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Original poster

Will I regret spending £800 on a tumble dryer?

30 replies

lurchersforever · 16/08/2024 10:53

This is not a top-end price, I appreciate, but more than I usually pay for similar products and there are loads of others far cheaper. I have come home from a lovely Airbnb with tumble-dryer envy! Mine is Bosch (was a gift from ex-mil when we moved in 13 years ago) and has to be opened with a knife thanks to ds2 years ago. Stuff takes forever to dry and it always says it's done when it's not. The one I used on holiday said something like 2 hours and then it was done! I was shocked.

I have since started researching a new one and found a Samsung heat pump one that is energy efficient and has other features that, to be fair, I would probably never use. But it looks good and could save money on energy bills and be better for the environment? Or am I clutching at straws?

I'm normally a Beko girl and have always had good experiences with their products but not had one of their tumble dryers. I really want something that works and is inexpensive to run.

I can afford it but I never buy the pricey stuff normally. It's in my basket but I just can't do it...

OP posts:
Floralnomad · 16/08/2024 10:56

If you can afford it and that’s the one you want then get it . We have a Bosch condenser dryer , was about £400 a few years ago , works perfectly well .

Eastcoastie · 16/08/2024 10:56

We have a samsung heat pump tumble dryer. Sometimes need to run the cycle twice to get clothes fully dry but nothing shrinks and as you say, cheap to run. Go for it.

olivecapes · 16/08/2024 10:59

I would do the sums in terms of how much it'll save you in energy vs up front cost. My £200 dryer (Hotpoint) can dry a load bone dry in less than 90 minutes so I'd be unimpressed if I'd spent £800 on an appliance that required 2 cycles. Assuming money is the primary focus here, perhaps environmental impact might sway your decision too.

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MigGril · 16/08/2024 11:01

I have a cheap vented dryer, have had it for ages. Is simple and has never had a problem the sensor works so when is says the washing is dry it's dry. My only upset with it is the company that made it no longer exist so I won't be able to replace it.

I do often feel with these thing the more complicated they are thes more things can go wrong on them. Especially if your never going to use all the settings they come with.

thenightsaredrawingin · 16/08/2024 11:03

I would make sure you get one with a 5 year warrenty, a repair engineer told me the heat pump ones often die within 3 years.

MigGril · 16/08/2024 11:06

olivecapes · 16/08/2024 10:59

I would do the sums in terms of how much it'll save you in energy vs up front cost. My £200 dryer (Hotpoint) can dry a load bone dry in less than 90 minutes so I'd be unimpressed if I'd spent £800 on an appliance that required 2 cycles. Assuming money is the primary focus here, perhaps environmental impact might sway your decision too.

And this often the upfront cost means you don't end up saving overall. Even if they are more efficient.

Don't forget any item you buy it always most damaging to the environment in its manufacture. So if you have to replace it more often as well then that is something to consider. Keeping appliances for longer, even if they aren't as energy efficient if they are in full working order is far better for the environment then replacing them. Due to the high environmental cost at manufacture and disposal.

ShakespearesSisters · 16/08/2024 11:08

I have a grundig heat pump with express dry (think it was £650). I love it. It's 8kg but has a 5kg option and dries it to "extra dry" in 1 hr 20 mins.
A mixed load of 8kg takes 2hrs 20. The only time I ever have to put something back in is when I forget to zip up the duvet cover and things get stuck inside and causes it to ball up.
Bank Holiday sales may be around un a coupe of weeks so might be worth waiting until then.

BellesAndGraces · 16/08/2024 11:09

Can’t you just go with the one in the Air bnb seeing as you know you like it? I swear by my Bosch serie 6 washer dryer but it cost a bomb (£950 on sale 2yrs ago) - you put a load in and it washes and dries it perfectly in 2.5hrs.

BluPeony · 16/08/2024 11:11

Appliances are expensive and I think if I'm already spending a lot of money I'd rather get the thing I want instead of a runner up which is also costly.

It's not quite the same but I really wanted a Loaf sofa which was £2000. We were looking at cheaper sofas and the runner up was £1500 from Next and I was lukewarm about it. We decided to just bite the bullet and I'm so glad we did every time I snuggle down into it.

Get the tumble dryer of your dreams!!

