The New GE Profile UltraFast Combo Washer and Dryer PFQ97HSPVDS: Tough Questions for the Creator

New products often make our lives easier, such as smart thermostats, Alexa, and the functionality of our cars.  

However, sometimes new ideas don't work out, especially for appliances like the Maytag Neptune washer, which killed the brand before being sold to Whirlpool.  

Other good ideas have also failed, like the TurboChef oven and the Polera range with its defrost and cook abilities.  

Therefore, the new GE Profile UltraFast Combo washer and dryer has the potential to be the best appliance created in the 37 years I have been at Yale. Or it could be another good idea gone wrong.

In this article, I will highlight its features and possible problems. We’ll also share a recent interview with Ken Rudolph, the creator of the new GE Profile UltraFast Combo Washer and Dryer.

Let’s get started.

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The New GE Profile UltraFast Combo Washer and Dryer: A Brief Overview

Best Features of the GE Profile PFQ97HSPVDS

Washer and Dryer All-In-One

Benefit: You will never have to transfer a load from a washer to a dryer again, saving you time.

Problem: All-in-ones don't work long-term because the lint needs to be effectively removed, and it will eventually cause an expensive and often unsavable service issue.

Solution: The new GE has a robust filtering system, including an easily removable lint filter.

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Ventless Heat Pump Dryer

Heat pump dryers use a compressor and an air exchanger to recirculate air, making them different from regular dryers.

Benefits: The unit is ventless, can be placed anywhere with water and power, and is 110 volts, so you don't need special wiring. Heat pumps are more efficient and gentler on clothes, drying at lower temperatures and saving money on your electric bill.

Problems: The GE and LG WashTower are the first full-size heat pumps on the market. Bosch, Miele, and Beko have marketed heat pumps in smaller sizes.

In addition, the drying time will be longer in a heat pump, but it's unclear how much longer. Also, why isn't the dryer 220 volts instead of 110 volts?

Other Features of the GE Profile PFQ97HSPVDS

1. GE Profile UltraFast Combo Washer and Dryer with Antimicrobial Microban Coating

2 GE Profile UltraFast Combo Washer and Dryer with Wi-Fi Connectivity

3 GE Profile UltraFast Combo Washer and Dryer with Eco Cool, Self Cleaning, Quick Cycles, and More

4 GE Profile UltraFast Combo Washer and Dryer Installed Within a Closet and Under Cabinetry

The GE Profile PFQ97HSPVDS model also features:

• full smart functionality
• an auto dispenser
• and Microban and UltraFast technology to fight mold.

Meet the Mastermind Behind the GE Profile Washer and Dryer All in One

We asked Ken Rudolph, the lead designer on the project, ten questions. In the video below, he answers:

• How this machine differs from others in performance  
• How air flow is used to dry clothes  
• Why the machine requires 110 volts, and how they make it work  
• The testing protocols  
• The price and approximate release date

This GE Profile Combo washer and dryer is the coolest, most practical appliance I've seen in a long time. It's a full-size washer and dryer in one unit, eliminating the need to transfer laundry between machines.  

With new heat pump technology and smart functionality, it employs GE's Microban technologies, making it an interesting machine.  

This video of the lead designer and one of the inventors explaining the machine makes it even more interesting:

Video Transcript

Steve Sheinkopf: Welcome, Ken Rudolph.

Ken Rudolph: Thanks, Steve. Appreciate the opportunity to talk about the UltraFast Combo.

Steve Sheinkopf: First question. I want to ask a general question and just a short answer.

We'll delve into this machine in detail, but this is a wash and dryer all in one, which has a checkered history, as we've discussed, and it's a new full-size heat pump.

Now, most heat pumps are only 2.2 cubic feet. This is 4.8 cubic feet.

So I got to ask just one simple question. How can this possibly work?

Ken Rudolph: Well, I'll give you the short answer. Airflow. So, what we did was we married our UltraFast front load washer with the heat pump, but it's the airflow that we have in this product that makes the whole system work.

