How to organise your washer and dryer
Stacking kits… Do I need one? How do they work? What laundry appliances can I stack? And perhaps the most common question of them all, what actually is a stacking kit?
If you find yourself asking these questions, you’ve clicked onto the right post.
We answer your questions and give you a bit of background information on the whole stacking kit business, starting with the most basic of the basics:
What is washer and dryer stacking?
Every home has a limited amount of space available to work with, and all too often the laundry gets the short end of the stick. Even if your home has been blessed with a sizable laundry room, it’s still nice to make the most of the available space.
One great way to make the most efficient use of your laundry room is to take your dryer and place it on top of your front loading washing machine- Stacking.
By making smart use of vertical space, you’ll leave more room available for organising the rest of your laundry (or if you’re like me, cluttering the place up with junk you don’t want to store in the house).
What is a stacking kit and what does it do?
A stacking kit is a laundry accessory that fits between a front load washer and a dryer. Other than saving you valuable space, it also ensures your two appliances sit safely as one fixed unit.
Stacking kits are designed to distribute the weight of a dryer on top of a washer, and to absorb vibrations from both appliances while they’re running. This ensures your dryer remains on top of your washer and not on the ground, which of course, will be very disastrous for both the appliance and your laundry room floor.
Are there other benefits to a stacking kit?
Some stacking kits, like the AEG SKP11 above, offer handy extra features, such as a slide-out shelf that can prove very convenient when juggling laundry baskets, detergents, and clothes. These shelves also come in handy if you’re the type of person who likes to fold your laundry as soon as they come out of the dryer.
Of course, not every stacking kit has a plastic panel or shelf. For example, the SKK-DF from Samsung consists of a set of clips designed to be fitted to the corners of the appliances, securing them together. It’s the same kind of deal for the ESK stacking kit from Euromaid.
Another alternative comes to us from Gorenje, whose vented and condenser dryers come with sets of suction cup feet, which can be used to securely set them up stacked atop a Gorenje washing machine – no special installation required!
Can stacking kits be used with any model or brand of washer and dryer?
Unfortunately this is not the case for all stacking kits. A lot of stacking kits are designed specifically to be compatible with selected washer and dryer models from a specific brand – typically a matching washer and dryer from the same brand.
Always check which laundry appliances are compatible with the stacking kit you have in mind. For example, the Electrolux STA9 is only compatible with Electrolux brand front load washers and condenser dryers, and is not compatible with their vented dryers.
Can I use something else instead of a stacking kit?
You can! Appliances Online sells the Enviro Rubber APL600 as a laundry accessory. This simple rubber mat can absorb any vibrations between a washer and dryer, so even if you have a washer and dryer from different brands, you can still stack them and save space in your laundry.
Plus, the APL600 can also be useful in the kitchen or in other areas of the home.. Place it underneath your fridge or other similar appliance, and it will help absorb vibrations to reduce noise, and adds some extra stability on an uneven floor – something that’s not uncommon in laundry rooms and bathrooms, where a gentle slope in the floor can help water flow down to a drain.
How do I know if my washing machine and dryer can be stacked with one another?
The best way to be sure which laundry products match well is to visit the manufacturer’s website or contact the Appliances Online team. As a general guideline, you can usually stack any washer and dryer if the width and depth measurements are equal, or if the washer’s footprint is larger than the dryer’s.
Unfortunately you can’t stack a bigger dryer on top of a smaller washer – it’s just physics!
Imagine a set of children’s blocks. Now imagine trying to balance a bigger one on top of a smaller one – even if it can be done- picture those blocks about a hundred times bigger, and both of them vibrating. Certainly not very safe.
Can I stack my washing machine on top of a dryer?
No, you can only stack a dryer on top. Washing machines are too heavy, especially when full of water and wet clothes. They also vibrate more during operation as their spin speeds are higher, increasing the risk of accidents if stacked.
How do you stack your washer and dryer?
Check and measure your spaceMeasure your chosen space to ensure the stacked dimensions will fit. Remember that you’ll need to combine the height of the washer, stacking kit and dryer for total stacked height.Be sure to leave a few centimetres either side of the appliances for ventilation, and a few centimetres at the back for hoses, piping, and so on.
Make sure the appliances can be stacked together. You’ll need to ensure the dimensions of the dryer are the same or slightly smaller than that of the washer underneath. It’s generally recommended that you stack appliances of the same brand together, as their stacking kit will be suited to brand-specific dimensions.
Get a stacking kit. It’s important to check whether you need a specific stacking kit, as many manufacturers sell these to suit their own brand. See our section above ‘Can stacking kits be used with any machine?’ for more information.
