In a studio flat, start by checking the space available for the machine and its door, then consider the connections you can use. A compact front-loading or top-loading model can work as a permanent fixture; a portable mini washing machine is better suited to small loads, provided you can connect it to a water supply and drain it. A washer-dryer saves you from needing a separate tumble dryer, but takes up the space required for a standard-width appliance. Its drying capacity may also be lower than its washing capacity.
If you already have access to a water supply, a drain and a suitable socket, compare a compact front-loading model with a top-loader. Measure the alcove, then check how much room you need in front of the door or above the lid.
If you can fit a standard-width freestanding appliance, a washer-dryer means you won’t need to make room for a separate tumble dryer. Check the wash-and-dry cycle capacity, though: it may be lower than the washing capacity.
A portable mini washing machine may suit this need if you only have small loads to wash. Before choosing one, check where you’ll fill and drain it, and make sure you have room to move and store it.
First, consider what you can realistically install or store. Then think about how much laundry you need to wash and how you’ll dry it.
Consider it: if your connected alcove is too small for the freestanding appliance you had in mind.
Bear in mind: even with a compact model, you’ll still need room to open the door and access the connections.
Consider it: if width is limited but there’s enough room to open the lid freely.
Bear in mind: a fixed worktop or shelf above the machine could stop you using it.
Consider it: if you need to store the appliance and mainly wash small loads.
Bear in mind: being portable doesn’t mean you can skip checking how the model is supplied with water and drained.
Consider it: if drying clothes is a challenge and you have room for a standard-width freestanding appliance.
Bear in mind: you may need to reduce the load before drying it.
| Consideration | What to check | What I need |
|---|---|---|
| Space and opening | Measure the width, depth and height, as well as the route to the space. Allow for the door to open or enough clearance above the lid. | I want to install the appliance without blocking a walkway, and be able to open it far enough to load my laundry. |
| Water supply and drainage | For a freestanding appliance, locate the water supply and drain. For a portable model, check the tap connection, hoses and maximum permitted drain height in the product documentation. | Even if I put the machine away after use, I still need to be able to fill it and drain the water for every wash. |
| Amount of laundry | Compare the capacity in kg with the size of your usual loads. Product information from BUT, Electrolux France and HAVA EU respectively lists a 5 kg capacity for the Candy CW50-BP12307GU1-S, 6 kg for the Electrolux EW6T1265CA and up to 3 kg for the HAVA T02. | If I do laundry regularly, I’d rather choose a machine that suits the size of my loads than focus only on its overall dimensions. |
| Drying | Compare washing and wash-and-dry capacities separately. Bosch lists a 9 kg washing capacity and a 6 kg wash-and-dry capacity for the WNG24402FR. | I don’t have enough room to hang laundry out to dry. If I choose a washer-dryer, my loads will need to fit its drying capacity. |
| Electrical location | Check the socket and the requirements in the instruction manual. In a bathroom, have the location near the shower or bath assessed: Promotelec notes that electrical equipment is subject to different rules depending on its position. | I want to know whether the available space in my bathroom is suitable before ordering an appliance. |
A machine may fit in the space, but its door or lid might not open. You’ll also need to account for the hoses and the delivery route.
Measure the free space around the appliance, the distance to the connections and the access route it will need to take.
The HAVA T02 needs a water supply and a drain. HAVA EU’s product information gives a maximum drain height of 120 cm.
Check the connection described in the model’s documentation, the available tap and where you’ll drain the water.
If the connection doesn’t fit your tap, you may need a compatible adapter.
Bosch lists a 9 kg washing capacity for the WNG24402FR, but only 6 kg for a wash-and-dry cycle. So a load of more than 6 kg can’t be dried all at once on that cycle.
Compare both capacities in the model’s product information and plan loads that fit the drying capacity.
Splitting a large load may mean running an extra drying cycle.
The proximity of a shower or bath affects the installation requirements for electrical equipment. Promotelec sets out rules based on the different zones in a bathroom.
If you’re unsure whether the location and electrical installation are suitable, have them checked before planning to put your washing machine there.
The Mini Prowash 700 CW50-BP12307GU1-S is an example of a compact, front-loading model for permanent installation. BUT lists its dimensions as 51 × 48,8 × 70 cm, with a 5 kg capacity and a spin speed of 1 200 tr/min.
The top-loading EW6T1265CA measures 89 × 40 × 60 cm and has a 6 kg capacity, according to Electrolux France.
HAVA EU lists the T02 as a portable mini washing machine measuring 42 × 46 × 75 cm, with a capacity of up to 3 kg.
The WNG24402FR washer-dryer combines both functions in an appliance measuring 848 × 598 × 590 mm, according to Bosch Électroménager France.
This selection features a foldable mini washing machine to consider if you want to put the appliance away after use. Before choosing it for your laundry, check its recommended load capacity and how it connects to a water supply and drains.
Image unavailable
Its foldable design is handy if you need to put the appliance away after use. The title lists a 10 L capacity, three cycle times of 2, 5 and 10 min, a 40 W motor, 320 tr/min and a drain basket. Before choosing it for regular laundry, confirm the recommended load in kg, its dimensions when folded and unfolded, and how it connects to a water supply and drains. The 320 tr/min spin speed alone doesn’t tell you how well it will spin your laundry.
Not necessarily: the HAVA T02 needs a water supply and a drain, even though you can move it. Check the tap connection, hoses and intended drainage point. HAVA EU lists a maximum drain height of 120 cm for this model.
Not with every cycle or every model. Bosch lists a 9 kg capacity for washing alone, but only 6 kg for the WNG24402FR wash-and-dry cycle. For loads over 6 kg, you’ll need to reduce the amount to be dried or split it into separate loads.
Not if the worktop stops you opening the lid. The Electrolux EW6T1265CA measures 40 cm wide and 89 cm high, according to Electrolux France. Check the clearance needed above it too before choosing that location.
Don’t just look at the floor space. The position in relation to the shower or bath and the electrical installation also need to be considered: Promotelec notes that different rules apply to electrical equipment depending on the zones in the bathroom. Have any uncertain location checked before installation.
Measure the delivery route and the space where it will go, then check access to a water supply, a drain and a suitable socket. Electrolux France states in its pre-installation guide that its installers connect the appliance to compliant existing installations, but don’t carry out plumbing, electrical or carpentry work.