Best integrated washer dryers: built-in washer dryers for effortless laundry
If you want to dry your clothes but your kitchen can’t fit two machines, integrated washer dryers are smaller and built into your units so you get your laundry done without taking up precious space. Here are the best ones to buy right now.
By Gemma Wilcock | Last updated Jul 18, 2024
Keeping on top of your laundry is pretty much a full time job when you have a family, and being able to easily wash and dry your clothes is essential for any home. If you’re short on space, however, that can be difficult. Even the best washing machine will leave you with laundry to dry, and a heated clothes airer takes up a lot of floor space. An integrated washer dryer is a discreet and more affordable way of getting the job done as they are built into your units, hidden behind a door, and you only have to buy one machine.
There are a few different options when it comes to picking the best integrated washer dryer for your home: fully integrated, semi integrated and built-in. The benefits are that the machine reduces clutter and helps your kitchen look more streamlined, however, there are fewer options available and they can be more expensive than freestanding units. They also don’t tend to offer the same performance as the best tumble dryers.
Taking all this into account, we wanted to find the best integrated washer dryers around. As always, we headed to our Mumsnet forums to find out what our users have to say about which machines offer the best results and value for money. We also consulted expert review sites to help us come up with a list of the five best machines to buy right now.
Here are the best integrated washer dryers to buy.
Best integrated washer dryer - editor's picks
"It is fab. Good price too."
Hotpoint
BIWDHG861485UK Integrated 8Kg/6Kg Washer Dryer
"Good value, work well, and no issues 5 years on.”
Beko
WDIK854421F Integrated Washer Dryer
"We have a Hoover one and it’s amazing."
Hoover HBDOS695TAMCE 9KG/5KG
Integrated Washer Dryer
Hotpoint BIWDHG861485UK Integrated 8Kg/6Kg Washer Dryer
Good washing and drying capacity
Energy and water efficient
Effective spin drying
Drying can be slow
Door handle is small
Price: £449 | Type: Integrated | Capacity: 8kg washing, 6kg drying | Size: 54.5D x 59.5W x 81.5H cm | Efficiency rating: D | Noise level: 70 dB | Programmes: 14 | Warranty: 12 months
With the ability to dry up to 6kg of washing at a time, the Hotpoint BIWDHG861485UK has one of the largest drying capacity on our list. That, along with a good energy efficiency rating and some great features to help you get through your laundry pile, this machine would make a good all-round option for a busy family.
You can clean up to 8kg of washing, with a good spin cycle to get water out of your clothes before drying. Stand out features include an anti-stain cycle, steam refresh - a 20-minute steam clean mode to refresh your clothes - and a quick 30 minute wash. Another appealing feature is the all-in-one wash and dry programme for mixed loads, which switches to drying mode automatically. To get the best out of your drying, you’ll have to put in a smaller wash to fit the 6kg maximum drying capacity or remove some laundry before drying.
There’s also a delayed start button for any forgotten socks or pants. Reviews say it’s good at getting your cottons clean and is energy and water efficient so should keep your bills down. It’s not perfect though, while it’s good for drying large loads, it is slow so don’t expect a speedy wash and dry turn around.
Related: The best budget washing machines under £500
Excellent spin
Bluetooth connectivity
Good energy rating
Uses more water than other machines
Slow drying cottons
Price: £439 | Type: Integrated | Capacity: 8kg washing, 5kg drying | Size: 59.3 x 55.8 x 81.9cm | Efficiency rating: D | Noise level: 73dB | Programmes: 15 | Warranty: 12 months
If energy efficiency is an important factor when picking your integrated washer dryer then this one by Beko will be kinder on your bank balance, especially as it’s a great price too. With a D energy rating (A by the older standards), it shouldn’t run up too much of an electricity bill, and a handy sensor detects when your clothes are dry so you don’t waste energy.
The 5kg drying capacity is good though to help you get through your piles of washing and the machine has a powerful spin cycle to help get water out of your clothes, however, it can take around three hours to dry a load of cotton clothes.
