Best-Rated Washer and Dryer Sets

The short answer: for most households the best-rated washer and dryer set is a front-load pair in the 4.5–5.0 cu ft range with a matching 7.4 cu ft dryer — front-loaders clean better, use 40–60% less water, spin faster (so the dryer runs shorter), and stack when floor space is tight. The exceptions are real, though: if you want a top-load with an agitator that finishes a load in 35 minutes, a Speed Queen mechanical-control pair is the one that outlives everything else in the room; if you have no exterior wall to vent through, a heat-pump ventless pair is the only honest option; and if your laundry closet is 24 inches deep, nothing full-size will fit no matter how well it’s rated.

What “best rated” actually measures — and what it hides

Ratings for laundry appliances come from three very different places, and they don’t agree with each other. Consumer-facing ratings reflect owner satisfaction after 6–18 months, which is long enough to catch a noisy spin cycle but not long enough to catch a failed control board at year four. Energy ratings measure IMEF (integrated modified energy factor, higher is better) and IWF (integrated water factor, lower is better) under a standardized test load. Repair-industry data tracks which brands come back for service in years 3–8, which is the number that actually predicts your ownership cost.

A set that scores brilliantly on cleaning and energy can still be a bad purchase for you because of a 31-inch depth, a 240 V ventless requirement, or a lid that needs 22 inches of clearance above it. So treat any rating as a starting filter, then apply the eight criteria below against your actual space, wiring, and household.

The eight things that decide a washer and dryer set

1. Capacity: rated drum volume vs. what actually fits

Washer capacity is quoted as drum volume in cubic feet, and the relationship to real laundry is looser than the marketing suggests. A front-load washer’s usable volume runs roughly 85–90% of rated; a top-load with an impeller runs closer to 70–80%, because the load has to move freely and the fill level is set by sensors. An agitator top-load drops further, since the agitator post occupies the middle of the drum.

Practical mapping, using dry-weight estimates:

• 1.5–2.4 cu ft (compact, 24 in wide): 1–2 people, 8–12 lb per load, one set of queen sheets at a time. No king comforter.
• 3.5–4.2 cu ft: 2–3 people, 14–18 lb per load, queen comforter fits with room to spare.
• 4.5–5.0 cu ft: 4–5 people, 20–23 lb per load, king comforter and a week of towels in one go.
• 5.2–5.5 cu ft: 5+ people or heavy bedding turnover. Bigger than most people need, and it costs more to run a half-empty drum.

Dryer capacity should be roughly 1.5–2× the washer’s, which is why the standard full-size dryer sits at 7.3–7.4 cu ft against a 4.5–5.0 cu ft washer. A dryer that’s too small for the load means two cycles, and two cycles cost more than the larger dryer did.

2. Cycle performance: what washability scores actually reward

Front-loaders win on stain removal because they tumble clothes through a small pool of concentrated detergent rather than soaking them in a large dilute bath. They also extract far more water at the end of the spin — typically 1,200–1,400 RPM on mid-range models, up to 1,600 RPM on premium European machines — which is why the matching dryer finishes 15–25 minutes sooner than it would after a top-load wash.

The trade-offs: front-load cycles run 50–75 minutes and up to 2 hours on sanitize or steam settings, versus 30–45 minutes for a top-load. Front-loaders also need the door left ajar between uses and a periodic drum-clean cycle to control odor, which is the single most common complaint about the category and is almost always a maintenance habit problem rather than a design failure.

Top-load washers without an agitator (impeller designs) sit in the middle: gentler on fabric than an agitator, less effective on heavy soil, and they use more water than a front-load but far less than the old 40-gallon machines. If you regularly wash grease-stained work clothes, muddy sports gear, or cloth diapers, an agitator top-load or a front-load with a heavy-duty cycle is the better pick.

3. Dimensions, clearances, and the fit nobody checks

This is where most purchases go wrong. The appliance fits the alcove but not the hallway, or the door can’t open, or the hoses have nowhere to go.

• Full-size washer or dryer: 27 in wide, 27–32 in deep (deepest units are front-loaders with a protruding door), 38–39 in tall. Add 4–6 in behind for hoses and the vent, and 20–26 in in front for a front-load door to swing open.
• Stacked pair: 74–79 in tall, 27–29 in wide, 30–33 in deep. A closet needs an 80 in opening and, per most installation manuals, louvered doors or roughly 60 sq in of free air opening at top and bottom.
• Compact 24 in pair: 23.5 in wide, 24–25 in deep, 33–34 in tall; stacked, about 67–69 in.
• Top-load lid: needs 20–24 in of clear space above to open. That rules out under-counter installation entirely and rules out most closets with a shelf.

