When I was a kid I had an idea for a washing machine that automatically dries the clothes. It seemed so obvious to me, and I was sure that it would be mass produced and raking in money for someone before I could even tell anyone my idea. It’s been years, and every time I look at those two hunks of metal and plastic I wonder why it still hasn’t happened. One of these machines can cost thousands of dollars, and you’re telling me I need to buy two of them? If you look at a modern washer and dryer, you’ll see that they’re identical. They have the same size compartment and the same moving parts. With all of our modern technology and brilliant minds, how have we not combined these two redundant appliances? Are all the world’s scientists and engineers too busy to find time to shove a blower into a washing machine?
I think if you get out in the world, you’ll find that has been around for at least a decade, if not more.
But here’s why they’re not more common. A dryer, by design, needs a large drum to toss the clothes around and subject them uniformly to the hot air.
Washing machines typically have a small drum to conserve water.
I used one in the UK back in ’99, and it washed OK, but the dryer was not as efficient.