Nismo, I am not so familiar with well and septic systems being that I live in Chicago. However, I can tell you that in all combo machines with condensing dryers, the cold water supply and pump cycle on and off periodically throughout the dry cycle. The water does not run constantly at full force for three hours. Generally, most combo machines use somewhere between 14 to 20 gallons of water per load for both wash and dry (comparable to a standard dishwasher). In contrast, a standard topload washing machine by itself typically uses 40 to 50 gallons of water per load. If your septic supports a standard topload washer, it should easily be able to handle a combo machine. Moreover, you will be using much less detergent in a front load combo machine which is also better from an environmental standpoint. The manufacturer specifications usually state how much water the machine will use per load on average. I hope that answers some of your questions. Happy washing.

Sorry it took me so long to get back - been a very busy week! I'll try to answer your questions now: "What the difference, how do I have to care the dryer." Condenser dryers need a little more care than vented ones: you have to clean the lint filter, obviously, but you also have to empty the water reservoir after each cycle. But that's not big deal and you can use the water for other things like watering plants or ironing - it's demineralized water. The condenser unit itself, which sits near the bottom of the dryer, only needs to be cleaned once a month or even less. You just have to remove it (pull it out) from the dryer, rinse the lint off and put it back. It's not much lint at all - maybe 1/4 of what usually accumulates in the lint filter. No risk of clogging you plumbing. "Anyway I dont know whether GE sells laundry appliances in Hungary and in Europe or not :P" I thought you were in Hungary because your My Page says so ("I live in: Hungary"). Okay... "You mentioned that the your condenser dryer works well with Bounce (with my favorite brand) so if I bought a heat-pump dryer my laundry ought to smell the same as using a traditional US dryer. Anyway Im a big fan of fabric softeners, but I dont know Lenor fabric softener." No, the Bounce dryer sheets I used in the US when visiting my aunt - never used them in our dryer. I can't get dryer sheets to work in our German dryer - never leaves any trace of scent behind. :( But that's not the fault of the dryer: the dryer sheets P&G sells in Europe seem to be pretty weak. I also used them in Speed Queen vented dryers in the UK and there was no fragrance left behind either. However, liquid softener yields to much better results. Since you said you loved scented laundry, which I also do, I'd say you should maybe try to use detergent and softener which have the same scent. They don't sells this in Germany but I know Tide and Downy are available with the same scents in the US. Lenor softener is only sold in Europe, I think. But yeah, it's one of P&G's many brands. "Which dryer should I buy?" Good question! ;) I think there's not a lot to choose from when it comes to condenser dryers in the US. Bosch is a good choice and so is Miele. Of course, Miele is perceived as the premium brand but it also comes with a price tag to match! Bosch is cheaper ...more affordable... and will dry your clothes just as well. Both brands make good, reliable and quiet dryers. "According to some studies the heat pump dryer are better because they use less energy. But what about the drying time? Will it be extended if they use less energy?" Yes, heat-pump dryers use quite a bit less energy and yes, the drying time also increases a bit. I suggest you best go to siemens-home.co.uk or miele.co.uk and download user manuals for both traditional dryers and heat-pump versions. There you can find all the cycle times. "Actually they dont need ducting so I can place them virtually everywhere? I think they do need good ventilation of air in the room they installed." Yes, you can place them anywhere as long as the ambient room temperature does not exceed a certain level - I think it's about 95°F. The cooler, the better. "You use condenser dryer, am I right?" Yes, an Electrolux. "And fortunately, you used traditional dryers in CA, so please tell me you experiences. If you compared the two dryers, the vented and the condenser, which would be the best? " American dryers rule! *lol* But seriously, European dryers are the norm over here and it's what we adjusted to: a max. of 4 cu.ft. drum size, drying times of more than an hour etc. Then again, condenser dryers can be placed absolutely anywhere: kitchen, bath room, under a counter, on top of the washer... There's no need for venting and it'll even heat your house in the winter months. Nevertheless, if I had a choice I'd get one of those large and fast American dryer in a heart beat. I'm just amazed at the capacity and speed of them! The only drawback is that, as I find, if you dry thin and thick fabrics together the thin items tend to over-dry with a vented dryer. This does not happen in a condenser as everything dries at the same pace. Since you said you understand German: I have scanned some pages from a German consumer magazine and uploaded them. If you want to, you can send me an e-Mail via my profile page and I'll send you the download link. Alex

It depends on your needs, wants and budget. Here is the short list: Most Reliable/Best Build Quality: compact front load: Miele Top Load: Speed Queen (Classic Model) Both of those recommendations are at the top pf the price range. 27” American Size Laundry LG Whirlpool Those two will be the most reliable based on the review sites and forum posts that I have read. They wont be as pricy as the top picks, but the build quality is lower and the service network will be hit or miss. Based on their price point most major repairs will be more than many people will want to spend. This, most likely by design, will mean the appliances are disposable once the warranty expires. So you either pay more up front for a more reliable appliance or pay more often for a less reliable one.

"It's striking to realize the prosperity Americans take for granted." People in other countries have the same "prosperity" and sometimes more (depending on how you want to define it). Urban living is urban living. Many living in apartments in NY city have to make due with less space and less convenience than many urban dwellers in Europe. European washers and dryers (and by extension, Asian ones before they started making models for the US market). have long been smaller. With long cycles. They wash better while being more gentle on fabrics. A family member abroad has a ventless heat pump dryer. It uses the "refrigeration cycle", extracting "heat" from room temperature air. Think of your fridge or an air conditioner, both are heat pumps that act the same way, with a cold section while expelling hot air, the heat removed to produce the cold section. Using the same "refrigeration cycle", a ventless dryer produces heat AND cold. Direct the heat into the rotating drum where the clothes are, then flow the warmed damp air past a cold heat exchanger where the water in the damp warm air will condense and drip out. Like the water that condenses on the outside of a cold glass on a warm day. That's how they work. It's a slow process but such products use less energy than both gas and electric clothes dryer types in use in the US.