LG WM3431HW 24", 2.44 Cu. Ft. Washer/Dryer Combo (White) | 
enlarge | Brand: LG
List Price: $2,652.00
Buy New: $1,382.04
You Save: $1269.96 (48%)
Rating: 19 reviews
Sales Rank: 59573
Color: White
Shipping Weight (lbs): 200
Legal Disclaimer: Warranty does not cover misuse of product.
MPN: WM3431HW
Model: WM3431HW
ASIN: B0011YOEGA
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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| Features:
| • | 7 Washing Programs | | • | 5 Wash/Dry Programs | | • | 5 Wash/Rinse Temperature Levels | | • | RollerJets & Forced Water Circulation | | • | Delay Wash by 12 hours for washing convenience |
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| Editorial Reviews:
Product Description
Please Note: The Washer/Dryer Combo takes up to 6 hours to wash and dry your clothing All-in-One Washer and Dryer This laundry dream washes and dries all in one machine. Who Is It for? People who want to be able to do laundry at home but don't have an external venting source which conventional dryers require. It's great for busy people who want to start a load and return to clean clothes. The Delay Start feature allows convenient completion of laundry to fit your schedule. Homes, apartments, businesses and vacation homes where there may be space constraints. What Are The Advantages? No outside venting is required because it is ventless condensing. It runs on a standard 115V electricity and not gas. No need to wait to transfer from the washer to the dryer. What Else Should I Know? Ventless condensing dries from within the drum so the water that is extracted from the clothes drains through the drum and out the water pump. This drying process takes longer than conventional drying.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 14 more reviews...
RUN AWAY NOW! January 26, 2009
A. Still (Atlanta, Georgia United States)
I have owned one of these washers for 13 months now. Almost exactly one month after the warranty expired, the machine simply died. I bought an extended warranty, and the first repair guy that came out said he had never seen one of these units before and couldn't fix it. I called the extended warranty company back, and they gave me a new name. That guy told me his company doesn't work on LG machines because it is next to impossible to get parts. I called the extended warranty company back. The woman I spoke with said that most companies don't work with LG appliances because of the parts problem. I don't know what's going to happen with this machine, but I feel really cheated that it is completely dead at such an early stage in its life, especially considering the price. When it worked, it worked great. If you have no choice but to get a washer/dryer combo because of your space limitations, don't buy this one. Get one of the cheaper brands so that if it dies in a year or two, you won't feel so ripped off.
ONLY for dwellings that have no venting or washer/dryer hookup December 1, 2008
LawyerMom (USA)
6 out of 6 found this review helpful
After some initial research into the matter, I found out that you would need a special hookup for either a washer or a dryer (you need both water input and a way to dispose of the dirty water without overflowing your pipes) and you need venting for the dryer. The majority of machines that were designed to perform in an apartment WITHOUT such a hookup had review after review complaining of poor cleaning, high energy usage, breaking down, noise, super small load capacities, and leakage. But further searching found this LG WM3431 Washer/Dryer with mostly positive reviews on the different websites. It was the answer to my prayers. (Note: Despite the negative reviews, you will NOT find a better washer/dryer combo that can operate in an apartment without venting).
The Pros
1. For apartments --It's one of only a few machines on the market that's designed to work in a small space without a traditional washer or dryer hookup. That means that the electric plug goes into any three-prong outlet in your house and the water input hose can be connected to your sink. The water outlet hose dispenses into any drain and does not dump a huge amount of water so as to overwhelm your sink or bath pipes. The dryer also doesn't need a hot air vent out a window or anything. Of the machines of this genre, I've found that the LG delivers superior performance.
2. Cleaner clothes while using less water. Also, the LG WM3431 has a sanitary cycle that cleans clothes with super hot water and has kept my whites gleaming.
3. Money --I calculated that at $1.50 per wash and $1.50 per dry, it would cost me $312 a year to do 2 small loads weekly and $468 a year to do 3 small loads weekly. The machine would pay for itself in two to three years. That's not to mention the prospect of resale and the time you save yourself from driving to the laundromat and sitting there waiting.
4. Aesthetic--the machine is beautiful.
5. Timer-- allows you to load your laundry and detergent before you leave for work and to have it start running and complete its cycle just in time for when you come home. The timer can be set for up to 19 hours later. And since this is an all-in-one machine, you obviously don't need to be home to switch the load from your washer to your dryer.
