queendaas's Full Review: Hotpoint-Ariston AWD 121 NA Front Load Washer
This is a wonderful invention for those that only have a 110V plug and can't install venting for their washer/dryer (or if you are single and want a highly efficient system). The only negative I have found is that it is smaller than a standard washer/dryer. I purchased it from AMRoyal online for $899 including tax and free shipping. I ordered it on a Thursday and it arrived 5 days later on Tuesday! (NY to FL). My husband hooked it up in about an hour. Everything was pretty self-explanatory. It did take us a few minutes to read through the directions, but what doesn't?
Washing/drying: you can fit 12 pounds of clothing in the drum, but you only want to do 8 pounds if you plan on drying it all. As long as you're not washing a bunch of jeans (or heavy clothing), you can fit a good amount of laundry in there. Plus, the directions give you an idea of what some items weigh. We live in FL, so it's mostly tanks, tees, and shorts. One thing that surprised us the most is that this machine REALLY DRIES GOOD, unlike other combo washer/dryers I researched. This must be because it has a separate heating element that heats the air during the dry cycle and it spins at 1200 rpms! I would highly recommend using the shortest dry time first, and then determining if you need to go up to the max: 90 min. The lowest is 50 minutes - and everything was dry and hot when it came out. An entire wash and dry cycle of cotton clothes will take about 2 hours and the best thing - you don't have to worry about remembering to put the dryer on, it automatically starts up when the wash is finished. It also has a delay start that allows you to start the wash in 1,3,9, or 12 hours.
Cleaning & maintenance: The manual reads "maintanance free" - there is no lint filter to clean after drying. There are filters in the hoses where you connect to the water source. It doesn't say how often to clean them and only recommends it if the washer/dryer fails to fill with water.
So far, we've been very impressed. I almost gave it 5 stars but since we've only used it twice, I'm giving it 4 stars for now. I'll keep this updated if anything changes - this machine seems to good to be true!
I wanted to make this clear: If you have a 220v outlet, can have venting for your dryer, and have the room for 2 machines, you're still probably better off with a standard washer/dryer. For the same price (or even less), you'll get a larger drum & be able to do much more laundry (ie. wash one, while the other load dries).
One thing this "all-in-one" washer has that you probably won't find in a standard washer/dryer - the average annual operating cost is $15. This was on the energy star sticker and is based on 8 loads a week at the 2000 energy prices (okay, so even if it's doubled, $30 a yr is still cheap).
1200 rpm spin speed. Electronic / Smart Controls. Multiple Drying time adjustments. Multiple Temperature settings. Energy Star certified. 9 wash setti...More at AJ Madison
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