What is the best commercial laundry machine for your apartment building?

Are you a property owner or manager who is looking to outfit or upgrade your apartment building’s laundry room? We can help you to pick the best commercial laundry machines (in the right quantities) for your needs.

Welcome to our quick guide to the best commercial washer and dryer for your building.

What's the difference between a commercial washer and a regular one?

We hear this question often. “Can’t I just get a residential washer and dryer and call it a day?” We strongly recommend it, and often have folks who have gone that route in the past come to us looking for the best commercial washers and dryers anyway, while regretting their purchase.

Here’s why.

The best commercial laundry machines are built to run all day every day. They are built to be durable, and their parts are designed to be serviced (by service professionals) so that they last and last.

Your standard residential machine is not built for constant use. SFGate explains “Washers are rated by how many cycles they can perform before they break. Each load is considered one cycle, so for a washer to last 14 years, it must be able to handle about 5,100 cycles. Of course, machines that cost less may only be rated at 4,000 cycles, while high-end machines may be rated at 8,000 cycles or higher.”

The best commercial laundry machines are built to last well over 10,000 cycles. This means that you will save money over time by not having to replace your equipment so frequently.

The best commercial laundry machines are also built to be both more energy and water efficient. Because commercial machines can wash more per load, that means that residents can wash fewer loads overall, saving water, power, and time!

How many commercial washers and dryers do I need?

The answer to this question depends on the size and demographic of your apartment building. The Multi-Housing Laundry Association recommends 1 washer/dryer pair per 8-12 units if your population is mostly families, and 1 pair per 10-15 units of young working adults.

The Multi-Housing Laundry Association also recommends the following commercial washer and dryer best practices: “There should always be one energy efficient, single load dryer for each washer. When more than one dryer is required, stacked dryers may be used. Double load dryers are less energy efficient and may slow the laundry completion process when used to dry less than a double wash load.” And finally, they recommend “Energy efficient 14-16 lb., heavy duty commercial washers.”

Our pick for the best commercial washer and dryer

You want a commercial washer that will last and last, and one that meets your resident’s needs. You also want machines that can fit both your space and your budget. For all of these reasons (and because they are so versatile in terms of the payment options they permit), we recommend Wascomat laundry equipment.

The Wascomat Encore Washer is an excellent choice for apartment building laundry rooms. According to their website, Wascomat’s Encore washers “are built to last 15,000+ cycles — that’s 3 times longer than residential appliances and top-loader models.”

Not only will it last longer than a residential washer, it will also save up to 60% on water over those units, and will do so while featuring a HUGE 22lb capacity.

Likewise, we recommend the Wascomat Encore Dryer. It’s always a good idea to match brands between your commercial washers and dryers to ensure the best service and maintenance. But more, the Wascomat Encore Dryer is a best-bet best commercial clothes dryer.

The Wascomat Encore Dryer is an industrial-strength commercial dryer that can handle large loads and can run more than 15,000 cycles. This large-capacity machine features a 22lb drum and is designed to be energy and cost-efficient.

One of the things that we like best about Wascomat laundry equipment for apartment buildings is that they are available in stand alone units, or in a space-saving stacked configuration. Because these units are so affordable, they make the best commercial washers and dryers for either a new laundry room install, for replacing other machines, or for a system upgrade.

Fortunately, SelfOp Laundry can help you get your hands on the Wascomat Encore laundry equipment we have discussed above. Our team can help you to get and install the right number of the best commercial laundry machines to fit your needs.

Ready to buy a commercial washer or dryer? Check out our options here.