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Original poster

Tumble dryer vs heated airer

37 replies

Porridge43 · 18/10/2023 18:51

Is it cheaper to use a tumble dryer or a heated airer. We are a family of 5

OP posts:
Inyournewdress · 28/10/2023 09:11

Autumn1990 · 18/10/2023 19:47

Heated airers are not any better than unheated ones.I did have one. Only the parts of clothing in contact with the rails dry faster so you still have to do all the turning. If you’ve got a reasonably warm house which doesn’t suffer from damp you could dry it in the house such as in the bathroom or over the banisters
I used normal airers but spread everything out in front of the wood burner ( we are very rural) and I can dry most things in less than a day. A relative uses a large electric towel rail in the bathroom and it takes less than a day to dry clothes and tumble dries towels. Another relative uses a dehumidifier but that seems to take longer. If you have a greenhouse that works well.
I read somewhere last winter that heated airers are not cheaper than energy efficient tumble driers

Heated aiders work much better with a cover on so the warm air is trapped, then the problem of only the bit on the rail drying is not so bad.

Inyournewdress · 28/10/2023 09:14

@teaandtoastwithmarmite @BertieBotts

i am looking for a heat pump dryer at the moment, would you mind sharing which ones you have?

olympicsrock · 28/10/2023 09:18

I have a tumble dryer, heated airer and dehumidifier. Fairly small heated utility room. The towels get tumbled, heavy cottons partially tumbled . Socks and small items on the rack , shirts/ dressed hung by the heated airer. Dehumidifier helps speed it along.

Cynderella · 28/10/2023 09:33

Citrusandginger · 18/10/2023 20:12

I looked at this and decided to stick with my tumble dryer.

The TD costs around 50p per load.
A heated airer 7p an hour, but friends tell me they leave theirs overnight. 8 - 10 hours is 56 - 70p per load. Then you need a dehumidifier running if you don't want a damp house.

Heated airer companies have a lot of advocates who can't do maths in my view.

My condenser tumble dryer uses between 4.5-6.5 kwh to dry a load. I am paying 28p per kwh, so £1.80 per load. Probably more because I often had to put it on again to finish drying.

Heated airer at 7p an hour could be on all day for that, but I only used to put it on for a couple of hours and then leave it. Now I use an ordinary airer and dehumidifier. For a full load, the dehumidifier is probably on for four hours which uses less than one kwh, so about 25p per load.

Riverlee · 28/10/2023 09:37

I be used them for different things. Tumble dryers for towels, sheets and for finishing off drying. Airer and dehumidifier for everything else.

(Does any else call the airer a clothes horse?)

Pootle40 · 28/10/2023 09:40

QuestionableMouse · 18/10/2023 18:58

My heated airer works out at about 7p an hour but it takes ages to dry stuff so I'm not convinced it's any cheaper than just doing one load in the tumble dryer.

I live alone though, so there's only my clothes!

This

Cynderella · 28/10/2023 09:40

Porridge43 · 18/10/2023 20:05

I have a large walk in cupboard that has my hot water tank . So its always warm in there
Maybe I should just use that area to dry. Plus bannisters . And tumble dryer for when its needed quickly

Show quote history

When we had an airing cupboard with a hot water tank, I put in a rail, so I could hang wet clothes to dry. It was also useful for hanging wet coats to dry.

The slatted shelves were used for drying smaller items and woolens. Also useful for rising bread dough and making yogurt overnight! I prefer our combi boiler for instant hot water, but I do miss having an airing cupboard.

If you have a lot of washing drying around the house, I would recommend getting a cheap temp/humidity gauge, and a dehumidifier if you get readings about 60%.

For those who choose to use a tumble dryer for convenience, I do get that. I WFH now, but when I was working full time and commuting, and had to dry washing for seven people, I relied on a tumble dryer. Now, there are just three adults and the price of electricity is so much higher, so I feel I can't justify it.

BertieBotts · 28/10/2023 12:28

The model I have is only available in Germany, but it's a Beko. I'm very happy with it so I'd recommend them as a brand.

Inyournewdress · 28/10/2023 13:43

Thanks @BertieBotts thats good to know, have seen a few of those around.

NannyGythaOgg · 28/10/2023 15:24

Heat pump tumble dryer - expensive to buy but very cheap to run. About 8p per load.
No clothes lying around. Clothes are tumbled in a slight steam so if you get the clothes out immediately it finishes they feel slightly damp - but air in the time it takes me to hang them up. Very little needs ironing. Win, win, win for me.

MuggleMe · 28/10/2023 21:17

We figured out the new air pump tumble was cheaper than our air dryer. And I love the fact we can throw a full load in saving 20 minutes.

Parakeetamol · 28/10/2023 21:19

I worked out that my heat pump dryer is cheaper than the airer but I try to use the latter as it's better for the clothes.

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