ASKO WCAM1812 Combo Washer/Dryer
by Megan Wojchik
(Washington, DC)
I recently moved into an apartment with an Asko combination washer and dryer. I originally was excited about the washer/dryer because it was front-loading and energy efficient. It was made to save water and use less electricity. Plus the combo model saved room in my closet, allowing me to install shelving above the washer/dryer. The only con that I originally saw was that dryer sheets could not be used since it was a combo model.
After using this appliance for almost two months, my opinion has changed. The basin is very small, allowing me to wash only small loads (5-6 items at a time). Each load that I do takes approximately 2.5 hours to fully wash and dry. And it takes even longer if there are towels or jeans or anything heavy in the load.
This is a problem because it requires me to stay home for hours at a time to get laundry done. And while it is helpful to not have to switch the load from the washer into the dryer, I can only have one load going at a time.
When I get home from work, I have enough time to do only about one load of laundry in an evening. Since I am only able to wash 5-6 items in each load, I am not able to wash everything that my household dirties in one day. Therefore, unless I spend an entire weekend doing laundry, there is no physical way for me to keep up with the laundry.
I am willing to do my part to help reduce my impact on the environment, but that willingness only goes so far. When energy efficient appliances do not work as well as other appliances, it is hard for me to sacrifice my convenience for environmental reasons. I would be more than happy to use energy efficient appliances if they worked to the same capacity that other appliances do.
Overall, the product is average. It cleans well, but loads take too long to wash, and even longer to dry. Plus, clothes seem to get especially wrinkly, no matter how much fabric softener I use.
I would not recommend this product to others, but I will continue to use it myself, as I don?t have a choice what appliances are in my rented apartment.
