If you want the convenience of both a washing machine and tumble dryer but don’t have the space for two separate appliances, a washer dryer can be an excellent solution.
Modern washer dryers have come a long way. Today’s models can offer large washing capacities, sensor-controlled drying, automatic detergent dosing, steam programmes, WiFi connectivity and quick wash-and-dry cycles — all within a single appliance.
But choosing the right washer dryer isn’t always straightforward.
What does 10.5kg/6kg actually mean? Is a bigger capacity always better? Are smart features worth paying for? And should you buy a washer dryer at all, or would separate appliances make more sense?
In this 2026 buyer’s guide, we’ll look at some of the best washer dryers available in Ireland, explain the features that actually matter and help you work out which type of machine is right for your household.
Quick Guide: Our Top Washer Dryer Picks for 2026
Best Premium Washer Dryer: Bosch Series 8 10.5kg/6kg
Best for Automatic Dosing: Siemens iQ500 10.5kg/6kg
Best Smart All-Rounder: Hisense 5S 10.5kg/6kg
Best for Small Spaces: Samsung Series 5 Slim 9kg/5kg
Best for Fabric Care: Electrolux 8kg/4kg DualCare
Let’s take a closer look.
1. Bosch Series 8 10.5kg/6kg Washer Dryer
Best Premium Washer Dryer
For households looking for a premium all-in-one laundry appliance, the Bosch Series 8 WNC25410GB is one of the strongest options in the range.
It's 10.5kg washing capacity provides plenty of room for larger household loads, while up to 6kg can be washed and dried in one continuous cycle.
Where the Series 8 really distinguishes itself, however, is automation.
Bosch i-DOS automatically measures and dispenses detergent, reducing the need to manually dose every wash. Auto Dry uses sensors to manage the drying process, while Iron Assist uses steam to help reduce creasing.
You also get Anti Stain, SpeedPerfect and Home Connect, making this particularly appealing to customers who want their washer dryer to do more of the decision-making for them.
Why We Like It
- Large 10.5kg washing capacity
- 6kg drying capacity
- 1400rpm spin
- i-DOS automatic detergent dosing
- Auto Dry
- Iron Assist steam technology
- Anti Stain
- SpeedPerfect
- Home Connect
Best For
Larger or busy households looking for a premium washer dryer with plenty of automation.
The Series 8 is available in both White and Cast Iron Grey, so you can also choose the finish that works best in your kitchen or utility room.
2. Siemens iQ500 10.5kg/6kg Washer Dryer
Best for Automatic Dosing
The Siemens iQ500 WN54G1A1GB is another excellent choice for households that want to automate more of their laundry routine.
It offers a substantial 10.5kg washing capacity and 6kg drying capacity, along with a maximum 1400rpm spin speed.
Its standout feature is i-Dos, which automatically measures and dispenses the appropriate amount of detergent for the load.
There is also autoDry for sensor-controlled drying and smartFinish, which uses steam to help reduce creases in dry garments.
For busy days, speedPack L allows compatible programmes to be accelerated, while a small load can be washed and dried in approximately 60 minutes. Siemens also includes waterPerfect Plus, which adjusts water consumption according to the load.
Why We Like It
- 10.5kg washing capacity
- 6kg drying capacity
- 1400rpm spin
- i-Dos automatic detergent dosing
- autoDry
- smartFinish
- speedPack L
- Wash & Dry 60
- waterPerfect Plus
Best For
Busy households that want large capacity and automatic detergent dosing without paying for smart connectivity they may never use.
3. Hisense 5S 10.5kg/6kg Washer Dryer
Best Smart All-Rounder
The Hisense 5S WD5S1045BW/BB combines a large 10.5kg washing capacity and 6kg drying capacity with an impressive range of convenience features.
Like the Bosch and Siemens models above, the Hisense includes Auto Dosing, making it particularly useful for households doing frequent loads of laundry.
But there’s much more here.
Pure Steam provides additional options for refreshing clothes and reducing creasing, while WiFi connectivity through the ConnectLife app adds smart functionality.
Quick 15 provides an option for smaller loads when you’re short on time, while Wash & Dry 60 can take a suitable small load through the complete washing and drying process in approximately an hour.
Why We Like It
- 10.5kg washing capacity
- 6kg drying capacity
- 1400rpm spin
- Auto Dosing
- Pure Steam
- WiFi connectivity
- ConnectLife app
- JetWash
- Quick 15
- Wash & Dry 60
- 19 programmes
Best For
Households looking for lots of modern features and smart functionality in one large-capacity washer dryer.