There are 15 programmes, including a 28-minute quick wash, wash-to-dry options, a steam cycle to reduce creasing, remove allergens and a Hygiene Therapy cycle, to make your clothes cleaner. The option to connect your phone via Bluetooth allows you to download additional programmes and you can also use a timer to set the finish time for extra functionality. While it’s energy efficient, it does use more water than average so this may be something to bear in mind when considering the impact on your monthly bills.
Read next: The best budget tumble dryers and the best heat pump tumble dryers, according to Mumsnetters
Powerful spin
Option to reduce laundry time for smaller loads
Impressive 21 programmes
Drying can be slow
Small drying capacity
Price: £699 | Type: Integrated | Capacity: 7kg washing, 4kg dry | Size: 55.6 x 59.8 x 81.9cm | Efficiency rating: E | Noise level: 52dB (wash and dry) 70dB (spin) | Programmes: 21 | Warranty: 12 months
A good spin speed will help you dry your clothes quicker and this integrated washer dryer by Zanussi has a powerful 1600rpm to help you get excess water out of your clothes. With an impressive 21 programmes, it offers plenty of options to get the best out of your clothes, including cycles for cleaning wool, denim and duvets.
Features that could be helpful to busy parents include an emergency door release, a delay start and a child lock for preventing little hands from switching programmes. Flextime allows you to reduce the length of the program for smaller loads too.
It hasn’t got the largest capacity for washing or drying (7kg and 4kg) so it wouldn’t be the best option for a large or busy household that does lots of laundry, but it’s effective at drying clothes - just bear in mind that it can be slow and it’s not the most water or energy efficient machine on our list (with an E rating).
Related: The best condenser tumble dryers
Powerful spin cycle
Wi-fi connectivity
Large washing capacity
Drying can be uneven
Price: £650 | Type: Integrated | Capacity: 9kg washing, 5kg drying | Size: 59.8 x 54 x 82.5cm | Efficiency rating: D | Noise level: 76dB | Programmes: 15 | Warranty: 12 months
With a 9kg capacity for washing and 5kg for drying, this machine by Hoover is a good option for families looking to get the most out of their washer dryer. It comes as standard with 15 programmes but it also has the option to connect to wi-fi using an app which opens up extra settings and the ability to control your laundry from your phone.
There’s a steam setting for reducing creases, quick wash cycles, including a speedy 14-minute option, and a hygiene wash for keeping your clothes extra clean and free of germs and bacteria. The machine effectively cleans with a 1600rpm spin cycle to help your clothes dry quicker and is controlled by sensors which weigh your laundry and adjust the settings accordingly.
When it comes to drying, there’s three programmes and it’s controlled by sensors which detect when your clothes are dry, helping you reduce your energy usage. Although reviews say drying can be uneven. It’s got a good energy rating though and it’s quiet too, making this a good mid range option.
Read next: The best vented tumble dryers
Controlled by sensors
Powerful spin cycle
Good warranty
Expensive
Low drying capacity
Price: £999 | Type: Integrated | Capacity: 8kg washing, 4kg drying | Size: 81.9H x 59.6W x 55.3D cm | Efficiency rating: D | Noise level: 70dB | Programmes: 15 | Warranty: Two years
While most of the machines on our list sit around the £500 mark, the AEG L8WE84636BI comes with a more premium price, but for that extra initial outlay you get great functionality, special cycles for taking care of your clothes and good energy efficiency to help keep future costs down.
ProSense technology weighs each load, adjusting washing and drying times so your laundry gets a good clean but you save water and energy. The 1600rpm is one of the best on our list, removing water from your laundry before it goes into drying mode, again saving energy.
Special cycles include stain removal, a steam refresh for removing creases and odours, denim, sportswear and a quick 20 minute wash or a 60 min wash and dry for when you’re in a hurry.
The L8WE84636BI is a certified Woolmark machine too, so you can wash and dry all your laundry safely. You’re not able to connect the machine to wi-fi as you may expect for the extra price and, while the washing machine capacity is decent at 8kg, you can only dry up to 4kg so this may not be ideal for families needing to do a lot of washing.