Room math that works in practice: a 5 × 6 ft closet (30 sq ft) takes a stacked pair or a side-by-side set with 1 in of side clearance each (27 + 27 + 2 = 56 in of wall, so a 60 in wall is enough). A 6 × 8 ft laundry room (48 sq ft) fits a side-by-side pair plus a 24 in folding counter. A 10 × 12 ft room (120 sq ft) fits side-by-side units, a counter, a utility sink, and cabinets without crowding.

Doorway reality: interior doors are 30–32 in wide and a washer is 27 in wide, so the unit passes — but the box is 29–31 in wide and the appliance usually has to come through with the door removed and sometimes the trim as well. The hard part is almost never width. It’s the stairwell turn, the banister, and the landing.

4. Venting: three systems, three different constraints

Vented (most common, electric or gas). Requires 4 in rigid metal duct to the outside. The standard rule is a maximum equivalent run of 25 ft, counting a 45° elbow as 2.5 ft and a 90° elbow as 5 ft. Two 90° elbows plus a 12 ft run is already 22 ft. Foil flex duct is prohibited by most codes because it crushes and traps lint. If the dryer sits close to the wall, a periscope vent saves 4–6 in of depth.

Condenser (ventless, 240 V). Moisture condenses into a tank you empty or a drain hose. Works anywhere, but it’s slower, uses more electricity than a vented electric dryer, and releases heat and some humidity into the room — which matters in a small closet.

Heat pump (ventless, 120 V or 240 V depending on model). The most efficient option by a wide margin and the one to choose if you can’t vent. Cycles run 2–3 hours, temperatures stay low (gentler on elastic and wool), and the condenser fins need cleaning monthly. A 120 V heat pump dryer is a genuine advantage in older homes without a spare 240 V circuit.

5. Energy and water use

Rough annual figures for a household running about 300 loads:

• Front-load washer: 100–160 kWh/yr, 13–20 gal per cycle.
• HE top-load washer: 150–250 kWh/yr, 20–28 gal per cycle.
• Vented electric dryer: 600–900 kWh/yr.
• Heat pump dryer: 200–400 kWh/yr.
• Gas dryer: roughly 200–250 therms/yr, plus a small amount of electricity for the drum and controls.

The number people forget is hot water. Heating the water can account for 60–90% of a washer’s total energy use, which is why washing in cold water matters more than the machine’s kWh rating. A front-load that uses 15 gallons instead of 35 cuts water-heating energy by more than half.

6. Noise and vibration

Published sound levels and real-world annoyance diverge here, because annoyance is about vibration, not decibels. Typical ranges at about 3 ft: front-load wash 52–62 dB, front-load final spin 65–75 dB, top-load wash 55–62 dB, top-load spin with the brake engaging 70–78 dB, dryers 60–68 dB. Decibels are logarithmic — a 10 dB increase reads as roughly twice as loud.

Vibration control is the spec that matters if the laundry is upstairs: four hydraulic dampers plus a heavy concrete counterweight in a front-loader keeps the machine from walking; two dampers and a balance ring in a budget top-load will not. Put a top-load on a 3/4 in plywood platform if it sits over a joist span, and check level in both directions with a spirit level before the first load.

7. Stackability and configuration

Only front-load washers stack. Top-loads cannot, full stop. Stack kits are model-specific and run $40–$250. Stacking frees roughly 9–11 sq ft of floor — the difference between a laundry closet and a laundry room. Integrated towers (washer and dryer built as one unit) save the same space and add a single control panel at chest height, at the cost of being unable to replace one half independently.

Pedestals add 13–16 in of height and give you a drawer. They’re worth it for the ergonomics — they put the door opening around 24–28 in off the floor instead of 14–16 in — and for anyone with back or knee issues that’s the difference between a chore and a problem.

8. Long-term ownership cost

Purchase price is roughly 40% of what a set costs you. The rest is energy, water, detergent, vent cleaning, and repairs. Mechanical-control machines with fewer boards fail less and cost less to fix; touchscreen panels are the most expensive single component to replace and are the most common failure point on premium units after year five.