6. Protects clothing - I only found this out after going on vacation and using a regular washer and dryer for two weeks. Cheap clothes which I thought were better quality than they actually were, lost probably 1/4 their color during my vacation. I realized that the steam mechanism of the dryer, though it takes longer, is gentler on clothes than forced hot air. All my clothing has maintained the color and quality as on the day I bought it, using the LG washer/dryer combo.
The Cons
1. Time --It takes anywhere from 3-5 hours to do an entire wash and dry, depending on the options you choose. The spin cycle can add a lot of extra time. Be mindful of how you load your laundry (i.e. Put one towel on the bottom, some clothes in between, and another towel on top.) If the machine is imbalanced, it will reset and reset and try to balance the load. I've found that if you use only the low spin cycle with the sheet and towel loads, the items will still get sufficiently dry, but the machine will start spinning a lot faster.
2. Vibration --Others have complained that the machine vibrates violently. I have never had this problem. The machine really does not move or jump at all, even if it's on the very high spin.
3. Capacity --I can fit a queen fitted sheet, duvet cover, and 4 pillowcases in there, though it's a bit snug. I probably do about 2-3 loads of clothing a week (for a family of 2 adults and 1 toddler), plus an additional load every other week for sheets, towels, and tablecloths. I wouldn't recommend this machine for a much larger family, but I think that there is a larger capacity model available from LG.
4. Noise --It's actually stealthily quiet during the wash and spin cycles, humming at no louder than your air conditioner. However, the mechanism the machine employs to expel water for your rinse cycles and throughout the long drying cycle is really very loud. Sounds as loud as a car (but maybe not a motorcycle) revving its engine very loudly.
5. WRINKLES!!--Another major problem is that the way the machine dries, using a condensation method rather than hot air, leaves clothing feeling sometimes damp and often wrinkled when taken out of the machine. My clothes always feels damp when taken immediately from the machine, but 95% of the time, when you spread out the laundry, the steam dissipates and the clothes are actually dry. (Sweaters, jeans, and large items may still be truly damp, unless you've run the machine for very long.) My solution to the wrinkle problem has been to cut my losses and bring extra large items (sheets, tablecloths, dresses, and whatever else MUST be wrinkle-free) down to the basement and just pay to dry it in a regular hot air dryer. My other loads have fared well in the wrinkle department so long as you fill the fabric softener tray to the MAX with fabric softener (I use a non-scented one for this reason) and if you take the clothes out of the dryer as soon as the dry cycle ends. (The dryer continues to run on a "cool-down" mode after it's finished drying, I guess in an attempt to prevent wrinkles, but it causes more wrinkles.)
6. Door Latch--It keeps the door locked and waits 1-2 minutes before releasing it if you stop the machine mid-cycle and after it's finished drying. So you have to actually wait to pull open the door. I've had instances where I just started the machine and noticed I dropped a sock on the ground and have had to pause the machine, wait 2 minutes, then open up the door and to throw the sock in.
7. Child Lock--The only thing that changes when you put the child lock on is that it disables the start/pause button and if you turn off the machine, you cannot turn it back on w/o disabling the child lock first. However, the power button still works and the child can turn the machine off in the first place. I cannot tell you how many times my toddler has run over to the washer and turned off my machine mid-cycle by pushing the oooooh! shiny blue colored power button. And I've had to restart the machine (but only after holding down and turning off the child lock) and have the washer begin at the start of the cycle where it left off. It takes extra time this way. And boy is it annoying.
You would think that the least the child lock would keep the door latch locked so that a child cannot climb inside the washer drum. Nope. If the machine is turned off or if it has just completed wash, the door latch will unlock automatically regardless of whether the child lock is on or off. Essentially, the child lock only disables one button on the entire machine. It's pretty much useless otherwise. I wish LG could improve upon this.
8. BIGGEST DRAWBACK: Because the WM3431 does not dry clothes using hot air, there is no lint trap. Then, where does the lint/hair go? Well, some of it you'll find accumulating in the rubber gasket around the door. But small amounts of it accumulate in the condenser tube/duct that is INSIDE the machine. You have to actually disassemble the machine to get to it. (Yes, this is a major design flaw.) If your machine starts taking longer and longer to dryer (even longer than 3 hours) or doesn't dry altogether, this could be the problem. If you're brave of heart, you can disassemble the top and back covers of the machine and find the white plastic duct. Inside, you'll probably find a mass of lint/hair that's blocking the air from getting to the tub and not letting your clothes dry. Once removed, your machine will work like new. You may not want to disassemble the washer/dryer, though, as it could void a warranty. But some servicemen have said that it is a flaw in this model and recommends clearing these ducts once a year. I have had the WM3431 for 2.5 years now, and only now did I have to pull it open and clear the lint. Other ppl may have to do it more often if they have clothes that give off more lint or if they have pets that shed hair. Annoying? Definitely yes. But thank goodness, we got the free extended warranty and a serviceman cleared ducts for us. I watched him and it really wouldn't be too hard to do it myself, but, yes, it would have been better not to have to do it at all.
