Assessing Laundry Needs

The first step in making the right purchase for a washer and dryer is a little advanced planning. Know your needs. For example, how much time do you spend doing laundry? Do you have a large family requiring daily clothes laundering, or are you a single person or a couple with no children?

It's also important to consider where your laundry room or washer and dryer will be located. If you are an apartment dweller, available space is probably an issue.

If you have a multilevel home, space is probably still an issue, but more from a sense of location within your home and how far you have to go to change a load. Do you need to consider wheelchair accessibility or other health needs?

Thinking about when and how you do your laundry will help you decide what size of washer or dryer to purchase and what cycle options are important to your family's needs. If you are energy-conscious (or are trying to become so) there are several options and models available to meet this requirement.

In any case, the main points for consideration on any washer and dryer include size and style, capacity, cycles, temperatures, controls, and energy efficiency.