Construction trade-offs: where the money actually goes

The pattern is consistent: money buys bearings, damping, and metal where plastic would do. Those three things determine how long the machine stays quiet and how long the drum stays centered.

Ten-year cost of ownership

The interesting result: the heat-pump pair costs the most up front and lands in the middle over ten years, because the energy savings claw back a chunk of the premium. The cheap top-load pair is not actually the cheapest to own — it just spreads the cost over a decade of higher utility bills.

Decision matrix: match the set to your situation

The sets, by category

Model numbers refresh every year, so the descriptions below are organized by platform and specification rather than by a specific suffix you may not find next spring. Where a number is given, treat it as the range the current generation sits in.

LG front-load pair (WM-class washer + matching electric or gas dryer)

The default recommendation for most households, and the pair most consistently well-regarded across the categories that matter: cleaning, capacity, and reliability after year three. The mainstream 4.5 cu ft washer pairs with a 7.4 cu ft dryer and offers turbo-style cycles that cut wash time to around 30 minutes without losing extraction. Dimensions are the standard 27 in wide, about 30 in deep, 39 in tall; stacked height lands near 77 in.

What to watch: the direct-drive motor and the thin-profile control board are the two components most often replaced. The 10-year motor warranty covers the motor, not the labor. Venting is standard 4 in rigid duct; the dryer’s sensor-dry works well but the “less dry” settings need recalibrating in humid climates. Stack kit sold separately. Expect $1,400–$2,200 for the pair, more with a gas dryer or a steam option.

LG WashTower (integrated single-unit tower)

A single chassis with the washer underneath and the dryer on top, sharing one control panel mounted at chest height. Around 74 in tall, 27 in wide, 30–31 in deep — genuinely smaller in footprint than a stacked pair and much easier to load because you’re not reaching above your head for the dryer. Worth it if the laundry space is a closet and you want the panel where you can read it without a step stool.

The trade-offs are real: if one half fails, you’re replacing or servicing an integrated unit rather than a separate appliance, and the electrical requirement is not the same as a conventional pair — check whether the model needs both a 240 V dryer circuit and a 120 V washer circuit, or a single feed. Expect $2,000–$2,800.

Samsung front-load pair (with AI/sensor-driven cycles)

Comparable to LG on capacity and cleaning, with a slightly more aggressive feature set: auto-dispensing detergent reservoirs, steam sanitize, and sensor routines that adjust time based on load weight and soil. The 5.0 cu ft washer with a 7.4 cu ft dryer is the configuration most people buy. Dimensions match the category standard at 27 in wide and about 30–32 in deep.

Considerations: the auto-dispense reservoir is convenient but adds a component that can clog with high-viscosity detergent; the touch control panel is the most expensive single part on the machine. Stackable with a model-specific kit. Expect $1,500–$2,400, and note that the vented dryer needs a proper 4 in duct run — Samsung dryers are less tolerant of long, elbow-heavy runs than some competitors.

Samsung top-load pair with impeller

A 4.5–5.0 cu ft impeller washer paired with a 7.4 cu ft dryer. Faster cycles than a front-load (35–45 minutes), no door boot to clean, and no bending to load. Washability on normal soil is good; on heavy soil it’s a step behind a front-loader, and the impeller is rougher on delicate fabrics than a drum.

Best for households that want speed and don’t have a ventless constraint. Expect $1,000–$1,600 for the pair. Not stackable.

Whirlpool front-load pair

The conservative choice. Fewer features, plainer controls, and a repair profile that technicians tend to like because parts are inexpensive and accessible. The mainstream 4.5 cu ft washer with the matching 7.4 cu ft dryer is usually $1,300–$2,000. Cycle times are longer than the turbo-equipped competition — 60–75 minutes on normal — and the dryers are unremarkable but consistent.

Where this pair wins: it’s the one to buy if you want a straightforward machine with a mechanical or simple membrane interface and no touchscreen. Stackable with a kit, standard 27 in footprint.

Whirlpool / Amana budget top-load pair

The entry point. A 3.5–4.5 cu ft top-load washer with an impeller or a dual-action agitator, plus a 7.0 cu ft dryer, usually $800–$1,300 for the pair. Capacities are honest but the drums are smaller than the numbers suggest, the suspension is two dampers, and the machines get loud during spin.

