There are two types of machines that people refer to as stackable:

- Unitary/one-piece units that are factory-assembled as a stacked set and cannot be operated otherwise (the dryer on top may be removable to service). The washer can be either a frontloader or a toploader (with a lid that opens at an angle beneath the dryer).

- Pretty much any frontloader pair that has controls on the front and can be optionally installed with the dryer set atop the washer. This is a stackable.

This discussion can go all over the place without the following 3 questions:

What size of machine are you looking for? What's your budget? What features matter to you (in both the washer and the dryer)?

When bigger stackable machines are stacked, the controls may be out of reach for shorter folks, as also access to clothes at the back of the dryer.

Here are some thoughts I penned through my research on washers/dryers.

http://anoopsplace.blogspot.com/2015/07/what-i-learned-appliance-shopping.html

But for a more professional article with actual recommendations, you can try this:

http://thesweethome.com/reviews/the-best-washer-and-dryer/

In the archives you will find many posts about my Speed Queen unitized front loaders. Love it, but $$$. For separate units, AJM will let you sort searches by checking a "stackable" box. Very helpful. But anoop is right. Size, features, and budget will narrow this discussion fast. Good luck.

Bosch is a popular choice, it has a condenser dryer and we had a pair stacked in a closet in my kitchen. I was quite happy with it. There's a photo of the pair stacked in a closet on this link -- scroll down towards the end.

First, that was a stunning rehab, Rococo. Gorgeous in every way. I so wish we had a vent hood in our kitchen. It, and off street parking, are the only things that keep me with one eye continually on local real estate to possibly make a move. If you have any tips for how you survived the lack of ventilation, send my way :)

I'm curious about the condenser dryer. You were happy with it? How long were the drying times? My concern is also the amount of heat it adds to the surrounding room versus a vented machine.

@alex - Thanks so much Alex. It was done for sale and proved very effective. No hood in that apartment. One reason I stayed with a non-pro range. Had to open the window over the sink. I didn't do much heavy cooking in there but it worked for most things. And in NYC it's so much easier to live on take out.

That condenser dryer did a great job. There were only 2 things about it. One, was that there was an interior grill/lint trap that had to be removed and cleaned periodically. The cleaning was tedious. Second was that the door to the closet had to be left open while the dryer was running. It created a lot of heat. It ran a little longer than the others but not so much longer that I remember. But that sure beat the years of lint we found in the wall when we removed the old dryer that been put on a wood shelf. We were lucky there hadn't been a fire.

I've had Bosch, Miele and Asko dryers. IMO, while the Bosch heats things up more than the others, it does a great job. I would get another Bosch pair for an apartment without hesitation. Thing is, with the washer, you don't get the precision heater. So you don't get that extra muscle on the whites. But the drum capacity of the washer & dryer are slightly larger than the others.

But I'd look at the Electrolux pair today since those are new to the market. I haven't seen it or used it but I think Larsi said the Elux compact has a heater.

I have the Bosch Ascenta WAP24200UC washer with the matching dryer, essentially the 300 series now. I like them a lot. What rococogurl said about her experience is mostly what I have found about my machines. The washer although it has not as precision heating as washers that have continuously variable temperature settings (I've had a Danby (Gorenje) that did also, meaning you can set the temp to any specific degree) the Bosch's internal heater heats to more than reasonable temps and ends up with great results. The Bosch condenser dryer, as rococogurl said, works just as well as a vented dryer and does not take noticeably longer for a "dry" result. I will probably still use my gas dryer in the laundry room off my garage in the summer (it gets super hot here in South Carolina) but I'm really liking the convenience of my new laundry closet and the Bosch machines are great.

Thanks, tombsc, for your review. This information, especially since BoschUS has still not gotten back to me after a week. You say the internal heater heats to reasonable temps. Would you be able to share which cycles that works on? Do you have anything between a 120F "very warm" and a 160F "sanitize" setting? Thank you also for the info on the dryer.