LG WM6998 ALL-IN-ONE HEAT PUMP COMBO

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New LG heat pump combination. Washer dryer

From the specs, it looks pretty impressive. It’ll be neat to see some comprehensive testing of this machine compared to the GE unit.

I expect they’ll be more of these on the market, I also expect that this will become the standard in Europe and the rest of the world Overtime where people want washers and dryers.

The only thing I see that I don’t like about it is the filter is on the top where it will be easily forgotten and also limits the ability to install the machine under cabinetry, etc. whereas the GE filter can easily be cleaned from the front.

I like the more squared look at the LG better the GE does have sort of a goofy style. We bought a new GE for testing. I have not had time to play with it yet been too busy at work debating whether I wanted to put it in the museum next to all the vintage combos. Not sure whether I will do that or not?

These new combos are going to become very popular with builders of condos and new housing here saving a great deal of cost not having to vent the machines and only having to run a 14 gauge 15 amp 120 V circuit saves a lot of copper and installation work to have a washer and dryer.

Personally, I would design it with a 20 amp 120 V outlet in mine so you could have a more powerful water heater and heat pump in the unit, I suspect the units that they will sell in Europe will have a more powerful water heater.

John
 
I read through the GE and the LG manual the past few days.
The LG manual has been available for weeks if not months.

And I can't imagine myself saying that - but I think I would wait for Samsungs solutions.

The GE has the cycles I would want. All the options. And it has both fully featured automatic and manual dispensing, basically.
Just that it doesn't have a heater.
The LG has all the cycles and options. It has a heater. But the dispenser is just very limited and the filter limits its installation possibilities.
Samsung MIGHT have both from the limited information there is about it.

For most regular customers, I think both are OK solutions if they are aware about the limits.
Knowing LGs experience with inverter technology, and TurboWash 360 with the super quiet pumps plus a heater, I might lean towards recommending that.

Can't wait for LGs stand alone full size heat pump dryer. I think that will really launch a kind of revolution.
 
Thank Henrik. I've been look forward to their fufll-fize HP dryer too. Have seen similar under LG brand availlable in Europe.
 
Reply #10

“It’s too bad Hennik you block my comments you might learn something”

Yeah, hate it when people do that but when everything is all said and done, it’s their loss in the end. Sometimes when people pass up wisdom and experience from someone who has been working in the appliance industry for the past 50 years, it just shows what one’s true colors are.
 
Luigi, when I found out about this model's impending announcement, I came across similar models that were in Europe--that ocnfirmed to me the technology has been in use elsewhere before develeoping a model for the US market. It's kind of like Bosch developing and marketing their Zeolite drying dishwashers in Europe before they wre released here 4 years ago. And I think it's the best drying technology for dishwashers.
 
Impressive machine, but I'm with Launderess in the comment above, the price is staggeringly high. I could buy my brand new set nearly three times over for that price. Yikes!

I do think that as these type of machines take off, the issue of apartments not having a washer and dryer in them will become a thing of the past. No one wants to go to a community laundry room if they can avoid it. Like John says, new developments will be able to just put in a water hookup and drain line, a 120 V circuit, and off we go, there's your washer and dryer connection. No vent definitely makes for an easier job, and there's no doubt the space savor feature is a game changer. Even apartment studios could fit this type of machine.

I think I agree with Henrick though, I'd be more interested in a full-size FL washer and heat pump dryer if I were going to be back on the market. The energy saving bit is still there, and transferring clothes between machines just doesn't bother me at all.

Ryne
 
@maytag85

Don't know who that quote is from, and honestly, do not care.

I have blocked 3 people on here, and haven't blocked anybody new in a year.
So who ever is still trying to convince me to listen to them, by naming me directly, being 100% aware they shout into a void...

I honestly do not know what else to say than to move on. I don't know what to learn from anybody that desperate to prove their knowledge to someone half way around the globe.

Besides that.

We don't have many sold WD combos that are HP models on this planet right now. The Japanese market has a bunch,but really don't know there.
So there might be specific issues to the interaction of washer vibrations and HP components we aren't aware of.
And there certainly is the fact that if that thing breaks, you basically have to replace "both" appliances no matter what, since it is just 2 appliances in one cabinet.

But in terms of heatpump dryers - they have proven INCREDIBLY reliable - especially the heat pumps themselves. If they break (compressor, any leaks in the circuit) they are just trash - no economical repair path, often not even a repair the appliances were designed for.

