Here's one I know you guys have been waiting for. RCA-Whirlpool introduces The Last Word in combination washer-dryers...the 1961 Ultimatic.
"The Last Word" – Whirlpool's 1961 Ultimatic - 16mm Film
- Thread starter cadman
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There were 2 Lady Kenmore Combos in the house next door. The 33" wide one and then the narrow4er one they bought arround 1965. Glad to finally see the Whirlpool equicalent. The LK alsoo featured a fabric softner/rinse dispenser
That is one beautiful console. I think in many cases that Whirlpool's top of the line machines were just as pretty or prettier than sister Kenmore.
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This is a awsome washer / dryer thanks for the video
Peter
Peter
Hi Cory, another good one, I'm really enjoying these. Keep em comin. 
milnor1989
New member
I saw the video earlier. It's a good washer
Great video! Thanks for posting it. This is a dream machine of mine! I'm working on a Kenmore version of this now, but it will be a while before it's done.
thank you cory, another fun & informative video... love the other whirlpool appliances...
the fridge and stoves, in the showroom and at home, too...
and what color are they? yellow?
best and most thorough example of how a combo washer & dryer works...
-- dave
the fridge and stoves, in the showroom and at home, too...
and what color are they? yellow?
best and most thorough example of how a combo washer & dryer works...
-- dave
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Thank you, Corey for another great video, it’s neat to see information like this coming out after all these years, even though I was interested in these machines as a kid I never saw some of this information.
The introduction of this 29 inch combination washer dryer was probably the biggest Laundry achievement ever I would consider the equivalent of landing a man on the moon the amount of research and engineering that went into this machine.
This was the first washing machine that eliminated all pot metal exposed to the water so you didn’t have corrosion issues with water pumps, etc.. Cast aluminum pot metal was a huge service problem and limiter to durability and longevity in washing machines.
The whirlpool combo in this video was the original version which did not have a dryer lint filter. It had a separating chamber for the dryer lint and the lint was flushed down the drain at the beginning of the next wash cycle as a machine purged lint away. It was running hot water through the tub to clear the cold water out of your hot water lines and to warm up the machine somewhat.
The easy combomatic also had a lint filter inside the outer tub that was flushed during the rinse cycles and the lint pump down the drain. Their system seem to work quite well.
As many of you know John in Saint Paul, Minnesota restored two of these electric whirlpool ultramatic machines in the last year and they are truly remarkable machines. He got them back into new condition or better.
John L
The introduction of this 29 inch combination washer dryer was probably the biggest Laundry achievement ever I would consider the equivalent of landing a man on the moon the amount of research and engineering that went into this machine.
This was the first washing machine that eliminated all pot metal exposed to the water so you didn’t have corrosion issues with water pumps, etc.. Cast aluminum pot metal was a huge service problem and limiter to durability and longevity in washing machines.
The whirlpool combo in this video was the original version which did not have a dryer lint filter. It had a separating chamber for the dryer lint and the lint was flushed down the drain at the beginning of the next wash cycle as a machine purged lint away. It was running hot water through the tub to clear the cold water out of your hot water lines and to warm up the machine somewhat.
The easy combomatic also had a lint filter inside the outer tub that was flushed during the rinse cycles and the lint pump down the drain. Their system seem to work quite well.
As many of you know John in Saint Paul, Minnesota restored two of these electric whirlpool ultramatic machines in the last year and they are truly remarkable machines. He got them back into new condition or better.
John L
Another classic film - thanks, Cory.
I wish we could sign up for a "home trial" of these today.
I wish we could sign up for a "home trial" of these today.
spin-doctor
Active member
This is a fascinating machine. Did this idea really work and remain practical after years of use? It must have had significant drawbacks that resulted in the idea never taking off. How did the dryer function work? I'm guessing based on the "modulated heat" feature that it simply had waterproof heater coils inside the washer tub that would radiate heat into the metal basket as it turned with no air blowers. And as the clothes gradually heated up, the steam was vented off the top of the machine. I also wonder about it becoming a fire hazard based on incomplete lint removal. But I dunno, it would be interesting to learn how they did it and why it eventually failed as a concept.
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Many of the major manufacturers offered washer/dryer combos back in the day from the 1950s into the 1970s, and some (most?) early models were condensing dryers (didn't need venting) that used a cold water spray and heat exchanger to condense the moisture and drain it away. Bendix pioneered them. Lisa Douglas had a Maytag on Green Acres TV show, although Maytag had trouble with theirs, offered owners an exchange for a toploader pair. Whirlpool discontinued producing them under the WP brand but continued Kenmore until 1971. GE also went into the 1970s.
GE, LG, Samsung, and Whirlpool recently introduced new combos on the market.
Just asking, were there any differences in quality from the Whirlpool model to the Kenmore model? Someone had mentioned to me that Kenmore models were made to a higher standard?
I believe top of the line top loading agitator washers from both brands in the early 60s would have had porcelain cabinets also.... So they were probably equal. It's just the cosmetics that are different. Could be wrong though 
. Don't know if they made the combos with all porcelain cabinets. Someone will answer this hopefully
. Don't know if they made the combos with all porcelain cabinets. Someone will answer this hopefully
There were options for lower models with a full-porcelain cabinet. Our 1962 WP LJA32VW00 was all-porcelain. It had had the necessary settings of the time -- Normal & Gentle cycles; hot/warm, warm/warm, cold/cold; low, med, high levels; brush filter -- but was far from top-of-line.I believe top of the line top loading agitator washers from both brands in the early 60s would have had porcelain cabinets also.... So they were probably equal. It's just the cosmetics that are different. Could be wrong though
I just learned something new. I always thought they reserved those porcelain cabinets for the more top of the line models. I wonder why they did that though ? It's not like they used the body of the machine to catch a spinning tub of water, being they were perforated basket washers. Still a cool thing nonetheless.
From what a gather, porcelain cabinets were an option. My Whirlpools from 1963 have porcelain tops, but not a porcelain cabinet. Think some Kenmores of the era were the same as well.
Yes Sean I think they were too. I've seen them from the old Sears catalog from the 50s and 60s listing some machines with all porcelain finish. I don't know if Whirlpool is still doing all porcelain cabinets by 63 though. I would think your model would have had it being it is an Imperial
There's a WP 1961-1965 service document available at AutomaticE (Manuals & Literature on the menu bar) that lists models for '61, '62, '63, and '65 with some references to porcelain cabinets on select models.
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