Question for people that don't live in North America

[3 ladybugs]

There may be a few that live in NA that can answer this, but I think it is WAY more common in other parts of the world. Can someone tell me the advantages of having a clothes washing machine in the kitchen (not in a closet but under a counter/cabinet)?

 

I am sure there are great things about this, but is so far removed from what we typically have in the US so I am curious about it. My mom is looking at condos (in the US) and there is one that has this and it turned her off. I am thinking it could be a bargain because most people in the US don't like things that are "different". But I am curious as to what people see as a positive about this. 

 

Full disclosure it also has a dryer the same way, but I know that isn't as common in other parts of the world. 

[Cinder]

Plumbing--less pipe needed. Our first house on a military base in the US had the washer/dryer in the kitchen. My sister's tiny townhouse in HI has the washer/dryer in the kitchen--off to the side but still what you'd call "in the kitchen."

[JustEm]

I lived with this until I was 21, I started doing my own laundry at 9. I can't think of any advantages. It was an awful set up IMHO

[Lanny]

We live in South America and our washing machine is in the laundry room. We are in the Tropics and don't have a clothes dryer. We did see that in the Timeshare we were in last year. The washer and dryer were along the wall between the kitchen area and the 2nd bathroom. As someone mentioned probably to reduce plumbing costs. I thought it was a little strange but the unit only had about 950 square feet. Maybe they do that in small apartments?

 

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[prairiewindmomma]

There's been a huge row about Kirstie Allsopp's comment about washing machines in the kitchen in the UK.   I think it's a space issue---most people would prefer to have a separate room if they could arrange it. 

[luuknam]

I don't recall anybody having their washer/dryer in the kitchen, not in NL, and not in Thailand. 

[Arcadia]

Plumbing--less pipe needed.

I agree. I grew up with the washing machine in the kitchen but not under a cabinet. The hose to supply the water to the washing machine came from the bathroom sink. The outlet hose goes to the bathroom floor which has a drainage hole.

 

Something like this setup http://www.instructables.com/id/Connecting-a-Washing-Machine-to-a-Kitchen-Sink/

[3 ladybugs]

Okay maybe I didn't phrase this right. In North America (generally speaking of coarse) we prefer to have open kitchens. I personally purchased a house with a "closed kitchen" and there is no way to really make it open. I spent the first 5 years or so here, trying to figure it out and I couldn't (without substantial remodeling). Now I LOVE my closed kitchen and would never have it another way! It keeps all the heat and smells in the kitchen. If we have a snow storm, and the power goes out, I can go in there and still cook dinner (gas) and heat up that room enough to last till bedtime (if needed). Honestly I am failing to see the point of open kitchen. LOL

 

Doesn't this kind of acceptance exist with the washer in the kitchen idea? The condo in question is 1523 square feet. That is bigger then the finished area of my house, so I don't consider it small.

[slackermom]

I am in NA now, but lived outside NA growing up.

 

I have seen the washing machine in the actual kitchen on occasion, also in the pantry.

 

In addition to the plumbing benefit, it was seen as a plus to be able to keep an eye on the laundry while doing daily kitchen tasks.

 

It was also preferable to have it in the kitchen rather than in a basement below the kitchen, since you don't have to go up and down the stairs over and over.

 

I have actually seen this more in the US than out of the US, especially in places in flood-prone areas, where the basement is either non-existent, or a poor choice for appliances.

[slackermom]

So does she think it unseemly to have her laundry paraded through an open kitchen? 

[MEmama]

I've never seen that arrangement other than on TV but I think it sounds great, especially assuming the bedrooms are on the same floor and close by.

 

I don't have a laundry room--we have a stackable unit in our upstairs hall right outside the bedrooms. I love, love, love it. Everything goes straight from the washer to the drying rack in our bedroom, or folded and put right away. I never have piles of laundry because it's so compact. A washer in the kitchen would have the same effect I suppose.

[3 ladybugs]

So does she think it unseemly to have her laundry paraded through an open kitchen? 

I think that is her thought but she would be the first to admit (at least to family) that she does take her laundry out of her laundry room now and puts it on the kitchen counter to fold it. Gee, even I did that when I was there last week. 

