Washer/dryer recommendations

[vlbrown86]

I am looking for recommendations on washers and dryers suitable for full-time RV living. We will be moving into our rig in about a month and a half, and while I'm not in a rush to get one before then, I have a very strong feeling it's going to be an addition we want rather quickly once we're in it. 

I am looking for pros/cons on the different options I've seen...stackable, combo, vented/ventless. As with everything in this lifestyle, there's lots of options and even more opinions, I am certain! For reference, we have a 40' fifth wheel toy hauler with a 12'6 garage which is where the hookups are. My initial thought is that a stackable option would be best, but I am open to suggestions based on experience. 

Thanks in advance! 

[Second Chance]

You'll get about as many opinions on this as there are RVers out there. We opted for stackables with a vented dryer. We chose Whirlpool over Splendide so that techs will come to us rather than having to take the rig to an authorized Splendide service point. The units have served us well for two years, now.

Rob

[GR "Scott" Cundiff]

I'd say a vented stackable should be your first choice.  If you don't have room, then a vented combo (Splendide) would be a compromise.  Personally, I wouldn't ever want a non-vented dryer, RV or house.

[vlbrown86]

22 minutes ago, Second Chance said:

We opted for stackables with a vented dryer.

This may seem like a dumb question, but did your camper already have a vent? Ours does not, so we'd need to create one. Our W/D hookups are in the middle of the wall on the backside of our garage area, so not close to a sidewall, which makes vent placement a bit trickier.  

[vlbrown86]

19 minutes ago, GR "Scott" Cundiff said:

Personally, I wouldn't ever want a non-vented dryer, RV or house.

That's my preference as well; the issue is that our rig does not have a vent for one already, so we'd need to create one. Not an issue, but as I outlined below to the other person, vent location may be a little tricky in our rig. 

[Second Chance]

1 hour ago, vlbrown86 said:

This may seem like a dumb question, but did your camper already have a vent? Ours does not, so we'd need to create one. Our W/D hookups are in the middle of the wall on the backside of our garage area, so not close to a sidewall, which makes vent placement a bit trickier.  

No - but if your RV has connections for a washer and dryer, there is probably a place marked to install the vent. It took our dealer about 15 minutes to do the vent part.

Rob

[Kirk W]

We were fulltime for almost 12 years and didn't have a washer/dryer. With the RV that we live in, that option would have made for a much smaller bathroom so we chose to just live without one. We spent a lot of our time as RV volunteers and most of the places that we stayed provided laundry equipment so it did work OK but we both agree that if we had it to do over and with the RV options today we would get an RV with some type of washer/dryer. Based on our experiences with moisture issues in cold weather, I would also agree with the thought that a vented dryer is a must.

2 hours ago, vlbrown86 said:

Our W/D hookups are in the middle of the wall on the backside of our garage area, so not close to a sidewall, which makes vent placement a bit trickier.  

The answer to that may be in use of a dryer vent hose much like those in most houses?

[Dennis Henderson]

1 hour ago, Kirk W said:

 Based on our experiences with moisture issues in cold weather, I would also agree with the thought that a vented dryer is a must.

 

Many people are confused and think that a "ventless" dryer means the air from the dryer comes out into the RV somehow and will cause humidity/moisture problems.  Not the case.  A "ventless" dryer works completely differently from a standard dryer.  It dries the clothes with the use of a condenser and cold water.  No moisture is released into the RV.  All the extra water goes down the drain--and it is a considerable amount.  A regular dryer vents to wherever you place the vent.  Hope this helps.

[GR "Scott" Cundiff]

2 hours ago, Second Chance said:

No - but if your RV has connections for a washer and dryer, there is probably a place marked to install the vent. It took our dealer about 15 minutes to do the vent part.

Rob

I remember that our Hitchhiker had a circle drawn where the vent was supposed to go.  When we installed the Spendide they cut that hole out and we were good to go.

[Chad Heiser]

If your RV is 50 amp, you can install a standard residential washer/dryer with a 240 volt dryer.  We have a 240 volt dryer in our rig.  It would take some wiring changes to add a 240 volt plug at the dryer location though.  Also, you would only be able to use the dryer with a 240 volt source, so that means when plugged into a 50 amp power pedestal.  There are other ways to get 240 volt into the RV with the proper generator or inverter, but those are not typical.  A 240 volt dryer dryer much better/quicker than a typical 120 volt dryer for RV use.

