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Washer/Dryer in Kitchen?

Started by SMTSay
over 12 years ago
Posts: 15
Member since: Oct 2012
Discussion about
I have recently seen a rental listing which featured a W/D unit under the counter in the kitchen. I undertand the LL wanting to be able to charge more for a unit with a W/D, but doing your laundry in the kitchen? That is not practical for many reasons on both sides (food and clothes). My question is, how worth it is it to have laundry in the apt? So much so that in the kitchen is now an acceptable place? How much is that worth to someone? Note: This is a question for RENTALS....
Response by ab_11218
over 12 years ago
Posts: 2017
Member since: May 2009

i had 2 coops that i put the w/d in the kitchen under the counter. both were illegal. they were life savers once kids came into play. can't imagine living in an apartment without it.

you still go down to do the large stuff once a week, but your personals, gentles, etc can be done at home.

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Response by alanhart
over 12 years ago
Posts: 12397
Member since: Feb 2007

It's EXTREMELY worth it. You can avoid other people's stinky silicone-laden cleaning products, bedbugs and other bothers.

Really, you can't manage to do your food and your laundry at different times? And/or carry the finished laundry in a basket to your LR or BR for folding, etc.?

If there isn't a separate dryer, you either need to dry on a folding rack (which is understandably no-go for many people, but that's the way it works in most of the world) or it's a combo. Note that combos in dryer mode can only handle half the amount of laundry that goes in a wash load. That might become tiresome, depending on your schedule.

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Response by SMTSay
over 12 years ago
Posts: 15
Member since: Oct 2012

I was thinking more of lint (even if vented, there is always lint around a w/d) in food, and food getting on clothes, not the ability to balance my time to separate the tasks.

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Response by SMTSay
over 12 years ago
Posts: 15
Member since: Oct 2012

I am a LL by the way

SMTSay = Shit My Tenants Say
https://twitter.com/SMTSay

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Response by jason10006
over 12 years ago
Posts: 5257
Member since: Jan 2009

Lots of buildings (and houses for that matter) have the W/D right next to the kitchen, so its not a big difference to me if its in, but it could be if more than one person lives in the apartment - i.e. the kitchen could get crowded.

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Response by alanhart
over 12 years ago
Posts: 12397
Member since: Feb 2007

The modern approach (in a combo or a standalone) uses ventless drying -- which is not at all the same as an indoor-vented traditional dryer. Cold water circulating around tube carrying exhausted steam causes the steam to liquefy, and then it goes down the drain. The tiny particles that would otherwise be lint go down with it.

People either love or hate those systems -- you can search here on SE for prior discussions. I think the older and cheaper ones (Malber, mostly) were shit. All I know is that one friend has been singing high praise for years now regarding her LG combo. It's the larger size, that won't fit under a counter, so she doesn't deal with the same capacity issues that undercounter would have.

Undercounter kitchen washers are very common in urban areas in The Europe.

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Response by alanhart
over 12 years ago
Posts: 12397
Member since: Feb 2007

I think it would add a lot of rental value. It also would add maintenance liability. Tenants will overstuff the machine, such that their clothes won't get clean/dry, and potentially causing damage requiring expensive service calls. Not sure if service plans / extended warranties apply if you're a landlord.

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Response by flarf
over 12 years ago
Posts: 515
Member since: Jan 2011

Of all the things people put up with to live in Manhattan, I don't think undercounter washers and dryers in a kitchen are topping the list of annoyances for many people.

In an apartment I'm gutting right now, the stacked w/d closet in the kitchen was torn out and they're being moved under the counter. Losing a base cabinet was more of a concern than lint.

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Response by caonima
over 12 years ago
Posts: 815
Member since: Apr 2010

it's necessary, especially in manhattan, period

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Response by drdrd
over 12 years ago
Posts: 1905
Member since: Apr 2007

That set-up is very common in London. I never thought about lint but you would want to carefully wipe down the counters before you start folding the dried clothes.

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Response by jason10006
over 12 years ago
Posts: 5257
Member since: Jan 2009

Oh yeah drdrd I forgot when I lived in London I had a COMBO W/D in the kitchen. In a very modern, new apt. It was fine since it was "ventless" but it did make the kitchen a bit crowded if my roommate wanted to do something at the same time in there.

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Response by MAV
over 12 years ago
Posts: 502
Member since: Sep 2007

As a LL, it is not worth the load on the building. Unless you are just trying to up the rents and sell it ASAP (after 1 year, of course) like many of these new LLs working with OPM are doing....

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Response by NYCMatt
over 12 years ago
Posts: 7523
Member since: May 2009

"That is not practical for many reasons on both sides (food and clothes)."

Is it more practical, though, than schlepping your laundry blocks away to use shared machines in which people put God Only Knows What before you got there?

Or -- not quite as bad for the schlepping -- down in the grimy cockroach- and rat-infested basement, to also use shared machines in which people put God Only Knows What?

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Response by jgregorie
over 12 years ago
Posts: 12
Member since: Aug 2010

I would punch my mother in the face for a washer/dryer in my apartment. I would not care what room it was in.
Okay I would not really punch her but you get the idea.
Most washer/dryers placed under kitchen counters are the ventless kind. They don't dry things very well.
Good for washing delicates but anything like towels and sheets will need to be done at a laundromat.

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Response by jim_hones10
over 12 years ago
Posts: 3413
Member since: Jan 2010

SMTSay
1 day ago
Posts: 9
Member since: Oct 2012
ignore this person
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I am a LL by the way

SMTSay = Shit My Tenants Say
https://twitter.com/SMTSay

If you are a landlord, then why ask a stupid, nearly rhetorical question? so people follow you on twitter? if you are a landlord, you KNOW a washer/dryer is the top requested "amenity" in an nyc apt. unless you are oblivious.

So are you a shill, or just dumb?

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Response by lobster
over 12 years ago
Posts: 1147
Member since: May 2009

Of course, having a washer/dryer in the kitchen is not the ideal location, but it is much better than
going down to the laundry room in your apartment building. When I was looking to buy an apartment, I occasionally saw a washer/dryer unit in the kitchen. Space is at a premium here so people put in the units where they can. Not everyone wants to give up a closet or has the room to give up a closet. If I were looking to rent an apartment, I would pay a slight premium for a washer/dryer unit in the kitchen so as to avoid making trips to the laundry room.

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