 

I was a nanny to a family that had it off the kitchen but under the counter in a mud room (windows all around) and I actually liked it a bit. I think it would make you more prone to doing your laundry completely and not forgetting about it. Also because there would be no where else to put it, you would put it away. As oppose to a room where you could just "hide it away". 

[AmandaVT]

I've never seen that arrangement other than on TV but I think it sounds great, especially assuming the bedrooms are on the same floor and close by.

 

I don't have a laundry room--we have a stackable unit in our upstairs hall right outside the bedrooms. I love, love, love it. Everything goes straight from the washer to the drying rack in our bedroom, or folded and put right away. I never have piles of laundry because it's so compact. A washer in the kitchen would have the same effect I suppose.

 

This is similar to our set up too. It's so nice to take clothes off, throw them in the washer and it's easy to put clothes away when they're dry. 

 

I grew up with the washer and dryer in the basement and the bedrooms on the second floor. Lots of stair climbing when doing laundry!

[rose]

I think that I would like it because the laundry would get done. I really don't like when it's out of the way because I tend to forget about it. I would just end up getting it done and putting it away.

[AK_Mom4]

DD23 has a lovely apartment where the washer/dryer are in the pantry off the kitchen. Less plumbing as it backs up to the wall with the shower on one side and the kitchen sink on the other side. Very practical, I thought.

[EKS]

The house I grew up in was built in 1949 and had the washing machine in the kitchen but not under the counter.  The dryer was in the garage (just through the door behind the washer).  The washer drained into a utility sink that backed up against the kitchen counter.  It was fine.

 

I lived in a house in college that had a similar setup.  It was fine.

 

Having the washer right in the middle of the kitchen might not be so good though.

 

One advantage might be that the fewer places in a house that you have to get plumbing to, the cheaper it is to build.

[TravelingChris]

We had one like this in a Spanish apartment we rented for the week.  My problem with it wasn't the placement, it was that the electricity was so unreliable,  Like if you used the washer. you didn't have enough power to use the stove too or some such problems.  It wasn't an old apartment either.  I also didn't understand why no one seemed to have dryers.  But I guess if all their electricity was similar to this apartment, they probably couldn't afford the added electrical load. 

 

I was genuinely surprised by the electrical problems in what seemed to be a modern country.  We didn't have any electrical problems in Belgium, France, Germany or Italy.  Only in Spain.  I don't know if it was simply this apartment block, this city, this area of Spain, or the whole country.  I do think it was more than just my apartment since some writers seemed to have mentioned it too.

[Zinnia]

My neighborhood has a section that has this (it was built in sections from the mid 40s to the mid 50s).  People hate it for the most part, but it is what it is, and they make the best of it.  

[gardenmom5]

it used to be common in houses built in the 40s, 50s, and 60s - even in the US.

i've seen the original configuration on a lot of flipped houses.

 

[Laura Corin]

A lot of UK housing stock predates running water, so when pipes were put in, the kitchen was the obvious place. My mum had a twin tub from the 1950s until the 1980s. It wasn't plumbed in - you just filled it from a hose from the kitchen tap.

 

British houses are small and even in new builds there is usually no space for a utility room. If the washer is in the kitchen then the space above can be used for a counter for food prep.

[kiwik]

There may be a few that live in NA that can answer this, but I think it is WAY more common in other parts of the world. Can someone tell me the advantages of having a clothes washing machine in the kitchen (not in a closet but under a counter/cabinet)?

 

I am sure there are great things about this, but is so far removed from what we typically have in the US so I am curious about it. My mom is looking at condos (in the US) and there is one that has this and it turned her off. I am thinking it could be a bargain because most people in the US don't like things that are "different". But I am curious as to what people see as a positive about this.

 

Full disclosure it also has a dryer the same way, but I know that isn't as common in other parts of the world.

In NZ that is considered disgusting although it does occasionally happen. From a plumbing point of view it saves pipe and also the hot water cylinder is usually fairly near the kitchen tap so water supply is better. The bathroom is a much better place if you don't have a laundry.

[Twolittleboys]

Well, I have never had this but I have seen it. Not sure there are real advantages other than space i.e. if that is the only way to put it that's where you put it. Generally, where we live washing maschines are in the kitchen, in the bathroom or in the basement (due to pipes running there). The advantage of kitchen/bath room is that you don't have to climb steps/leave the apartment. I actually would much prefer having my washing machine in the apartment but unfortunately it is in the basement which means climbing steps, maybe going down too soon or too late and at times running into neighbours you didn't want to see. So conversely, having the machine in the kitchen would make that unnecessary. Especially for older people steps may be a problem.

