Finally, a Space-Saving Washer-Dryer That Won’t Drive You Nuts

I’ve just written hundreds of words about what I didn’t love about living the combo-laundry life, but I want to be clear that the Bespoke combo is a very good appliance by the standards that we use to judge any standalone washer or dryer — or combo, for that matter.

My clothes came out looking and smelling fresh, and the machine offers almost all of the modes, cycles, and options you should expect from a premium machine. (Since I tested at home, I can’t say exactly how its stain-removal chops compare with some of our lab-tested favorites, but front loaders ace those trials anyway.) 

I could take or leave the machine’s all-touchscreen interface, the smart features, and the automatic detergent dispenser. (My wife loathed them.) Those are matters of personal taste, though, and the excellent owner reviews suggest that most people aren’t bothered.

As for the AI Opti Wash & Dry setting, it’s just a buzzy name for the sort of sensor-assisted cycles that laundry machines have used for years. The new trick here is that it attempts to figure out what type of items you’re washing and how dirty they are in an effort to eke out better cleaning performance. It recognized towels pretty reliably but classified almost all of my other loads as “normal.” The so-called (and probably oversold) AI feature didn’t seem to make much of an impact one way or the other, and using it is completely optional. 

I’m speculating here, but I believe that the Bespoke Vented Combo could be more durable than ventless combos, which often choke to death on their own lint. That risk shouldn’t exist with a vented dryer, because the heating element isn’t directly exposed to lint, and the exhaust vent gives unfiltered fuzz a route out of the appliance. 

It could also be less likely to pick up the dreaded mildew stench that can plague front-load washers. Unlike solo machines, the Bespoke combo bakes itself dry after every cycle, so it’s very unlikely to blossom into a mold farm. While one month is probably short to draw any conclusions, I can report that it smelled perfectly fresh at the end of my trial and didn’t have any funk growing in the gasket.

In my house, we’re happy to be back to the rhythm of our regular laundry setup. The old washer and dryer are back in their nook, and I doubt we’ll switch to the Bespoke washer-dryer or any other combo the next time that we need new appliances. We need the extra capacity and prefer the extra control. If you’re careful about stains and hang-drying and you tend to do your laundry in big sprints rather than spread out through the week, you might find the same. 

The Bespoke combo is a great start for a new category of machine, though, and if you’re willing to sacrifice some control and capacity for added convenience, it’s worth considering. Just have a good think about whether it would actually be a dream come true.

This article was edited by Katie Okamoto and Maxine Builder.