In a studio flat, choose the style that addresses your actual space constraints: a slim front-loader if depth is limited but there’s room to open the door, or a top-loader if width is limited and there’s clear space above. Choose a mini washing machine for very small loads when a standard appliance isn’t an option. Before you buy, check that the capacity suits your laundry and that you have the right connections.
If the connections are in place, compare the depth of a front-loader with the width of a top-loader, and make sure there’s enough room to open the appliance. Then check that its capacity suits the amount of laundry you usually do.
Check the property inventory to see whether a washing machine is already provided. Also check the existing connections before choosing a style.
A mini washing machine can handle small loads. However, check its wash capacity, spin capacity and drainage method separately before relying on it as your main appliance.
Start by measuring the space and clearance around it, then check that the capacity and installation requirements suit your regular laundry needs.
Worth considering: if depth is your main constraint and there’s room in front for the door to open.
Bear in mind: a shallow appliance still needs room for the door to swing open.
Worth considering: if the space is narrow and there’s clear room above the machine.
Bear in mind: it saves space mainly on width, not necessarily on depth.
Worth considering: if you can’t install a standard appliance and your loads are small.
Bear in mind: its spin capacity may be lower than its wash capacity, so you may need to handle the laundry more often.
| Criteria | What to check | Think about your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Space and access | Measure the height, width and depth of the intended space. Check the installation diagram for the clearance needed to open the door or lid. | I need to be able to open the machine without blocking the walkway or hitting nearby furniture. |
| Capacity | Compare the capacity in kg with your usual loads. For a mini washing machine, check the wash and spin capacities separately: a model listed by Darty has capacities of 3 kg and 1 kg respectively. | My usual loads should fit without having to split them every time. ADEME says a 7 kg washing machine is enough for most people, but the actual amount of laundry you do is what matters. |
| Use near your living area | Compare the figures for water per cycle, energy in kWh/100 cycles and spin noise in dB on the same basis. Also check the durability index for front-loading and top-loading models. | If the machine is near my living space, its noise matters as much as its other practical features. |
| Installation | Check where the water supply, drainage and power connections are. Read the model’s instructions, especially the drainage requirements for a portable machine. | Before ordering, I want to know where the machine can go and how the water will drain. |
A top-loader needs room for its lid to open; a front-loader needs room for its door. So the appliance’s dimensions alone don’t tell you whether it will be practical in the intended spot.
Measure nearby skirting boards, doors and furniture too, then allow for the clearances shown in the model’s installation diagram.
The mini model listed by Darty washes 3 kg but only spins 1 kg, so you may need to spin a single wash load in several batches.
Compare both capacities and check how the machine drains before choosing this style for regular laundry.
Machines can also differ in water use, spin noise and their durability index. The French Ministry of the Economy says that, for front-loading and top-loading washing machines, this index has replaced the repairability index since 8 April 2025.
Check these figures for the models you’re considering rather than focusing on just one letter.
ANIL says a landlord can provide a washing machine. Check what’s included in the specific property before buying one.
Check the inventory attached to your tenancy agreement and see where the existing connections are.
These details apply to the models listed, not to every washing machine made by each brand.
According to Schneider Consumer France, the compact front-loader SCLLF7120 has a 7 kg capacity and is 42 cm deep.
Whirlpool France says its top-loader TDLR 62667 FR is 40 cm wide and 60 cm deep, with a capacity of 6 kg.
Electrolux France lists the top-loading PerfectCare 600 EW6T5265IC as 400 mm wide and 600 mm deep, with a capacity of 6 kg.
Candy France describes its slim and compact washing machines as having depths of 33 to 46 cm, depending on the model.
This top-loading washing machine is worth considering if width is your main constraint and there’s enough clearance for the lid to open freely.
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Its top-loading design is worth considering if the space is narrow and there’s room above it. The product name lists a capacity of 6 kg and a spin speed of 1,400 rpm. Check that this capacity suits your loads and that the depth, lid clearance and connections work for your space.
Choose a capacity to suit the amount of laundry you usually do, not just the size of your studio flat. ADEME says a 7 kg washing machine is enough for most people. A smaller capacity may suit small loads, as long as you don’t have to split them regularly.
Not in every dimension: Whirlpool’s TDLR 62667 FR and Electrolux’s EW6T5265IC top-loaders are 40 cm wide and 60 cm deep, while Candy France describes slim or compact front-loaders as 33 to 46 cm deep, depending on the model. Allow room above a top-loader and in front of a front-loader’s door.
It may work if your loads are very small and you’re happy to split them. For example, a mini model listed by Darty has a wash capacity of 3 kg and a spin capacity of 1 kg. Check these capacities separately, along with the dimensions and drainage.
Compare capacity, water per cycle, energy in kWh/100 cycles and spin noise in dB on the same basis, taking the available space into account. For front-loading and top-loading models in France, you can also check the durability index: the French Ministry of the Economy says it replaced the repairability index for these appliances on 8 April 2025.