[CAJinBE]

We had this arrangement in our first house in Belgium. The washer, dryer, and dishwasher were lined up in a row in our small kitchen. It drastically reduced storage space and we had to scoot the chairs around to open the doors of the machines sometimes. It was nice to have the kitchen table for folding the clean clothes as long as the table was clean and clear. Sometimes I would forget that the kitchen table was piled high with laundry though and have to scramble around clearing it before we could eat. In our newer place, the washer and dryer are in the garage. I prefer it that way, but that means more carrying laundry around to fold and put away. If there was room in the garage for a complete laundry station, that would be ideal. 

 

ETA: I didn't like the extra noise in the kitchen either. I really don't see an upside to it, but it's manageable. 

Edited August 3, 2017 by CAJinBE

[Sarah CB]

A lot of UK housing stock predates running water, so when pipes were put in, the kitchen was the obvious place. My mum had a twin tub from the 1950s until the 1980s. It wasn't plumbed in - you just filled it from a hose from the kitchen tap.

 

British houses are small and even in new builds there is usually no space for a utility room. If the washer is in the kitchen then the space above can be used for a counter for food prep.

 

We lived in a new build in London and our washer/dryer (one machine that did both) was in the kitchen. I didn't love that it was in the kitchen, but I guess I got used to it. I guess the one advantage was that I didn't end up with a messy laundry room. Clothes couldn't hang out in the kitchen, things got put away right away.

[Hannah]

Here in South Africa, the kitchen is the most common place to find a washing machine.   Probably a space and plumbing issue.  Larger houses will have a scullery/mudroom (overflow kitchen) behind the 'smart' kitchen which houses the washing machine.  Dryers are regarded as a luxury item - but most of the country has mild dry winter days, so line drying is possible all year round.

[lulalu]

There are "downsides" as to keeping dirty laundry in rooms or somewhere.

 

I am glad our apartment now has it in the bathroom so dirty clothes can stay there.

[Bluegoat]

I wouldn't mind having washer in the kitchen, if I had a spot for it  - it would save me several trips a day up and down the basement stairs.

[Laura Corin]

There are "downsides" as to keeping dirty laundry in rooms or somewhere.

 

I am glad our apartment now has it in the bathroom so dirty clothes can stay there.

 

We have a laundry basket in each bedroom.  They have lids and get emptied often (five adult sized people means washing every day) so there isn't a smell issue. 

 

We rearranged the house to extend the kitchen and lost the utility room.  The washer and dryer are now in a cupboard near the bedrooms, which works well, but there's no room to store either dirty or clean clothes.

 

Our rental flat in London has the washer in the bathroom but the dryer lives in the hallway - we plan to renovate and reorganise the bathroom so that it will fit there.

[TABmom]

I live in NA and our washer/dryer is in the kitchen. sortof off to the side, and in a closet- but definitely the kitchen. I'm not sure why they chose to do it this way. It's not how I would prefer- we've discussed moving the laundry to the basement and using the closet as a pantry, but haven't reached a decision yet. I don't hate it. It just is what it is.

[heartlikealion]

I live in the US and mine is smack in the middle of my kitchen. Mostly, I hate it. When we first moved here we thought we'd be real disciplined. Use the clothing sorter on wheels. We don't even use that thing anymore. I just lug hampers (we have a cloth hamper sack but haven't used it in some time) to the kitchen and more often than not they are there. I have very little counter space so dh and others think the lid of my washer is their counter. It's a pet peeve of mine. And I don't want crumbs to accidentally fall into the machine. Above the washer/dryer are cabinets but we don't use them for dishes. We keep some bottles like Olive oil and to the other side we keep spare cleaning items like more detergent or pads for the Swiffer.

 

This is an old pic.

 

Edited August 3, 2017 by heartlikealion

[umsami]

Where we've stayed in Egypt and Saudi Arabia, washing machines are either in the kitchen or bathroom.  When I lived in France, ours was in the kitchen too.  I don't remember many advantages or disadvantages.  That was just where they were.

