Large appliances are the ones you measure twice for: a washing machine, fridge freezer or dishwasher has to fit the gap, the door swing and the plumbing you already have. Freestanding slots in UK kitchens are usually around 60cm wide, so check width, depth and height against your worktop run, and note which side the hinges need to be on.
After that, it comes down to capacity and running costs. Washing machines are rated by drum size in kilograms and spin speed; fridge freezers by total litres and the split between fresh and frozen; dishwashers by place settings and whether a full-size or slimline model fits. The energy label, A to G, tells you what each costs to run. Brands here include Bosch, Samsung and LG.