Buy this if you’re outfitting a rental, a first apartment, or a second home you visit monthly. Don’t buy it expecting 15 years. Expect 7–10 with one repair somewhere in the middle.

Maytag top-load pair (agitator, deep-fill capable)

The workhorse of the category. A 4.7–5.3 cu ft agitator washer with a deep-water wash option, paired with a 7.0–7.4 cu ft dryer, typically $1,200–$1,900. The deep-fill option is the reason to choose this over an impeller machine: it’s the setting that actually handles muddy clothes, greasy shop towels, and heavily soiled bedding.

Downsides: more water per cycle (30–40 gallons on a deep fill), longer dry times because the spin extraction is lower than a front-load’s, and more fabric wear. Not stackable. This is the right pair for a farmhouse, a shop, or a household that generates genuinely dirty laundry.

Maytag front-load pair

Maytag’s front-loaders target the same durability reputation as the top-load line, with a heavier suspension and a 10-year drive-motor warranty. The 4.5–5.0 cu ft washer with the matching 7.4 cu ft dryer usually runs $1,400–$2,200. Cycle times and extraction are competitive with LG and Samsung; the control interface is simpler and less feature-dense, which some buyers prefer and others find dated.

GE Profile front-load pair with a ventless heat-pump dryer

The strongest mainstream answer to “I have nowhere to vent.” A 4.8–5.0 cu ft front-load washer with a matching ventless dryer that uses a heat pump rather than a resistance element. No duct, no exterior wall, and roughly 200–400 kWh/yr on the dryer instead of 600–900.

Practical notes: the dryer cycle is long — 2 to 2.5 hours for a full load of towels — so you plan laundry around it rather than doing it impulsively. It needs a drain connection or you’ll be emptying a water tank. Condenser fins want cleaning monthly, and lint filters on ventless dryers are usually two-stage, so there are two things to empty every load. Expect $2,200–$3,200 for the pair. It’s also the best choice for a condo or HOA that prohibits new exterior penetrations.

GE top-load pair with impeller and deep-fill options

A middle-of-the-road 4.5–5.0 cu ft top-load washer with a matching 7.4 cu ft dryer, usually $1,100–$1,700. GE’s control layout is straightforward, the fill options cover both efficiency and heavy soil, and the dryer’s sensor dry is reliable. Not stackable; the lid needs about 22 in of clearance above.

Electrolux front-load pair

The set to look at if you wash a lot of bedding and bulky items. Electrolux front-loaders use a larger door opening and a drum design that handles king comforters more gracefully than most competitors, with a 4.5–5.0 cu ft washer and a 7.4–8.0 cu ft dryer. Expect $1,500–$2,400.

Notable detail: the dryer drum is among the largest in the mainstream category, which shortens dry time on bulky loads. Cycle times on the washer are on the long side, and the brand’s service network is thinner in rural areas than the big three, so check parts availability before buying in a remote location.

Speed Queen top-load pair (mechanical controls)

The outlier, and the answer to a specific question: what lasts longest? Speed Queen’s top-load washer uses a commercial-derived transmission, a stainless drum, and — on the mechanical models — a rotary timer instead of a control board. The matching dryer is similarly simple. Expect $2,600–$3,400 for the pair, which sounds high until you compare the 10-year table above.

What you give up: capacity (typically 3.2–3.5 cu ft, smaller than a mainstream 5.0), cycle flexibility, and features. Water use is higher than an HE front-load. What you get: 15–25 years of service is a realistic expectation, repairs are cheap when they happen, and there is no touchscreen to fail. For a rental property, a farmhouse, or anyone who has replaced two sets in ten years, this is the rational purchase.

Speed Queen front-load pair (FF-class)

The commercial front-loader adapted for home use: 3.4 cu ft capacity, heavy-duty suspension, and a build quality aimed at laundromat duty cycles. Around $2,800–$3,800. It’s louder than a consumer front-load and has fewer cycle options, but the extraction is excellent and the machine is designed to be serviced rather than replaced.

Miele W1 washer with T1 dryer

The premium European pair, usually $3,500–$5,000+. The W1 uses a sealed honeycomb drum, very low water consumption (often under 12 gallons per cycle on eco), and spin speeds up to 1,600 RPM. The matching T1 heat-pump dryer is ventless, 120 V on most models, and extremely gentle on fabric.