 

One thing all three did have that I miss terribly in the States were drains built into the floors of the kitchen and bathrooms.  It made mopping the floors so easy!

[Laura Corin]

I live in the US and mine is smack in the middle of my kitchen. Mostly, I hate it. When we first moved here we thought we'd be real disciplined. Use the clothing sorter on wheels. We don't even use that thing anymore. I just lug hampers (we have a cloth hamper sack but haven't used it in some time) to the kitchen and more often than not they are there. I have very little counter space so dh and others think the lid of my washer is their counter. It's a pet peeve of mine. And I don't want crumbs to accidentally fall into the machine. Above the washer/dryer are cabinets but we don't use them for dishes. We keep some bottles like Olive oil and to the other side we keep spare cleaning items like more detergent or pads for the Swiffer.

 

This is an old pic.

 

I can see that that would be inconvenient.  Almost all UK washers are front loaders.

[Butter]

My friend lived in an apartment in northern VA that had the laundry in the kitchen.  I think it is because her part of the complex had the washers and dryers added a while after they were built and the plumbing was right there to add some counter space with the laundry under the counter (the apartments lost their breakfast nook that apartments without washers and dryers had).  At first she found it really weird, but over time she grew to like it.  It was super convenient to throw in the laundry when she started dinner and by the time she was finishing up cooking, it was ready to be switched over to the dryer.  She knew as soon as it was done (why don't washers generally have buzzers like dryers do???).  I think most Americans are like she was at first because it is just not something we're used to, but as with any configuration (upstairs vs. downstairs; convenience of location) laundry in the kitchen has definite positives.

[heartlikealion]

Well, I suppose it's better than outdoors. I've had one on a back porch and one inside a carport. But I still don't like it. Looking at wet bath towels and having limited places to set things down in the kitchen it just seems like such a space hog. But that is more a kitchen design flaw than a laundry being in the kitchen issue I suppose.

[Cinder]

Well, I suppose it's better than outdoors. I've had one on a back porch and one inside a carport.

 

When I was a kid we lived in a house with the washer in the carport. The only good part about that was the utility sink right next to it. We didn't have a dryer--just laundry lines in the front porch area. Imagine having to dodge wet laundry if you needed to go outside, y'know, to play or get the mail or bring in groceries. (This house had no backyard to speak of, so front of house was just where it had to be.)

 

I knew a woman who had a laundry closet between her kitchen and garage. She moved the laundry from there to the garage because she felt laundry shouldn't be done inside the house. Might just be how she was raised--she was much older than me and from a rural background whereas I grew up mostly in the city.

[heartlikealion]

When I was a kid we lived in a house with the washer in the carport. The only good part about that was the utility sink right next to it. We didn't have a dryer--just laundry lines in the front porch area. Imagine having to dodge wet laundry if you needed to go outside, y'know, to play or get the mail or bring in groceries. (This house had no backyard to speak of, so front of house was just where it had to be.)

 

I knew a woman who had a laundry closet between her kitchen and garage. She moved the laundry from there to the garage because she felt laundry shouldn't be done inside the house. Might just be how she was raised--she was much older than me and from a rural background whereas I grew up mostly in the city.

 

We didn't have a sink at either outdoor location. But we did have a dryer. It was absolutely horrible when I was supposed to try to do laundry but had a toddler in the home. Dh was at work when I was home from work. I wasn't sure how to leave to go to the carport and keep an eye on ds. Back then I had a crappy carrier and it hurt me too much to wear him. I also hated going outside at night and seeing a roach scurry past. It's like do you want me to drop the laundry?! Lol

[heartlikealion]

Oh and we did have a laundry line in the backyard. I tried that before... it didn't work out too well for me. My camisole fell on the grass. I guess I thought no big deal and brought it inside. I got dressed for work and started screaming in pain. Fire ants had gotten into the article of clothing. It was horrible. I don't think I touched the clothes line again after that LOL

[Guinevere]

I've had mine in the kitchen before.  I didn't like the noise, but I did like the convenience.  

[Lady Florida.]

I live in North America (U.S.) and we had them in the kitchen when I was growing up in the sixties. It was pretty common then. I think it had to do with the plumbing. It also could have been regional because when we moved to Florida we were surprised to find that washer and dryer connections were either in a garage or a separate laundry room. 

