Is a washer/dryer worth it?

[Mr. Kelley]

Hi there,

My wife and I are planning to RV across North America on a full-time basis and would like to know if it is worth buying an RV with a washer/dryer set-up or is it better to simply use local laundry facilities?

Would love to hear from full-time RVrs on this.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Neal]

Most campgrounds have them, can't say it's really necessary but it is nice to have. Not having to wait in lines or compete with others for available machines, have coins on hand, etc. etc.

 

[Rich W.]

I don’t full-time and I wouldn’t be without them. Even a week long trip generates enough laundry for a couple loads. When I bought my current coach, a washer and dryer were on the required equipment list. I’ve had enough of public laundries. I use the washer as a hamper and when its full enough I run a load, usually every other day or so.

A couple other benefits besides those listed above: you don’t need to pack as much clothing so you can use some of that storage for other things, and it provides a lot of soapy grey water to use to flush the system after dumping the black tank. Also you know your machines are clean and not contaminated by whatever was washed previously.

 

[Neemer]

A resounding YES!!!

 

[FLSteve]

A resounding YES!!!

A 2nd resounding YES. Spend the money and get them.

FLSteve

 

[Joe Hogan]

Absolutely Yes,

 

[team bradfield]

agree, its needed

 

[J&JD]

X10!!

 

[purring along]

Washer and dryer was one of the reasons moving up from our baystar.

 

[Mr. Kelley]

Thanks to everyone who responded, your feedback is greatly appreciated.

 

[rvkev]

I thought a washer-dryer would be nice. The previous owner was right in my opinion. The previous owner removed the washer-dryer. My bride would rather go to the Laundromat when it is not busy and get all the laundry done in a half hour. Using six machines at the same time it makes sense to me. She is usually returns in an hour. Key is to get there when no one else is there.

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Six of one half a dozen of the other, it appears everyone above likes the on board equipment. I would rather have the space for more clothes, or tools.

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This works for us. We can agree to disagree with the posts above.

 

[MemoriesByTheMile]

Though we have a nice coach, we do not have washer and dryer. Plumber and wired for it, but the prior owner never put it in and though we have been conserving it over the past 3 years we haven’t added them either.
We would rather have the interior storage space.
Of course we could change our minds next week, but after 3 years, not sure we will.

 

[Headhunter]

Yes, yes, and yes.

 

[Trav_lr]

We have a Spendide combo and use it frequently when plugged in somewhere. Wouldn't have a motorhome without it. It's just so convenient to put a load in then leave for the day and come back to clean and dry laundry. The only drawback is that it only does small loads so an occasional trip to a local laundramat is still necessary to do the large items like bed sheets and the big beach towels.

 

[Rich W.]

The turning point for me was one morning in a KOA in Grants Pass (IIRC) when I went to the laundry facility to do a small load of wash after a week on the road and encountered a woman with clothing and bedding covering every machine in the facility (six as I recall). I asked if she intended to use every single machine. She said yes, all three of her children were sick and were up all night with vomiting and diarrhea.

I was both dismayed that she would commandeer every machine available for the entire park, and relieved that I had been forewarned of a definite bio-hazard contamination of every horizontal surface in the place. There and then I resolved to no longer use public laundry facilities.

Once I had my own on-board washer and dryer, I discovered all the aesthetics and conveniences noted above. The only down-side is that I needed a slightly larger coach than I preferred at the time, but I have grown in to my 35’ coach and find it perfect these days.

 

[rvkev]

I had been forewarned of a definite bio-hazard contamination

Consider the same hazard when emptying your Black and Grey tanks.

 

[Rich W.]

View attachment 18100View attachment 18101View attachment 18102
Consider the same hazard when emptying your Black and Grey tanks.

I have that down to very neat and clean science. And part of that is all my soapy grey water from the washing machine. Plus that’s my own yucky stuff which I can tolerate. I spent over 40 years responding to all manner of emergencies that included exposure to every body fluid and most ailments, survived it, and these days prefer to keep my distance from other peoples biological nastiness.