19 August 2025

Is a washer-dryer combo worth buying?

By Bryan Wall

Product Test Writer | Kaituhi Whakamātau Hautaonga

When you need to wash and dry your clothes, and line drying isn’t an option, it’s worth considering a washer-dryer combo. But will you get the same performance out of the combination as you’d get from a stand-alone washing machine and dryer?

Washer dryers aren’t as popular in New Zealand as in Europe and Asia, where it’s not always possible to have separate appliances because space is at a premium.

But even if you have the space, should you increase your carbon footprint by buying two machines when one might do?

Our testing compares the performance, price and capacity of washer-dryer combos with their stand-alone cousins to help you chose the best laundry appliance configuration for your needs.

What is a washer dryer?

Washer dryers aren’t new – Bendix launched the first combination machine called the Duomatic in the 1950s. Washer dryers both wash and dry clothes in the same machine. They are the same size as washing machines and have the same internal washing mechanics.

But a washer dryer also houses a condenser drying unit to remove moisture from the clothes. Once the wash cycle has ended, the unit blows hot air into the clothes to extract the moisture. The damp air then condenses into water in a heat exchanger, and the water drains out.

Washer dryer pros and cons

Pros

Good for compact spaces.
Don’t need to be vented outside, giving you more options of where to put the appliance and avoiding the need for holes in your walls.
Washing cycle time is comparable with that of a standard front-loading washing machine.
Washing and drying can be set as one cycle without intervention.

Cons

Drying capacity will be less than the washing capacity.
Extra water is needed to cool the heat exchanger in the drying cycle.

Capacity considerations

Washer dryers have two capacities – one for washing and one for drying. The drying capacity is usually a little over half the washing capacity.

Our research has found that many of us don’t wash full loads anyway (average load sizes are around 4kg), so a washer dryer should meet most people’s needs. If you wash full-capacity loads, you will need to remember to dry your clothes in two separate loads.

Advantages of having separate appliances

If you have the space, having a separate washing machine and dryer can have its benefits.

There are many more models of separate appliances on the market to choose from.
Larger-capacity dryers are available, which can dry full loads.
You can choose between a vented dryer (cheap to buy but expensive to run), condenser dryer (more expensive to buy but no need to vent outside), or heat-pump dryer (most expensive to buy but the cheapest to run).
For multiple loads, you can wash one and dry the other at the same time.

Comparing the stand-alone and combo options

We’ve compared the performance, price and running costs of the best-performing washer dryers we’ve tested against those for equivalent stand-alone washing machines and dryers.

We’ve also taken into account capacity, so you can choose the best washer dryer, or washing machine plus dryer, option for you.