Your choice of washer and dryer is an important one, since these are two of the most used appliances in the home and contribute significantly to your energy bill. Factors such as available space, load to be handled, energy rating and convenience features should be considered. With the many brands and models of washers and dryers in the market, you will be able to find a combination that meets your requirements.
You would usually find a washer and dryer side by side in the laundry room. But if you have limited space or you don’t have a laundry room, stacking these two appliances is a good option. Whether you live in a small apartment or condo, or you simply want to get more space out of your laundry room, there are several ways to set this up.
A laundry center has controls at eye level for the dryer, which is on top, and is designed to be easy to reach. However, laundry center models tend to have fewer features than stand alone units. With regards to space, there are units that can fit easily in a cabinet or in the kitchen, but they cannot handle large amounts of laundry.
A laundry center comes with a dryer on top of a washer, both front-loading. The controls of the dryer are at eye level and designed to be easy to reach. Compared to stand-alone units, laundry center models have fewer bells and whistles, so to speak, and while some models can easily fit a cabinet or can be placed in the kitchen, the capacity is limited.
Having a separate washer and dryer solves this problem. It also gives you the flexibility to choose the model that suits your needs. This can be in terms of capacity (to handle the amount of laundry that you have), energy-saving capability and other special features.
You can opt to purchase separate washer and dryer units instead. The search may take longer, but you will be able to get the best possible combination for your needs. You are not tied to any particular capacity or feature or obligated to buy the same brand for the two appliances.
However, only certain models can be stacked safely. Even so, bigger units need a kit or supporting frame to make the set-up more stable. Also, you should check if the combined height of the stack does not inconvenience you by making the dryer controls hard to reach.
If you are concerned with saving space and maintenance and replacement costs, a combined washer-dryer unit may be the answer. There is only one appliance to deal with, and many models either come with pre-programmed wash-rinse-dry cycles or can be programmed to handle clothes using the cycle that you specify. There is less variety for this kind of appliance, compared to stand-alone washers and dryers.
Wes Sims specializes in writing about refrigerators and other greatappliances. It is important to read reviews and articles discussing appliances for your home like a washer, dryer, or other heavily used items so you know you are getting the best products.