[Liz CA]

Plumbing--less pipe needed. Our first house on a military base in the US had the washer/dryer in the kitchen. My sister's tiny townhouse in HI has the washer/dryer in the kitchen--off to the side but still what you'd call "in the kitchen."

 

I think this is true - at least in the really old houses in Europe, all or most of the plumbing was in the kitchen. Some bathrooms did not even have a sink but only a tub and toilet. So-called laundry rooms were non-existent in older homes in Europe but many also had their large wash tubs, then washer - and later the dryer in the basement since most houses have full basements.

When I am saying "older" homes in Europe, I am not thinking 1940-1950 but rather 1750 or even older but I would think some really old structures were -hopefully - remodeled since then. :)

 

Edited August 3, 2017 by Liz CA

[Mabelen]

I grew up in Spain, our washing machine was initially in the bathroom. It was basically a top loader and you connected the rubber pipes to the sink I think, trying to remember because I was very young then. We had the bathroom renovated shortly after and the washing machine went into the kitchen. I don't think it was inconvenient, we lived in a small apartment, so a few feet here or there wouldn't have made much difference. Also, we didn't have an open kitchen so the noise could be contained. It's also true that the overwhelming majority of washing machines are front loading so they don't take kitchen top space.

 

ETA Our house in the U.K. was a small Victorian town (terraced) house - think long and narrow. The one bathroom was an addition placed all the way at the back on the ground floor. The washing machine was in a small room between the kitchen and the bathroom.

 

We had no dryer at either place.

 

The worst place ever was in our town house in the Mid Atlantic region. Bedrooms were on the second floor and the washer and dryer were in the basement!

 

Here in Southern California, our washer and dryier are on the first floor right next to the door to the garage. That works well.

Edited August 3, 2017 by Mabelen

[Grantmom]

I don't think I would mind this (having it under a countertop in the kitchen) as long as it was mostly away from the food prep area.  My washer and dryer are basically in my kitchen now.  They are right off of the kitchen in a short hallway that leads to the downstairs bathroom.  It is not a laundry room, they are just in the hallway, basically!  No door that closes it off to the kitchen, and you can see it from the kitchen.  But, my house is over 100 years old and was not built for luxuries like indoor plumbing and closets!   :lol:

 

What I like is that it's right there, and laundry gets done because it is right there.  I have complained about it a lot, but in all honesty, I am grateful it was like that when my kids were little especially.  I was able to keep the laundry going, cook, do whatever I needed to do all while my kids played close by.  (It probably wasn't actually THAT easy, but in my selective memory it was!)

 

What I think I would not like is having it very close to the food prep area or near the stove.  I just would imagine that grease and smells would permeate my laundry if it was too close.  But maybe that wouldn't be an issue!

 

 

 

 

 

[3 ladybugs]

Where we've stayed in Egypt and Saudi Arabia, washing machines are either in the kitchen or bathroom.  When I lived in France, ours was in the kitchen too.  I don't remember many advantages or disadvantages.  That was just where they were.

 

One thing all three did have that I miss terribly in the States were drains built into the floors of the kitchen and bathrooms.  It made mopping the floors so easy!

What I wouldn't give for a wet bath with my 2 boys! The ability to hose it down when they make a mess, sounds like heaven!

[Laura Corin]

I think this is true - at least in the really old houses in Europe, all or most of the plumbing was in the kitchen. Some bathrooms did not even have a sink but only a tub and toilet. So-called laundry rooms were non-existent in older homes in Europe but many also had their large wash tubs, then washer - and later the dryer in the basement since most houses have full basements.

When I am saying "older" homes in Europe, I am not thinking 1940-1950 but rather 1750 or even older but I would think some really old structures were -hopefully - remodeled since then. :)

 

Dorothy Sayers' Busman's Honeymoon incidentally describes an old house in plumbing transition in the 1930s. It's an Elizabethan farmhouse. It has water to the kitchen that has to be pumped by hand (from a well?) and there is also an indoor toilet (presumably the water is also hand-pumped to supply that). There are no indoor baths, instead hot water is heated in a 'copper' on an oil stove or coal range and taken up to 'hip baths' in the bedroom in 'cans', which I assume to be some kind of jug.

