Why do British Flats have washing machines in the kitchen?

[Zulu Romeo]

I think we should let the people know about the benefits of toploader machines. I don't know if they have a specific Achilles Heel, but if I ever got one, I'd soon be dancing in the moonlight.

Anyway.

I have a front-loading washing machine in my house, in the kitchen. Because of access to a good water supply, it's generally in the place where my dishwasher isn't. In my parents' house, it's in a utility room that also has access to the water mains conveniently, although the kitchen has its own dishwasher and a newish has central heater. Our old house had the washing machine in the garage, but then again it was a semi-detached house and not terraced like our current houses.

We used to have a tumble dryer, but it broke down. Personally I like the hot, heavy and damp sauna-like atmosphere of indoor airer usage. Although we also have an outdoor clothes line, it attracts bird poo and enemy cats.

 

[thestrangequark]

Doesn't anyone ever go to the laundromat? I've never been lucky enough to live in an apartment with my own washer/dryer, let alone one for the building to share. I either wash my clothes by hand and line dry, or schlep them to the laundromat a couple of blocks down the street.

 

[Miss Chicken]

I had to use a laundromat when I had only one child and the washing machine in my flat broke down. Though the laundromat was only about 200 meters from my home it was a pain in the neck carrying my washing there while I pushing a baby in a pram. Luckily we were able to get another washing machine a few weeks later.

 

[Zulu Romeo]

Doesn't anyone ever go to the laundromat? I've never been lucky enough to live in an apartment with my own washer/dryer, let alone one for the building to share. I either wash my clothes by hand and line dry, or schlep them to the laundromat a couple of blocks down the street.

Nah, my love life's not that desperate yet.

But seriously, back at Uni we used the common token-fed laundry rooms, including dryers which never worked. I think my parents used a laundrette before purchasing their first Hoover machine.

 

[John Picard]

FWIW, after my last washer and dryer set died (I'll NEVER buy Amana appliances ever again), I wash all of my clothes at the laundromat every week. I love filling up the jumbo machine with all of my colored clothes at a cost of $2.75 and then the whites in a smaller machine at a cost of $1.50. The remaining change out of a $10 roll is used for drying everything, which takes up to 48 minutes depending on how much I've hauled there that week. Total time spent washing and folding clothes is under two hours.

 

[Kira Nerys]

I have seen a few apartments in America .Not a bad to have mini of both in the kitchen everything in the same area.

 

[An Officer]

This reminds me of a question I have from the time I lived in England, perhaps I already know the answer but I'd like to confirm.

In the US we usually have at least one outlet in the bathroom by the mirror, usually one that turns off automatically if it detects a surge. When I traveled around Ireland, Scotland and England I noticed that this was never the case. In fact there was usually only one outlet in the hotel or dorm room. I can understand in the bathroom at least it's probably too dangerous to have the higher voltage current anywhere near water at all, but why the lack of outlets in the rest of the living space?

As for the laundry question...both apartments here in the US that I've lived in that had a washer and dryer they were/are in the bathroom likely for the cited drainage and water supply issues. The one flat that I lived in over in England had a machine that was a combo washer/dryer that took FOREVER to dry anything and was in the storage closet away from either of the bathrooms or the kitchen...so it's not ALWAYS by the kitchen in England either.

It is apparently against U.K law to have any plug apart from the shaving outlet in the bathroom. Sucks, because I like to have some music while having a bath. I have actually considered a battery compatible boombox just for that purpose.

As to the lack of plugs - maybe Brits just don't have as many electronic gadgets as the Americans... I think the cost of living is much higher here, and the general population are less inclined to spend mega money modernising older homes... the cost of energy, food, transport, etc is ridiculous when compared to the U.S. The disposable income of each British home is lesser by a significant margin - making Brits more cautions when it comes to purchasing luxuries such as Dryers.

In this wiki list, the U.S is number 13 for quality of life, while the United Kingdom come in at 29: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quality-of-life_index

 

[K'Ehleyr]

My little English flat has a washing machine in the kitchen. Would seem weird in the bathroom and not having a basement, garage or utility room it's seems more reasonable than the living room
No dryer ~ no space
Man, however, has a washer/drier in his utility room ~ I'm aiming above my laundry stations!

If you don't have a dryer how do you dry your clothes?

My guess would be on a line? That's how I do it.

Yep! and in winter over the radiators ~ makes for a cheap sauna effect

 

[Marc]

Ours are regular top-loaders. Never saw the other type 'til I was in Europe where that's all they had. I prefer our kind. However, now it seems like the front loaders are taking over.

Good quality front loaders are supposed to be more energy and water efficient and as they get the clother dryer than a top loader it can reduce the drying time so you make further savings.

 

[John Picard]

Ours are regular top-loaders. Never saw the other type 'til I was in Europe where that's all they had. I prefer our kind. However, now it seems like the front loaders are taking over.

Good quality front loaders are supposed to be more energy and water efficient and as they get the clother dryer than a top loader it can reduce the drying time so you make further savings.

Yep. I use the front loaders at the laundromat all the time and love them. Americans view them with suspicion.

If anyone wants a top loader that washes as a front loader, there is one made in America by Staber.

http://www.staber.com/

 

[Kestra]

Yep. I use the front loaders at the laundromat all the time and love them. Americans view them with suspicion.

