74 out of 74 people found this review helpful.
A stacked laundry center worth buying?
Date of Review: May 21, 2006
The Bottom Line: One of the best washer/dryer stacked laundry centers on the market.
I am usually not a big fan of stacker washers/dryers; they seem to lack the ability to clean clothes adequately and usually have the loading capacity of a soup bowl. When I moved to NC I had no other choice but to buy a stacker due to space, or lack thereof. I chose the GLEH1642DS from Frigidaire due to its larger capacity (versus other stacker style laundry centers) and its low price tag.
About this unit:
The Frigidaire GLEH1642DS is a front loading washer/dryer stacker-style electric (240-volt minimum) laundry center (apparently a gas version is available). The GLE1642DS measures nearly 6.5' tall, 27" wide and 2.5' deep, making this laundry center thin and short enough to fit just about anywhere in your home. Though this unit won't win any laundry holding contests, it does boast a large (for a stacker) 3.1 Cu ft. washer drum (yep, no agitator) and a 5.7 Cu ft dryer. The washing machine has 16 washing cycles, four temperature combos, two final spin speeds (normal and fast), and there is the option of an extra rinse cycle. The dryer features multiple cycles including, timed dry, towels, normal, air fluff, delicate, and damp dry.
Style:
If you're looking for a dramatic or modern design with your washer, you may want to take a pass on the Frigidaire stacker. With its boxy sheet metal and white dress, this stacker is about as stylish as a mullet. The only physical feature that separates this stacker from the herd of laundry stackers on the market is it small porthole style front-loading door.
Installation:
I usually like to install my own appliances to save on money, but when it comes to mixing electricity and water I am willing to make an exception. It took the delivery guy over an hour to install, so I am guessing that you should take a couple of hours into consideration before installing by yourself, especially if it's your first time setting up a washer or dryer. Since this unit comes with the washer & dryer attached and weighs about 300lbs total, you might also want to have someone help you install.
Ease of use:
Once this laundry center is installed, it's a piece of cake to use. Unlike some of these new washers that have a zillion buttons and switches, Frigidaire has kept all of its switchgear simple. All the dial type gadgetry is logically placed (around 4.5 ft off the ground) and clearly labeled for easy use. The washer also includes an auto fabric softener dispenser, auto liquid bleach dispenser, and an auto detergent dispenser for more convenient operation.
Washing performance:
Washing performance is excellent, especially for a stacker. Unlike my old top loading Kenmore stacker, the front loading Frigidaire allows me to wash a full load of laundry at a time. I am even able to wash a queen size comforter, which would have been an impossible feat with my old Kenmore. Stacked laundry centers usually never impress me with their ability to clean clothes, however my Frigidaire always gets my clothes clean and never leaves soap or residue on the drum or on my clothes. Even when using the short wash or the delicate wash feature, my clothes come out cleaner than they would when using my Kenmore at normal operation. Since this is a drum style washer, it's never too rough on my clothes. I can even wash silk items with absolutely no problems. Time to Wash: I would estimate that it takes about 30 minutes to wash a full load of laundry using the heavy wash cycle (add about 5 minutes when using the added rinse feature). Noise: Though I wouldn't go as far to say that the washer is silent or vibration free, it is one of the smoothest washing machines that I have owned. It is certainly quiet enough to watch a television show in an adjacent room without interference.
Dryer Performance:
The dryer provides equally as impressive performance and at 5.7 cu ft. it also has a larger capacity than most stacked laundry centers. The dryer features multiple heat and length settings or you can use the manual self timer up to 80 minutes. I usually just leave everything on regular dry, which will adequately dry a full load of jeans or T-shirts in around 45-55 minutes. My clothes/linens consistently come out wrinkle and lint free. If a garment does come out a bit wrinkly, you can always toss it back in the dryer and use the press saver feature, which does a great job removing wrinkles without using heat. The filter in this dryer is located up front, so you do have to drag your clothes across the filter, but this isn't a major gripe by any means. The only gripe that I have had with the dryer is its inconsistent noise levels. The dryer will sporadically get loud, then just as sporadically go back to being its smooth operating self. Note: A drying rack is included.
Price/ Warranty:
Most online stores feature this unit for around 900 dollars. I was able to pick it up from Sears for $849 before taxes. Since Sears and many other stores in my area carried less capable stacked laundry centers for the same price or more, I felt like the Frigidaire GLEH1642DS was a great deal. If anything goes haywire with your new stacker, Frigidaire gives it a full one year warranty (labor included) and a 5 year limited warranty on defective parts.
Efficiency:
According to Figidaire, this washer/dryer combo is Energy Star compliant. Since I have not had anything to compare this washer and dryer to since moving to North Carolina, I can't vouch that it would have done any better than a non-Energy Star washer/dryer. However, I will say that my monthly energy bill only went up a few bucks after using this washer/dryer around twice every week.
Reliability:
I have owned this product for nearly one year now and have had no mechanical problems. As I have mentioned, the dryer does act up every now and then, but for now I am not really concerned that it's a sign of a soon-to-be break-down. If anything does happen to it, I will be sure to update.
Final thoughts:
Overall, this has been a great washer/dryer stacker combo that cleans just as well as it dries. The Frigidaire front load stacked laundry center is reliable, efficient, well made, quiet, and is backed by a fair warranty. With that said, if you are on the market for a new stacked laundry center, I highly suggest checking out the Frigidaire GLEH1642DS.
Thanks for reading!
