Seperate Washer and Dryer or Washer/Dryer ?

[duke748]

Hi all.

I would really appreciate your help on this one.

We are moving into a new house soon. Coming from rented, we need all kitchen appliances.

There is room at the end of the kitchen for a fridge/freezer and space under the counter for one appliance.

Bearing in mind I am about to have my first baby, will a washer/dryer be OK?

I could have a dryer in a cupboard under the stairs, just off the kitchen. However this is also the cupboard that I would keep hoover, mop and baby buggy/pram etc in. Whilst the cupboard is quite big, its long and narrow, so I would have to move all of this stuff out of the way to get to the dryer.

My other half seems to think a seperate dryer will be a necessity once baby comes along, whereas I don't think it would actually be used as it is so inaccessable. So would we would be better off with a washer/dryer in the kitchen itself or is a seperate washer and dryer in the cupboard a better idea?

At the moment I line dry all of my washing and don't use a dryer at all, but I appreciate I will have a lot of sicky/poohy baby stuff in the near future!

So, I just wondered what your opinions were ladies......

Thanks,

Duke

i think having a dryer is very, very useful... but then thats only me! you could build a shelf over the dryer in the cupboard to store stuff? or even put the dryer on a reinforced shelve to store stuff underneath? so hen you have a utility cupboard.

seperate washer and dryer if at all possible. I have had a washer dryer in the past, handy if not much space, but you really need to remove half the washing before you can dry some, and it was a bit of a faff if you have one of those days when you need both going at the same time. Maybe they are better these days, this was a few years back.

My experience of washer-dryers is that they do neither job well and take ages about it.

I'd have separates any day, and could live without a dryer, esp with just one DC. None have mine have been sicky babies so didn't generate that much washing til weaning.

But we use washable nappies and I have to admit the dryer in winter is a godsend. Our dryer lives in the garage.

I don't think washer/dryers are that great, tbh. I have two small children and have never had a dryer, it is perfectly possible to manage without one. If you can squeeze one in - great - if not, I wouldn't worry!

Separate if you possibly can. Dryers have much bigger drums than washing machines and so washer-dryers take FOREVER to dry clothes.

Garage is a good place to keep your dryer if you have one. Or if you have a garden, even a decent shed can be a good place for both washing machine and dryer (leaving space under counter for dishwasher which is also v handy with a baby!)

Thanks loads for your messages so far.

No garage unfortunately, but we will have a shed that won't have a lot in it.

I guess I could have the buggy kept in the garage, seeing as I will have to go outside if I am using it anyway.

Then the understairs cupboard would have just dryer and hoover/mop etc in it.

Not sure I fancy trapsing through the garden with my undies to wash/dry them in the middle of winter!

The cupboard is under the stairs, so although its full height at the entrance, at the back its actually only the height of an appliance. Otherwise, putting it on a shelf would be a fab idea.

Hmmmph.

Choices, choices....

Could you put it on a shelf at the front of the cupboard so that everything else can be slid out underneath it? That's what my neighbours upstairs have done, just remembered. So that the back of the top of the dryer is touching the ceiling of the cupboard. Then you should be able to put mops/buckets/buggies underneath.

Can I put the case for a washer/dryer? We have one and it works well for us because we hardly ever use the dryer (even when our DS was a baby) but it's ever so handy to have the dryer for when you need to do the odd thing. Also, tumble-drying clothes is horrendously expensive on the electricity and very unecological, so not having a separate one seemed a good option as we're happy to hang and drape our washing. But it all depends on what your washing needs and preferences are!

If you have an electrical socket under the stairs, imo get a condenser dryer for that cupboard. You can have a shelf higher up and can stack it all away. As others have said a combination is a compromise, fine if space is a real issue but as condenser dryers can be free standing and just need plugging in, go for that.

I've had a washer / dryer, just a washing machine & a separate washing machine and dryer & would recommend both machines if you can fit them in. Means you can have both machines running at the same time & the dryer is great for towels and bedlinen.

i have both- when kitchen re-done went for a washer- dryer as i was fed up with traipsing to the garage with the washing that 5 people generate, i used it once to dry!

it took hours to wash and dry and the it has a choice of iron dry or dry. the iron dry is basically still too damp to put away and the dry setting means it is creased. what is more once it is on, you cant stop it!

i would really recommend a seperate tumble dryer- yes they are pricey on the electricity but i just dont know how people get clothes for 5 people dry without living in a laundry ( probably more organised than me tbh)

If you have the dryer in the cupboard make sure it can be ventilated, as the dry moist air from the dryer needs to go somewhere.
I also would go for separate washer and dryer given the space.

small flat with only space for 1 big appliance, so have a washer/dryer

definitely separate!!! You waste soooo much energy just drying out the machine after a wash before it can even come close to actually drying your clothes. We have a washer/dryer....it takes a good 2.5 hours to dry a half load of SHEETS for god's sake!!! What a waste of machinery!!!!

Definitely seperate. Having just swapped myself I would rather have a jolly good washing machine and do without a dryer at all than have a washer/dryer. My dryer broke down within a couple of months of getting it and the washing often had to be done twice.