white goods (boring, I know!)

[Lizlette]

We're in the (early) stages of a kitchen extension to get a kitchen diner, which will necessitate a new kitchen! Currently have not enough cupboards and only space for 1 machine (washing machine). My original hope was lots more cupboards, and dishwasher, and the separate washing machine and dryer, but that is looking unlikely, and the options are probably:

1. Decent number of cupboards, dishwasher and washer dryer,
2. Decent number of cupboards, washing machine and tumble dryer,
3. Less cupboards and all three white goods.

I'm leaning towards 1, we've survived this long (2yr old in washable nappies) without a tumble dryer, so the dryer was just to take the worst of the water out in winter and prevent the 'chinese laundry' look of everything hanging around, we have a dehumidifier and no damp issues, so I guess a washer dryer would give the option of having a dryer without losing space, but is the washing part of a washer dryer as good as a washing machine?

Absolutely hate washing up, so would really like a dishwasher (DH does the vast majority of the cooking, so I can't really complain about him not doing it often.)

Would love people's thoughts /experiences on which option to go with?

Just as an extra option we have our tumble dryer in the shed yes it means going outdoors in winter but we don't get the noise and it gives us the extra space in the kitchen

I would go for washing machine and dishwasher. We got rid of the washer drier as the drier was a bit rubbish

Can you get a slimline dishwasher? We have one to save on space and it's fine for us (family of 4). Couldn't be without my tumble drier!

Thought about dryer somewhere else, but we don't have a garage, and our outside store is quite low, sort of bike store, rather than shed so I don't know if that would work?

Was thinking slimline dishwasher, there's only 3 of us, one day maybe 4, but not for a while yet.

Do slimline tumble dryers exist?

Hmmmm, I forsee some time spent with graph paper and scale sized mockups!

If a tumble fits it'll work
Appliances direct do small compact dryer as well

Or could you have a tall cupboard in the kitchen were you can stack them

I moved my washing machine upstairs when we got a new boiler - I bought a quiet one and put it in the cupboard that the hot water cylinder came out of. It's handy having it upstairs because it's where the laundry baskets are. I put a dishwasher in its place in the kitchen.

When DS2 came along, I decided to get a dryer. I could have stacked it on/under the washing machine, but I had by then turned the cupboard into a small utility space with a bit of worktop and shelving and I didn't want to change that. Instead, I (just) squeezed it into a cupbard in the downstairs hall that was used for junk. It is a condensor dryer, as there is no outside wall, and I have to leave the cupboard door open while it's being used, but it has worked out well. I love being able to get all the bedding and towels dry quickly.

Hmmmm, have found spin dryers, any thoughts/experiences? They look small enough to hide in a wardrobe or something!

Spin dryers are not tumble dryers. They don't heat, they just spin out excess water at very high speed. We have one and it's great for heavy items - cuts tumble drying time in half - but it does crease things up quite a lot.

I'd go with a separate washer & dryer and slimline dishwasher. Perhaps worth stacking the washer & dryer as others have mentioned?

Or maybe a small, compact 3kg dryer? White knight make one. My parents used to have one and it fit inside a normal kitchen cupboard