Read next: The best steam irons for crease-free clothes
Do you need a hole in the wall to use a washer dryer?
As most machines are condenser dryers, you don’t need a hole in the wall for a vent like you would with a stand alone dryer. The steam is condensed into water and goes out of the waste-water pipe, so you also don’t need to empty the tank as you would with a freestanding condenser dryer.
Why do washer dryers have different capacities for washing and drying?
Washer dryers will have a lower capacity for drying than the wash load, such as 7kg for washing and 4kg for drying. The reason for this is the clothes need to move around in the drum to dry properly. This means you won’t be able to dry a full load of washing, which may be a bit frustrating when you have loads of laundry to get through, but this is standard for washer dryers. If this is an issue, look for a machine with a larger drying capacity so you can get more done at once.
What should you look for when choosing a washer dryer?
Type
Choose from three types:
Integrated - this hides the machine completely from view behind a unit, so you can’t see the washer dryer.
Semi-integrated - this is covered by a door like the integrated machines, but you can still see the display panel.
Built-in - a standard washer dryer that fits under your units without a door.
Size
Although integrated washer dryers are designed to fit kitchen units, they’re not all the same size. Most are around 82H x 60W x 56Dcm, but check the space you need it to fit to ensure you get the right size.
Capacity
As we explained above, the washing capacity will be more than the drying. Most of the washer dryers on our list have a washing capacity of around 7-9kg washing and 4-6kg drying.
Energy usage
While washer dryers aren’t as energy-efficient as freestanding machines, check the energy rating as this will help reduce your electricity usage. Machines have different energy ratings for washing and drying - for example, it may be an A for washing and D for drying so look out for both when making your decision.
A machine with higher spin speeds will reduce the amount of time it takes to dry your washing so this may be something you want to factor in to help keep your energy usage down - most on our list are 1400 - 1600rpm.
Functionality
Integrated washer dryers don’t tend to have as many extras as freestanding machines, however, when you’re shopping you may want to look out for features such as smart connectivity for controlling your laundry from your phone, steam cleaning, quick washes, wash-to-dry cycles and hygiene washes for removing germs and allergens.
What’s the best integrated washer dryer to buy?
With a 6kg drying load capacity, good energy efficiency and decent spin cycle, the Hotpoint BIWDHG861485UK is a good all-round option for busy families to get through their laundry basket. Other features include an anti-stain cycle, steam refresh and a 30 minute wash, as well as an all-in-one wash and dry programme. It cleans well and doesn’t guzzle loads of water - and comes at a decent price too.
How we chose our recommendations
Recommendations from real parents
Whenever we start our research we head straight to our forums to get some advice from our Mumsnet users. With more than 8 million each month, we know that we’re going to get a host of honest feedback from parents to help us find the best products on the market.
Expert guidance
To help us whittle down our list of recommendations, we extensively research each product to ensure it follows the latest expert advice and stands up to scrutiny. To find the best integrated washer dryer we looked to the likes of Which for advice.
Consumer feedback
We also want to know what users of the product think, so we check websites like Amazon and John Lewis to read consumer reviews, both positive and negative, to help us find out if the products are up to scratch.
Celebrated best products
Finally, we check to see which products have won industry awards and received recognition from trusted sources. This helps us come up with a final list of the best products to recommend to you.
Why you should trust us
We work hard to provide unbiased, independent advice you can trust. We do sometimes earn revenue through affiliate (click-to-buy) links in our articles. This helps us fund more helpful articles like this one.
About the author
Gemma Wilcock is a freelance writer and copywriter. At Mumsnet, she creates content providing useful parenting advice, information and top products to make life easier – as a mother of two children herself, Gemma knows how important it is to get the right advice. Gemma loves writing about subjects that will be helpful to the reader – and herself! - including recommending top products on Mumsnet that help parents in their day-to-day life, such as writing reviews for strollers, double buggies and cots. She knows how important online reviews are when it comes to making a purchase so she always makes sure to thoroughly research every product so we are recommending the best ones on the market.