I don't regard them with suspicion, but I do try and avoid using them if possible.

 

[John Picard]

Yep. I use the front loaders at the laundromat all the time and love them. Americans view them with suspicion.

I don't regard them with suspicion, but I do try and avoid using them if possible.

Why? As was pointed out earlier, they're more efficient than top loaders and more gentle on fabrics.

 

[Kestra]

Yep. I use the front loaders at the laundromat all the time and love them. Americans view them with suspicion.

I don't regard them with suspicion, but I do try and avoid using them if possible.

Why? As was pointed out earlier, they're more efficient than top loaders and more gentle on fabrics.

The ones here have a lower capacity, I have to use a special detergent with them, and they're more difficult for me to load and unload.

 

[John Clark]

The ones here have a lower capacity, I have to use a special detergent with them, and they're more difficult for me to load and unload.

For me (UK), it was mostly the unloading as ours did have a decent capacity, but to reach the bottom of the machine was difficult enough for me and I was the tallest person in the family.

I haven't seen a new top loader in years over here (at least in the shops)

 

[Marc]

I don't regard them with suspicion, but I do try and avoid using them if possible.

Why? As was pointed out earlier, they're more efficient than top loaders and more gentle on fabrics.

The ones here have a lower capacity, I have to use a special detergent with them, and they're more difficult for me to load and unload.

Either they don't sell the larger ones in the U.S or you're not looking the right places because I've see front loaders advertised that take 7 and 8 kg loads which match your large top loader machines.

You don't need the special powder - that's an marketting gimic by the detergent companies - you can use regular powder without any issues, just don't have to use quite as much

 

[Kestra]

I live in a condo so I haven't actually shopped around, I only have the choice of two different types of washers in the laundry room. And people were using regular detergent in them and they were overflowing so I'm not about to take that risk!

 

[AliciaD496]

This reminds me of a question I have from the time I lived in England, perhaps I already know the answer but I'd like to confirm.

In the US we usually have at least one outlet in the bathroom by the mirror, usually one that turns off automatically if it detects a surge. When I traveled around Ireland, Scotland and England I noticed that this was never the case. In fact there was usually only one outlet in the hotel or dorm room. I can understand in the bathroom at least it's probably too dangerous to have the higher voltage current anywhere near water at all, but why the lack of outlets in the rest of the living space?

As for the laundry question...both apartments here in the US that I've lived in that had a washer and dryer they were/are in the bathroom likely for the cited drainage and water supply issues. The one flat that I lived in over in England had a machine that was a combo washer/dryer that took FOREVER to dry anything and was in the storage closet away from either of the bathrooms or the kitchen...so it's not ALWAYS by the kitchen in England either.

It is apparently against U.K law to have any plug apart from the shaving outlet in the bathroom. Sucks, because I like to have some music while having a bath. I have actually considered a battery compatible boombox just for that purpose.

As to the lack of plugs - maybe Brits just don't have as many electronic gadgets as the Americans... I think the cost of living is much higher here, and the general population are less inclined to spend mega money modernising older homes... the cost of energy, food, transport, etc is ridiculous when compared to the U.S. The disposable income of each British home is lesser by a significant margin - making Brits more cautions when it comes to purchasing luxuries such as Dryers.

In this wiki list, the U.S is number 13 for quality of life, while the United Kingdom come in at 29: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quality-of-life_index

Huh...I didn't think about the whole 'modernizing' aspect. Buildings in the UK probably are a lot older than many here in the US, especially out west here. I think the oldest house I've ever lived in here was built in the 50s. Having to retrofit and modernize an older building would be a huge expense so I can see why they might keep it as simple as possible with wiring to new outlets and make only one.

As for laundry facilities...I don't think I've ever actually HAD to go to a laundromat. The dorms I've lived in provided coin-ops in the basement, the apartments that didn't have in-unit stackable washer and dryer provided coin operated facilities on the premise as well.

Being short I WISH I could get front loaders and maybe if I can ever afford a real house I will. It's a pain to have to get out a step stool to reach those last socks or whatever that are stuck to the bottom of the washer just out of reach.

 

[John Picard]

I live in a condo so I haven't actually shopped around, I only have the choice of two different types of washers in the laundry room. And people were using regular detergent in them and they were overflowing so I'm not about to take that risk!

They're using far too much detergent. I use the liquid detergent with the front loaders in the laundromat and rarely go above the "1" line on the supplied measuring cup/lid.

 

[kimc]

Australian homes don't usually have basements, maybe because Australian houses are usually built on decent size blocks and if a bigger house is needed people usually span out or up. Also flooding is quite common in Australia so maybe that is why we don't traditionally favour basements.

Here in the American Midwest we get tornados so a basement can be a lifesaver. It's also a good place to put the washer and dryer.

 

[Angela 0077]

I had to use a laundromat when I had only one child and the washing machine in my flat broke down. Though the laundromat was only about 200 meters from my home it was a pain in the neck carrying my washing there while I pushing a baby in a pram. Luckily we were able to get another washing machine a few weeks later.

Geez that brings back memorys.

i remeber when my daughter was a baby the washing machine broke down and l had to wash by hand.

I had to wash all the cloth nappys and that was a hard job to do but it had to be done.