I bought the Elux compact set a couple of years ago. I am very happy with them. The dryer is a condenser style which I put the hose in washer drain so I don't even think about it. I would have bought a Miele set again, but my budget just wasn't up for it.

Not to question why you would want to replace your machines, but if the only problem is the detergent isn't being emptied completely why not just put the detergent in with the laundry? That could give you a little more time before the machine breaks down completely.

Bosch makes a great set.

I needed a set 6 months ago. Was following a Miele compact set for 5+ years. Went with Bosch 500. It's been great. It does require 240v as washer plugs into dryer. It's stacked. Very quiet. Has a heater.

I have the unitized Speed Queen front loader. What I love about it is that it isn’t deep, so it doesn’t jut out into the room like a monstrous front loader. But it is still 27” wide. It has better capacity then the Bosch set with the benefit of a conventional dryer, but no onboard heater, which is a negative. Quite heavy, and the new version may not be warranted for 2nd floor install. I have posted a lot in the archives re pros and cons this machine, but can answer questions if it is of interest. Because it is so heavy, I have mine installed so that the rear is accessible through a closet in case of fire or a water leak. This is not a machine you can pull out easily, nor easily unstack. But I do believe it will last the rest of my lifetime.

FWIW, I should also add that I recently bought the 24” LG compact washer for my niece and nephew as a baby shower gift, and they absolutely love it. It does have, as I understand it, some sort of onboard heater. They say it performs wonderfully and spins nearly dry with no sound or vibration whatsoever. They did not have room for the matching dryer, so I don’t know if it is regular or condensing.

On the advice of my neighbor, I bought the Bosch 800 washer and ventless dryer. I also got the stacking apparatus that has a pull out shelf in the middle.

It's not installed yet but he loves it and he has done a lot of moving and remodeling so I value his opinion on stuff like this.

Helen, we purchased the 800 series, but they will not be delivered until later August when we move in. I don’t see any mention of the stacking apparatus on the invoice. Can you post a link to that item?

It's a separate accessory - You need it to stack I think but one comes with a pull out shelf and the other is just enables you to stack. I got the pull out shelf because I thought it would be convenient since there is no table proximate to the closet I am installing in.

I paid $99 for mine as I got all my appliances through Best Buy since they price matched and also threw in free installation.

bosch washer dryer stacking kit installation

Sorry but the link isn't going live - just google Bosch washer dryer stacking kit

I wanted to add that the flooding safeguards on the Bosch 800 are what really sold me on that unit. I live in a high rise so any floods can be catastrophic as they would flood all my downstairs neighbors - not to mention damage to my condo. The same would be true for any installation except in a basement and I would imagine compact washer/dryer units are not being installed in basements.

The Bosch 800 series has the pipes/tubes which are double lined with very sturdy material so a leak in one would not cause a flood. Also, it has an alarm which shuts down the machine if it detects water where it shouldn't be as well as a pan to catch any water.

This kind of protection against flooding can be retrofitted into other water appliances and I am also doing this for my HVAC unit as well as my refrigerator water line. I need the water protection for my HVAC unit because it is in the ceiling and has a waterline that services all of the units in my stack. It is prone to becoming clogged and then it overflows - ruining the ceiling and potentially ruining the floor below.

Helen I am sorry to hijack this thread, but I am going to be rude and inquire about your flood protection for your HVAC system. I live in a NYC apartment with a water cooled system with the condenser and piping in the ceiling and never thought about the chance of it flooding. How are you going to flood proof the system? I have added all the possible safeguards I can to my washer, but never thought about the HVAC or the refrigerator. I'm in the process of getting the dishwasher alarmed with auto cutoffs for the water. Thank you.

I had seen a video of a stacked Bosch set, showing how the dryer leaks some water on the left side when removing the condensation and damaged the stacking pull-out drawer.

https://youtu.be/TsD6obF3B4U

hcbm - If I understand correctly you have a HVAC in the ceiling and there is a central water line that runs through all the HVAC systems in your stack.

