Built-in washing machine and dryer
The modern consumer is very capricious and demanding. Often he wants to get the maximum benefit from the purchased “home assistant”. Perhaps, as a result of the influence of such clients, built-in automatic washing machines and dryers were born. At first glance, nothing special, but in fact, technologically it is quite difficult to fit a large drum into the specific and rather compact body of a built-in washing machine, and even with drying.
It should be noted that not all manufacturers have coped with this task, so at present it is not so easy to find washing machines with such characteristics. In this article, we will not only professionally evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of built-in automatic washing machines and dryers, but also review the best models. We hope you find this information useful!
Fully or partially built-in?
To immediately clarify, we note that in this article we will talk about built-in washing machines with front loading and a drying function. In principle, there are models of washing machines in the world with vertical loading and the possibility of embedding, but there are few of them, since the location of the loading hatch in such “home assistants” is not conducive to this very embedding.
A front-loading washing machine and dryer, on the other hand, is well suited to be built-in. Even those models that do not have a specific front part and a removable top cover can be placed in a cabinet or under a countertop, What can we say about washing machines specially adapted for installation.
Front-loading washing machines and dryers, as well as others, can be divided into three types:
- fully built-in - having a specific front part with hinges so that you can hang the doors and the lower part recessed back;
- partially built-in - models that, as a rule, have a removable top cover or any other elements indicating that the washing machine can be built into furniture;
- non-built-in - these are free-standing washing machines with large dimensions,
When producing free-standing drying machines, the manufacturer did not count on the integration of such equipment into furniture, but this does not mean that this operation is impossible.
Advantages and disadvantages
A built-in washing machine with dryer combines two main advantages: a full cycle of laundry care and compact, hidden placement of equipment somewhere in a piece of furniture. For the sake of these advantages, the consumer is willing to pay quite a lot of money, but is it worth it? To understand this, you need to find out what shortcomings the equipment has, which is capable, it would seem, of satisfying the taste of the most demanding consumer?
- The main disadvantage is technical complexity. Manufacturers tend to cram quite a lot of parts located close to each other into a relatively small body, which can lead to unpleasant consequences during operation, provided that the machine vibrates strongly during spinning.
- Freeing up space inside the housing due to counterweights. As a result, small and fairly lightweight counterweights are installed in such machines, which weakly dampen vibration. Vibration, as we indicated above, is detrimental to all parts of the machine.
In expensive built-in washing machines and dryers, cast iron counterweights could be installed; they are heavy and take up little space.However, manufacturers of such equipment have not yet resorted to this practice, preferring to reduce the market value of the washing machine model as much as possible.
- During the drying program, it is advisable not to allow the body of the washing machine to overheat to avoid damage to temperature-sensitive parts. The walls of the furniture into which the washer-dryer model is built interfere with the normal heat transfer of its body, which is by no means desirable, although in most cases it is not fatal.
Model overview
Well, we’ve reached the “highlight” of our publication of a review of built-in automatic washing machines and dryers. Anyone who has not yet decided on the type of loading of the future “assistant”, but knows for sure that a model with drying is needed, can look at the article on our website Top load washing machines and dryers. This is a systematic and detailed review, thanks to which you will learn a lot about washing machines with a built-in drying function, but let’s return to our review.
Bosch WKD28540OE. An excellent example of a fully built-in front-loading and drying machine. On the front part there are fastenings for right-hand and left-hand hinges. The characteristics of the machine are impressive: 18 washing programs, 1400 rpm maximum drum rotation, electronic control, 6 kg washing load and 4 kg drying load, complete protection against leaks. Dimensions WxDxH – 60 x 58 x 82 cm. The washing machine is produced under the German brand, but is manufactured in China. This “miracle of technology” costs $1,220.
Hotpoint-Ariston CAWD1297. The model is specially designed for people with average incomes. Its characteristics are simpler, there is no display, and there are fewer washing programs, but in terms of functionality this washing machine is not much inferior to its counterpart from the Bosch company. It has a load capacity of 7 kg, and the machine can dry 5 kg of laundry at a time.Spin speed up to 1200 rpm, complete protection against leaks, children and foam formation. According to users of the Yandex Market service, the washing machine is quite reliable, however, its sales are low, so this data should be treated critically. The cost of the model is attractive – $635.
Kuppersbusch IWT1466.0 W. A very expensive built-in model with drying and mediocre characteristics. Buyers usually expect the highest quality equipment from Kuppersbusch, but few will be able to overpay an extra $1,500 for this quality. The drum of the machine holds 6 kg of laundry, while it can dry 3 kg. Drum speed 1400 rpm. Exact dimensions: 60x58x82 cm. Price tag: $2,590.
At such an exorbitant price, the model does not have complete protection against leaks, which is quite strange, because the brand is promoted to the limit.
Beko WDI85143. A completely new fully built-in washing machine announced by the manufacturer in 2016. The machine has impressive characteristics and a relatively low price. An important advantage of the model is its relative reliability and maintainability. Among the disadvantages, we can note only partial protection against leaks, but, as they say, for that kind of money you can endure it. Price: $680. Characteristics:
- digital display and touch control;
- drum capacity 8 kg;
- spin speed 1400 rpm;
- capable of drying 5 kg of laundry at a time;
- 16 carefully selected washing programs;
- The noise level is one of the lowest among washing machines of this class.
Electrolux EWX147410W. Another fairly good built-in front-facing dryer with a 7 kg drum and a 4 kg dryer. A good display and intelligent control make washing easy and enjoyable. You can spin things at speeds of up to 1400 rpm, which is even more than needed under normal conditions. 14 washing programs are selected so that you will not get tired of experimenting, and protection from children, foam and imbalance will ensure safe operation. Dimensions WxDxH – 60x55x82 cm. The cost of the model is about 825 dollars.
In conclusion, we note that if you search the Internet well, you can find many models of washing machines with front loading and drying, but not everyone can buy them, because such models are at least twice as expensive as regular ones. Good luck with your choice!
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1 reader comment
I saw this exact Hotpoint at my friend’s place! After that I was inspired to buy myself a built-in washing machine, I liked how it looked. Plus, my current machine does not have a dryer, but I would like to.