Redmond Electric stocks this model in White and Black, making it another good option if the appearance of the appliance matters in your kitchen or utility room.
4. Samsung Series 5 Slim 9kg/5kg Washer Dryer
Best Washer Dryer for Small Spaces
Not every home has room for a particularly deep laundry appliance.
That’s where the Samsung Series 5 WD90DG5G34BBEU becomes especially interesting.
It provides a useful 9kg washing capacity and 5kg drying capacity, but its main cabinet is only 480mm deep.
That makes it particularly appealing for kitchens, apartments and utility areas where installation space is limited.
Despite its slimmer design, you still get an impressive range of Samsung technology.
There’s AI Energy Mode, AI Ecobubble, Hygiene Steam, Air Wash, Super Speed and SmartThings connectivity.
Air Wash is particularly interesting because it provides a way to refresh suitable clothing without putting it through a conventional wash.
Why We Like It
- Slim 480mm cabinet depth
- 9kg washing capacity
- 5kg drying capacity
- 1400rpm spin
- AI Energy Mode
- AI Ecobubble
- Hygiene Steam
- Air Wash
- Super Speed
- Quick Wash 15
- WiFi and SmartThings connectivity
Best For
Apartments, smaller kitchens and homes where appliance depth is particularly important.
If you’re buying specifically because of the slim dimensions, remember to measure the complete installation space and allow sufficient room for the door, hoses and connections.
5. Electrolux 8kg/4kg Washer Dryer with DualCare
Best for Fabric Care
Not everybody needs a 10kg+ washing machine.
For couples and smaller households, the Electrolux EWDK5846B offers a more modest 8kg washing capacity and 4kg drying capacity, along with a particularly fast 1600rpm maximum spin speed.
Its real strength, however, is garment care.
DualCare adapts the cycle to different fabrics, while SensiCare adjusts the programme according to the size of the load.
There’s also a useful SteamRefresh function for garments that could benefit from refreshing without necessarily requiring another complete wash.
Dedicated programmes for Silk and Wool, together with automatic drying options, make this an especially interesting machine for customers who care more about fabric-specific features than having the biggest possible drum.
Why We Like It
- 8kg washing capacity
- 4kg drying capacity
- 1600rpm maximum spin
- DualCare
- SensiCare
- SteamRefresh
- Auto Dry
- Wash&Dry 60
- Dedicated Silk and Wool programmes
- Relatively compact dimensions
Best For
Couples and smaller households that prioritise fabric care over maximum drum capacity.
What Size Washer Dryer Do You Need?
This is one of the most important things to understand before buying a washer dryer.
You’ll often see capacities written like:
8kg/4kg
9kg/5kg
10kg/6kg
10.5kg/6kg
The first figure represents the machine’s maximum washing capacity.
The second represents its maximum drying capacity.
So a 10.5kg/6kg washer dryer can wash up to 10.5kg, but it cannot normally dry that entire 10.5kg load in one go.
If you want a completely uninterrupted wash-and-dry cycle, you’ll need to keep the load within the machine’s drying capacity.
This is one of the most important differences to understand when moving from separate appliances to a washer dryer.
We’ll explain this in much more detail in our Washer Dryer Capacity Guide: What Does 10kg/6kg Actually Mean?
Is Bigger Always Better?
No.
A large-capacity machine can be extremely useful for a busy household, but there’s little point choosing a 10.5kg washer dryer purely because it has the biggest number on the specification sheet.
Think about how much laundry you actually produce.
For a smaller household or couple, an 8kg machine such as the Electrolux may provide plenty of capacity.
For a larger family or household doing frequent loads, moving towards 10kg or 10.5kg can make considerably more sense.
Your drying habits matter too.
If you frequently want loads to go directly from washing to completely dry, pay particular attention to the second capacity figure, not just the headline washing capacity.
Features Worth Looking for in a Washer Dryer
Once you’ve decided on capacity, there are several features worth comparing.
Automatic Detergent Dosing
Systems such as Bosch i-DOS, Siemens i-Dos, Hisense Auto Dosing and Haier Smart Dosing automatically dispense detergent for you.
This can be particularly useful in busy households where the machine is used frequently.
It can also help avoid consistently adding more detergent than a load actually requires.
