Things to Consider Regarding Freestanding and Integrated Appliances

Integrated appliances are all the rage as people like to show off their kitchens, but are they really worth the extra money? Freestanding appliances perform just as effectively and a little more efficiently, but you lose out on style.

Aesthetics are playing a greater part in this modern era. The design of the household kitchen is by no means exempt from this increasing popular rule. Considering all of the elements of what used to be a humble part of the house takes much more time. There are professionals who design kitchens and help ordinary families to decide upon which appliances, worktops, cabinets and lighting they should install into their homes. From a visual perspective, it’s probably better to choose integrated appliances, hidden away from casual glances, over freestanding equivalents. However, what you gain with good looks, you lose out in the purse.

There is certainly no denying that a clutter free kitchen looks outstanding. Integrated appliances help to achieve this description by storing washing machines, tumble dryers and fridges behind matching cabinet doors but they are generally more costly. Ovens and hobs also poke out subtly from walls and worktops. What’s more, an integrated hob does not even have to be directly above the oven as would normally be the case with a freestanding cooker. With this added flexibility, you can customise your kitchen to fit your absolute needs at the first design.

In general, though, the overall flexibility of the kitchen can become lost with integrated appliances. You won’t be able to clean behind the back of the washing machine or cooker anymore, and neither will you be able to change the cabinets and rearrange the positions without having to rip out and reinstall the built in appliances. If you get your original layout slightly wrong, you will find that you’ll be stuck with it for a number of years until you can afford to rebuild your kitchen again.

The argument against the cost of integrated appliances can be quite easily calculated. The capacity that integrated washing machines have against their freestanding counterparts is usually smaller as well as being slightly more expensive. Integrated fridge freezers are also generally more costly. This is because the manufacturing costs are higher due to the increased difficulty in adding the cabinet door as well as the technology involved with the appliance. Again, space and capacity are also issues, with freestanding models being a little wider and unlimited somewhat in terms of height.

As with many things in life, it seems that the decision to go with either integrated appliances or freestanding ones boils down to what your heart wants and what your head tells you to do. Especially in the current economic climate, the cheaper option may well win the battle, leaving a lot of people with empty emotions. If you have the money spare, treat yourself to a complete set of integrated appliances, but if you don’t mind a bit of exposure, freestanding appliances will do just as well.

De Dietrich Electric Hob and Gas Cooker