Stack your appliances. You’ll need at least two able-bodied people to lift the dryer up and place it onto the stacking kit. Condenser dryers can weigh upwards of 50kg (especially heat-pump dryers), so don’t try this alone.
At Appliances Online, we offer excellent installation services – for an additional fee, you can have your washer and/or dryer stacked by our highly professional installation staff. They can even conveniently deliver and install the dryer at the same time.
Our installers also test the stacked appliances to ensure the structure is stable and safe, to give you that added peace of mind.
It’s as simple as ticking the Installation box in the Checkout stage of your purchase, or giving our helpful customer service team a call on 1300 000 500 at any time to arrange installation.
Run a test cycle. Once everything is set up and fixed together, you should run a test cycle to make sure the unit is stable.
Can I stack onto my top-loading washer?
No – absolutely not! Stacking only suits front-opening washers and dryers, as it requires the base of a condenser dryer to be fixed to the top of a front-load washer. Your top-loading washer also needs a minimum lid clearance to open and use it (the amount depends on the brand).
See our Is there an alternative to stacking a washer and a dryer? section below for other options.
How do you stack a washer and dryer without a stacking kit?
You can place a rubber mat, such as the Enviro Rubber APL600, between your washer and dryer. This simple rubber mat can absorb any vibrations between a washer and dryer, so even if you have a washer and dryer from different brands, you can still stack them and save space in your laundry.
The rubber appliance mat can also be useful in the kitchen or in other areas of the home. Place it underneath your fridge or other similar appliance, and it will help absorb vibrations to reduce noise, and adds some extra stability on an uneven floor – something that’s not uncommon in laundry rooms and bathrooms, where a gentle slope in the floor can help water flow down to a drain.
NOTE: Rubber mats are generally designed for use with a VENTED dryer and front-load washer. Stacking a CONDENSER dryer on a front-loading washer without a stacking kit is dangerous, so for your own safety we don’t recommend this.
Can I stack my washing machine and dryer without a stacking kit OR rubber mat?
You can, but it’s not recommended. Even though a dryer doesn’t vibrate as much as a washer while in use, there’s still a risk that if it jumps around while running it could jump right off the top of your washer… which won’t be good for you appliance, or your floor.
There’s also a small risk that if you pull hard on the door of an unsecured stacked dryer, it could be pulled right off the top of the washing machine.
So stack your appliances bareback if you want, but at your own risk!
Is there an alternative to stacking a washer and dryer?
Yes there is – wall-mounting.
Rather than precariously balancing your dryer on top of your front loader, you can use a bracket to attach your dryer to a wall. Not only does this make efficient use of vertical space, but putting your dryer up high means less bending over to add and remove clothes.
This is also a great arrangement if you prefer a top-loading washing machine. Obviously you can’t stack a dryer on top of a top loader – you couldn’t open the washer lid! – but you can still place your dryer out of the way while leaving it easy to access.
Two important things to remember when it comes to wall mounting a dryer:
You can only wall mount vented dryers, which blast out the moisture they remove from your clothes in the form of hot steam. Condenser dryers, which collect the moisture in a tank of condensed water, are too heavy to wall-mount safely, though they can be stacked.
Many vented dryer models can actually be wall-mounted upside down, which has the advantage of keeping their controls within easy reach without needing a stepladder. Models that can do this typically include a set of stickers or decals that can help to re-label the controls so you don’t have to stand on your head to understand what you’re doing. To confirm if a dryer can be wall-mounted upside down.
Also, keep in mind that wall-mounting a clothes dryer does require a bit of work in the laundry, and if you’re a renter, your real estate and/or landlord may not approve of you drilling holes for a wall-mounting bracket without their permission.
Regarding pedestals
Aside from stacking kits, there’s another accessory that sometimes comes in handy in the laundry – the pedestal.
This raised platform sits underneath a washer or dryer, lifting the appliance up to a more accessible height, so it can be loaded or unloaded without putting stress on your back. Plus, they’re sometimes also fitted with storage drawers for helping to keep your laundry organised (though as pedestals are so low to the ground, accessing your stored items isn’t always easy).
If you’re considering adding a pedestal to your laundry setup- like the Electrolux PDST60– remember that all of the same principles apply as when stacking a washer and dryer – you can’t stack a bigger appliance on top of a smaller pedestal, and pedestals manufactured by major appliance brands are usually only compatible with specific models from that particular brand.
It’s also important to remember that you can’t stack two appliances onto a pedestal. Doing so will put your dryer too high out of reach and can make the arrangement potentially unstable.