Steve Sheinkopf: Okay. As I said, we're going to get into this machine in detail. But I went over your background. I was hoping you're in marketing, and it would be easy because marketers typically don't know products.

But you actually are qualified.

You grew up in New England and New Jersey, and New York.

You went to RPI. Any three-letter schools, good, RPI, WPI, MIT, brilliant.

You must have been good at math.

Anyway, you work in multiple GE businesses, aerospace, plastics, and appliances, and [you] are the inventor of the UltraFast vent system.

So you must know a little bit about mold, too, right? (UltraFast prevents mold)

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Ken Rudolph: Yeah. And quite honestly, as the front-load product manager, I would go out and research products and talk to consumers about what features they wanted.

And they said, unless somebody solves that problem, I'm never switching back to front load.

I tried it once. I'm in top load now.

And to actually have a solution, we've been in the market since 2019 with very strong consumer feedback that the VET system is doing exactly what we wanted it to do.

Steve Sheinkopf: And the Microban, I thought that was really smart.

So let's ask some basic questions. How long has GE been working on this concept? And as a follow-up, how many prototypes did you develop, and what were the biggest drawbacks? I imagine it must have been a few.

Ken Rudolph: Sure. Yeah. So, the development of heat pump technology started about seven years ago.

We were working with the world-premiere research laboratory, and we had a solution around using a heat pump in a dryer. And then, we would go out and research it with consumers.

The challenge we saw was it didn't solve a real pain point for them. The pain point they wanted to solve was no load transfer.

So about three years ago, Steve, we took the heat pump dryer, and we said, let's pair it with our UltraFast front load washer.

And that's the product we have today.

So the EPA is excited that we have a heat pump system, but what we're telling them is this is the solution that will actually get a heat pump in consumers' homes.

So that's really what went into it.

To answer your question about prototypes, there are really two types of prototypes.

There were the technical prototypes that the team had been working on where we really needed to demonstrate we could wash and dry a full load of laundry.

That's about a 10-pound mix load in about two hours.

It started not so great, but when they had the breakthrough with the airflow after multiple prototypes, they were able to get the performance.

Ken Rudolph: The other side of the prototypes is the consumer research around the usability of the control panel and the appearance of the unit.

So I would say there were a good many prototypes. We test often and refine the product so that when we're ready to launch on June first, we get a product that really is consumer tested already.

Steve Sheinkopf: It's really interesting, but you have a 110-volt machine.

And for people that don't know that this machine can be put anywhere. It's ventless.

So any place you have water and power, you can put in a new washer. But how have you adapted a 110 in such a large machine?

And why would you? I mean, wouldn't 220 be more of a logical step?

Ken Rudolph: Now, that's a great question. So your washers are typically 110, and your dryers are 240. And the reason they are is because you need a powerful heat source to dry the clothes.

The reason why this uses 110 is the airflow is doing a good portion of the drying along with a lower temperature heat source.

So we only need 110 volts to produce the heat from our compressor to dry it. We don't need 220.

We don't need the two electrical coils that you would have in a standard dryer.

So what was really awesome was we started with the 110, and we got the performance we wanted. We really worked harder on the airflow, and we found we never needed to really go to the fallback position of 220.

So that's what delivers a drying performance that's actually 50 % more energy efficient than Estar. And so we're in 110. And as you mentioned so well, it allows you to put this in a lot more places in your home as a result.

Steve Sheinkopf: Yeah, you can put it anywhere. We've been blogging about heat pumps for about a year, but do you want to tell people how your heat pump works with the air exchanges and the compressor?

Ken Rudolph: Sure. Really, the washer system is just like our UltraFast front load washer, but it's when it kicks into drying.

That's where we use a little acronym, warm Wind Water.

Those are the three steps.

The first thing we do is the heat pump sealed system. It actually starts with a compressor like you have in a refrigerator, right?

That will warm up the air, and then it takes that warm internal air. It doesn't steal air-conditioned air from your home. It's all recirculating inside.

