Washer/dryer, separate units, or just washing?

[iismum]

We're making major changes to the house and one of the things we need to decide on is the location of the washing machine and whether or not they'll be a tumble dryer. We've never had a tumble dryer before and I'm not really keen them. We've got really high ceilings with pulleys for laundry, so drying space isn't a problem.

But DH wants to get one to put his shirts in so that they will be less crumpled without ironing. He rarely irons (we're both pretty lazy with this) and his shirts - out of the washing machine onto the drying rack - are a bit creased. He works from home and doesn't have to be smart, so perfectly creaseless is not necessary, but it would be nice for them to be better than they are. His sister uses her tumble dryer to put things like shirts into, and part-dries them till the creases from the spin-cycle come out, and then hangs them up, and they seem to be pretty crease-free without ironing this way.

So - my questions are:

1. does this really work? Well enough for it to be worth getting a tumble dryer for?
2. in this situation (only planning to tumble-dry a few items) would a washer/dryer be ok? Or are they a bit rubbish?

Any thoughts would be very helpful!

Washer drivers tend not to wash or dry very well ime.

The length of time a cycle takes in a washer drier is massive. If you plan on ever wanting to do more than 1 load in a day, then don't bother.

If you're going to do this, then get a separate drier.

In terms of ironing, yes it really works. I tumble dry everything and fold straight from the drier. The shirts are the only thing we do iron, because DH likes crisp shirts for work. Nothing else is ironed.

Will it be worth it for just odd bits? Not really, I wouldn't bother if it was just for a few items a week. I could find better use for the kitchen space if that was the case. But we are a family of 6 and I tumble dry, so don't iron, 95% of our laundry. For us, it's definitely worth it.

I really dislike washer/dryers. The drying cycle always leaves clothes more creased than a stand alone dryer (maybe the size of the drum?). I've always preferred the units separate and when space is tight, we stand the dryer on top of the washing machine. I dry outside or on an airer when possible, but sometimes a dryer is really handy (like most of the winter!)

I never got on with washer dryers.
Why don't you put the shirts straight onto hangers to dry.