We’re taking a look at the GE Gas Stacked Laundry Center with Washer and Dryer Combo – Model #GUD27GSSMWW. The design of the traditional stackable unit has been slightly modernized, but the design updates are not without annoying quirks. In fact, there are so many quirks and some would go as far as calling them glaring flaws.
The first things I noticed were the sounds the washing machine makes, they are unusual and quite jarring to be frank. The motor pulley sounds like a whiny radio controlled toy car. This is not a unit I would recommend for use in a confined living area, if you are using the unit in a garage it may be acceptable, but given the price of these newer stackable units I don’t think the consumer should need to adjust their expectations. One positive is that the washing machine seems stable during washer spin cycles, it’s as though the drum has less ability to go off center, which equates to less worrying about load balancing the clothes as preciously as you needed to on older belt-driven units.
The aforementioned noises are so peculiar that GE itself deemed it necessary to produce a video back in 2018 to explain them away as normal. My personal opinion is that the video had the audio levels reduced in post-production because the noise levels in real life are almost unbearable. There are knocks, clicks, loud whirring and grinding noises that I think everyone should be fully aware of prior to purchasing these GE stackable units.
The dryer drum on the unit we received left little to be desired. The dryer portion of the unit began to fail during the third load of laundry, I couldn’t believe the noise it was making. We were drying small microfiber towels that didn’t retain much water to begin with, this was a light-medium load, at best. I took video of the noise because I was just amazed that something brand new could make that kind of ridiculous ear-grating sound. This is the worse noise I’ve ever heard a dryer make in my life.
The noise could also be reproduced by simply moving the drum by hand, the sound could be described as two metal tubes creating heavy friction, as if there was simply not enough clearance between the two walls to allow for the weight of even slightly damp laundry.
The traditional control knob is replaced with a digital version, you set the washer cycle type and an array of LED lights signals where the cycle is in the process. Sure, It’s functional but it’s a bit of an over engineered feature that doesn’t really change anything for the consumer. To be blunt, the LED status array solves a problem that nobody had.
Due to the issues with the unit we received we have scheduled a warranty repair, I worry about what might happen once the warranty expires. This unit wasn’t cheap at close to $1,400.00 (USD) after tax so needless to say, I feel disappointed in it’s performance.
I will probably not be purchasing another General Electric appliance in the future, perhaps I just got a lemon but to be honest this design just felt overly complicated from the moment of unboxing. It remains to be seen how warranty service will be or if there is even anything that can even be done for such a major design flaw. The appliance we received should probably not have even passed quality control.
It’s strange that so many manufacturers deem digital readouts as a premium addition to these units, a simple time estimation shouldn’t be so difficult or cost prohibitive to include in the design of these machines, it feels like a snub to the person buying it.
I’ve seen pairs of stand-alone units with all the bells and whistles for much cheaper than what GE is asking for their mundane version of a washer and dryer stackable unit. I feel especially bad for the person that gets stuck with one of these in a rental unit, it’s annoying enough to want to move away from.
If I did it over, I think I would just purchase separate washer and dryer units from a different manufacturer.