So, first, [it] warms up the air with the compressor, then it goes through our patented high-speed fan that will actually jet the air in at like 2 X the airspeed of a normal dryer.

And you'll actually see as the clothes are tumbling, they're lifting up in the air, and that's extracting the moisture.

And then that air, that moist air with lint, actually goes through this next phase. We have what's unique about this product, the two-stage lint filter.

So that will keep that air stream clean. And then we go into a heat exchanger, and that heat exchanger actually condenses that warm, moist air.

It cools the air slightly, the moisture drops out, and we use the same drain pump as our washer, and it's not clogged with lint, right?

Because we filtered it out, and it flushes it out. And that cycle goes over and over again, right?

Warm up the air with the compressor, blow it in a high-speed fan, filter it, and condense it in a heat exchanger. That's the sealed system. And then, we have humidity sensors in the unit itself that signal and sensor dryer when we're done.

So hopefully, that's the technical circle of life. Warm, wind, water.

Steve Sheinkopf: Everyone talks about heat pumps and induction as if it's new. Induction has been around since the '50s. Heat pumps have been around since the 1990s.

But one thing about all-in-ones is the problem that we have, and we make people acknowledge that when we sell them, what happens is the lint stays in the machine.

So over time, what happens to that lint? Do you agree?

Because I get bashed around on the internet all the time, we do the testing, and over time, if a family of five uses an all-in-one, which they never do because it's always one person.

It's only a matter of time before the machine just stops. So what have you done specifically to address the limb? Is it just that filter, or are there other systems involved as well?

Ken Rudolph: It's how well it's sealed, but it really is that upfront lint filter. If you think about where would lint go?

It either goes back on the clothes, or it gets baked onto the gasket, which is really ugly, right? Or other folks will try to flush it down the drain pump, and then they're complaining that the drain pump is clogged. But because we have this self-contained system, we actually will catch, you'll notice, this mesh side, this catches your typical dryer lint.

Because we're actually gentler and tumbling, we probably generate only about a quarter of the lint that you would see in a standard dryer.

So we'll note to the consumer, hey, clean this once a week, once every five cycles. But then, on the back, this is what's really cool. Like you'd see in a high-end vacuum, we have this foam filter that picks up all the microparticles, and we keep our heat exchanger extremely clean as a result.

And we've done long-term reliability testing.

So by keeping this whole system clean and handling the lint up front that the consumer has as part of their process, they're already used to doing it with the dryer, clearing it out.

Ken Rudolph: It doesn't clog up the system, and that's what's really key. And the rest of the unit is sealed really well.

Steve Sheinkopf: Is there additional maintenance? I know on most heat pumps, you have to vacuum out the air exchanger. Do you have to do that on this machine?

Ken Rudolph: You have the ability to do it. If you pull out this lint filter, you can actually get a crevice tool, and you can vacuum the edge of the heat exchanger fins.

But quite honestly, we don't see that as a necessity. As long as you're doing the maintenance with the filter, you'll be fine.

It's not like when you have your HVAC at home. If you clean that air filter out or replace that air filter, consumers aren't going in there and having to clean up the whole system. And that's the intent here.

Steve Sheinkopf: Okay. Now, the other thing is the heat pumps, and they're so much more efficient. The drying elements should go away because they're really just basic. It's just plugging in a huge hairdryer in the back, sucking the air in, blasting it out.

What do you think of the savings? Now that utility companies have looked at us as ATM machines, I don't know if you're seeing your electric bill. How much money do you think you're going to save with the heat pump versus, say, the old-fashioned drying elements?

Ken Rudolph: Yeah, and that's a great point because if you think about it, Energy Star and the EPA have really worked hard with the laundry industry.

We've really driven the energy use of washers down, but the dryer is the culprit. That's where most of the energy is used. And a standard electric dryer on a 240 volt with two heating coils in there for the high temperature, that is the money suck for that.

