suggestions for apartment appliances (portables)

[vacuumfreeeke]

I live in a very basic apartment. Good location and the rent is
affordable, but it didn't come with certain ammenities that "normal"
people have. The worst is no dishwasher, but I'm getting a portable
this week. I have two options... I can get a GE portable for $100.00.
It's a cheaper model with a rotary dial. Or, I have a friend that has
GE Nautilas built in. He said he would try to help me convert it to
a "portable" if possible. Is that possible? It is nicer and has an
electronic touch pad, but the thought of converting it is
overwhelming. We'd have to put casters on the bottom and a cabinet
around it... and counter on top. Not to mention sound insulation,
electrical, and plumbing. Which would you go with?

Also, I've been considering a portable washer/drier. I am just
outside of the laundry area, but I hate having to keep quarters on
hand. Also, the machines are never available when I need them. And
the last time I went to use them, half were broken. The others had
pet hair in them The thought of doing my wash in the same machines
as people who smoke disgusts me. I found a butt in the machine one time
and actually sprayed it down with Lysol before doing my laundry. Who
knows what else goes in there? How sanitary can it
be? So... I could either get a portable washer and a portable drier,
or one machine that does both. Anyone have experience with either?
What do you think? What brand to avoid or seek? I found an add on Craig's List for a
Haier portable washer AND compact drier for $120.00 for both. I've heard
bad things about that brand, but at that price I should have at least checked them out. Thanks in advance!

 

[panthera]

A few thoughts

I've had to do the washing and drying in a small apartment thing, and can tell you what I've learned.

"Combos" are basically washing machines with a few modifications to enable them to dry half the load you just washed at a time. If you can live with taking out half of what you washed and drying two loads - over a much longer span of time than a normal dryer, each - then this is a potential solution.
But I'd go for stackables.
Whirlpool builds a decent range of mini-towers.

Most FLs can be stacked and their higher spin speeds, lower water usage and great cleaning ability are worth the price. If you have 220V available, you can get a dryer which will dry almost as fast as a traditional US dryer. If not, well, you are in for long drying times. Not as bad as a combo, but long.

The dishwasher modification is doable, but look at it from another perspective. If you have really hot water available (140+F) then even a cheap unit will clean well (Walmart enzyme detergent works wonders). If you don't have really hot water, then you must get a unit which can heat its own water. Let that be the deciding factor, not the bells and whistles...which are only service headaches waiting to happen.

The easiest way to make a built-in portable is to install it in a cabinet (a solid wood one, not a cheap particle-board one) which you can get at Lowe's or Home Depot. Put casters on the cabinet. You can get a counter-top cut from remnants for this cabinet easily - it is only one cut since the depth will be right.

The hook-ups can be scavenged or bought from a place like appliance.com. Since you are going to have to splice in the wires, the cheapest solution is to just buy a 12AWG copper medium duty extension cord with ground. Be sure to wire it correctly, use strain relief and route the cord out so it doesn't get caught in the innards.

Hope this helps.

 

[maytagbear]

I was where you are....

when I moved in here.

No dishwasher, no washer and dryer hookups.

I HAD my washer and dryer, my Maytag Dependable Care team, however. I bribed my landlord a lot to put in hookups. Worth it, of course. This was the only unit in the building without hookups at the time.

I agree with Keven about the Whirlpool made portables, if you cannot add hookups for full-size machines. The vintage ones are better, but the new ones are still pretty good. The biggest drawbacks are the capacity, and the slowness of the dryer. (It is 120 volts). They are also sold as Kenmores.

If you can add hookups, I strongly suggest Miele, if at all possible.

As for the dishwasher, I (and this is just me) would go with the already made portable. 140F water, enzyme detergent, mindful loading, and everything should come clean the first time.

I have the GE Nautilus portable, and have been quite pleased with it. Dear friends from church gave it to me because they knew how much I missed having a dishwasher. Since 1973, I have had six dishwashers (moved five times during those years), and the Nautilus is one of the better ones that I have had.

