Questions about the Duet HT Dryers

[seeitrun2006]

We purchased the Whirlpool duet washer WFW9200SQ in November 2007. Love the washer!

I'm now looking at purchasing the WED9200SQ HT electric dryer which is the mate to the WFW9200SQ washer to replace our current GE dryer with.

Is this a good dryer? How are the drying times with large loads of towels or jeans? The vent for this dryer will run 30 feet from the dryer to the outside with one 90 degree elbow.

The main reason to replace is so our washer and dryer will match once again. I'm somewhat anal with my appliances matching. I know it's weird! But everyone have to come thru my laundry room to get into the main part of the house from the garage. It's almost like going thru my living room.

 

[rp2813]

We bought our Duet HT pair a year ago. Our dryer is gas but I suspect it is basically the same unit as you'd be getting. Mechanically these are just plain Whirlpool dryers in a fancy Duet shell. I'm pleased with our dryer's performance and options. It's very quiet--especially compared to the Amana rattletrap it replaced--and a little easier to load and unload since it's on a pedestal. I can pack the washer fairly full with a load of towels and then put them in the dryer on the heavy duty cycle. I usually select 40 minutes unless it's a really big load, then I will set it for an hour. If it's done sooner, it will let you know.

I can't speak to the 30' ducting issue but I think you'd be happy with the matching dryer to your HT washer.

 

[rp2813]

P.S.

You know you want the matching dryer . . . just go for it!

 

[seeitrun2006]

You just don't know how much I want it!

But I need to convince my wife it would look so much nicer to have an $800+ dryer with pedestial to match the washer.

The only thing that concerns me is the GE that we currently have is a "long vent dryer". It is constructed so the blower runs independent on a different motor versus using the same motor which turns the blower and the drum. Now it does blow a lot of air to the outside. There is usually lint in the yard.

When we replaced our 20 year old Maytag with the GE it was taking our old Maytag 1:30 minutes sometimes to dry towels and jeans. But of course looking back on it when the house was buildt the builder used vent material that should only be used on a bathroom fan. The hood ourside the house was also to small too be used for a clothes. I've since replace all that and having the long vent dryer we dry clothes in about 50 minutes or less depending on what's in the dryer. Plus our 20 year old Maytag washer at the time was having issues in not spinning all the water out of the clothes either.

So with new Duet HT washer having the ability to spin at 1000 rpm and able to extract a lot more water I would think having a Duet dryer should not create longer drying times.

 

[neptunebob]

I would get the Duet dryer, just be sure to replace the vent pipe with the solid aluminum vent piping and if possible, can the elbow be made a long sweep rather than a sudden turn? Is there any way to redirect the vent so it is shorter? You might have to clean it out once in awhile too.

 

[rp2813]

At least electrics are cheaper than gas. We have an appliance dealer with a few stores here in town and every Friday they run an ad for a sale at their warehouse with scratch/dent, floor model or one-of-a-kind type of items. If you can find one that way you'll save some money. I agree that $800 is a lot to spend on what is more or less a regular dryer all dressed up in a Duet facade but it's gotta be frustrating looking at that un-matched one you have right now! If you can hold out until May our Fearless Leader (Jay Ward reference absolutely implied) will be sending out checks, and you know he'd love it if we all spent it on durable goods!

 

[maytagbear]

Electrics, are cheaper to buy,

but in most places, a gas heated dryer is cheaper to run. Up to half the cost!

Lawrence/Maytagbear

 

[rp2813]

Very true Lawrence. Except for a few years after first setting up housekeeping with my partner, the dryers I've used have always been gas. It's usually been a situation where there is no 220 for a dryer. We had to switch to gas (that wonderful little TOL HOH Maytag) when we bought our house going on 18 years ago. There was no 220 in the garage. Good thing, since our hot tub is electric and regularly throws us into the "hog" category for KWH on our PG&E bill. Our electric bill would be astronomical if we had a 220 dryer. Conversely, gas isn't an option for everybody and you don't have those nasty CO issues with the exhaust from an electric model.