Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Chat

Join the discussion and chat with other Mumsnetters about everyday life, relationships and parenting.

Original poster

Vent or Condenser tumble dryer!

30 replies

Tulips15 · 15/09/2021 13:11

I'm about to replace my condenser tumble dryer.
It wasn't that great tbh but the newer ones seem better..
But what do you have?
Thanks

OP posts:
MrsPear · 15/09/2021 13:17

Well it depends if you can put a hose outside or not. Living in a rented home I can’t go drilling holes in the exterior wall to vent outside so I have condenser. Absolutely fine washing dries just make sure you keep it lint free. Water can be used in your iron if you use one. Tbh I wouldn’t be without one in the winter - jumpers, jeans, towels and sheets just take too long to dry plus it can cause damp.

Original poster
Tulips15 · 15/09/2021 13:28

I would have to drill exterior wall which is no problem thankfully.
I had my condenser new 2 yrs ago.
Maintain it well and it caught fire (I never leave unattended)
Just bad luck maybe , the engineer said condensors can go either way .

OP posts:
uncomfortablydumb53 · 15/09/2021 13:43

I live in a tiny flat with thick stone walls( hold moisture) and have had a Candy condenser dryer for 2 years with no problem at all

cannaethink · 15/09/2021 13:57

I’m sure there was a thread recently that said vented were being kinda phased out. I really hope this isn’t the case though! I have a vented one which I love, I just bought an extra long hose and put it out the window as my kitchen is laid out so badly that I couldn’t get it near a wall to drill through 😁 my experience with condenser ones are you get left with hot wet clothes. But maybe I’ve just had rubbish ones! There’s heat pump ones now too, I’ve no idea about them though.

wonkylegs · 15/09/2021 13:59

We have a Bosch heat pump one with an external drain (so condenser but you don't have to empty it) , it's more energy efficient but is slower but so far everything gets dry and it's fairly quiet.

Original poster
Tulips15 · 15/09/2021 14:06

@uncomfortablydumb53

I live in a tiny flat with thick stone walls( hold moisture) and have had a Candy condenser dryer for 2 years with no problem at all
My one was a Candy😬
OP posts:
stormelf · 15/09/2021 14:10

We've had a hoover condenser dryer for about four years now and never had an issue with it at all. Dries clothes/bedding etc nicely. Doesn't take too long for a cycle. Ours is an aqua vision one where the water collects in the door so easier to empty

GrandmasCat · 15/09/2021 14:10

I thought vented ones are now discontinued

Fluffypastelslippers · 15/09/2021 14:12

Whatever you do make sure you don't buy one with the water tank at the bottom - I am looking at Candy/Hoover here. It's an absolute pain in the arse having to remove the front/pull it down and get to floor level to pull out the water tank. I hated mine and changed it very quickly.

thewinehasgonetomyhead · 15/09/2021 14:32

I have a condenser. It's a Samsung one. It's great cause it can be put anywhere in the house.

Original poster
Tulips15 · 15/09/2021 15:05

@Fluffypastelslippers

Whatever you do make sure you don't buy one with the water tank at the bottom - I am looking at Candy/Hoover here. It's an absolute pain in the arse having to remove the front/pull it down and get to floor level to pull out the water tank. I hated mine and changed it very quickly.
Yes mine had the tank at bottom too. Super annoying!
OP posts:
hollyhocksarenotmessy · 15/09/2021 15:23

I've only ever had cheap condensers, and they've worked fine and lasted years. My current one was 2nd hand and its still going 8 years on.

ineedaholidayandwine · 15/09/2021 15:30

My vented one has had to go in the garage after moving house so i have to run over there during gaps in rain, as such i'm after a condenser version soon, any recommendations? happy to spend up to £400 as want a good model that won't take all day to try and will hopefully last!

LaLaLouella · 15/09/2021 15:31

Vented dryers are few and far between now, most of the better known and higher end brands have stopped making them - it's all about the heat pumps now....

Original poster
Tulips15 · 15/09/2021 17:57

Thank you for the responses.
With the heat pump ones, Do you need to empty the water tanks or have any drainage?

OP posts:
LaLaLouella · 15/09/2021 18:24

I think it depends on the model - all have a water tank you empty but some also have a tube you can put straight in the drain

wonkylegs · 15/09/2021 20:05

Our heat pump one you can connect to a drain which is super easy for us as it's next to the washing machine so uses the same one but if you don't have a drain there is a condenser tank at the top you can empty instead.

CloudPop · 15/09/2021 21:11

I preferred my vented one. The condenser is fine, but chucks out a lot of heat and takes a lot longer to dry everything.

NannyGythaOgg · 15/09/2021 22:01

I have a heat pump one and I love it. Takes a bit longer, which isn't an issue for me, but is very economical. Clothes feel kind of damp when you get them out but feel dry within seconds. The fact they are circulating in damp air means very very little ironing needed.

Mine empties to a tank which I empty after every use (or use as distilled water) but can empty straight into a drain if there is one.

A big advantage is that, because it is recirculating heat, the room gets neither hot or humid.

xprincessxjanetx · 15/09/2021 23:02

I prefer vented dryers.

Houseplantmad · 15/09/2021 23:07

I have a fitted Candy heat pump dryer and it is brilliant. I had vented before and much prefer heat pump, especially as it’s so much cheaper to run. The water is collected in a reservoir in the door and is so easy to empty. Would thoroughly recommend.

APurpleSquirrel · 15/09/2021 23:11

We have an Indesit condenser - it got replaced free a few years ago after that major recall, though we never had any problems with the first one. Second one has been absolutely fine too. Water tank is at the top.

WeeM · 15/09/2021 23:16

We have a beko heat pump one and I think it’s great. Ours drains out the pipe so we don’t need to empty it but if we did the drawer is at the top so would be easy enough. It does take a while but i don’t use it an awful lot so that doesn’t really matter to me and it’s apparently more energy efficient. The cupboard dry setting on mine takes 3.5 hours but if not full, it senses when stuff is dry and switches off.

PickAChew · 15/09/2021 23:17

@Tulips15

Thank you for the responses. With the heat pump ones, Do you need to empty the water tanks or have any drainage?
The heat pump ones are superficially the same as condenser dryers BUT (it's a big but) you can't clean the heat exchanger under the shower so they don't last very long if you use them a lot.
Quitelikeacatslife · 15/09/2021 23:47

I used to have condenser as had no choice but moved house and got vent one. Much better, I don't use it much (Lakeland heated airer) but I think even cheaper vent ones are better than the good condenser ones

Swipe left for the next trending thread