Edited March 17, 2022 by Chad Heiser

[Kirk W]

16 hours ago, Dennis Henderson said:

All the extra water goes down the drain--and it is a considerable amount.  A regular dryer vents to wherever you place the vent.  Hope this helps.

True but, the ventless does contribute to the humidity as it doesn't get 100% of the moisture out. It isn't easy to find but most seem to remove more on the order of 90% of the moisture. In a stick house that may be a good thing since many of us use a humidifier in the winter months but not so much in an RV. They also take longer to dry, but the upside is that it is supposed to be better for the fabric of clothing to dry at the lower temperatures. It does seem that the condenser dryers are improving and dominate the market in Europe so perhaps they have improved on the humidity contribution.....  I'd still be surprised if it was 0.

[docj]

On 3/17/2022 at 7:22 AM, Kirk W said:

True but, the ventless does contribute to the humidity as it doesn't get 100% of the moisture out. It isn't easy to find but most seem to remove more on the order of 90% of the moisture.

Our unvented Splendide has a gasket-sealed door and the condensed water vapor coming off the clothes is directed to the drain.  I'm not sure where you find the 10% of the water that you say is released inside the RV.  If you are speaking of the slight amount of dampness that sometimes can be found on the clothes when the drying cycle ends, we usually just turn it back on for a few minutes and the clothes then come out totally dry.

As for the slower drying times, I think many RVers fail to understand that ANY dryer running on a 15A 120V circuit will dry a given load of clothes approximately three times slower when compared to a residential dryer running on 30A 240V circuit.  I know that the drying elements in both vented and unvented Splendide combos have the same wattage.  The vented version may have a greater airflow which would result in somewhat shorter drying times. 

As for the lower drying temperature, the unvented Splendide has two heat settings, one of which is only accessible when using the Cotton wash cycle.  When we, for example, dry towels using that high heat setting they can come out almost too hot to handle.   I suspect that the lower temperature you are referring to is the temperature used for the Permanent Press cycle (or the Cotton cycle when the "low temp" button is pressed.)  We do use that when drying clothes and, I agree, I think that is better for them.

[gjhunter01]

We started out the first year w/o a W/D and then realized that was not the way for us to go. We then got a Haire 1600 which the wife wore out and now have a Splendide combo. Both units have been the ventless type and we have not noticed any moisture in our fifth wheel from the W/D. We do tend to hang dry (vs using the dryer) our clothes on a portable wood clothes rack, outside if the weather is good or inside at night while sleeping. I have been lucky to find both units on Craig's List for about $400 each.

[Kirk W]

5 hours ago, docj said:

As for the lower drying temperature, the unvented Splendide has two heat settings, one of which is only accessible when using the Cotton wash cycle.  When we, for example, dry towels using that high heat setting they can come out almost too hot to handle. 

That came from reading reviews as did the comment that some moisture is still contributed to the interior. Since we didn't have any type of washer/dryer when fulltime I only go by what I have read and some comments we used to hear. It has been some time since we were on the road so I suppose the technology may well have improved. As we now have a travel trailer that is much too small for a washer/dryer we still don't have one but as I said before, if we were to go fulltime today we would get one. It is one of those things that can be done without, but is certainly nice to have. Since we still depend on park laundries or laundromats we also think that finding good ones that have available machines is also more difficult today than it was back in 2000 when we went on the road. 

Edited March 18, 2022 by Kirk W
typo

[Danfreda1]

We have the splendide combo unit and have using it for about 1 1/2 years. They do small loads and do a decent job. If someone is still working I would not recommend the combo as it will be running constantly. If it’s just 2 retired people it’s not hard to keep up. We do a lot of boondocking and it’s not a big draw on batteries if you wash only. We hang clothes up when dry camping. The washer uses about 13 gallons at the fastest setting. Ours is vented and have had no problem with it. 

[docj]

17 hours ago, Kirk W said:

That came from reading reviews as did the comment that some moisture is still contributed to the interior. Since we didn't have any type of washer/dryer when fulltime I only go by what I have read and some comments we used to hear.

