LG Ventless Washer Dryer Combo

In this article I wanted to start off with a bit of a review on the LG WM3431HW ventless washer dryer combo.  This is LGs newest addition to their line of washer dryer combos, as well as their most popular.  Although the reviews are somewhat mixed, most agree that this model is one of the best on the market at the moment.

Keep in mind that this technology is still fairly new.  There are bugs and issues with every model out there.  For speed and capacity, these machines do not compare with more traditional washer dryer set ups.  Perhaps in the future they will, but if you are looking for a dryer that can compare with a Maytag Performance Series Dryer, it’s just not going to happen.  If you have space restraints or the inability to run a standard dryer vent, however, the LG WM3431HW ventless washer dryer combo can’t be beat (with the possible exception of the Bosch Axxis Series : WTE86300US which I will be covering in a separate article).

Key Features

• Sensor Dry System
• 9 Washing Programs
• 5 Temperature Levels
• Sanitary Cycle
• Delay Wash Up to 19 Hours
• Flexibility of Wash to Dry, Wash Only or Dry Only

The LG combo does have a few benefits over traditional washer dryer combos.  First of all the condenser dryers are a lot more energy efficient than more conventional electric and even gas dryers.  Another benefit is that they are actually better for your clothes.  Condensing the water and collecting it is not nearly as hard on your clothes as blasting it with heated air.  As you may or may not know most of the shrinkage that you get when washing your clothes is usually as a result of the hot air to which conventional dryers subject them.

The LG does have its downsides, however.  Some owners have complained about the spin cycle creating more noise/vibration than they are used to getting from other washers.  I believe this to be more a result of it being front loaded – as most front loaded washers are like that.  Another problem that has been reported is with drying times.  If you have several loads to wash and dry in a single day, you may have a problem with any ventless washer dryer combo.  The LG does seem to do a better job than most other brands, however, reporting roughly twice the dry times of conventional dryers, as opposed to almost triple the dry times for some of the other models.

One common complaint with ventless washer dryer combos is with capacity.  The LG actually has a larger capacity than most, boasting a 24”drum that holds 2.44 cubic feet and can hold up to 24 lbs.  Not bad for a compact unit!

One problem that I have seen reported on the LG specifically is that the child lock is kind of a pain.  I recommend that you read customer reviews for yourself to see if the LG is indeed the ventless washer dryer combo for you.  There are some very informative reviews here:

Click Here to Read Customer Reviews

The interesting thing is that most of the reviews were either 5 stars or one.  Most of the one star reviews seemed to be with older models, leading me to believe that there were some bug fixes with newer units.

All in all, as far as ventless washer dryer combos are concerned, I think the LG WM3431HW is a solid choice.  Can it stand up to the Bosch Axxis Series?  We’ll see!

What is a Ventless Washer Dryer Combo?

So what exactly is a ventless washer dryer combo?  Why would you want one?  Where do you get them?  The answers to the first two questions are below.  The third question will be answered in an upcoming article.

Like many people who live in a condo, when it is time for me to do my laundry I go down to the laundry room and I put my clothes in the washer, and then the dryer. The washer and dryer sit on top of the other in what is called a washer dryer combo. In my case the washer is a front loading washer, while other people may be familiar with top loading washers. In addition, the dryer is the standard type, the type that I thought all dryers were. You know the type that sucks in some cool air, heats it, blows it on to the clothes as they tumble in the dryer, and discharges the hot air outside using a vent. However, it turns out that there is another type of washer dryer combo that is much, much more energy efficient. It's called a ventless washer dryer combo.

The first thing you may notice if you see one of these things is that it is not a combo of two machines. Rather, it is one machine that you use to both wash and dry your clothes. It doesn't have a vent because it uses water to dry your clothes. How is this possible? What happens is that the dryer does use the air from the room and heat it, but then the heated air goes through a system, which cools it down using cold water. Cooling down the air makes the moisture in it that came from your clothes condense and run down a drain, together with the water that was used for the cooling.

There are a few disadvantages to the ventless washer dryer combo. The capacity tends to be small, and drying times can be quite long. In addition, since you can't be washing one load while you dry another, this makes the capacity and drying time disadvantages more severe. In addition, there are not nearly as many different models to choose from compared to stackable dryer and washer sets. Therefore, if you have a big family that piles up a lot of laundry frequently, or you want a wide choice of styles, this option may not be for you.

However, for most people the pros greatly outweigh the cons. Probably the biggest advantage of a this type of set up is the energy savings. One used a typical amount consumes less than $20 worth of electricity a year. Another big advantage of the ventless washer dryer combo is that since there's no vent you don't have to worry about your laundry room overheating or figure out how to vent outside. A third advantage is that they are more compact than conventional washer dryer combos. Another important upside is that they are quieter, and finally, there is the fact that when drying, your clothes are subjected to much less wear than with a conventional tumbler dryer.

Ventless Washer Dryer Combo

Welcome to ventless washer dryer combo.  Have you wondered what exactly a ventless washer dryer combo is, where you can get them or the difference between these and standard washer dryer combos?  If so, you have come to the right place.  We do the research so that you don't have to!  You are always welcome to ask questions or offer your own input.  Just post a comment to this or any other post.  In the meantime, get ready to learn everything you need to know about ventless washer dryer combos!