The catch is capacity: these are typically 2.3–2.5 cu ft, which is roughly half a mainstream American front-loader. If you’re a household of two in a city apartment, that’s a non-issue and the build quality is unmatched. If you’re washing for five, you’ll be running three loads where one would do. Cycle times are long, and the machines are stackable with a kit at around 67–69 in total height.

Bosch 500 and 800 series compact pair

Similar European positioning to Miele at a somewhat lower price: $1,800–$3,000 for the pair. The 800 series adds a faster cycle and a slightly larger drum. Both use 24 in chassis, stack to about 67–69 in, and offer 120 V heat-pump drying on the matching units. Best for urban apartments and anywhere the space is genuinely 24 in.

Realistic expectations: 2.0–2.4 cu ft washer capacity, 60–90 minute wash cycles, and excellent water and energy efficiency. Parts availability in the US is decent but not universal; a rural buyer should confirm local service before committing.

Fisher & Paykel top-load and heat-pump dryer

An unusual and genuinely useful combination. The top-load washers use a direct-drive motor with no belt and no transmission, and the matching ventless dryers are heat-pump units. For a household that wants top-load convenience without a vent, this is close to the only option at full-ish size. Expect $1,800–$2,800.

The direct-drive design means one fewer wear item (no belt, no idler pulley), and the machines are notably quiet for top-loads. The trade-off is a smaller service footprint in North America than the mainstream brands, and cycles that run longer than a conventional top-load.

Compact 24 in pairs (Haier, LG compact, Bosch, Miele)

For apartments, ADUs, and closets where nothing else fits. Expect 2.0–2.4 cu ft washer capacity, 23.5 in width, 24–25 in depth, and a stacked height around 67–69 in. Prices run $1,600–$2,600 for the pair. Most of these are ventless — either condenser or heat pump — which is exactly what you want in a building where you can’t cut a hole in the wall.

Budget two to three loads per week per person. The trade-off is capacity, not quality; a compact pair from a good manufacturer will last as long as a full-size one.

All-in-one washer-dryer combos (ventless)

A single machine that washes and dries in one drum. Available from LG, GE, Samsung, and Miele at $1,500–$2,800. The advantages are obvious: one appliance, one footprint, one connection, no transferring wet laundry.

The disadvantages are equally concrete. Capacity is limited because a combination machine can only fill the drum partway to leave room for tumbling — a 4.5 cu ft combo might dry only 2.0–2.5 cu ft of laundry per cycle. Cycles run 3–4 hours for wash-and-dry. Lint management is via a flush system rather than a screen, and it needs periodic cleaning. If you’re considering a combo, buy it for the space savings and accept that laundry becomes a background process rather than a task you finish in 90 minutes.

Pedestals, sidekicks, and second-drum add-ons

Pedestals ($200–$350 each) add 13–16 in of height and a storage drawer. Worth it for ergonomics, and they also raise a front-load washer’s door to a comfortable height. A sidekick-style small washer that fits under the main unit’s pedestal ($700–$1,100) adds a second drum for delicates, workout clothes, or a baby’s laundry, at the cost of another water connection and another drain.

Gas vs electric dryer within the same pair

Most pairs are sold in both configurations. Gas dryers cost $100–$200 more up front and typically $50–$100 less per year to run, so the payback is roughly two to three years if you already have a gas line in the laundry area. If you don’t, adding one runs $250–$600 in plumbing plus a permit in many jurisdictions — which pushes the payback past the life of the appliance. Gas dryers also need a 4 in duct just like electric ones; the venting rules don’t change.

Installation realities: weight, doorways, hoses, leveling

• Box weights: full-size front-load washer 180–260 lb, matching dryer 120–160 lb, top-load washer 130–170 lb, compact 24 in units 130–180 lb. Two people with a strap minimum; a third for stairs.
• Doorways: 30–32 in interior doors accept a 27 in appliance, but remove the door and check the trim. Measure the tightest point in the entire path, including the turn at the bottom of a stairwell.
• Hoses: braided stainless steel instead of rubber, replaced every 5 years. Rubber supply hoses are the single most common cause of catastrophic laundry-room flooding.
• Drain: a standpipe should be 2 in diameter and the top of it typically 30–39 in above the floor. If the standpipe is too low, the washer will siphon; too high, the pump will strain.
• Leveling: front-to-back and side-to-side with a spirit level, then lock the nuts. On a wood subfloor, a 3/4 in plywood pad under a top-load cuts walk noticeably.
• Drain pan: required by code in many multi-unit buildings and worth it in any second-floor laundry. $30–$80, plus a drain line to somewhere it can actually go.
• Shipping bolts: front-load washers ship with four bolts locking the drum. Leaving them in destroys the suspension in the first load. This is the most common installation error in the category.

