Why Are Laundry Pedestals So Expensive? (Find Out Now!)

If you don’t have any lower back, knee, or hip pain, you may take for granted bending over to fill or empty your washer and dryer. Unfortunately, this seemingly simple task can turn into an arduous, painful chore for some folks. Since we have all but no choice to do laundry relatively often, those who face pain while doing so may want to look into a laundry pedestal.

Laundry pedestals are expensive because they are made from sturdy and costly materials like titanium or steel. Also, some pedestals are made to fit your space, pushing the price higher for a custom build. Instead of buying one for between $250-$300, you can DIY and build a pedestal with marine-grade plywood or pressure-treated lumber for anywhere from $60 to $100.

One huge price factor for laundry machines is the material they’re made out of. Many of the higher-end models are made from titanium or steel. These more rigid metals are expensive because the metal itself is hard and expensive to create, let alone shape into a product. But, one bonus of buying a pedestal made from tough metal is that it will last for decades.

On the cheaper end of things, you can find wood pedestals as well. While wood models won’t cost you as much, it’s not recommended to use wood because water and condensation from the machines can cause them to rot. So while you may save money upfront on a wood pedestal, they’re ultimately not going to give you much value over time compared to their metal counterparts.

On average, a washing machine weighs 250 pounds. A single gallon of water weighs 8.3 pounds. Plus, you’re going to have clothes in the machine, and when the machine is on it moves around and vibrates a lot.

All of this implies that there is going to be a good amount of stress on your laundry pedestal, and it must hold up. Anytime you buy a product that is rigid and built to last, it’s going to be more expensive. Resilient products are made from thoughtful designs, and good materials. Supporting hundreds of pounds, every second, for years on end means you can expect a higher-priced product.

Part of what you might be paying for with a laundry pedestal is the convenience of more storage. Many laundry rooms serve as a catch-all storage area for those items in your house that don’t quite have a designated place. As a result, the laundry room can get a little bit messy.

Enter your laundry pedestal. Most pedestals will have a hollow middle area where you can put extra detergents and fabric softeners. Or, they can serve as an extra laundry hamper. Maybe your kids have jersey’s and sportswear that can be too smelly to put into a regular hamper; the pedestal is a great place to stow these items away until they’re ready for a wash.

Of course, if you have trouble bending over, this storage area is not ideal. Nonetheless, it can serve as a useful emergency stockpile of laundry supplies should the occasion arise.

Manufacturers and producers the world over know that people are willing to pay more money for items that make their lives more convenient. And with a study from Georgetown showing that 8% of Americans (65 million people) suffer from back pain, the pedestal industry knows that people will pay a premium for these types of items.

The bending, twisting, awkward angles and weight of clothes all make for a painful laundry experience if you have back or other body pain. The pain may even be enough to deter you from doing laundry under normal circumstances. But, if you have a laundry pedestal, washing a load is possible.

We agree with you; it’s a pain having to pay more money in order to achieve a basic task. Unfortunately, that’s just the way life is. But hey, you can always search the web for a secondhand pedestal to save yourself some money!

If you need the pain saving convenience of a pedestal but just cannot justify handing out hundreds of dollars for one, there is one popular alternative that a lot of people use instead: cinderblocks. Cinderblocks may not give you the look or storage of a traditional pedestal but nonetheless serve the same function.

Cinderblocks can be found in just about every corner of the country, and they will cost a fraction of the price of a steel or titanium pedestal. Instead of cinderblocks, you could also try stacking a few bricks on one another for the same effect.

There are numerous websites around that will show you how to build a pedestal using standard materials that can be found at your local hardware store. However, if you build a pedestal from wood you need to waterproof the wood, or else it can rot from any leaking water. Also, really make sure your pedestal is reinforced – it’s going to be constantly bearing a good deal of weight.

For any DIY option, just be careful and ensure your laundry machines are genuinely secure on these surfaces. Washers and dryers can experience a good deal of shaking while they’re operating, and the last thing you want is for the machine to fall.

Related Questions

Can any pedestal be used for any machine?

The short answer is no. Not just any pedestal can be used for any machine. For example, if you own a Samsung machine, you’ll want to search for a pedestal compatible with Samsung’s. Samsung may even sell its own line of pedestals. The same is true for LG and Kenmore laundry machines.You can also find pedestals made by independent manufacturers that are designed for specific machines. This may save you some money, as pedestals sold by laundry machine brands tend to cost more than pedestals sold by independent retailers.

Are pedestals worth it just for the aesthetic appeal?

Whether a laundry pedestal is worth it, in general, is an entirely different topic, but there’s no need to feel silly buying a pedestal just because you like the way it looks.Pedestals can genuinely improve the look of any laundry machine and laundry room. It’s common to buy a pedestal that matches the color of your machine, so it will look as if the pedestal is a natural extension of the machine.A pedestal will also take attention away from a yawning gap between your machine and the floor. Most laundry machines are raised off of the floor, and a dark, dusty gap is created between the bottom of the machine and the floor. With a pedestal, that gap is gone. This may be especially helpful if your laundry machine is located somewhere other than a designated washroom.

Laundry pedestals can run into the mid-hundreds of dollars because they are load-bearing products, generally made from durable materials like titanium or steel. These hardened materials are difficult to make and craft, so naturally cost more money.

Additionally, you’re going to be paying for the convenience the pedestals provide. They take pressure off your back and joints since you don’t have to bend down as low to reach into the laundry machine, and they also typically serve as additional storage spaces.

Unfortunately, it’s precisely because laundry pedestals provide such a benefit that they can wind up setting you back a couple of hundred dollars.