Sensor Drying
Rather than simply drying for a fixed amount of time, sensor-controlled drying monitors the load and adjusts the drying process accordingly.
Examples include Bosch Auto Dry, Siemens autoDry and Electrolux Auto Dry.
This can help prevent laundry from continuing to dry unnecessarily after it has reached the required level.
Steam & Refresh Programmes
Steam and refresh functions can provide additional ways to care for suitable clothing.
Depending on the machine, these programmes may help reduce creasing, refresh garments or provide additional hygiene-focused washing options.
You’ll find different versions of this technology across the range, including Bosch Iron Assist, Siemens smartFinish, Hisense Pure Steam, Samsung Hygiene Steam and Electrolux SteamRefresh.
Smart Connectivity
If connected appliances appeal to you, models from Samsung, Hisense, Haier and Bosch offer varying levels of smartphone connectivity.
Depending on the appliance, this can provide features such as remote controls, programme assistance, energy monitoring and notifications.
But don’t pay extra for WiFi simply because it sounds impressive.
Think about whether you’ll genuinely use the connected features.
Quick Wash & Dry Programmes
A small wash-and-dry programme can be extremely useful when you need an outfit, uniform or other item ready quickly.
Several machines in this guide provide approximately 60-minute wash-and-dry options for suitable small loads.
Just remember that these quick programmes are generally designed for much smaller loads than the machine’s maximum capacity.
Washer Dryer or Separate Washing Machine & Tumble Dryer?
This is one of the biggest decisions to make.
A washer dryer offers one enormous advantage:
You get two functions from one appliance footprint.
That makes washer dryers particularly appealing for:
- Apartments
- Smaller homes
- Kitchens with limited appliance space
- Utility rooms with only one available appliance position
- Households that only occasionally need tumble drying
Separate appliances, however, have advantages of their own.
You can generally wash and dry larger loads independently, and you can have one load washing while another is drying.
If you have the space and regularly tumble dry large amounts of laundry, separate appliances may therefore make more sense.
We’ll explore this properly in our guide Washer Dryer vs Separate Washing Machine & Tumble Dryer: Which Should You Buy?
Are Washer Dryers Worth It?
For the right household, absolutely.
A washer dryer can be a brilliant solution when space is more limited than your laundry requirements.
Modern models also offer far more than simply combining two basic appliances. Depending on the machine you choose, you can now get automatic detergent dosing, steam treatments, sensor-controlled drying, smart connectivity and specialised fabric-care programmes.
But you should understand the compromise.
The drying capacity is usually smaller than the washing capacity, so you can’t necessarily fill the machine to its maximum washing capacity and then expect the entire load to dry without intervention.
There’s also the question of how frequently you intend to use the dryer.
If you only need drying occasionally or simply don’t have room for two appliances, a washer dryer can make excellent sense.
If you have plenty of space and expect to wash and tumble dry large loads frequently, separate machines may suit your household better.
We’ll look at this question in much more detail in Are Washer Dryers Worth It? Pros & Cons Explained.
Which Washer Dryer Should You Buy?
There’s no single best washer dryer for every household.
If you want a premium large-capacity machine with plenty of automation, the Bosch Series 8 is an excellent choice.
If automatic detergent dosing is high on your wish list, the Siemens iQ500 combines i-Dos with a generous 10.5kg washing capacity and 6kg drying capacity.
For customers looking for a feature-rich smart washer dryer, the Hisense 5S combines Auto Dosing, Pure Steam and ConnectLife functionality with a large 10.5kg/6kg capacity.
If space is particularly tight, the Samsung Series 5 Slim stands out thanks to its slim 480mm cabinet depth while still providing 9kg washing and 5kg drying capacities.
And smaller households should consider whether something like the Electrolux 8kg/4kg DualCare might actually suit them better than automatically choosing the biggest machine available.
The key is to choose based on your household size, available space, drying habits and the features you’ll actually use.
Shop Washer Dryers at Redmond Electric
At Redmond Electric, you’ll find washer dryers from leading brands including Bosch, Siemens, Samsung, Hisense, Haier and Electrolux, with options ranging from compact 8kg/4kg machines to large-capacity 10.5kg/6kg models.
Whether you’re looking for automatic detergent dosing, smart connectivity, steam programmes, a slim-depth design or simply a reliable all-in-one laundry solution, you can compare the range and find the right washer dryer for your home.