My girlfriend and I got an nice under counter Equator 2-in-1 model when we remodeled our house in Boston.
The previous owner had left us a stacked Sears crap-o special. And because it was in the kitchen we got rid of it right quick.

The under counter model worked out great.
I wouldnt want to use it for a family though. For the two of us it worked fine. She would take out stuff she wanted washed delicately, or line dried and everything else would get tossed in. We'd set the wash cycle and the dry cycle, and go to work.
When we got home the clothes were clean and dry.

The dry cycle took a little longer than a conventional dryer, but I think that was mostly because we opted for the non-venting dryer model. It pumps the humid dryer air over some cold tubing which condenses the moisture and then it pumps it down the drain. Worked like a charm.

Was quite expensive though. about $1100 US in 2001.

Thats it on the left during mid-remodel.