So because this is 110 and it's a heat pump, this is, like I mentioned earlier, 50 % more energy efficient than E star.

What does that mean? So in my household, and I do the typical 300 loads of laundry a year, a standard E star washer and dryer, I probably spent about 85 bucks a year on electric for that.

With this product, it would be more like $50. So there's a significant savings, and it's really from not running the 240-volt standard electric dryer.

Steve Sheinkopf: Well, the dryer is the second most used electrical in your house. I think you're going to save a lot more because front-loads are bigger than top loads, and all that goes with it as well.

Ken Rudolph: The other thing, just to point out on that just as a follow-up. One is there's the Inflation Reduction Act, and you're going to see incentives for heat pump dryers.

This product would qualify for that. So we expect rebates or incentives for consumers to switch the heat pump.

So this will be great. And the other part of the energy that I didn't even talk about that we're not capturing is I'm not using your air-conditioned room air, right?

And you're just sending it out. So there's an energy benefit of your home, which I'm not calculating into that number.

Steve Sheinkopf: Most compact washers and dryers now admit heat back in your house. Lots of it, lots of heat. So if you're getting a smaller set and it's not a heat pump, you're spending a lot more money on air conditioning, no question about it. But the one thing the heat pumps do is they dry at lower temperatures.

Steve Sheinkopf: A regular dryer. So how long would a complete cycle [be]? You got to put in your normal cycle towels, sheets, whatever. How long does that cycle take versus, say, your 650 washers and 650 dryers?

Ken Rudolph: From a washing standpoint, it's the exact same. This is our UltraFast washer. So what we'll see is, and I don't know if it helps, for illustrative purposes, here's a 10-pound mixed load of laundry.

It'll wash and dry in about two hours. What I would tell you is I look at this product, it's a lot like the electric vehicle.

Electric vehicles, as you mentioned, they've been out since the 90s. And so have all-in-ones been out since the early 2000s. And the thing is, they didn't work. Why were electric vehicles out there?

Then somebody actually gets it to where it gives you a level of performance that fits in your home.

This is like the Tesla of all-in-ones with what it can do. The other key drawback on all in ones was you could wash a full load of laundry, this is 4.8 cubic feet, but you could only really dry half that load.

So they would tell you, Well, don't fill it all the way. And they go, Well, I bought a large capacity washer and dryer. That sucks. Or here's the other one on a no-load transfer.

Ken Rudolph: Why don't you take half the wet load out and dry the other half? This will not only do that full-pound load in about two hours, but you can wash and dry a king-size comforter.

I did mine in about two and a half hours. We had someone on our field testing. We said, Hey, why don't you wash four towels?

It should be about two hours, 20 minutes. And they go, Oh, sorry, I put in 10 towels. They go, What? And they went. It took three hours. And we go. That's amazing.

On other all-in-ones, it's still running today. So I think that's the breakthrough is it can handle large loads, but it can handle my daughter's 22-pound loads that she shoves in here, and it will dry that. So that's amazing.

Steve Sheinkopf: Okay, we talked about you having one. So that's not a complete testing protocol.

Ken Rudolph: No, it's not.

Steve Sheinkopf: What is your testing protocol? So when people... I know that there are a lot of people very interested in this, myself included. What testing have you done?

Ken Rudolph: So what I'll tell you is the industry hasn't had a wash-and-dry protocol. So we started with, let's test this as a washer, let's test it as a dryer.

We've had those protocols established. So it's gone through those and the industry standards. But then that's what's so revolutionary about the product.

Our engineers developed engineering test protocols, a hybrid of those two, wash and dry, and we created it.

But now we don't have to worry about a condition load going into the dryer. It's actually the result of the washing.

So we take this through a series of loads, whether it's AM loads or DOE loads, and we did that in our lab, and we demonstrated the type of performance we have.

And when we knew we had it on stage, we did the real-world testing. So we have this in about two dozen homes, and that's when we tortured test the hell out of it.

