Thanks for your replies! Do the combo units have any leakage problems? I asked my landlord about putting a 220V switch in the apartment and he said no, because he didn't want the machine to leak. Is that generally a problem or does he just not want it in this unit? Also, how much electricity per load does the LG or Summit washer/dryer combo use approximately? I am trying to see whether I should just stick with a wash/dry/fold service ($1.07 per pound, including delivery) for towels, linens and other large/heavy items that would take too long to dry on my drying racks and the washer downstairs for most clothing items, or if purchasing one of these combo units makes financial sense. How is the reliability of these machines? I have read a bit about "obsolescence", that is, within 5 years, washer/dryers break down far beyond repair, so you just have to replace them. How true is this with the combos (and in general, for that matter)? That will play a large role in deciding if buying a W/D makes sense. Thank you!

I am back here from 2004 because my Kenmore HE3 has just run into its first serious problem. Whirlpool made this front-loader, and Sears put their name on it. I think all of these machines are trouble, and you got lucky if you get more than a few years out of them. Mine is suffering from bad bearings - and this model 110.44832 200 happens to be one of the few where you cannot just replace a $75 bearing set - you have to buy the external drum part that happens to have the bearings along with the drum. The repair guys say the part alone is $400, so I am about to just go buy a new FL. I see the part online for $260, on 'back order,' so I may get a new front-loader, order the part, and fix the old washer, and sell it off on my own time line. Youtube has videos for a lot of these repairs if you are willing to try it. On my HE3, the water pump died - I got the diagnostic code from the panel, and got on the internet, and figured that out - I went to a Sears appliance place and bought a replacement pump for maybe $50. when I opened up that pump, which has a filter you should clean regularly, I found a tiny sock from one of my little boys. Yes, the washing machine allowed a tiny sock to get sucked into the water pump somehow. That clogged and killed the pump. These HE3s and HE3ts have lots of notes on the web about the cast aluminum 'spider' bracket, which grasps the inner tub inside of the outer tub, decaying. I have not had that problem. But this experience is worthless now as I go to shop again - those problems have probably been solved, and the currently available machines probably have even newer, more creative design flaws. If Whirlpool had decided to stick with this HE3 design, and adapt design problems as they emerged, they could have a rock-solid washer we all wouold be raving about. But no. While some allow you to simply replace bearings, my model cannot. The pump can suck up a little sock. The spider bracket is cast aluminum which corrodes. The drive pully is also cast aluminum and breaks. I think I have avoided some of these problems because I balanced my front-loader so well. So, Mine lasted from fall 2004 to now, spring 2012. That is about as much as you can expect, America. The repairs are incredibly expensive. They put you right on the edge of deciding to pay a lot for repair or to go buy new - that maximizes the money out of your pocket. When this pile of metal was working well, it was great. Cleaned VERY well. Spun clothes so dry, you did not need to run dryer as much. We have left the days of appliances that might last well beyond 15 years. We all have stories of washing machines, fridges, water heaters, and dryers that lived from 1950 or 60 or 70 up to 20 years. Not any more. Have materials gotten worse? Are our engineers dumber? Do we lack comparison shopping ability? No. No. No. All it would take is one company to decide to stick to one good design and eliminate flaws year by year. And buy market share by keeping repair costs low along the way. We would flock to it, and tell each other eagerly.

Enduring, so many questions. :) I wouldn't worry too much about the amazon reviews. I doubt many people actually buy there and people who've had a problem with a product will sometimes try to take "revenge" by posting negative reviews all over the internet. Reliability is one of Miele's hallmarks. If you search on this forum you'll find that people tend to own them for a long time. My last one, a W1926, gave us 15 trouble free years before the motor went. I seriously considered fixing it and seeing if I could get another 5 or 10 years out of it, but in the end decided to replace it, which I don't regret. I think we'll easily get 15 years out of the new one. I had no interest in the Little Giant because it runs about $4,200, more than twice what I paid for the W3033 and it's way more than we, as a family of four needs. The LG was really designed for commercial customers, like gyms or restaurants. And as you mentioned, some people have had trouble getting the electrical hook up done correctly. Any authorized dealer can setup the W3033. It's really just a matter of removing the shipping struts, moving it to the desired location, connecting the water hoses and plugging it in. I would just call the Miele customer service number and ask about authorized repair people in your area. There really should be some, but they keep the master list. Most dealers don't do the service. I would hesitate to buy one if there weren't a couple of authorized service companies in the area. In my area (suburban NYC) there are quite a few, and it's usually companies that specialize in servicing high end appliances. Re your installation question and the floors, what you describe should be fine for the W3033, but I have no idea how the Little Giant would do there. You might consider getting the stainless steel platform if you get the W3033. It raises the machine an additional foot off the floor and makes loading and unloading it easier. The Des Moines area is lovely - I used to go there on business.

My Asko dryer used to do this. I faulted it's "butterfly" dryer design. The dryer paddles alternated - one row was toward the back of the dryer, the next toward the front, etc. This is supposed to help kick the dryer contents back and forth to avoid a constant rolling action that would ball up sheets. Unfortunately, it didn't work at all. There was no solution except to get a bigger dryer. I don't have this issue with my Miele W4842, but I also dry king size sheets and duvets individually in order to avoid wrinkles and creasing. A reversing dryer is also very effective at preventing items from balling-up. Miele, Electrolux and perhaps others have a reversing tumble.