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.
When you buy a laundry center, you are basically getting the washer and dryer as a pair. But what if the quality of one unit is better than the other? What if the washer breaks down before the dryer (and vice versa) and cannot be repaired? It may not be cost effective for you to buy another laundry center when you have one unit (washer or dryer) still running.
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.
Unfortunately, only models marked as “stackable” can be safely set up in this manner. You will probably need to purchase a kit or supporting frame for washers and dryers to make the stack more stable. Also, you need to make sure that the combined height of the appliances does not make the dryer (which is usually on top) hard to reach.
However, capacity may be an issue with this option, since the choices for this kind of appliance is less extensive than for stand-alone washers and dryers.
Wes Sims specializes in writing about refrigerators and other major appliances. It’s important to read the reviews and articles discussing appliances for your home like a washer, dryer, or other heavily used appliances so you know you are getting the best products. For additional information see his/her other resources.
0 Responses to “Washers And Dryers”