Well, the really cool thing about this, Steve, is this is a connected appliance.

So for our field test, folks, we were actually able to monitor the entire cycles with them and see the variety of loads. We actually brought that back to our test protocols and added different types of loads that were deficiently covered in standard wash and test protocols.

Ken Rudolph: So we did some work there. I think we'll be adding some benefit to the whole industry when this technology, which is a disruptor now, becomes more mainstream.

Steve Sheinkopf: Yeah, I imagine if you're successful, other companies will follow. But let's talk about Smart functionality.

You guys are probably. I would consider the best, certainly SmartHQ, and on the commercial side. But maybe you can show how the washer turns on and talk about some of the smart features.

I like Smart for Laundry because I'm the type of guy that'll go downstairs with three minutes and 22 seconds left. What do you do?

Do you go back upstairs to go back down, or do you just sit there and watch a washer? Let's talk about the smart functions, and maybe you can turn the machine on, and we can take a look at it.

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Ken Rudolph: The first thing I'll show you is in our SmartHQ app, we do a lot to mimic what you see on the user interface. You're going to know what cycle you selected. You can do some basic cycle monitoring, Steve.

That's Ante's end of the game. The other one is you're going to get those notifications when the wash cycle ends and when the dry cycle ends.

We have a little feature on here called Wash Complete Alert, which will actually say, "Hey, the wash is done. Do you want to pause it?"

Maybe you want to pull a couple of items out. You can get that notification on your phone. So you definitely have all the baseline features of SmartHQ that we have, which is the monitoring of the wash and dry and the notifications.

But beyond that, what's really cool are the over-the-air updates. So as we develop, not just new cycles, but if we improve wash and dry performance because I'll tell you, when we started out, this was two and a half hours, then it's two hours.

As we improve that, we'll be able to roll that out. So the product won't just be as good as the day you bought it, but if you stay connected with the updates, you're going to get enhancements.

Ken Rudolph: And then you got really cool features. So this is a learning machine. It has adapted my settings. So if you're the type of person who likes to come in, and every time you run a quick cycle, isn't that awesome?

That's a 75-minute quick cycle to wash and dry.

And that's with an extra rinse. That's my favorite. It knew I did that three times in a row. It said, "I guess that's the way you like to run your quick cycles. I'm going to remember how much detergent you put in."

So it adapts to that. We also have a smart dispenser for detergent. I know the angle doesn't show it well, but this is where we can fit 50oz of detergent and 32oz of softener.

What's really cool is on the app, it can actually come in here. And if you like using a bottle, you can actually scan the detergent bottle because not all detergents are the same.

A Free & Clear might use double the amount of detergent for each load. It adapts to the detergent and the softener as well as the load size. So that's another element of Smart.

The other thing is there's an Adaptive Stain Guide on here as well.

Ken Rudolph: So there are a lot of features that I think will further enhance. The other nice thing is, again, we wanted this simple to use.

We know there are some people who are techies like myself who love all these features, and we put some of the high-level features and the help sections in a menu.

But what's really cool is if you have someone in your home who says, "Hey, I want to run the delicate cycle, wash it dry." Hit start, boom, you're there. You got the door open. I could start it.

So we try to make it very simple to use because smart shouldn't be complicated. Smart should be user-friendly, and it should adapt to you. And those are the type of features that we have in it.

Steve Sheinkopf: Yeah, you guys do a great job. I remember a few years back, for those people that don't know, they send updates. And if you've got an existing product, you qualify for those updates. For those updates for the charge.

A few years ago, they sent a Turkey mode button right before Thanksgiving with the "gobble, gobble" thing.

But it's great because it's not like you got to pay for releases like software. Once you buy it, it's yours forever.

Ken Rudolph: Yeah. Last year, we actually rolled out AirFry technology on our existing platform, and that was a software update. So we actually have some mechanical items built into this product that we know will be able to launch with new software updates and new features to users.

Steve Sheinkopf: Yeah, that's great. You put the dispenser up top on this machine, so at the bottom of your other ones?

