They’re the Hummers of the laundry machine world. The 16 beach towels, 18 blue jeans, 55 hand towels and 274 underpants washing and drying behemoths. They’re the new breed of laundry machines dubbed the Sport Utility Dryers (SUDs) – and washers too.
The new laundry machine arms race that created SUDs began about a decade ago. Spurred by new government efficiency standards, appliance manufactures abandoned decades old top loading washers and began to produce more efficient front-loading laundry appliances. But unlike front loading machines available in Europe and Asia, the new North American version of the front loader was bigger and seemingly growing larger each model year.
The 2010 and new 2011 washer and dryers are the biggest of the bunch, with dimensions and load sizes that dwarf those manufactured just a few years ago. But with all the girth of these new models, SUDs are rarely used to their capacity.
In fact, a typical SUD washes and dries less than 50% of their total capacity per load. So although these massive laundry machines are ENERGY STAR rated when utilized at maximum capacity, most of the water and electrical savings are wasted on smaller loads.
But there’s more than just capacity to these monsters of the laundry room. If size doesn’t provide the bragging rights you’re looking for, speed will surely have your friends green with envy. In the quest for fastest load time, some laundry sets, such as the new Electrolux super capacity washer and dryer, boast total load times of a mere 36 minutes. That’s 
36 minutes split between a turbo charged wash cycle and a dry cycle with enough scorching heat to shrink an extra large cotton wife beater into an infant’s onesie.
Like the expanding size of the automobile in the last decade, SUDs are bound to reach their limit in the near future. With the crash of the housing market and the price of utilities pushing skyward, consumers are downsizing their lives and looking for more efficient ways to conserve space and energy.
Unless you’re into having the biggest laundry appliance on the block, there are other washers and dryers that take up less room, are gentler on clothing and actually get clothing clean and dry without excessive heat and pounding.
New compact washers and ventless dryers now offer the convenience of a complete laundry set, without the hassle of a dryer vent. For small homes and lofts, all-in-one washer dryer combos provide even further installation options that include under-counter in a kitchen or in an extra closet. Ventless dryers also offer the big energy savings advantage of being up 60% more efficient than their vented counterparts.
So if you don’t come from a family the size of the Brady Bunch, your best bet is to forgo the SUD and take a closer look at the more practical and energy efficient options available on the market today.
