Compare the Best Washer DryersFebruary 2019

Washer Dryers, as the name suggest, combine both washing machine and tumble dryers into a single appliance. They tend to be smaller and be less effective than individual washers and dryers, but the saving in space is a massive advantage if you have limited space for large appliances.

Washer dryers can be used individually for either washing or drying clothes, or a single mode can do the entire cycle, moving seamlessly from washing to drying. This can be a timesaver if you only run a single load of clothing at once, since you won’t have to swap between several machines.

We have both freestanding and integrated washer dryers on our website. An integrated washer dryer is one that can be installed into it’s own section in your kitchen, often hidden behind a door so that it blends in with the rest of the cupboards.

Programs

Most models of washer dryers will have some form of automatic drying program, which will use sensors to determine when the clothes have been sufficiently dried. This can help save money by keeping cycle times no longer than they need to be. More advanced models may also have an additional ‘iron-dry’ program, which leaves clothes damp enough to make ironing easier.

An 'anti-crease’ function is a typical mode of washer dryers - this periodically rotates the clothes in the drum once they have finished drying, in order to minimise creasing.

Lastly, models may also have specialist washing/drying programs for delicate clothes and fabrics - using these can help prevent damage or undue wear to your clothes. This also extends to the spin speed - most models of washer dryer will have variable spin speeds, dictating how fast the drum rotates. Certain delicate fabrics may have a maximum speed they can be spun at to prevent accidental damage. On the other hand, extremely soiled clothes may need far faster spin speeds to properly remove all the dirt from them.

Capacity

The capacity of the drum in a washer dryer will determine how many clothes can be cleaned in a single cycle. We measure drum capacity in kilograms (Kg), with a single Kg being roughly equivalent to a single outfit. Bigger washer dryers have larger capacities, which may be necessary for families - single people and couples may find it far cheaper and more energy efficient to buy a smaller appliance.

Please note that as a rule washer dryers have a smaller maximum capacity for drying clothes than they do for drying them. This is because drying clothes requires a larger airflow through the drum to dry effectively, meaning less space for clothes.

Noise Level

Noise levels for our appliances are measured in Db - most washer dryers fall between 60-70db, which is generally slightly quieter than the noise of a vacuum cleaner running. While washer dryers generally don’t cause enough noise to be troublesome, if you live in a thin-walled apartment or tend to run washing overnight, it may be worth investing in an extra-quiet machine.

Washer Dryer Prices

In total we found 254 washer dryers ranging from £219 to £2,199. The average price of a new washer dryer is £493 and 80% of washer dryers are priced between £299 and £779. The cheapest washer dryer that we found is the Candy CBWD7514D at only £220, and the most expensive is the Miele WTZH130 WPM at £2,199.

Washer Dryer Brands - Price Range

Miele washer dryers range in price from £1,299 to £2,199, and the highest average washer dryer price out of all brands is Miele washer dryers with an average price of £1,633.

The second highest average washer dryer price out of all brands is Electrolux washer dryers with an average price of £787. Electrolux washer dryers range in price from £622 to £1,000.

The third highest average washer dryer price out of all brands is Bosch washer dryers with an average price of £722. Bosch washer dryers range in price from £450 to £919.

Washer Dryer Brands - Average Ratings

We have analysed 13 expert reviews and 4,895 user reviews for washer dryers and used this data to evaluate the average rating for each brand of washer dryer. The top three washer dryer brands are Siemens, Whirlpool and LG. Siemens has an average rating of 91%, Whirlpool has an average rating of 88% and LG has an average rating of 86%.

Biggest Washer Dryer Retailers

We found 184 current offers for washer dryers from eBay making it the biggest washer dryer retailer. That is more than twice as big as the second biggest retailer, Currys for whom we found 77 current offers for washer dryers. The third biggest retailer is AO with 76 current washer dryer offers.

When Are Most New Washer Dryers Released?

