Integrated washing machine and dishwasher

[Beano78]

We're currently in the middle of a renovation and extension and will now have a large open plan kitchen diner with snug area/play area, plus an additional lounge. At the moment we have freestanding appliances bit are thinking about getting integrated dishwasher and washing machine so that we can hide them away. What is everyone's experience with integrated as I'm hearing very mixed reviews!

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MNHQ

Integrated dishwasher = great, integrated washing machine is a no from me. They’re typically a bit smaller drum wise, and the door has to be closed on them which makes them smell quite funky. Is there nowhere else it can go?

Well..afraid not much help here. We extended like you but also designed in a utility as I wanted freezers, washer and dryer all out of the kitchen. After my last kitchen I wanted as few as possible integrated appliances as possible. My experience was they were expensive, lesser quality and a nightmare to fix.

So in the kitchen, the inky integrated alliance I have is a dishwasher. These are easy to pull out and the integrated front is just a kitchen front panel which just screws on. We have a large freestanding American style fridge..which I just luvvv

What you find with integrated washers and dryers is that they all have bespoke hinges for the panel doors. Come the day when the alliance needs changing, you need a new panel as well which is expensive in some cases and more likely, no longer available. You are then committed to expensive repairs often beyond economic viability as frankly if my alliance is out of warranty now, I just replace it as is virtually never worth calling out an engineer.

So I think reality is if you are replacing your kitchen though, you will be stuck with integrated alliances as reality is free standing don't look great.

Oh...consider getting timers in your alliances if you can. If you have a living area with your kitchen, having washers etc on will drive you mad so set a delay to come in at night. We notice the noice in our utility but doors shut and it is fine

We thought about putting the washing machine in the garage but the drainage would be a nightmare to sort out. We thought about putting in a utility when we planned the building work too, buy decided that we'd rather use the space for living space, especially as we have a garage where we already store an extra freezer etc

We have a Miele integrated dishwasher in the kitchen. My advice is that it’s perfect. It’s very very quiet. In open plan that’s ultra important. We barely know it’s on. Therefore buy one with the lowest decibels you can find. Start with a Miele though!

Regarding washing machine, I have mine in a laundry room and I much prefer this arrangement over a kitchen. The room has the tumble dryer and houses all the cleaning materials and equipment and a large sink. If you could find a separate laundry room, I would. Build on the end of the garage? It’s a very useful space and it really does separate cooking from cleaning which, in my view, is desirable.

My washing machine is an ultra quiet Miele and again I wouldn’t go for anything else. Very few washing machines are integrated now so don’t buy one. If you need a tumble dryer, buy freestanding too. I value having space in my laundry room to store ironing equipment and I have hanging space too. I think it would add value to your house to have one.

We definitely can't add a utility room as the budget and space just wouldn't stretch to it. We looked at putting one in when we started the extension, but didn't want to lose the space from the living areas, especially when we already have a large garage for storing things. We could fit the washing machine in the garage but we'd struggle to put in the correct drainage as it's detached from the house. Such a shame as this would be the ideal thing to do!

Is there anywhere upstairs you can put the washing machine? I think we are bonkers in this country - carting clothes up and down stairs to wash them.

Something like this!

They do look tidier especially in a small kitchen but they are more expensive to buy, less choice and more expensive to fit if you pay Curry's to do it!

Integrated dishwasher definitely go for it but I wouldn't have another washing machine. Ours used to sound like it was taking off and as a PP said the drum was smaller.

I couldn't believe the choice we had of freestanding ones when we moved and they were so much better value for money!

I’ve got an integrated washer and so far (touch wood) it’s been fine. I much prefer not having to look at a freestanding machine in a line of cupboards. The dishwasher is also fine.
I would love a utility as it is noisy, but we don’t have an open plan space so I can shut the door on it. If there is anywhere you can tuck away the washer and tumble in a cupboard like the previous picture, that would be a good option.

For me an integrated machine was a good compromise when I had a limited budget to get a utility room etc.

I'm assuming you have a rain water drain on your detached garage? Easiest option would be to have it run into that.

I have to agree that an integrated washing machine is nowhere near as good as a freestanding one. Dishwashers are a different story! I have had both types and for the last 15 years have had integrated. I've had both types by Miele and my current integrated one is a top of the range Neff. I've had the latest one for 3 years and I am very impressed with it.

Dishwasher fine

Washing machine unreliable and expensive. I have mine in my dressing room/en suite. It's perfect. Washer to Dryer (with heat recovery so no dampness) and straight back onto hangers. I love it.

@Imonaplane, what didn't you like about integrated washing machines?

We've got an integrated washing machine and dishwasher, nowhere else for the washing machine to go. Both fine, get quiet machines, I make sure I dry the rubber seal of the washing machine after every use, I leave the washing machine door open at night to keep it from smelling musty, absolutely no problem. The extra door makes it even quieter.

I've only had this integrated washing machine for four years and Ihonestly don't see any difference to free standing, other than the price!

They look much better. We had to change our washing machine, it was easy enough to screw the door on but the machine was annoyingly more expensive for what is essential a couple of drilled holes and a slightly different bottom. We'd stick to them for the look though.

Why would they be different on performance? Our integrated is literally just a normal washing machine with pre drilled holes for the door and slight gap at the bottom, there has been no difference in how it washes clothes.....?

Whoever mentioned having a timer to put washer on at night, remember fire risks in having machines going at night.......

I think free standing washing machines are more plentiful so you get more However Siemens, Bosch and Neff all have integrated Best Buys at Which. So you don’t have to compromise on quality.

I think stacking looks off in a kitchen. I do have that arrangement in my laundry room.

I’m not sure I’d lug washing out to the garage if it’s not convenient but if it was and a laundry could be created there I would consider it. Obviously it needs a drain and water supply but I wouldn’t rule it out. Are you planning to keep all your cleaning materials and ironing board in the kitchen too?

Cleaning material that we use daily will be kept in the kitchen. Other stuff we just keep in the garage....they're out of the kids way there anyway! The ironing board is in a wardrobe upstairs as I hardly ever use it 😂

The garage has a water supply and a rainwater drain, but it would be a nightmare joining it up to the drain that the washing machine would have to drain into.

All our appliances are integrated and we’ve had no issues with any of them

Is the drain open (with a grill on it)? Or does it go into the ground directly? If it is a closed drain, it is on the mains drainage. If it is an open drain, it can be on mains drainage or a soakaway. The easiest way to work this out, is by pouring water down it, if the water runs away quickly, it's on the mains drainage, if it takes a while to slowly drain, it is likely a soakaway. If the drain is going in to the ground, then you can always add a strap on boss to it www.screwfix.com/c/heating-plumbing/soil-pipe-fittings/cat7760001?producttype=strap_boss without having to dig anything up

If you're redesigning anyway and the kitchen is large then I'd be really trying hard to find a way of adding small utility, even if it's tiny - then they wouldn't have to be integrated and it gets the horrible noise out of the kitchen.

@Muchlywrong it's an open drain with grill. I'm pretty sure it goes into the mains rainwater drain, but doesn't connect to the foul water drain, which a washing machine would have to do.

@TimeWastingButFun, we're mid build and commited to not having a utility. The placement of it would have meant losing a window which we weren't willing to do. We have plenty of storage elsewhere and not overly bothered by the noise as tend to do quick washes when we're getting on with other stuff that needs doing.