What wears first, and when to repair vs replace

In front-load washers, the order of failure is fairly predictable: door boot gasket (tears or grows mold, $150–$300 installed), drain pump ($150–$300), suspension dampers ($250–$500 for a set), control board ($250–$600), then bearings and the outer tub assembly — which is the point at which most people replace the machine, because the repair runs $600–$900 on a machine worth $700.

In top-load washers: lid lock or lid switch ($120–$220), drain pump, drive belt ($150–$300), transmission or gearcase on older models ($400–$700), then the control board.

In dryers: the belt and idler pulley ($150–$300), drum rollers ($200–$400), moisture sensor or thermistor ($120–$250), heating element ($200–$400), thermal fuse, and — on ventless units — the condenser and the drain pump.

The repair-or-replace line most people use: if the repair is more than 50% of a comparable new machine and the unit is over 8 years old, replace. If it’s a $200 pump on a 6-year-old front-loader, repair it. If it’s a $350 belt and roller job on a 12-year-old mechanical top-load that has never needed anything else, repair it — you’re unlikely to get a better machine.

Buying used

Used laundry pairs are worth considering if you know what to check. Run a spin cycle empty and listen for a rhythmic thump, which means worn bearings or a bent drum spider. Open the door and smell — mildew means a neglected boot gasket. Check the drum for rust at the seam. On a dryer, spin the drum by hand; grinding means rollers. Ask how old the machine is and whether it has ever been moved with the shipping bolts out, because a front-loader transported without bolts often arrives with damaged suspension.

Avoid anything over 12 years old unless it’s a mechanical-control top-load with a documented service history. Expect $250–$600 for a working used pair, which makes sense only if you can move it yourself — delivery and installation on a used set can add $150–$300 and erases the savings.

Frequently asked questions

Is a front-load washer actually better than a top-load?

For cleaning performance, water and energy use, fabric care, and stackability, yes. For cycle speed, upfront cost, and not having to bend or maintain a door gasket, no. The right answer depends on which of those you weight most.

How much clearance does a washer need behind it?

Plan on 4–6 in for supply hoses, the drain hose, and a vent connection. If your alcove is exactly 27 in deep, the machine will protrude — measure the total depth including the door, which can add 2–4 in on a front-loader.

Can I stack any washer and dryer?

No. Only front-load washers stack, and the stacking kit is specific to the model pairing. Top-load washers cannot be stacked under any circumstances.

Do ventless dryers really work as well as vented ones?

They dry thoroughly but take longer — 2 to 2.5 hours for a full load versus 45–60 minutes for vented. They’re also gentler on fabric because they run cooler. If you have the patience and no exterior wall, they work well.

How long should a washer and dryer set last?

A mainstream front-load pair: 9–13 years. A budget top-load pair: 7–10 years. A mechanical-control commercial-style pair: 15–25 years. Heat-pump dryers have a shorter track record but typically carry longer compressor warranties.

Is it worth buying the matching dryer?

Not required, and mixing brands is fine as long as capacities are comparable and the dryer isn’t dramatically smaller than the washer. The main reason to buy the matched pair is that the stacking kit only works within a brand and usually within a model family.

Bottom line

The best-rated washer and dryer set for most homes is a 4.5–5.0 cu ft front-load washer paired with a 7.4 cu ft dryer, stackable, with a direct-drive motor and four-damper suspension, in the $1,400–$2,400 range. If you can’t vent, buy the heat-pump ventless pair and accept longer cycles in exchange for the lowest running cost and total placement freedom. If your priority is the last set you’ll ever buy rather than the best set you can buy today, the mechanical-control top-load pair costs more up front and less over twenty years. And whatever you choose, measure the depth of the alcove, the width of the tightest doorway on the path, and the height of the closet opening before you order — those three numbers eliminate more “best” machines than any rating ever will.