I am not an HVAC person so I can't give you a technical explanation. My unit (as have many of neighbors) flooded in several ways. If there is any kind of clog in the central line (which can be down from me), it will leak and I think once of twice there was a problem with my compressor so that it leaked.

I am doing what several of my neighbors are doing which is tieing in the water line to my kitchen drain. I don't quite understand how taking it off the common line obviates the problem but any backups in that line will now just drain into the kitchen line. My friend in the building who is fanatical about water flood safety had it done. He has water alarms on all the appliances in his unit that could flood. I had never realized that a water line for a refrigerator could cause as much of a flood as it did for another of my neighbors.

I am also installing a Smitty pan underneath (not sure if it is called that when used for a HVAC system) which would catch any water overflow. I am also installing a water alarm system which will automatically shut off the water if the system senses that it is overflowing.

If there have never been leaks or floods in your building, perhaps it's configured differently but in my building it is a fairly common occurrence. I used to replace the ceiling directly under the HVAC system but I gave up awhile back because I knew I was doing a gut remodel and there seemed no point in putting in new ceiling panels only to have them flooded.

ETA - I see you also asked about the refrigerator. I think it can be retrofitted with an alarm system as you are doing with your dishwasher. As I wrote, I had never thought about it being an issue until I ran into one of my neighbors who caused quite the flood for a few floors below when her refrigerator water line broke.

Helen, Thank you very much. My HVAC does not have a central line, I think. I am going to ask around and find out if anyone knows if a water alarm and cut offs is something I need. I am phobic when it comes to floods. I'm on the fourth floor of a 5 story building and the apartment above me has had extensive flood issues several times since I have moved in. So far I have only experienced some ceiling damage that is easily fixed, but it is only a matter of time if they don't do some serious repairs. First it was roof leaks then the hot water baseboard valve broke off. I don't want to do that to anyone.

The condenser needs to be cleaned regularly. There is a bit of water when it's removed but nothing like a leak. I keep a microfiber towel handy when I remove the condenser and use it to mop up and catch drips.

Had a Bosch set a few years back that was stacked with the pull out. It was OK but I didn't get it this time as I didn't use it that often last time. But others might. When it's pulled out, however, it blocks access to the washer door.

hcbm - You might see if a pan and alarm are helpful as depending on your HVAC system, too much water can accumulate and then start dripping down. In terms of my HVAC system, it's more damage to me than to people below me since the water ruins my ceiling and damaged the hardwood somewhat although it's hard to tell whether that was just normal wear and tear after many years.

I don't have a water heater in my unit - odd you have one in NYC as when I lived there, steam heat through radiators was common and the boiler in the basement supplied the heat water.

Helen- Thanks again. Sorry I wasn't clear, I don't have a water heater, I have a weird a/c system in the ceiling. My apartment is a converted factory loft with 14 foot ceilings. When converted they did a commercial kind of setup with a huge cooling water tower (not the wooden tanks you see on roofs) like you see on hospitals and hotels and put compressors in each apartment entrance ceiling. It can be used for both air and heat but we only use it for air. We have hot water baseboard heating. We have large pipes running water through the ceiling to the compressors. I have to climb up and clean out a strainer regularly to keep my compressor running. It is a 2 inch pipe and if that starts to leak I shudder at the flood the building will sustain.

Well, I pulled the plug due to a great offer on a set of machines I'd read about and that are pretty well reviewed but new on the Canadian market place: A stacked Gorenje washer and the matching vented dryer. I went out just to see some options, especially ventless dryers, which are totally new to me. Then I decided it was silly not to take advantage of venting if I had the option, especially if I was not limited to only one option (GE). I'm kind of souring on US manufactured goods, and Gorenje has a long history of making trusted appliances in Europe.

Thanks for all your advice, and I'll report back in 6 months or so with an update on how they are performing.

hcbm - That sounds identical to my HVAC system except my HVAC unit also provides heat which I think I use once a year in California.

In my building that central water gets clogged from the shmutz that collects and then it backs up the way any pipe gets backed up and depending on where it backs up, it can cause problems in a unit.

