LG WashTower WWT-1209

This went back. I now own an Asko washer and dryer – The LG WashTower WWT-1209B. TL>DR: It’s a definite “no” from me, being now a proud Asko owner. I find myself wondering about the positive online reviews of it… Maybe the “bigger brother” is better. I bought the small version. It did not go well. I bought it online, sight undeen, and at sale price after reading many gushing reviews, so expended great coin with great expectation. Premium-level laundry coin, I might add.

There was one negative review I saw about it “walking” across a laundry on spin cycle, but pffft, “Disregard.” Just use non-slip floor pads, and there are even some included, my brain thought… Yeah, it’s a cool connected gadget. We all want connected gadgets these days, and the WashTower does a pretty smug job of being connected cool, and I loved that.

Cool aside, the install experience is really great, too, with all pipes neatly ending up in a drain spigot, both for washer and dryer moistness. Massive green tick.

But does it wash and dry things well?

Yeah, not so much. Well certainly the “baby brother” small-sized version that I bought didn’t.

The washer. Well, mine was quite a bit eventually-declared-dead-on-arrival, so I am jaded on that front, so read on after a few paragraphs to the dryer experience probably. I encountered a product build quality issue, no doubt, which does not lend itself to brand confidence when considering good whitegoods.

It “intelligently” determines how long it should wash things for based on weight after tossing the clothes around for a while. Great! But on mine setting it to “Cotton” and a “Cold” wash, and I got 4.5 HOURS estimated. And it took four and a half hours. (That was whether it was tossing a medium load for a bit, or for an empty drum.)

That’s a wash fail.

(What was it doing for all that time? The next load I watched damp stuff flop end-over-end for a bit, seemingly not in a pool of any water, and then got bored and did something else.)

It did wash normally using a “Mixed” load setting, so that’s a win I guess, and probably worked because that cycle doesn't weigh the load. (I think it washed normally, because unsurprisingly I wasn't staring at it...)

A win is that when you set up the washer, then some time later approach the dryer that already knows which settings it should be on. A fail, however is that the washer must be set up every cycle. It does not remember the settings for the prior load.

Now to the tumble dryer. Soo connected. Soo app-happy. Soo energy efficient, but yet not efficient…

Drying a single item, a quite plush doona/duvet cover, resulted in that one thing ending up in a clumped-up ball of moistness after an hour. So I got it out, shook it out, popped it back in for another estimated hour-ish, which plummets to ~35 minutes, then removed yet another ball of moistness. Un-balled, repeated for a third time at ~25 minutes and we’re finally done and dry -ish.

This happened on all occasions that plush doona cover was dryed. To be fair, a plain cotton cover did dry okay, mostly. I am never trying to use that dryer again on bedding. Read on why.

So is it energy efficient? My Fisher & Paykel energy-hungry vented dryer (dearly departed) dried that same plush doona cover to fluffy perfection using about the same net energy in an hour.

And ain’t nobody got time to nurse a dryer over the line as ordered by your phone app barking that the dryer is supposedly "done". And, "Clothes not removed!"... "Do it now!" (I know! But it's not dry!!! I bark back at my phone...) One might as well hang that doona cover on the line outside on a nice day and it’d be done sooner with no barking at me, which would be a much more relaxing experience. That’s an epic dryer fail for a corner case (but socks and undies and a couple of shirts did work a treat in one go and didn't come out wrinkled).

Do I recommend the WashTower?

Umm, no.

I now own an Asko washer and dryer after LG tucked their tail between their legs eventually after analysing my experience, some back/forth, two tech visits and about three months after purchase gave a full refund. Net spend difference for new premium Asko? + AUD$400. Delivered, and installed. That difference is nothing over a ten year lifespan.

Good riddance WashTower.

So do my shiny new Asko appliances have an app? Sadly no. WiFi is dead to them (coming soon in future, I guess, with a price jump). But they do exactly what is written on the tin because premium brand. Wash and dry reliably, which is the main game (and the plush doona cover dries in one go without being turned into a moist ball). And stack together as one with an included stacking kit. And don't bounce about on spin because design, so no sticky feet required. And don't have the usual rubber door seal membrane, so no moist mouldy bits eventually. And... They're built to last, look great plus remember previous settings.

Your WashTower mileage may of course vary, and I have no experience with its bigger sized sibling, which may fare better, but that one is even more premium laundry coin to buy, so premium brand alternatives (when on sale) are looking real good with not much separating them and the WashTower on price. LG is upper mid-market / mid-lifespan. While Asko/Miele/Bosch are premium market / premium lifespan for washer/dryers.

Bottom line from me is a three star rating for the baby brother WashTower. My rating is given for the WiFi, the app, the socks and jocks result, not crumpling my shirts, looking beautiful and for showing up and trying. All that, and its bonus magic trick...

Put a plush doona cover, plus socks and jocks in the same dryer load. The socks and jocks will amazingly all be deposited inside the moist doona ball, even if the doona cover is buttoned shut…

David Copperfield would be proud, and that's got to be worth the extra half point I gave it.

Disappointed with LG tower – Purchased wash tower in January 2024 after having a front loader previously, we wanted something compact and streamline . We usually wash everyday clothes/ work clothes. Happy with cycle lengths and options. Dryer does not seem to dry clothes as well as old dryer. 40 min on quick dry and clothes come out like they have just been put through on cool air amd still wet. Have only used twice as it seems to be a waste of electricity. Washer is very quite while in use.

2 weeks after purchasing tower water starting pouring out of the bottom front feet after approximately 6 washes. This only happened on a larger wash not on a short quick cycle and small light load.Organised with LG to fix and someone was sent within a week. Ordered a new seal inside of door, approximately a week later new part was installed. Roughly 5 washes later water pouring out bottom front again and now also down front bottom of the door . LG organised for same company to come out and have a look again, this time they said it was the connection to the detergent dispenser . I was unsure why it would only happen on larger loads and not all loads. During both times I have been told I can continue to do small loads , which has been difficult with a family of 4. The company fixing machine told me LG would not send out 2 people to fix machine and that they would struggle with only one man as machine is extremely heavy . I said we would move laundry cabinet for easier accessibility for them. Company would notify when new part would arrive . Called them as we hadn’t heard from them for approximately a week. They were waiting on part still and chased it up with LG and were told it wouldn’t be coming in until end of April. I was not willing to wait that long as it is holding up finishing our laundry renovation and if it didn’t fix it again , this would mean I have waited another month with out it being fixed. Contacted LG that day Tuesday 5th March (now around 2 months after purchasing tower ) we are now waiting for a case manager to call and tell us what action they will be taking from here.