Revolutionary Kenmore The Turbo-Matic

[launderess]

From 1957!

Anyone ever clap eyes upon or better yet get to use one of these combo W&D units?

https://christmas.musetechnical.com/ShowCatalogPage/1957-Sears-Fall-Winter-Catalog/1039

https://christmas.musetechnical.com/ShowCatalogPage/1957-Sears-Fall-Winter-Catalog/1040

 

[vacerator]

Very heavy machines!

A large family could have two and do two loads at once. I don't know what year exactly productiuon ceased, but I kow they were made at least through 1965.

 

[appnut]

The initial,1st announced Kenmore Combo. This is where Tomturbomatic chose his alias here.

 

[tomturbomatic]

Neighbors had the Lady Kenmore in the early 60s version. LOUD! in their kitchen. A friend's mom had the BOL WP version which I got when it was replaced.

 

[gyrafoam]

"Compact" ???!!!!

Those things are very large and tall.
Reminds me of back in the fifties when just about any two-door car advertised was a "sports" car!

 

[frigilux]

I used to have a 1959 Sears catalog and this was the “base” model by that time. I’m sure the all-in-one combo was a godsend to those who didn’t have room for a separate full-size washer & dryer, as well as those who wanted to load and unload a machine once, rather than having to transfer a load between machines.

I was struck by the water use of competitors A, B, C & D. 70+ gallons for a couple of them! Wonder why they used so much water when one of the benefits of a horizontal axis washing system was they generally used less water than a top-loader. The chart specifies the water was used for washing and rinsing.

Thanks for sharing these blasts from the past, Launderess!

 

[appnut]

I think the high water usage is due to the dryrs being condenser dryers. I had the same thought. The only people I knew with the Kenmore Combos all had gas rather than electric.

 

[appnut]

Sears sold these through 1970 or 1971.

 

[launderess]

Am sure there would be a market for these units today.

 

[turbokinetic]

Fascinating piece of engineering! 
Love seeing the old literature on the combination units. 

I can imagine how heavy it was, too.

 

[twintubdexter]

<span style="font-size: 14pt; color: #008000;"> I remember seeing several of these Kenmore combinations come in as trades and sit in the parking lot for a while before the scrap guy came and picked them up. I probably saw just about any combination that was ever made, lots of Kenmores, Whirlpools and of course Philco Bendix. Occasionally I would work on a Saturday doing my normal cleaning up of used refrigerators for resale when the service department was closed. A few times I would sneak something in and hook it up like a combination washer dryer or the occasional Apex Wash-A-Matic (I told you I am very old) just to play around with it. I remember some of those combinations were heavy.</span>

 

[twintubdexter]

<span style="font-size: 14pt; color: #008000;"> I remember seeing several of these Kenmore combinations come in as trades and sit in the parking lot for a while before the scrap guy came and picked them up. I probably saw just about any combination that was ever made, lots of Kenmores, Whirlpools and of course Philco Bendix. Occasionally I would work on a Saturday doing my normal cleaning up of used refrigerators for resale when the service department was closed. A few times I would sneak something in and hook it up like a combination washer dryer or the occasional Apex Wash-A-Matic (I told you I am very old) just to play around with it. I remember some of those combinations were heavy.</span>

 

[appnut]

Joe, I thought of you when I aw Laundeess posting this. I'm extremely glad to see your two posts today!! If you care to give us an update on your health, I know many of us would appreciate it and if you do not, I fully understand. Bob