Ken Rudolph: Yeah. Okay. There was a platform years ago where we had the smart detergent in the bottom, and you're essentially fighting gravity. So there are machines that are out there  [with] the tendency to clog. So this is all gravity fed, which keeps it very clean and consistent. And it's also cool.

I could do manual dosing in here with detergent, bleach, and fabric softener, or I could fill the tank. So it's where consumers find this the most user-friendly position for it as well. And it's actually technically the most efficient and less prone to errors.

Steve Sheinkopf: Okay, that was good. And now some of the more gritty questions. All right, man. Okay. All right. Are you ready? Fire away. Everybody's enthusiastic about this, but unfortunately, we have to fix them. We have a service department. So this is from them.

The one thing about a dryer, although it's old, it works. Dryers are reliable. Most of the time, it's the wash of the quits for the dryer. But you're adding a... You're getting rid of that, and you're putting an air exchanger and a compressor.

So what does the repair look like one, three, five years down the line? What's the life expectation of this dryer?

Ken Rudolph: Yeah. So part of our test protocols, as you referenced before, we do a multi-year, like 20-year reliability on our heat pump systems, the heat exchange or the fan, as well as the components of the motor and the overall suspension system of the washer.

So we have our testing. Okay, so everyone has tested. But it's really we actually the components that are in here have been used in some of our other products.

So we have some established history. The key thing that I really think as well differentiates GE and GE appliances and GE Profile is the easy serviceability of our products.

All of our products are front-serviceable. So you have this beautiful product, and you want to put it in a closet, you don't have to pull it all the way out to repair it if that was what was needed. So it's very simple.

You can actually pivot off the control panel, slide a little bit of the top back, and you're accessing that sealed drying system. So we offer a one-year parts and labor warranty on the whole system, but we knew there were going to be questions about the sealed drying system.

Ken Rudolph: So we have a five-year parts warranty on the sealed drying system. And what that is is that's the compressor and the heat exchanger. And if you've ever looked underneath your refrigerator, you see these in a heat pump.

There's a series of copper tubing with refrigerant that's all sealed. We're not asking anybody to repair that. If the heat exchanger, the tubing, or the compressor goes bad, you can actually remove that as a system, and it can be replaced all the parts in the first five years.

Beyond the five years, those parts could be serviced separately from an overall cost performance standpoint.

But we really believe that with these parts that we've used in our other products, we have a really long-standing history. So we stand behind it. We have a five-year warranty, and then finally, there's a ten-year warranty on the motor.

Steve Sheinkopf: That's cool. I like the fact that you made them all. You've made them independent, so it's easy to fix. If it's the compressor, you can just take it out. That's cool. That's a good idea.

Ken Rudolph: Yeah. And in the first five years, as I said, we're actually doing it as an assembly because we're trying to simplify the process. But then longer term, after that five-year window, they can be serviced separately. Cool.

Steve Sheinkopf: So what's the price?

Ken Rudolph: So the MSRP on the product is $2,899. So before you get sticker shock, think about it, right? That's the same as a full-size front-load washer and dryer, comparably equipped. So you really are getting a washer, dryer, and you're in half the space.

So at $2,899, these will be available June first as the launch date.

And I can tell you, as the product manager, we got the factory working. I know Steve asked before we got on here, so are you making these? Are they here yet?

They're here. We're stocking up, and we're getting ready for that June first date. So our plan is to have availability, and we're actually starting to take pre-orders. So we're excited about that.

Steve Sheinkopf: It's funny, I was at a product show, and I happened to be standing behind the president of the GV Pines for Castle Back. I overheard him saying something. This thing better be ready in June.

Steve Sheinkopf: Not to put any pressure on you here.

Ken Rudolph: I'll tell you, internally, we were shooting for an earlier date, but there were really two things. As the product owner of this, I wanted all that validation testing and consumer testing.

We actually just started a second round of consumer sampling and testing out on the West Coast. And so we're excited to get that feedback as well as what we've done here in the Midwest.