I find it unfortunate that so much of the information posted about unvented combo washer/dryers is second or third hand stuff, much of which isn't true.  I know you didn't have any ill intent in this case, but it's frustrating to see people re-posting items such as "don't get an unvented combo because they dump all the water vapor into the RV" when they've never owned or operated one.  

As you noted, unvented combos are popular in both Europe and Asia where they are often built in as kitchen appliances.  If space is a at a premium and access to an outside wall isn't practical, an unvented combo can be an ideal solution.  They sure wouldn't be that popular if all the negative traits attributed to them in forum posts were actually true!  😁

[rickeieio]

Original poster has a toyhauler, as do we.  We do laundry about once/week, or less, in a commercial laundromat. Our rig has w/d hook-ups, but we've never felt the need to give up the storage space.

In the garage, we have clothes lines made up and hooks on the walls.  A length of slim rope with knots tied every couple of inches allows items to be hung on hangers, yet still separated, to allow good circulation.  On laundry day, we hang things for a couple hours.  In dry climates, it doesn't take long, especially with a couple windows open.

 

[mptjelgin]

34 minutes ago, docj said:

I find it unfortunate that so much of the information posted about unvented combo washer/dryers is second or third hand stuff, much of which isn't true.  I know you didn't have any ill intent in this case, but it's frustrating to see people re-posting items such as "don't get an unvented combo because they dump all the water vapor into the RV" when they've never owned or operated one.  

I agree. I am mystified as to why someone who has never owned any RV washer/dryer, let alone an unvented combo, would offer up an opinion. 

[durangodon]

1 hour ago, mptjelgin said:

I agree. I am mystified as to why someone who has never owned any RV washer/dryer, let alone an unvented combo, would offer up an opinion. 

Some people just have to comment on every thread, even when their knowledge is sometimes limited to internet searches.

[GlennWest]

I am not going to comment on vented or ventless. Never owned a ventless. But the newer front loader washing machines get more of the water out of clothes. This cuts down on dryer time. When our Whirlpool died we put in a front loader and made a huge difference in drying time

[ChaseTheRide]

We have been using a vented splendide combo for the last 6 months. It does take longer to dry than the one we had in the house but as stated have to remember this is running at half the voltage.  We went with combo so we still have room for storage.  Greatest part about combo is hamper is on top of the unit.  

[TXiceman]

The problems with the unvented drier combo are:

1.  It used some water in a water-cooled condenser to condense the water vapor as it comes off the warm clothes.

2.  This condensed water and the water to the condenser will go to the gray tank.

3.  The combination of 1 and 2 above use water and adds to the wastewater which is not a good thing if you are on a limited water supply or no sewer.

4.  This drying system will not get the clothes as dry as an electric heated vented unit.

Yes, the unvented units work, but they are not for me.

Ken

[Chalkie]

We have been looking at a ventless washer/dryer combo for our rig. After living in Spain and Scotland for a combined total of 11 years we are very familiar with these appliances and know that they work well. Are they as fast as a big US style model? No. Do they work well? Yes.  Here is the best article I have found on them. It debunks several misconceptions that appear along the way in this thread. 

If they are so good why do we not have one yet you may ask? Just biding our time waiting for a good appliance sale at Lowes, Home Depot, or Best Buy to come along. 

[Ray,IN]

On 3/16/2022 at 11:47 AM, Second Chance said:

You'll get about as many opinions on this as there are RVers out there. We opted for stackables with a vented dryer. We chose Whirlpool over Splendide so that techs will come to us rather than having to take the rig to an authorized Splendide service point. The units have served us well for two years, now.

Rob

After using a Splendide combo unit for 14 years, I agree.

[Blues]

On 5/7/2022 at 11:59 AM, Chalkie said:

Here is the best article I have found on them. It debunks several misconceptions that appear along the way in this thread.

That article doesn't even mention the water usage by the condensing dryers, never mind how much.  For the ventless versions of the Splendide 2000S and 2100, the Training Guide says the condenser drying system uses 5 gallons of cold water per hour during the dry cycle. 

http://www.splendide.com/service/TRAINMAN_Complete.pdf

The 7100 uses 2.5 gallons per hour.

http://www.splendide.com/images/splendide_WDC7100XC.htm

That wouldn't matter in an apartment or a house, which might be why it wasn't mentioned, but in an RV, it's something to be aware of.