Washer / Dryer?

Hello there, this shall be my first of many stupid yank questions

We're looking to move to Liverpool from California come November of this year and I am pretty much going to be selling everything that I own (except for the important stuff of course) to make the move. Is it worth bringing your washer and dryer over with you? Do you even use drying machines in the UK? Hookups the same / different?

Any tips and info would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!
Jason

Hi its definitely not worth bringing your washer and dryer over with you. There would not be an advantage to it especially considering shipping costs. I am not sure about hook ups but there is an electricity issue, different in the US vs UK. Buying the appliances over here isn't OTT expensive. I would wait until you are settled and that way you can buy what you want and what fits into the house you will be in. If you are renting then usually a washer is included but not a dyer.

Bottom line, sell yours off in the states and buy over here.

Best wishes on your move!

Thanks for the reply Jules! Being a spoiled American, I have to wonder how you dry your clothes when renting a flat without a dryer? Do they usually have a communal dryer room or something? You obviously wouldn't have space to hang your clothes being in a flat. In a home, hang them outside, I understand that much

You hang them on drying racks inside or on a line outside. You get used to it. 

Buy a clothes horse and get creative with where you hang things


Also, I have a feeling that American style laundry habits, like waiting to do all of the wash until you have no clothes left or until the weekend, is a bad idea. Probably better to get into the habit of doing small loads here and there, especially since it can take a while for things to air-dry when it's super damp.

Though, I am not even over there yet so I am just going off of what I've seen in other posts here!

Or you can buy a dryer.

Also, I have a feeling that American style laundry habits, like waiting to do all of the wash until you have no clothes left or until the weekend, is a bad idea.

Agreed.  If you start out doing that and you don't have a dryer, it feels like you are forever doing washing because loads will take a couple of days to airdry versus an hour or so in the dryer. So after you run a couple of loads through the wash, there are clothes piled and hanging up everywhere, and by the time they all dry, you need to do washing again! 

Thanks for the comments. Makes sense

Buying a dryer won't be an option as I will be renting a flat to begin with.

Thanks for the comments. Makes sense

Buying a dryer won't be an option as I will be renting a flat to begin with.

I agree with the others about not bringing your American washer and dryer here. But wait and see what sort of rented accommodation you have. I rent and had neither a washer nor a dryer, so I bought a washer/dryer combo.

It also depends on your flat.  I tried hanging stuff last winter, but because we only have a gas fire in one room that we only turn on when we are awake/home the clothes never, ever dried and instead got moldy.  Woo-hoo.  Things are much better now that I can hang stuff outside, but I hate to think of next winter.

I have a washer and a tumble dryer in a rented accommodation in London, so you never know what you are going to get.  However, they are under the counter units and there would have been no space for American size Washer and Dryer.

Definitely wait to see where you will be living, otherwise sending them over could just become a big hassle.

...sending them over could just become a big hassle.

Not to mention a potential hazard.  Doesn't the voltage here sometimes fry American appliances?

Not to mention a potential hazard.  Doesn't the voltage here sometimes fry American appliances?

I had a curling iron that didn't make it   
Melted clear off the plastic handle.

I had a curling iron that didn't make it   
Melted clear off the plastic handle.

That must have been what I was thinking about!  Because I remember someone on here posting something about a hairdryer or curling iron like that once.  It must have been you.

I have lived in a flat three years in London...I use an air dryer in my bathroom now and we put it in the living room in the first one...everyone does it so no one blinks an eye.  In the summer things can dry in a day or so...in the winter it takes longer.  As the washers are much smaller than in the States, you tend to have to do laundry every few days or at the least on weekends.  It's not a big deal and you get used to it. Or at least I have.  Note - get ready to iron your jeans to make them soft.