I've been wanting one of these for some time, and it was well worth the wait. This machine is perfect for me since I have limited space for it, and no outside vent for a conventional dryer. It is relatively straightforward to operate, turn it on, set the appropriate settings, and let it go. As the owner's manual suggests, I ran an empty load first to be sure all the operations worked as they should, and wash out the inside. (I suggest doing so, I could smell lubricants and such inside from the manufacturing process) Because the machine uses a direct drive system to turn the drum, it is surprisingly quiet. As most reviews state, the machine is not designed for a large family or extra heavy use. The first real load I ran consisted of a few towels. The second of a larger load of regular clothes. The towels took a total of about 3 hours from start to finish, which isn't that much longer than it would take with a conventional setup.
In all, I love this machine so far, it suits my space constraints well. The low noise means I can run it at night and it shouldn't wake me up in the middle of the night. The drum does spin very fast when it is washing and in the spin cycle, so there is a little vibration noise you can hear, but this shouldn't be a problem if it is on a level and sturdy surface. I will say that the vibration is less noticable than with my old regular washer. When drying, the top sides of the machine become hot, but not enough to burn, but be careful what you might put near it. Also because of the high spin speeds, I wouldn't recommend leaving anything on top of the unit. In all, I think it is a great value for the money. The higher price is justified by the convenience. I can't seem to find a matching pedistal which would raise it up a bit. Being a taller guy it is a bit of a stretch to get the clothing in and out.
Most reviews explained the convenience of the LG for a couple but said it probably wouldn't be good for a family. I guess it depends how you look at it. We have a washer and dryer in a laundry room downstairs but when I was pregnant my laundry duties stopped: it was hard to manage baskets up and down the stairs, I wasn't feeling well, forgetting to switch the clothes into the dryer, and then finding time to fold big loads. We installed the 24inch model in our Master Bedroom closet and I am back to doing laundry. Our children's bedrooms are upstairs and so are mommy and daddy - so ultimately, that's where all the clothes are - ready to go. About 5 mornings a week I throw in one small load - by nap time - it's done and easy to sort and fold. It doesn't matter to me that it takes 4 hours. The clothes come out clean, fresh and my daughter enjoys our morning "laundry" routine as she puts clothes in there with me.
Now, the technical stuff.
*My husband set it up in a day - he needed to do some wiring and piping.
*It's not too loud.
*It has a child safety lock.
*You can run multiple cycles - including diapers.
*It gages how much clothes are in the machine and sets the amount of time.
*The detergent/softer dispenser is very easy to pull out and rinse in a sink for cleaning.
*You can only fill it about 1/2 way with clothes because the dryer can only do about 1/2 of the wash load. You will do many more loads of laundry. "A little at a time."
We still have our washer/dryer downstairs for bulky items but we are actually thinking of replacing those with the larger model in case we have to wash a lot of towels or something. I feel like a family of 4 could live off 1 larger model.
Overall, I'm back to doing laundry and it's not a complaint anymore.
I know there's a love/hate relationship with some folks regarding these washer/dryer combos.
On the one hand, it takes longer to dry (dries well only with smaller loads of 8 lbs or less), the capacity is not like the full sized washers, clothes come out a bit wrinkled, it's a heavy machine (not easily movable), not good for larger households, and the washer/dryer can be expensive. These machines are not heavy duty and should NOT be stuffed with clothes like a regular size top loading! The more you stuff it, the more wrinkled clothes comes out, and the harder it is for the machine to dry!
On the other hand, compact, perfect for small condos/apartments, convenience (NO MORE Laundromats!), plugs into a regular electrical socket, despite longer drying times my electric bill is only a couple of dollars more per month, uses less water, saves on washing detergent (uses less than top loading machines), and it's been reliable (no problems).
For me, a good product is one that lasts long time with normal use. Every so often I drain and clean the lint from the bottom of the machine, and clean the back hose connection filter (the washer will tell you when it's time). I have an older LG model similar to this one that's little over 4 years old, and it washes all types of clothes/linen very well. I wear washable dress slacks/shirts/stockings, and it has saved me money because it comes out damp, and I can hang them in my room and air dry them overnight (no shrinkage or fading because of hot air like a dryer), so my clothes last longer. I wash several times per week. To me, this machine is fairly quiet, except when it dries you'll hear the pump draining the water. I can sleep at night and my clothes will be dry in the morning. No washing machine is absolutely quiet, but this "direct drive" motor is a lot quieter than my old belt driven top loading washer! You can hook this washer to a backyard hose or to a kitchen facet (with a small adapter that you can get from OSH/Home Depot).
I've had a separate full sized washer and dryer when I lived in a house, and yes, I would prefer that. What if space, dryer venting, and special electrical voltage is an issue in a condo or apartment?
