Is it worth the washer and dryer?

[kerseysteve2]

I have a coachmen catalina that I use for working on the road about 5 days a week. we are thinking about upgrading to a big 5th wheel and fulltimimg for a few years while i'm on the road chasing my retirement. My question, is it worth losing the space to have a washer and dryer in the camper?

[kerseysteve2]

JUst wanted to say thanks to every one for all the comments! I have since found out it doesn't really matter what I want since the wife has decided we will have them no matter what. But after reading the comments we have decided stackables is probably the way to go

[Aridon]

Wouldn't be without one. Think about if you didn't have one in your house, works the same as in an RV when you're spending lots of time in it.

[Free_Range_Huma]

I notice that everyone replying has a large stackable unit/units. You don't HAVE TO sacrifice a lot of space for the ability to wash your own clothes, however.

I have a Wonderwash, which I love, and is very fast, and a Nina Soft spin dryer. Couldn't be easier. I wash every day, spin dry, hang up in the shower for an hour, done.

Doesn't have to be complicated or space-consuming. FWIW, it is SO worth it to not have to go to a laundromat!

[GoPackGo]

Bill.satellite is absolutely correct IMHO and I also agree with jnharley.

The stackables are not as large as home units but that doesn't really matter. When the lump in my dirty laundry bag gets to the right size, I just dump it in the washer and do a load. And since the w/d is exactly 1 step away from where the laundry bag is stored, I don't have to carry it too far.

I do try and plan for doing laundry when on FHU. But I can still usually do a load or two during a week's stay at a cg with no sewer hookup. These washers don't use much water - they are the HE type. But the capacity of all rigs' holding tanks is different in this department.

Yes, the dryer does take longer - I set it for an hour and that seems to be about right. But who cares how long it takes ? I don't have to stay there and watch it.

There are only 2 drawbacks to having them that I can see - the up front cost and the storage space that you lose. But as a (new) fulltimer, I consider an onboard w/d to almost be a requirement. Did you have a w/d in your house before you started fulltiming or did you go to the laundromat all the time ?? I had a w/d in my home when I owned a house and I'm not going to do it any differently now. Your mileage may vary.

Tim

[jnharley]

We have stackables. Would not be without them. They work great. It is not a home style dryer since it is 110 and does take longer. Pretty good capacity too.

[Bill_Satellite]

JimM68 wrote:
we had a splendide combo in our first motorhome.
Nasty thing. IT would hold 1 bath towel or 1 pair of jeans, no more. Filled the gray tank every load. Took 3 hours to dry. And returned my towel or pair of jeans in an unrecognizable solid wrinkled wad.

None of this is true, of course, but you can't make a point if you don't exaggerate just a bit!

When we need to do laundry, we go to the campground laundry, or a commercial facility, fill 3-4 commercial maytags at once, and are done with 10 days worth in 70 minutes.

That's the part that explains why I have a Splendide. I would hate to have to do that.

[kakampers]

drillking wrote:
Wife has a Whirlpool washer and a Whirlpool dryer in ours. I wouldn't want it to ever come down to a decision of whether she could keep those or me!!!!

LOL! X2...DH would be gone first...LOVE my Whirlpools!!

[Dog_Folks]

This question comes up often, and from reading all the responses over the years, it seems to be 50/50 for washers.

I afraid the decision is all yours. List the pros and cons and go from there!


Good Luck.

[JimM68]

we had a splendide combo in our first motorhome.
Nasty thing. IT would hold 1 bath towel or 1 pair of jeans, no more. Filled the gray tank every load. Took 3 hours to dry. And returned my towel or pair of jeans in an unrecognizable solid wrinkled wad.

Never again. Current bus has a huge cabinet where that thing would have gone. When we need to do laundry, we go to the campground laundry, or a commercial facility, fill 3-4 commercial maytags at once, and are done with 10 days worth in 70 minutes.

[drillking]

Wife has a Whirlpool washer and a Whirlpool dryer in ours. I wouldn't want it to ever come down to a decision of whether she could keep those or me!!!!

[Bill_Satellite]

We have been fulltiming since 1997 and had a coach with a Splendide since 1999. Old coach required we find a laundromat even when all I needed was some clean underwear. How silly is that?
The new laundry detergent pods make it even easier to use and are designed for the HE washers.

[GoPackGo]

Absolutely YES ! I have the separates.

So convenient to throw a load in at any time and push the button. Then go about your business. Whenever you get back, just throw the load in the dryer. And my w/d are all of 2 steps away from my closets and drawers. Why waste time carrying laundry to a laundromat ?

And as others have stated, I know what's been in my washer, and it wasn't the bedspread that the dog barfed all over.

[Cuffs054]

Oh hell yes!

[Burwoods]

WE have one in our 36' motorhome, and I don't think it takes up that much room. I have cupbroards that still have nothing in them. I keep paper towels things like that on top of mine.

[cruisingat60]

Mine is worth it. Make sure you buy a warranty, though. Mine quit after doing weird things for a while after about six months' use. It took Camping World several weeks to diagnose it and another couple to get the parts, but it was fully covered.

All that said, it's worth it to do a load every day or so, when it's convenient to me. It's better to do smaller loads, like one sheet and the pillowcases, or a couple of bath towels and the kitchen towels. The machine dries much faster that way.