Integrated vs freestanding - compatible with future kitchen

Big_Zee

Hi,

We have just bought a house and are moving in next Monday. The house has no kitchen appliances at all, so I need to get a washing machine, fridge, dishwasher and cooker as soon as possible.

My issue is however, that the kitchen units are a bit ropey and sometime in the next year I would like to get a whole new kitchen and I would like the appliances to be hidden behind cupboard doors as opposed to sticking out in the open.

So my issue is I need to buy appliances now that will integrate with a future kitchen!

In our current kitchen we have a dishwasher that is fully integrated ( the dishwasher door is connected to the cupboard door) and we also have a normal freestanding washing machine that is hidden behind a cupboard door but not connected to it - so semi integrated.

I think I'd be happy as long as I could get the items behind cupboard doors - but I obviously haven't got the kitchen yet to know if they will fit!

Can anyone give me some advise on type / sizes etc that I should be looking for so my appliances can fit behind doors in my future kitchen?

Many thanks for any advice in advance!

Leif

I chose freestanding fridge-freezer and washing machine, the fitted ones were a lot more money and I think freestanding ones look fine. It is after all a kitchen so it is not entirely surprising and unexpected to see that it has a fridge and a washing machine. But I chose a fitted oven, as I think free standing ones look naff. And I have a fitted dishwasher as it was cheap.

Fitted ovens are made to fit into a slot, so that's no good for you. You could buy a cheap oven carcass, and fit the oven, but it does not sound a safe/good idea. And I think legally it must be wired up by a 'qualified person'. I don't think it would be safe to do likewise with a dishwasher, as it has to be hooked up to water and outflow, and a carcass on its own might be unstable given the vibrations.

I'd be tempted to get new free standing fridge-freezer and washer, and buy a cheap used freestanding oven which can be freecycled when you come to get new kitchen units. And wash your dishes by hand. I've had a dishwasher for over a year, and it still has the instruction manual and plastic covers inside as it has not been used. I hate them.

londonlydia

Hi,

I've just bought a new house, but we had decent cabinets in there, but no stuff apart from a black range. We went for freestanding units, but went for all black ones so it all matched...i.e. if it's on show make it look all matching and on show for a reason. But we have a separate utility space, so maybe it would have been overkill if we had those in there too.

But, I think many of the items you could get the integrated or semi integrated and then for the front panels later. This would work for the fridge, dishwasher and washing machine at least. Cooker would be tougher, so maybe buy cheap/ 2nd hand for now to tie over.

The other option is what my boyfriend's dad did, and he has some freestanding units behind doors. To do this, you want to get a smaller appliance, and then have larger carcasses when you get your kitchen done.