Bottom Line:
If you can possibly buy the traditional separate washer and dryer units, by all means, do so! But if you live in a place where there's no traditional washer/dryer hook-up available, and you're looking to buy, the LG WM3431 is the best choice on the market (ESP. over the Haier models which constantly break down). Just remember to purchase a (full coverage) extended warranty agreement and keep in mind some of my tips above. Good luck!
Run away... FAST! September 24, 2008
M. Cawley (Maryland)
4 out of 4 found this review helpful
Please, I beg of you, do not buy this machine. We have had it for 14 months, and in that time it has broken down three times!! The first two times, it was under the original LG warranty and they (eventually) sent someone to repair it. Both times, it was the same problem. The unit would stop pumping water out during the wash cycle, so I was left having to bail it out with a cup.
The third time, it was after the first 12 months, so LG said they wouldn't do anything. Fortunately, I had gotten the extended warranty from Home Depot. (Thanks to reading some negative reviews on here! Thank you!!!)
It's not been almost 8 weeks without a washer. Noone seems to be able to figure out what's wrong with it. When they guessed at what it was, they were unable to get the parts they need to fix it. After many MANY hours on the phone, they have agreed to give us a full refund of the purchase price. This is the Home Depot/GE warranty folks. NOT LG! So I am running far far away from anything made by LG and am buying a regular washer/dryer.
This unit is completely worthless. It never worked really well to begin with it's totally unreliable. Not at all worth the money!!
Great Washer/Dryer June 12, 2008
Jesse R (San Jose, CA)
9 out of 9 found this review helpful
I know there's a love/hate relationship with some folks regarding these washer/dryer combos.
On the one hand, it takes longer to dry (dries well only with smaller loads of 8 lbs or less), the capacity is not like the full sized washers, clothes come out a bit wrinkled, it's a heavy machine (not easily movable), not good for larger households, and the washer/dryer can be expensive. These machines are not heavy duty and should NOT be stuffed with clothes like a regular size top loading! The more you stuff it, the more wrinkled clothes comes out, and the harder it is for the machine to dry!
On the other hand, compact, perfect for small condos/apartments, convenience (NO MORE Laundromats!), plugs into a regular electrical socket, despite longer drying times my electric bill is only a couple of dollars more per month, uses less water, saves on washing detergent (uses less than top loading machines), and it's been reliable (no problems).
For me, a good product is one that lasts long time with normal use. Every so often I drain and clean the lint from the bottom of the machine, and clean the back hose connection filter (the washer will tell you when it's time). I have an older LG model similar to this one that's little over 4 years old, and it washes all types of clothes/linen very well. I wear washable dress slacks/shirts/stockings, and it has saved me money because it comes out damp, and I can air dry them overnight (no shrinkage or fading because of hot air), so my clothes last longer. I wash several times per week. To me, this machine is fairly quiet, except when it dries you'll hear the pump draining the water. I can sleep at night and my clothes will be dry in the morning. No washing machine is absolutely quiet, but this "direct drive" motor is a lot quieter than my old belt driven top loading washer! You can hook this washer to a backyard hose or to a kitchen facet (with a small adapter that you can get from OSH/Home Depot).
I've had a separate full sized washer and dryer when I lived in a house, and yes, I would prefer that. What if space, dryer venting, and special electrical voltage is an issue in a condo or apartment?
I would recommended this washer/dryer combo for one or two people in a household.
I am happy with mine and it does the job.
Hate this unit!! June 4, 2008
CityGal27 (Boston, MA USA)
5 out of 5 found this review helpful
We currently have this unit in our rental in Boston. It is small enough to fit in a small closet which I'm sure is why they selected it but because both washing and drying happens in the same part - it can't do both well. Because it needs to dry, it hardly gets the clothes wet for the washing cycle- I have to put the setting on Extra Dirty and sometimes things will still come out dirty. Also, because it can't fully vent due to the washing, nothing ever comes out dry no matter how long you have it in there. The manual actually says "things will feel damp but after a quick shake, your clothes will be dry" Yeah right! I actually had to buy a drying rack and hang stuff afterwards. The only good features are the convenience of not having to switch your laundry and the delay wash - so you can set up loads to be finished when you arrive home - sadly so you can then hang them up!
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