Choose a format based on the dimension that’s actually restricting installation: a top-loader if you’re short on width, a slimline front-loader if depth is restricting the walkway, or a front-loader designed for under-counter installation if you need to keep the space beneath a worktop. Measure the delivery route too, along with the clearance needed to open the machine and connect the hoses. In a bathroom, have the proposed location and electrical installation checked before you order.
You need to keep a kitchenette, hallway or shower room easy to move around. Depending on which dimension is limited, consider the width of a top-loader or the depth of a slimline front-loader, and remember to allow room to open the machine.
You want to keep your worktop in place. The available height and depth, hose routing and the instructions for the exact model matter more than its stated width alone.
You need to find a spot where the connections remain accessible and the room’s electrical requirements are met. Promotelec notes that the electrical safety zones depend, among other things, on the position of the shower or bath.
Consider this: when width is your main constraint; UFC-Que Choisir gives a width of 40 to 46 cm for top-loading washing machines.
Bear in mind: you’ll need enough clearance to open the lid above the machine; this format won’t fit beneath a fixed worktop.
Consider this: when the machine’s depth is making the walkway narrower. Electrolux describes its slimline front-loaders as typically 33 to 45 cm deep.
Bear in mind: you’ll need room to open the door in front of the machine; a reduced depth doesn’t guarantee that it will fit the width of your space.
Consider this: if you need to keep a worktop in place and have enough room for your chosen model and its connections.
Bear in mind: the model’s documentation must confirm that it can be installed under a worktop; you can’t assume this from its external dimensions alone.
| Consideration | What to check | What matters to shoppers |
|---|---|---|
| Clearance and space | Measure the usable width and depth, then check how much room is needed to open the door or lid. | If the machine could encroach on my walkway, I’ll first look for a format that frees up the dimension causing the problem. Around 42% of consumers would make ease of movement their priority. |
| Fitting beneath a worktop | Compare the height and depth of the space with the model’s dimensions and installation requirements. | If I need to keep my worktop, I want the machine to fit without compromising its installation. Fitting beneath a worktop would be the main requirement for around 33% of consumers. |
| Connections and safety | Check the water supply, waste outlet and socket; in a bathroom, have the planned location for the machine checked. | In a small bathroom, I need to know whether the location and connections will allow a safe installation before choosing a format. Around 25% of consumers would put this first. |
A washing machine may fit into the space but still obstruct the walkway when its door is open or its hoses are connected. A top-loader and a slimline front-loader reduce different dimensions.
Measure the available width, height and depth, the route to the space and the full clearance needed to open the machine.
UFC-Que Choisir points out that a drum that’s too small can mean running more wash cycles. So external dimensions alone aren’t enough to tell you what capacity will suit your usual laundry loads.
Compare the model’s capacity with the amount of laundry you usually wash before opting for the most compact machine.
More cycles also mean more time spent getting your laundry done.
Available space alone doesn’t tell you whether a washing machine can be installed near a shower or bath. Promotelec describes electrical safety zones whose requirements depend on the layout of the room.
Before ordering, ask a qualified professional to check the proposed location and electrical supply, particularly if the machine is going in a bathroom cupboard.
If the location needs adapting, electrical, plumbing or carpentry work may be required beforehand; Electrolux states that its installers don’t carry out this work.
Bosch’s support instructions say to remove the transit bolts and adjust the feet during installation. The brand also warns that a kinked drain hose can affect drainage.
Choose a stable, level floor, follow the model’s instructions to level the machine and make sure the hoses can run without kinks.
Worth considering if width is your main constraint: Whirlpool lists its TW621CSSENSEWASHFR top-loader as 40 cm wide, with a 6 kg capacity.
The brand offers both top-loaders and slimline front-loaders, which are worth comparing depending on whether you’re short on width or depth.
Candy offers a range of slimline washing machines to consider if depth is the main constraint in your space.
Bosch is worth considering if your space can accommodate a front-loader and the model’s documentation sets out its installation requirements.
Choose based on the dimension that’s restricting the walkway: a top-loader suits a width constraint, while a slimline front-loader suits a depth constraint. UFC-Que Choisir gives a width of 40 to 46 cm for top-loaders; Electrolux says its slimline front-loaders are typically 33 to 45 cm deep. In either case, allow enough room to open the machine and check the dimensions of the specific model.
Installing a washing machine in a small bathroom depends on its exact location and whether the electrical installation complies with the requirements. Promotelec explains that the electrical safety zones around a shower or bath must be taken into account, including when the machine is in a cupboard. Have the actual layout checked before choosing a model.
Check that the water supply, waste outlet and socket are accessible where you plan to put the machine and are suitable for the washing machine you’ve chosen. Make sure the hoses can run without being pinched, too. If plumbing, electrical or carpentry work is needed, arrange it before the machine is installed.
Yes, if the model’s documentation confirms that it can be installed this way and the space provides the required dimensions and clearance. Compare the usable height and depth with the instructions, allowing for the hoses and access to the door; the machine’s width alone doesn’t confirm that it will fit beneath a worktop.