I would recommended this washer/dryer combo for one or two people in a household.
I am happy with mine and it does the job.
I have had my LGWM3431 combination for five years, and have never had a problem with it. Since I noticed that Amazon is showing a good deal on it right now, I thought I would offer some experience with the machine. I am disabled, so we bought it and had it placed on the manufacturer's pedestal, allowing detergent storage at the bottom of the machine. It also stabilizes the machine so it doesn't vibrate on the floor. I am delighted to have the door at waist-height, and I am very happy with the way this machine cleans. It is not harsh on the fabrics and the steam drying system makes everything soft. The total wash/dry cycle on the permanent press setting is 3:11 - and I would recommend the permanent press cycle for most clothing to alleviate some of the wrinkling from steam drying. Sometimes I add an extra 30 minutes of drying, which takes out that dampness. I think my husband has had to clean out lint about 3 times in 5 years, so the lint problem is not a serious one. I agree with the commenter who said to to be careful of lint with small rugs, blankets, etc. The cycles are pretty flexible, too - you can do wash only, rinse only or dry only, so you might want to air-dry some of the really linty things, then put them in on a 30 minute dry to fluff them..
The previous owner of our house had one of these, so we bought one because we didn't want to overtax our septic system. We live in a country area near a pond used for swimming and boating, and land drainage can be a problem. This machine uses much less water than a standard machine. The real advantage is the "set it and forget it" approach to laundry. We put a load in at night before bed, and in the morning it's done. The extra 30 minute drying cycle will warm up your towels or skivvies just fine. I really have no complaints at all about the machine, and I would recommend it especially for folks with limited septic or who would benefit by not having to move the wash from one machine to the other.
I've had this unit for over 2 years and I'm very happy with it. I am amazed at all of the folks who think they can buy an appliance and expect not to perform any sort of minor cleaning or maintenance on it at all - especially something like a washer/dryer which you know has got to be getting dirty/linty inside.
I see many complaints about the unit being less and less able to dry clothes after some months of operation. Since there is no user-accessible lint filter, the lint accumulates inside the air recirculating chamber until it clogs it up and at that point, the unit will start giving you trouble in the drying cycle - at first taking a bit longer to dry, then finally not drying at all. Luckily, this unit is easy-as-pie to clean out. I have created a web page that outlines the process, which takes less than an hour:
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In the two years that I've owned this unit, I have had to do this twice. It's much easier than my previous upright stacked washr/dryer combo (Kenmore) and I don't have to worry about calling a professional to snake-out the duct leading to the outside, which was always a headache because it was a long run and nobody had a long enough snake.
Some things that can make internal lint build-up happen faster are: a lot of drying of throw rugs & things that have rubberized surface, and using too much detergent. Use no more than a tablespoon of HE detergent in this model! Most of the times I use only a teaspoon. Also, this unit has a smaller drum so don't pack it full or it won't dry no matter how clean it is. 2-3 pairs of jeans or 3-4 towels at a time max.
If LG made a mistake when marketing this condensing dryer technology, that mistake is simply in not educating the consumer about operation and how to clean it when it gets clogged with lint on the inside. Otherwise the dryer is wonderful.
Feature Product
Description
This LG combined washer dryer is perfect if you don t have an external venting source, which conventional dryers require. It runs on standard voltage electricity, and conveniently fits in closets, apartments, businesses, and vacation homes anywhere space may be limited. (Capacity: 2. 44 cu. Ft. ) White Finish. Additional features include: sensor dry system, 9 wash programs, sanitary cycle, wash to dry / wash only / dry only options, and 5 temperature levels. Energy star rated.
I live in an apartment and, although we have a laundry room, there is only one washer and dryer for 8 units, it's downstairs and I had to hoard quarters (6 per load). I finally got tired of sharing with the neighbors and having such a small window of time to do laundry (i.e. not while I'm at work, not after 10pm, etc).
I looked at washer/dryer combos a couple of years ago and didn't see anything that looked worth the cost. When I tried again a few weeks ago I came across the LG and was pleasantly surprised by the mostly positive reviews. I spent a LOT of time reading reviews and researching the LG so I was pretty familiar with the pros and cons of the machine by the time I got it. I was able to order it online while it was on sale and used an additional 12% off coupon that made the price more palatable. It also let me spring for the titanium version that I just like the looks of.
I've had the unit for about a week now and I am extremely pleased with it. After a couple of trips to the hardware store (casters, a mixer/y hose and a quick release adapter for the faucet) I was up and running within minutes. I'm on the second floor and am very surprised at how quiet this machine is. It actually makes less noise than my dishwasher and, since the neighbors have never complained about that, I'm assuming I'll have no problems with the washer. I was also worried about it dancing across the floor on its wheels (since my designated shopper bought casters without locks and I was too impatient to go exchange them) but I park it on my kitchen rug and it stays in place, no problem.