 

I think that all the washing of clothes would have been done in the kitchen because that was the only source of hot water (in the story, a neighbour brings in clean sheets and we don't see washing being done). I suspect that the idea of a washing machine in the kitchen is a development of this - it's where the washing had always been done.

 

The house has no electricity either, and the new owners talk about putting in a generator and also an indoor bathroom.

 

ETA, I've just remembered that there was a scullery adjoining the kitchen, so hot water might have been taken from the kitchen to wash clothes there too.

Edited August 3, 2017 by Laura Corin

[mumto2]

Just some quick comments:

 

Many washing machines in the UK are combi's which means they both wash and dry the laundry which takes a long time. I only tried it once in our first flat than just bought clothes racks to dry on! Drove me nuts but my current neighbour loves hers.http://www.lg.com/uk/washer-dryers

 

Many houses where we are have a spot for either a washing machine or a dishwasher. We had to remove a kitchen cabinet so I could have both in my 1970's build.

 

I have found I like it in the kitchen. It's convenient. Wonderful in terms of multi tasking. Easy to switch loads around while accomplishing something else. People don't store their laundry in the kitchen. Most days I do a load of laundry so it doesn't sit around in my house. I do have a dryer but normally don't use it. I love hanging my clothes out to dry. The dryer is in a bathroom which is right outside the kitchen because one cabinet was all I was willing to sacrifice.

 

Going to be honest and say I miss the big utility sink I had in a basement in NA that went with my washing machine. That I would love to have again someplace in my home. ;) But I would very likely actually choose to put a washer and dryer in the kitchen in future homes.

[ktgrok]

the big drawback to me is less cabinet space. 

[justasque]

I've spent time in several houses with kitchen washers.  

In one house, the washer was just off the kitchen on an addition that had been a back porch.  This was super-convenient.  In the morning I brought down all the laundry from the night before, I washed and dried it during the day while also doing kitchen stuff, and returned it upstairs to bedrooms when I went up in the evening.  It was easy to do a load or two as I went about my day, and so I never got behind.  There wasn't a backlog of laundry, so no need to store dirty clothes, nor was there a huge backlog of clean clothes, as there was never much in a single day, so they all got put away each evening.

In another house, the washer and dryer were front loaders, under the counter in the kitchen.  They were towards the end of a fairly long counter, so they weren't right in the middle of the kitchen, and there was adequate cabinetry and counter space in the kitchen end of things, so no problem there.  It was a small house, all one floor, so it was convenient to have the laundry with the kitchen as that was where most of the day's work was centered.  Again easy to wash and put away so no backlog.

 

 

In the UK (and Paris), most of the older homes I've stayed in and some of the newer had a washer/dryer all-in-one combo under the counter in the kitchen.  In one home the kitchen had a typical door to the back garden, making hanging out the wash quite easy.  A few homes - those newly built - had the laundry in a small room off of the kitchen - no door you could close, just a kind of laundry alcove/mud room type of thing.

It just seems normal to me I guess.
That said, I do like that my current home has a deep utility sink I use for dyeing and bucket-filling, space to hang clothes to dry, and space for clothes waiting to be washed, all in the basement laundry area and out of sight of the general public.  

The Euro kitchen laundry set-ups seem to be made for a life where people own fewer things, and where they do real cooking in the kitchen rather than microwaving dinner.    

Edited August 4, 2017 by justasque

[MotherGoose]

We have a combination washer /dryer in one small unit (hate it, small capacity, dries poorly) under the Kitchen counter in our second home, which was built in 1950 but remodeled recently. In the original house the washer was in the kitchen. There were originally doors that closed off the kitchen from the rest of the house (1200 sq ft house). So maybe washing clothes and coking etc was relegated to the icky kitchen of the house instead of having it all integrated as it is now?

 

ETA I do live in the USA.

Edited August 4, 2017 by MotherGoose

[Laura Corin]

Justasque makes a good point about the back door. Having the washer in the kitchen makes hanging clothes outside easier, because most kitchens have an external door. Line drying is very common.

[Lady Florida.]

Justasque makes a good point about the back door. Having the washer in the kitchen makes hanging clothes outside easier, because most kitchens have an external door. Line drying is very common.

 

 

Yes, come to think of it. When we had it in the kitchen was when my mother used to hang out the clothes. In one place we had a dryer she never used (didn't want to run up the power bill).