We couldn't see any obvious trend in the release dates for new washer dryers over the last 3 years. The biggest month last year for new washer dryer releases was March, with 16 new washer dryers released that month. 26 new washer dryers were released in October 2017 making it the biggest month that year for new washer dryer releases. In 2016 most new washer dryers were released in September, with 65 new washer dryers released that month.

How Fast Do Washer Dryer Prices Drop After Release?

In the first 6 months after release, washer dryers drop in price by 4% on average. That means that on a typical washer dryer costing £493 you could save on average £22 by waiting 6 months before buying.

Washing Capacities

The amount of clothes that the washer dryer drum can hold during its washing cycle.

Comparing all washer dryers, the washing capacities range from 2.27kg to 18kg. The washing capacities of most washer dryers range from 8kg to 9kg. The Samsung WF431ABP, which is on sale for £1,499.00, has the largest washing capacity and is a 17kg capacity washer dryer. The Hotpoint BHWD149/1, which currently retails for £359.95, has the smallest washing capacity and is a 5kg capacity washer dryer.

Drying Capacities

The total amount of clothes that can be put in the tumble dryer or washer/dryer in a single dry.

Comparing all washer dryers, the drying capacities range from 1.4kg to 20kg. The drying capacities of the majority of washer dryers range from 5.5kg to 6.5kg. The Samsung WF431ABP, which is available at £1,499.00, has the largest drying capacity and is a 14kg drying capacity washer dryer. The CDA CI925, which currently retails for £349.00, has the smallest drying capacity and is a 3kg drying capacity washer dryer.

Wash Noise Levels

How much noise the washer dryer makes when it's in use, measures in decibels (dB).

The wash noise levels of washer dryers range from 41dB to 83dB. The wash noise levels of most washer dryers range from 56dB to 59dB. The washer dryer with the highest wash noise level is the Candy Gvsw496Dcab, which is an 80dB wash noise level washer dryer and can be purchased for £419.99. The Siemens WD15H520GB, which is available at £849.00, has the lowest wash noise level and is a 46dB wash noise level washer dryer.

Spin Noise Levels

How much noise the washer dryer makes when it's running a spin cycle, measures in decibels (dB).

Across the range of washer dryers, the spin noise levels range from 53dB to 89dB. The spin noise levels of most washer dryers range from 74dB to 76dB. The Indesit XWDE75140X, which sells for £379.99, has the highest spin noise level and is an 89dB spin noise level washer dryer. The Electrolux EWX127410W, which is available at £739.00, has the lowest spin noise level and is a 56dB spin noise level washer dryer.

Energy Efficiency of Washer Dryers

The Energy Efficiency Class of a washer dryer shows how well it uses energy, and how much is unnecessarily wasted. Products are ranked from G to A++ in terms of how little energy they use compared to the norm.

We found 418 washer dryers that have an energy efficiency rating of A, which makes this the most common energy efficiency rating amongst new washer dryers. We found 242 washer dryers that have an energy efficiency rating of B, making this the second most popular energy efficiency rating amongst new washer dryers.

Which Are the Cheapest Retailers for Washer Dryers?

The chart below helps you decide which retailer is normally cheapest for buying washer dryers. For each retailer it shows the total number of washer dryers where they currently have a market leading price. The chart below helps you decide which retailer is normally cheapest for buying washer dryers. For each retailer we took all of their prices and looked at what proportion of those prices where the cheapest on the market. The cheapest retailer that we found was eBay. 128 of their washer dryer prices were the cheapest that could be found anywhere.

Proportion of Washer Dryers for Which Each Retailer is Cheapest?

Assessing how cheap each retailer is for washer dryers by counting the number of cheapest prices for that retailer, makes the retailers that offer the greatest number of washer dryer prices more likely to offer the greatest number of cheapest prices. The chart below considers the proportion of each retailer's washer dryer prices that are the cheapest compared to other retailers. The cheapest retailer that we found using this approach was eBay. 69.6% of their washer dryer prices were the cheapest that could be found anywhere.