And then as well, we wanted to ramp up with production and then [work] with great dealers like Yale Appliance in terms of understanding, does this fit what consumers are looking for to gage our demand, to make sure we have the right production levels to be able to hit it out of the gate on June first.

Steve Sheinkopf: How many do you expect to make in a year?

Ken Rudolph: Well, that's the big question, right? And it's not an evasive answer because the challenge for us is if you told me I was rolling out a new front-load washer or front-load dryer, I could probably give you a good estimate.

What I will tell you is when this was a twinkle in somebody's eye of a product, we thought this was thousands of units. But based on what we're hearing as a need, we think it's tens of thousands of units.

What that number is, it's really going to be real consumer testing, which is why we have been so thorough in delivering on the promise because we've seen what's happened with others all at once. People bought them, and within a couple of weeks, they're returning them. That is not going to be this product.

This product will deliver to the expectations of the consumer, and that's why we spent time on the homework and the research and development and said, we're going to wash and dry a full load of laundry in two hours.

Not only that, but we're going to do the bigger loads, too, because that is real life.

Steve Sheinkopf: For me, it checks every box. That's why I said, in the beginning, this is the most exciting product I've ever seen. Not only is it big, but it's also a washer, dryer. It's the latest technology that's way better than what we have now. If it works, and I think you've done the best you can there, this could be just a great product for people to buy.

Ken Rudolph: I want to thank you. I was going to say, Steve, we got a unit coming up your way. So you guys are going to have a good month with this before the release comes. So we want you to be back in it because you've tested it yourself.

Steve Sheinkopf: Yeah, we're going to test it. We're going to test it against other heat pumps, which really isn't fair. The Mieles got a 110, but it's just a dryer. Bosch has got a really good 220.

LG's got the only thing that's somewhat comparable in the wash tower, but you still have to transfer the wash to the dryer, but it's the only other full-size heat pump that's really notable. So we got all those ready to go. We had a space for yours.

All right. I want to thank you for your time. I know you're under a lot of pressure, and I want to thank you for carving out some time for us. Hey, no problem. Thanks again. And man, I wish you the best of luck. This is really inspiring.

Ken Rudolph: Thanks, Steve. Appreciate it. Thank you.

Steve Sheinkopf: Otherwise, if you're looking for the best conventional washers and dryers, check out this video about the best front-load laundry for 2023. Thank you, Ken, and thanks for watching.

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Key Takeaways:

• GE has developed a ventless All-In-One washer-dryer unit called the UltraFast Combo.
• The UltraFast Combo employs new heat pump technology with smart functionality and Microband and UltraFast technologies.
• The machine can wash and dry a 10-pound mixed load of laundry in about two hours and handle large loads, including a king-size comforter or a 22-pound load.
• The UltraFast Combo is a connected appliance with smart functionality through the SmartHQ app, allowing users to monitor the cycle, see what cycle is selected, and even turn on the machine remotely.
• The machine uses a 110-volt power source for a good portion of the drying process, along with a lower-temperature heat source.
• GE started developing heat pump technology about seven years ago and paired it with their UltraFast front load washer three years ago.
• Ken Rudolph, the lead designer, and inventor, explains that the machine works because of the airflow in the product.
• GE tested multiple technical and consumer prototypes to refine the product.
• GE has developed a new engineering test protocol that tests the machine's performance as both a washer and a dryer.
• The testing process included putting the machine through a series of loads and conducting real-world testing in two dozen homes.
• Compact washers and dryers release a lot of heat into the house, so if you choose a smaller set and it is not a heat pump, you will spend more money on air conditioning.
• The GE All-In-One Washer and Dryer is a disruptor in the market, and the company hopes that other companies will follow in its footsteps. 

FAQs about the GE Ultrafast Combo Washer & Dryer

Read More: Frequently Asked Questions about the GE Ultrafast Combo Washer & Dryer

Additional Resources

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