The flood isn't as bad as from a source of real running water like a toilet but it's enough to ruin the ceiling and if it occurs when I'm not home to put a bucket to drain, it can ruin the flooring - which it has.

I would ask your Board or your neighbors whether people have ever had problems.

I lived in a renovated loft on Fourth Avenue when I moved back to NY. They made me sell it because there was a prohibition against renting. I loved that apartment - it had unobstructed views of the Empire State Building looking North and the Con Ed clock - which always reminded me of the Mamas and Papas Song - I used to live in New York City with a clock that always said 12:30 :-)

Helen, one of my all time favorite songs by the Mamas & The Papas is Twelve Thirty (Young Girls Are Coming to the Canyon). Fancy seeing a reference to it in the Laundry forum!

Toronto Vet,

I don't know if you are aware that Gorenje is the parent company of Asko. There is a recent review on the forum of the Asko machines and it does not appear to be favorable - Review of Asko Logic Washer in Gardenweb. You may want to take a look and ask the OP for some information so you are prepared when you get your machines.

Good luck!

I do know Gorenje bought Asko in 2010, and I have heard people say that Asko appliances aren't what they used to be......but I also know that they bought Asko when their parent company went bankrupt, so things weren't going so well to begin with.

Mostly, though, I'm not expecting the Gorenje pair to be a really high end machines, and I didn't pay what high end machines cost. They're 30%-60% less than what an Asko, Miele, or Bosch costs.

@toronto veterinarian

I too had heard that since the buy-out of Asko, that their products aren't quite as good as they use to be. When my 8 year old Miele Dishwasher went out earlier this year, I looked at Asko, Miele, and Bosch, but between them did like Miele the best, followed by Asko. The price difference was $200 between them ($1600 Miele, $1400 Asko), but by luck was able to get the Miele for 1200.

As far as clothes washers, the top of three line Miele W1 is $2000, and the Asko Logic is $1800-2000, so again pretty close in price. I don't see them as 30-60% less than Miele

"As far as clothes washers, the top of three line Miele W1 is $2000, and
the Asko Logic is $1800-2000, so again pretty close in price. I don't
see them as 30-60% less than Miele"

What I actually meant was my Gorenje were 30-60% less than the Miele, Bosch, or Asko, and so I don't expect a Gorenje to work like one of those high-end machines. Obviously prices here are different, though.......Here, the Miele W1 is just over $3000, and the Asko Logic about $2900. Most of that difference is in the exchange rate, plus tariffs ;)

When I priced a compact pair last fall the Asko pair was way more than the Bosch pair -- like $800. Makes no sense given history vs other brands on the market like Bosch or Electrolux for less.

Since my 1200sqft townhouse has the washer and dryer in the downstairs half-bath, it provides it's own issues with having units that fit. First off, the toilet is in front of the washer (left). There is just enough room to stand between the toilet seat and my 2006 GE Profile top load washer to reach in and pull the load out, then place in the vented dryer (right).

I have seen places in here that do have front load washers, but thay have to use the pedestals to raise them up, so that the door opens above the toilet seat. Also, I'm not sure about a non-vented heat-pump/condensation dryer, since this is South FL, where it is 90+ for most of the year, and really don't want a dryer with added heat coming into the downstairs.

Ha! I just read what I'd written: "Well, I pulled the plug due to a great offer on a set of machines......" I meant to say 'I pulled the trigger....', as in I took action. Looking at what I actually wrote, I hope pulling the plug doesn't indicate I think they're headed down the drain! Freudian slip?

fauguy, on the other hand, a vented dryer removes conditioned air from the house, and it has to be replaced by outside air. A while ago I calculated that in a place with outdoor dew point of 70F, the moisture content of the dryer makeup air takes 1/2 ton of A/C capacity to remove. That's probably exaggerated, because the A/C doesn't remove all the moisture. But nor does it take into account the A/C capacity used to lower the temperature of the makeup air. Or the fact that 70F is a conservative dew point for southern FL. Dew point is 76F in Ft. Lauderdale now.