It seems like washing machine capacities just keep getting bigger and bigger in the U.S. More room means you can toss in a bigger pile of laundry and save time, but if you prefer to separate out your laundry into loads of similar colors or fabrics, a cavernous washer might not be what you’re looking for. At last year’s IFA, Haier introduced to the European market two washing machines stacked on top of each other. This year, it is adding a little versatility with its Duo Dry, which is all washing machine on top and a combo washer-dryer on the bottom.
Combination washer-dryers are common in Europe. You can find them in the U.S., but the ventless machines take longer to dry and haven’t caught on much.
The Haier Duo Dry is meant to be a slim, all-in-one solution for your laundry needs. At 50 inches tall and just under 24 inches wide and deep, the Duo Dry should fit in many closets. It can wash 26 pounds of clothes all at once in its two separate drums, about 9 in the washer-only top and about 17 in the combo bottom. You can only dry about 9 pounds at a time.
The machine’s TFT touchscreen lets you cycle through 12 programs for the washer and 18 programs for the washer-dryer. Like many of Haier’s other appliance, it also has Wi-Fi connectivity. The Haier Duo is currently available in Europe, and the Duo Dryer is due out next year, priced at around $1,227.
The Haier Series 60 refrigerator is another slim European appliance. With fairly standard features (though Haier boasts of its “fresher pad,” an aluminum tray that lets you speed up the freezing process to help keep food fresher), it does have a fun capability: If you want it to perfectly match your kitchen, you can send Haier a color sample, and they’ll match the fridge’s exterior. Who says you can’t have a buttercup-yellow fridge?