With all the content available online these days, it can be hard to figure out what’s real and what’s hype.While we don’t always have the answers, we have a direct line to people who do — which is why we present to you our series The Internet Made Me Ask, where we have experts break down the truth about some of the buzziest trends on our timelines, like how often you should wash jeans.If you’ve ever lived in a studio apartment, a small house, or a place without laundry hookups, you’ve probably eyed a portable washer and dryer online at least once.
They promise the convenience of in-unit laundry without the space (or plumbing) a full-size setup demands.But do these smaller appliances actually get your clothes clean? And what about the drain on your plumbing and electricity, not to mention the bills? I spoke with appliance experts to find out what portable washers and dryers can realistically do, where they fall short, and whether they’re worth the investment.Do portable washers and dryers really work?The short answer is yes — with some caveats.
“Portable washers and dryers can be as effective as regular-sized ones, provided that you’re using them for smaller loads,” says Dennis Godynuk, an appliance technician and owner of Comfort Appliance Repair in Nashville, Tenn.In other words, if you’re washing everyday clothes in smaller quantities, you shouldn’t notice much of a difference in cleaning performance compared to a full-size machine.But where portable models can fall short is capacity and convenience.
“They are essentially smaller versions of their regular-sized counterparts, which means they have smaller load capacity and may not be able to accommodate bulky items like blankets,” Godynuk explains.He also points out a common drawback with portable dryers specifically: “Some dryers may take a longer time to dry clothes because they lack vents.” That means bigger items like comforters or bulky winter coats may need a trip to the ...