Laundry
Buying guides for laundry, ranked by the noise figures makers publish.
Are ASKO washers quiet? Current models print no dB, dryers 58 to 61 dB(A)
ASKO prints no noise figure for its six current US washers. Two older Limited availability models list one: the W4114C.W 74 dB(A) spinning and 52 washing, the W2084.W 75 and 51. ASKO's 10 current dryers list 58 to 61 dB(A) for drying, lowest on the $1,499 vented T3VW.
Bosch washing machine decibels chart, 51 to 52 dBA washing and 72 to 75 spinning
Bosch prints two decibel figures for every US compact washer. The 300 Series WGA14400UC lists 52 dBA washing and 72 spinning, the lowest spin figure; the 500 and 800 Series list 51 and 75. The dryers carry one Silence Level each, 63 to 67 dBA, and the heat pump spec sheets print 62 where the pages say 63.
The quietest stackable washer and dryer on paper, pair by pair
Bosch's 500 Series pair is the quietest stack we can verify: 51 dBA washing, 75 dBA spinning, and 62 dBA for the heat pump dryer on top (63 on its product page). The 300 Series spins quieter under a 67 dBA dryer. Plus the Beko and ASKO pairs, their kits, and what stacking means for vibration and leveling.
The quietest compact dryers for a stacked closet
A 24-inch ventless dryer stacked on a compact washer in a closet runs for two to four hours a few feet from a bedroom. Which heat pump and condenser compacts publish a figure, what a closet door needs, drain or tank, the chime you can switch off, and the one compact that runs on 120 V.
The quietest compact washers: 24-inch front loaders with a published figure
Five brands print a decibel figure for a 24-inch compact washer in the US. See the wash and spin figures kept apart, which compacts run on a 120 V outlet, what a stack or an under-counter install needs, and what the manuals say about spin speed and wooden floors.
The quietest top load washers, by published decibels
Two top loader brands publish a noise figure: Speed Queen for the wash, Midea for the wash or the spin. See what each figure covers, agitator or impeller, the lid lock clicks and how to switch off the end-of-cycle chime.
The quietest washer dryer combos, and the few decibel figures behind them
One drum that washes and dries, often in a closet with no vent. In the US, just two combo brands print a decibel figure: Equator, tied to its Quiet program, and KoolMore, with no cycle named. Here is what each figure covers, which big names print none, and when the spin lands in an apartment.
The quietest clothes dryers
The quietest dryer you can verify on paper is a 24 inch compact, because only compacts carry a maker noise figure, at 58 to 67 dB(A) as printed. The quietest heat pump and vented dryers, and why no full size dryer publishes a number.
The quietest washing machines, by published decibels
The Bosch 300 Series WGA12400UC lists 52 dBA washing and 72 dBA spinning, the lowest spin figure published in the US. Most brands publish nothing and ENERGY STAR ignores noise. The quietest washing machine by published figures, and why the spin figure, delay timer and closet outlet decide an apartment install.