Hmmm, I am short (5'4") but was always sitting on the floor swapping from washer to dryer because it was a pain bent over for both. Have had my stackable FL for 5 years and just recently stacked them because of my move into the little house. My concern was heavy wash being loaded up into the dryer. The stacking has been wonderful, less bending actually ....you aren't bent for both, just the FL. Also, the clothes really aren't wet as with a TL, I use the fast spin. Plus, pulling the clothes out of the dryer is a snap...much easier, right in front of you, a bonus.

We bought a stackable a few years ago, got tired of having to pull washer and dryer out of a small utility room to get to the hot water heater. I love my stackable other than my head is to BIG to look inside the lid to see if anything is on the front side of the washer, you could always just run your hand aroud the front. Bought ours used for 400.00 and will probably never get that lucky again.

Our new neighbor was getting rid of their stackable, cause they said the washer didn't work. they were taking it to the dump so I asked if we could have it. They looked at me like I was nuts but said yes.

we set it on the stoop to have it looked at. It needed a little piece to hit the switch when the cover was closed. That was four years ago and is still working great. I love them. It's not a FL washer but I don't care.

the laundry is a pleasure to go into now. I love doing laundry. We actually did laundry on the stoop for a few days until we could get the room cleared out. My sister tends to call me a 'redneck'. I agree

shirley

I am short and actually find it much easier to load/unload my stacked FL washer and dryer than a traditional toploader. My husband is tall and doesn't have any problems with pulling the clothes out of the washer. Of course, there are several bending motions per wash because you wouldn't normally pull out one big wet ball.

However, the side-by-side-on-pedestal configuration might be more comfortable, and you would have the surfaces of the washer and dryer to fold stuff on. You also have to buy a matching washer and dryer to stack them, which might be an unnecessary expense.

If I had to make the choice, I would go with the stacking pair and get the utility sink :)

My husband does most of the laundry (actually since we got the new machines he won't let me touch them, he's very territorial about it!) and he's 6'3. No complaints about the stacked config but we also have the jumbo front loaders. Here's what it looks like:

Love ours (big front loaders). I'm short, DH tall, all is fine. Great space saver. As mentioned above, wet clothes are "dryer" so less heavy.

I bought a stackable FL set because the standard size side by side appliances didn't quite fit in my utility room. I wasn't looking to save money, but to finally have a set that would FIT in the space I had. Even so, I think the initial higher cost was well worth it. The washer uses far less hot and cold water, soap, bleach, etc. so it saves money that way, plus it can hold larger loads so I can do laundry less often. The dryer spins water out so well that the clothes dry faster and with less tumbling and wear and tear. The huge tubs handle king size blankets, quilts and bedspreads lots better than my regular set ever did. My Kenmore stackable FL set was worth every penny.

Thank you everyone for responding. I'm feeling much better about the idea of a stackable fl now. I'm limited on depth too so will either get the frigidaire or spring for the miele's. Thanks again.

I have a stackable Bosch. I am 5'3" and do not mind bending down to unload and load clothes. We actually did not have room for a bigger set. We cleaned removed the doors a a closet and put plumbing in. WE placed a pull out shelf between the washer and dryer so we are able to fold clothes there. Our house is so small, we would have had to put it outside if not in this closet. Here is a picture.

It's interesting how much people are talking about the bending-down issue and front-loaders. A top-loading washer mostly eliminates the bending, and some of those can have a drier stacked above them (or come with one attached). Maybe the difference is that you're thinking of high capacity and I don't need that.

But at least with driers since they're essentially all front-loaders, I think it's just about universal that people WANT it to be up higher and trouble arranging that together with the washer is the only reason they're not all up high like that. At the laundromat I go to, for example, there are two rows of driers, and the ones in the top row get used first.

I'm planning for my new house but haven't built yet. There's room for a washer and drier side by side, but I'm thinking of a stacked unit anyway, not just to put the upper half of that space to use and turn the left or right half into free closet space, but also because it's easy that way to have the drier up high and eliminate bending with a top-load washer below. If I stick with separate drier and front-loading washer instead (to save money since the cheapest set is cheaper than a stacked combo), I think I'll build some kind of stage to put the drier up on, at least a few feet tall if not full washer height, just so it isn't on the floor.

How flexible is machine location with a given set of pipe/vent connections behind them? Can the connections on the back wall of a closet/room that's wide enough for two machines be set up to accept side-by-side machines, stacked machines on the left, or stacked machines on the right equally well, or would the connections have to be set up for just one machine arrangement that's decided on ahead of time?

@teaka123 I realize that this is an old forum, but would love to know how your husband made the "bread board" style pull-out shelf between your washer and dryer.

Dottie, Sears has a few with pics that may give you some ideas of how this could be done. Maybe you are lucky enough to own one of the brands they sell this for, I don't so please post some pics if you try this.

http://www.sears.com/bosch-laundry-stacking-kit-w-pull-out-shelf/p-02619112000P?plpSellerId=Sears&prdNo=16&blockNo=16&blockType=G16

Good Luck.

Thank you, Sunnysmom!

sdtriplets, I'd like to know more about your pull out shelf.