In my experience, the nature of the controls--dials, buttons, touchpad...makes less difference than the wash system itself.

I completely agree with whomever said that life is too short to do dishes by hand!!!

Lawrence/Maytagbear

 

[tolivac]

Before you install any of your own equipment like the dishwasher or washer-dryer-check your lease or with the landlord.Some prohibit tenent supplied machines in their housing units.In some apartments I lived in-the landlord prohibited such equipment.I had to use the supplied coin-o-mat machines.Sometimes I did have problems-they even had some mischevious tenents that upended broken washers while still full flooding the laundry room.I had to search the building for other machines.I managed.Also someone regularly broke into the machine coin boxes.

 

[toggleswitch]

~The easiest way to make a built-in portable is to install it in a cabinet

IKEA sells diswasher cabinets for this purpose. Add wheels and hoses and cord and zoom, zoom....off you go.

Undercoutner dishwashers are less expensive than portables. Be careful not to buy the BOL lines (with awful filtration) at tremendously high prices if you go with a portable.

You may be able to get a better machine for the same overall $ [even factoring in the cost of the hardware/cabinet]if you DIY.

 

[exploder3211]

Theres the only thing i could find, but theres another one they have that has wheels

http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/50014924

 

[irishwashguy]

This is my suggestion

I know what it feels like not to have a wash/dry hookups, it is a big inconvience.No dishwasher on top of that, it blows. I would not go though any extra trouble if I were you. I would get the model already to go, you have a warranty if anything goes wrong and or go the route that I did and find a KitchenAid vintage portable on e-bay. I found one that was pratically new when I got it, the man had his reciept from 1981, all of the instructions, as well as ten cents off of Finish detergent. That is a real dishwasher that I use daily. The washer and dryer diellma, I would make sure that it is ok with the landlord.One doing that, i bought my first Portlable washer from the Deseret Industries (Mormon Good wil in Provo, Utah) it is a great machine, does a great job, it is a twin tub, and then I would take the clothes to dry at the laundrymat.For me, it was a compromise for sure. I would also highly recomend the vintage lady Kenmore, they are great machines, although, the capacity is quite small, like most portables. There are stacks as well. I have a Miele that can be stacked if need be and you need a 220v, the set came with a spliter box that the washer and the dryer both plug into,the dryer is avalible in a condensor model, that would eliminate the need for outside venting. Good Luck to you in your endevor to make your house a home!

 

[toggleswitch]

~The dryer is avalible in a condenser model, that would eliminate the need for outside venting.

Condenser dryers (that use air as the cooling medium, instead of water)add all the heat generated into the room a well as SOME humidity, but not all.

Condenser dryer vary in their ability to keep the moisture out of the room.

 

[vacuumfreeeke]

got the dishwasher down!

Thanks for the advice. I settled on the GE Nautilus portable for 100 bucks. I LOVE it! The electronic built in model that I was considering converting was also a Nautilus. Does that mean that everything is the same except for the controls? Haven't decided what to do about a washer and drier yet, but I do not have hook ups or 220 for those of you how suggested machines that require it. A portable will be my only option. There is nothing in the lease that specifically prohibits machines... just says don't alter plumbing. If I do have a leak I'm on the bottom floor so I will not hurt any neighbors!


Sorry I don't know how to make the picture smaller!

 

[maytagbear]

I have been very satisfied

with my Nautilus. Mine has the white panels on front.

Do remember to run the water from the faucet until it is hot.

Also, enzyme detergent is a must. The ingerdient statement will say "enzymes".

The Whirlpool portable washer and dryer are probably your best choice.

Lawrence/Maytagbear

 

[vacuumfreeeke]

htanks

Thanks Maytagbear. After using my machine several times, I can truly say that I am absolutely in love with it. It saves me a lot of time and energy. Plus, I just love appliances so it is always a special occasion when I can add one to my family. Thanks again!