Are Laundry Pedestals Worth It In 2022?
Is extra storage and better accessibility something you need?
It’s a fantastic question – one that needs answering! But this question is more for yourself, and requires you to consider some things about your laundry room’s current setup, and whether you’d even benefit from one in the first place!
What Do Laundry Pedestals Do?
In the most basic sense of the word, laundry pedestals put your laundry appliances – like your washer and dryer – on a pedestal off the ground, for storage and accessibility reasons. Since the top of your washer and dryer don’t normally include any sort of stow-away organization, you’re left to just leave things sitting loosely on top of your appliances, which can not only get cluttered, but can look really jarring.
Adding stow-away storage not only cleans up the overall appearance of your appliances within the laundry room, but also gives you a neat and more organized way to keep the smaller items you may/may not use come laundry day. Elevating your appliances off of the ground also allows for those with a harder time bending down, such as people with accessibility issues, disabilities, or experiencing pregnancy, to be able to more easily access the doors of the washer and dryer without having to strain themselves repeatedly.
Technology Advancements
In the past few years as well, some companies have used the pedestals as a solution for the problem of mid-week or emergency laundry runs by utilizing the pedestals as an extra, smaller washer. Depending on your model, you might be able to scoop one of these up for a slight price-bump, but in the end, is that worth it? That’s up to you to decide!
Are Laundry Pedestals Really Worth It?
Ultimately, it depends on your life situation and what setup you have in your laundry room that will create need for pedestals or the convenience they might provide you. So to sort out whether a pedestal is right for you, below is a list of why you should or shouldn't get appliance pedestals!
Buy
- Your appliances are both front load.
- You lack the storage space you need.
- Your laundry room is too cluttered.
- Access to your appliances needs to be better.
Don't Buy
- Your appliances are top load.
- You have enough storage space.
- Decluttering your laundry room is not a priority or necessity.
- You have no problems with bending down to access your appliances.
What do I need to know about washer pedestals before I buy?
- Cost
When deciding what washer to get, remember that it’s more-so about functionality than it is about cost. We recommend that you only get what you need, nothing more and nothing less, especially considering that a lot of times price can be linked to size or features, so go by only what you need them for.
- Size
It’s really important to make sure that the pedestals support your appliances in all ways. That’s why it’s best to go with the same brand as the washer and dryer to avoid any possible complications. In doing this as well, the compatibility between your pedestal and the appliance itself will be much stronger than any other pedestal you’ll end up finding both appearance and parts-wise.
- Height
At the end of the day, the height that your pedestal raises your appliances to be is equally as important as the cost because it’s more predicated on your overall level of comfort. The higher the appliance is off the ground translates to an objectively more comfortable experience you’ll have with it – but that all depends on your storage needs and capabilities.
- Weight and Finish
Be sure to check the weight limits of the prospective pedestals and make sure that they can handle the weight of your appliances and that the finish isn’t off. Because the only thing worse than clothes that don’t come out the way you want them to are clashing colors.
- Installation
It’s really important that you are prepared for the cost and physical dimensions of your pedestals, but what is arguably the most crucial element is making sure you’re equipped to install the pedestals. Get some friends, family or colleagues to help you, and before you move a muscle, get some tools so you’re not doing anything without the proper equipment and tools. Some of the tools you may end up using include the appropriately sized wrench and screwdriver, and air slits.
Installation FAQs
What tools or parts will I need?
Ultimately this depends on what comes with your appliances and what you'll need to install them, but typically we recommend an appropriate screwdriver, wrench, air slits and if you're missing any parts for your washer or dryer, you can always check out our wide range of OEM parts for dryers and washers here.
Can I move a washer by myself?
Your health and safety are most important when it comes to fixing or repairing an appliance - so we recommend moving any appliances with 2 or more people. You can also use air slits as mentioned before, to more easily move your appliance.
What should I do before installing laundry pedestals?
In no specific order, below are some useful tips to consider if/when you install laundry room pedestals for your appliances.
- Remove any clutter from your laundry room to prevent spills/mess and to have a better idea of how much space you have.
- Make sure you have enough space to actually install the laundry pedestals themselves, which is done by putting pedestals on top of the appliances to check for clearance.
- Make sure to level your pedestals to the floor; without doing so will result in an appliance that isn’t level and thus prone to loud vibrations and commotion.
- Using the appropriately sized wrench (which normally comes with the appliance), twist and align the levels of each of the 4 corners of your pedestal's legs until the pedestal sits level, with no rocking.
- After that you’ll want to bring your pedestals out to a larger working area if possible, and then mount your appliances on top of your pedestals.
- Once the appliances are properly on top, you’ll normally have a clip or a screw that you can use to marry – and no, not in the legal sense – your appliances together to essentially become one.
Do I adjust my vents and lines?
Yes! You are going to want to either extend the current vent you have now, or purchase a vent that is compatible with your current laundry setup. That also goes for the fill lines of your hot and cold water – make sure the lines are long enough to reach your newly adjusted appliances before using them.
So, Now What...?
Well that's up to you! Pedestals are not a necessary addition to your laundry room, but they might provide that extra bit of storage space and element of accessibility that you've been looking for!