But it's usually not the heatpump that breaks. I mean, even with modern fridges, it mostly isn't the refrigeration it self that flunks out.
It's a control board, capacitors, or just fluff accumulations, or some other peripheral part.
 
While one understands reasons for their existence one has never fully loved combination appliances of any sort. I mean what happens when one part dies and cannot be repaired?

Reading LG manual posted link to previously various minor quibbles arose.

First and foremost why is it so difficult for these appliance makers to tell us what temperatures are used for wash? "Tap cold", "Cold", "Warm", "Hot" and "Very Hot" is all very well, but that doesn't really tell much does it?

Other big mystery is what exactly each cycle does in terms of programming. Does "heavy soil" add a prewash? What exactly is cycle sequence? Why is it such a state secret?

One sees this blurb often enough with washing machines of all sorts made in or produced by Asian countries.

" Damage or failure of the Product caused by accidents, pests and vermin, lightning, wind, fire, floods, acts of nature, or any other causes beyond the control of LG."

One has always assumed "pests and vermin" to mean roaches along with rodents. It's too icky.....

How is "Bright Whites" different than "Sanitary"?
 
For anyone interested, there are already many full cycle videos of the washer version online. This should be identical to this combo apart from drying. The channels name is Washer Tester on YouTube with the LG WM6700HBA

 
@Laundress

Sanitary is just all about high temp for long time - only available as extra hot.

Whites is "optimised for bleaching", basically. Keeping temps closer to what you selected, extending washing and rinsing. But offering lower temp options.
Having a mid temp long cycle is great for white T-Shirts with prints and the sorts. Gives a balance between whitening and protection.

Allergy is also hot, but with a focus on rinsing aswell.

The temps thing has always been what baffled Europeans about US laundry.
But any EU laundry person will also tell you that selecting a temp in degrees still doesn't mean you get that.

The soil level is replaced with actual wash times in many other markets, especially on the TLs.
It's one of these no matter how you do it it isn't optimal, so you do it as it has always been done things.
Saying times and temps makes many people not understand, saying words is more intuitive but way more wishy-washy.

On the one thing breaks both are scrap thing:
There are many factors making that more acceptable in the US.
Laundry centers used to be basically the only choice for stacked sets, which suffer the same issue. Many FL stacks (SQ, LGs wash tower) do so aswell.
Then many want matched sets aswell, so they would change our both at once anyway.
Given all these factors, if you are solo or a couple anyway, having the added vertical space in a tiny flat might be worth the additional expense and convenience of dry-to-dry processing.
 
There's a video showing the internals of a broken down LG LUWM101HWA heat pump washer/dryer (600mm width) here:-
 
The compact HP WD combo from LG is an entirely different beast, though.

That LG uses the Centum design. That design isn't new per se, LG used to use it on their very large compact FLs. That drum is just above 80l in volume, a good 10-20% more that usual in those compact FLs.
The design has however been mostly phased out due to price and complexity.
The big reason these use it is an inherent design feature. Instead of having a drum in a tub with the suspension connected to the tub, the tub is attached to the cabinet directly.
The drum is suspended via a few structural elements directly, moving freely in the tub. So it's not the entire tub unit swinging around, just the drum in the tub.
That allows the heatpump components to be fixed to the tub, allowing for more space for those components.

You can see the HUGE gap between drum and tub and how cramped everything else is.
These machines are known to suffer balancing issues after some time especially with overloading.
Other reviews suggest that overloading can cause items to move past the drum into the tub clogging the drain causing expensive service calls.

Given there is no such full size architecture from LG, I think the design is inherently different on the model this thread is about.

That will just be a normal, fully suspended tub/drum unit. As it's a 27" model there is probably enough extra space for the compressor, fan and heat exchanger.

Interestingly, I haven't seen LG make a claim about dry to dry time. If they manage similar times to the GE unit WITHOUT the extra height, I would be pretty impressed.
 
Here’s also videos of the EU version (12kg 7kg)

Mix wash
Cotton dry with speed mode

Find it weird how the full size version doesn’t have the speed option for drying, it would be very unlike LG if the compressor is not inverter
 
Very interesting - that leeds me to believe the GE is a bit faster for just drying. LG is known for doing their 8lbs load in 29min, giving them 90min for drying. GE is more in the range of 50min for washing, that gives them 70min for drying.
Given the LG is more "compact", the probably slightly smaller fan and heat exchanger might explain that.

But if the result is the same - does it really matter?
 
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