An entire load takes less time than I expected (after reading some reviewers complaints) and the clothes are perfectly dry once you pull them out of the machine and let them air for a couple of seconds. I have noticed that items come out more wrinkled then they do in a conventional dryer but, for me, that's a small tradeoff for the convenience.
I put a load in yesterday before I went to work and set the timer to finish about the time I get home. I walked in the door to the pleasant scent of clean clothes and hung them up - very nice. I expect that I will be doing this most days so the additional time to run a load won't make any difference for me. Also, the added benefit of not having to be home to transfer the load from the washer to the dryer means I can truly set-and-forget my laundry. I am loving this!
One minor complaint is the child-lock. I don't have children and would prefer to be allowed to take my chances opening the door once the load is complete or on a whim mid-cycle. It would be nice to be able to disable this 'feature'.
All in all, if you've done your research and understand the limitations of this machine (smaller loads, longer cycle times, more wrinkles) and still want one I think you will be very, very pleased with it.
I honestly don't know how many clothes some of the other reviewers where stuffing into their washers before, but this is an excellent choice for those who have smaller spaces. I have had it for 6 months now - yes, the clothes do come out a slight bit damp - but a quick shake or two and they are soon dry. I can fit my entire california king sheet set in here plus two bath towels and they come out just fine. I can't say enough good things about this machine. It is pretty quiet - a bit loud during the spin cycle, but if you get a noise/vibration pad under the unit, it definitely helps. I have been using the seventh generation liquid soap and softener in here with no extra foam over. The delicate cycle is also nice - did not twist and bind up stuff like my old washer.
The only con I have to say is that you need to drain the unit every couple of months to get out the extra fuzz in the lint trap.
Overall - if you are in a townhome or apartment and want a solution to having to share a common washer/dryer with your neighbors, this is definitely a great solution.
I got this washer/dryer combo because I really liked the idea of being able to wash and dry clothes in one cycle! It works great but there are some things to think about!
It takes a long time to wash and dry a complete load! If you have a large family this might not be for you. Shirts/sweaters come out great every time but I have had issues with pants especially jeans getting wrinkled. I do pants separately now and put them in a smaller load to avoid wrinkles. This works fine but I forget sometimes. This also will completely dry clothes but you have to see which dry setting works best for you. I also select "More" dry.
As much as I like this machine I can see getting another drying to complement this unit if I need to wash/dry in a hurry.
have been using my lg w/d combo for over a year now. i have a very small condo and lack of space, 220 power and venting were the deciding factors for me. i LOVE not having to take my laundry to the basement and worry about moving the laundry from the washer to the dryer. this machine has worked great for me.
i do more smaller loads now. usually 4-6 loads a week for just one person (and a cat). it rarely takes over 3 hours to wash and dry total and occasionally i choose to dry less time and line dry to finish. i never dry my jeans anyway. and yes, if i wash one towel, 2 wash cloths and a hand towel -- it is full. don't try to cram too much into this machine. it works a lot better with small loads.
i like the delay function so i can set it up in the morning and time it to be done when i get home from work.
things are more linty than a normal dryer. i got a lint roller. but my clothes come out a lot softer than the regular dryer because they're not baked to a crisp. it's a gentler dry.
it has different settings for "hand wash" "delicates" and "speed wash" in addition to normal etc.
i really like it. the only real annoyance i have with it, is that the door takes a really long time to unlock after a dry cycle, even after pushing the unlock button.
it is supposedly very water and energy efficient. i recommend the lg WM3431HW.
I have the first version of this washer, WD-3274RHD. every thing is perfect in this -all in one. But you have to pay attention to some guide lines:
1. the concept of this unit is to help users to set and forget. Be ready to expect a longer washing cycles comparing to regular washers.
2. with this capacity it is perfect for one load per person. so expect to have six cycles a week for three users. this what we used to do since we bought this washer.
3. as it is a combo unit, you don't have to do your laundary on the weekend, it only needs few minutes to sort your laundary, load it, push few buttons and go to your work...shopping or even go to sleep. the drying will start automatically once the wash cycle is over.
4. if the items you're washing needs to tumble during the drying cycle, it is better to have smaller loads and that will help avoid wrinkles spaecially in jeans. and remember that drying needs a drum of a double size of the washing drum. so if you have the maximum washing load and you don't want to come back to split the load , just expect a longer drying time.
5. i'm personally satisfied with this unit as it is only me, my wife and my one year old child. as a small familly we stil don't do our laundary on the same day.
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