Your choice of washer and dryer is an important one, since these are two of the most used appliances in the home and contribute significantly to your energy bill. Factors such as available space, load to be handled, energy rating and convenience features should be considered. With the many brands and models of washers and dryers in the market, you will be able to find a combination that meets your requirements.

In homes where space is not an issue or a major consideration, washers and dryers are places side by side in the laundry room. But if you have limited space or you don’t have a laundry room, you can work around it by stacking these units. This is especially recommended if you live in a small apartment or condo, or if you simply want to free up space in your laundry room.

A laundry center has controls at eye level for the dryer, which is on top, and is designed to be easy to reach. However, laundry center models tend to have fewer features than stand alone units. With regards to space, there are units that can fit easily in a cabinet or in the kitchen, but they cannot handle large amounts of laundry.

A laundry center is conveniently set up with the dryer on top of the washer, and dryer controls at eye level, within easy reach. This kind of appliance, however, is limited in terms of features, compared with stand-alone washers and dryers. Also, the space-saving feature may be offset by the limited capacity.

Also, in some cases, getting the washer and dryer as a pair is not necessarily an advantage. The washer may break down first, or vice versa. The damage may be extensive enough that it cannot be repaired, so that you have to buy another laundry center.

You can opt to purchase separate washer and dryer units instead. The search may take longer, but you will be able to get the best possible combination for your needs. You are not tied to any particular capacity or feature or obligated to buy the same brand for the two appliances.

A combined washer-dryer unit is another option in terms of saving space and maintenance cost, since there is only one appliance to deal with. It can come with pre-programmed wash-rinse-dry cycles that you can select, or it can allow you to have customized cycles that you program yourself.

However, capacity may be an issue with this option, since the choices for this kind of appliance is less extensive than for stand-alone washers and dryers.

Wes Sims specializes in writing about refrigerators and other greatappliances. It is important to read reviews and articles discussing appliances for your home like a washer, dryer, or other heavily used items so you know you are getting the best products.