny, I had this same idea doing laundry once and I did some research just as you! I don't think it would be hard to just place heating coils all around the outer diameter of the washer! It's an idea worth investigating, it's hard to imagine that this idea would go un-noticed by all the company's out there! Maybe it's just one of those conspiracy things to get you to spend money! Later-Jess

Actually, this is a product that's been around for years, in Europe anyway. I didn't even realise it was unknown in the States until I read this post. Maybe space savinging appliances like this are more common over here, because space is at more of a premium over this end of the world? In any case you can purchase your very own washer dryer 'combo' on Whirlpool.com. Or for a more attractive and somewhat less unwieldy one, go to whirlpool.co.uk.respectively:

http://www.whirlpool.com/catalog/category.jsp?categoryId=123

http://www.whirlpool.co.uk/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?langId=-1002&storeId=10054&catalogId=10001&pF=WPWASHINGMACHINES&rm=WPWashing&partNumber=sku-WPBundleBean_PSEL&spg=WPWASHINGFSWASHDRYER

I've often wondered this myself. I think the convenience factor for outweighs the time factor. See, if you had one machine, you could drop in your clothes, turn it on and leave. When you came back they'd be dry and ready for folding. With two machines you have to wait until they're done washing to move them to the dryer, but you can start washing the next load while your finishing up drying the first load. It never occurred to me what a savings on time this is until it was used as an analogy for a multi-stage processor in a computer architecture class. They call this pipelining. So you're slower, you save space and you gain convenience. I'd buy one, that's for sure.

I had one of these when I lived in NYC -- it was a Malber. It seemed like a perfect idea. However, my life began to be ruled by laundry because. The time issue of waiting until the wash was done to dry was compounded by the fact that the cycles are longer than a regular machine, plus since the machine had a small capacity you had more loads to do. It was a sink hookup so I was never sure if the hot wash was hot enough. Plus, my sink was unusable while I was waiting all that time for the laundry to be finished. If I didn't take the clothes out immediately they got INCREDIBLY wrinkled. Finally, the spin cycle was very dramatic, and I was always stressed that the downstairs neighbors would complain. Unfortunately, though it is in theory a great idea, in practice -- at least with the Malber -- not well implemented.

I like this idea. About a year ago I googled this with no luck. I pretty much forgot about the concept until I saw it again on this site. So a year later and another google search and guess what? “Summit SPWD-1160C 24" Combo Washer-Dryer in one Unit, Stainless Drum, Condensing Dryer – Ventless” It's not so much the space that something like this will save. It's the convenience not having to load clothes from one unit to another. If dishwashers were like the conventional washer/dryer, who would buy one? I am seriously considering purchasing two units. That way I would still get the wash done in the same amount of time as before, just won't have to load, move, unload, hang. I wonder if they fixed the sock problem.

I swear I saw one being marketed recently. Might have been the aforementioned Whirlpool model.

This certainly would solve the space problem in our houses. And why not also the time problem. I think there already are such products on market and i think this is the future trend for appliance parts. So sit tight, lets see what's next!

Adding the Dryer isn't the big leap. Adding the Folder... that's progress!