MigGril · 16/08/2024 11:11

@ShakespearesSisters why would you need a load option. My much older mach can take anything up 8kg and will adjust the drying time automatically to the load in the machine. I've no need to tell it how much is in there. Same with my washing machine and that is over 17 years old.

Don't tell me new machines are going backwards?

CornishTiger · 16/08/2024 11:12

Just make sure you have a decent 5 year warranty with it. My AEG heat pump drier died at just over 2 years. It wasn’t cheap. Now got a Bosch with 5 year warranty.

Original poster
lurchersforever · 16/08/2024 11:15

Oh god - I don't know! I do need a new one as I'm tired of using a knife to open the door and years of doing that has damaged the door catch thing and so it will probably break completely before too long.

What would make me happy? It being black instead of white and having a glass door; it being more efficient than mine, even if not perfect I suppose.

I kept meaning to take a note of the Airbnb one but didn't. Maybe I should message the owner.

OP posts:
Jeezitneverends · 16/08/2024 11:18

I spent £1200 on a AEG heat pump a couple of years ago and don’t regret it for a second.
Our previous vented only had a “crispy” setting no matter if you had it on its alleged low heat setting and watched it like a hawk.

i do use a good few of the programmes too. I think we’ll break even on cost and start saving after year 3

Nightmanagerfan · 16/08/2024 11:19

I got a beko heat pump 10kg tumble drier that is amazing and dries in 2 hours. It was a Which best buy. I wouldn't spend £800: mine was £400

Caspianberg · 16/08/2024 12:32

No you wont regret. We have Aeg heat pump one. It drys all bedding and towels for our holiday let, so it’s used like a work horse. Guests also use and we use for our stuff. It’s about 8 years old and just works. It was £600 ish at the time ( I think it’s £850
now). I will buy the same one if it every breaks

lubl · 16/08/2024 12:35

we bought an expensive,
similarly priced dryer after two cheaper dryers which tended to shrink some items of clothing. The new dryer takes longer but dries everything thoroughly and never shrinks anything. Worth every penny.

AquaFurball · 16/08/2024 12:42

Dryer balls and a large dry bath towel in with your load will decrease the drying time. My 10 year old 8kg condenser Beko dries everything within 90 minutes. (Duvet cover openings dependent.)

LuckysDadsHat · 16/08/2024 12:44

I have an AEG heat pump dryer. Came with a 5 year guarantee and was about £550. I am amazed how well and quickly it dries a load. Everything I read told me heat pump dryers take longer but cost less in energy, mine is so much quicker than my washer/dryer combo I had before we found space for a stand alone dryer. And it's cheap to run!

Original poster
lurchersforever · 16/08/2024 12:58

Thanks all - I had a look at my old machine and realised I was looking at large Samsungs I don't actually need, so have ordered the same/similar model but smaller, which is £600, with 5 year guarantee. Very excited now!

OP posts:
WonderingWanda · 16/08/2024 13:14

I have a Beko condenser dryer and it's great. Really fast and can be drained through a hose rather than all that silly emptying the drawer nonsense. Obviously not as fancy as some of the ones mentioned here but it's the best one I've ever owned in terms of drying.

BloodyAdultDC · 16/08/2024 13:26

£800!!!

Mine was free off a free cycle group coming up 15 years ago and still dries a whole load in an hour or so. Plus I don't use it when it's dry, stick it outside on the line.

Might be marginal cost savings, how much would it cost to get yours fixed and serviced?

Mine needs pulling out and de-fluffing this autumn before I start using it again.

autumn1610 · 16/08/2024 13:42

Got a beko condenser dryer. I don’t see drying as massively impacting my bills it’s on a couple of hours (never timed it) unless it’s overfilled it drys pretty well on one cycle

DaveWatts · 16/08/2024 13:52

I have a beko condenser, got it because it was cheap but it works really well and dries a load quickly.

Allwatchedoverbytrees · 16/08/2024 14:07

No you won't.
I'm not a wealthy person but I spent 1k on my drier and I'm in love with it. I'm ashamed I'm so boring bit honestly this drier has made my life so much easier and I'm very attached to it.
It's actually wonderful to have a drier that genuinely works and doesn't mangle clothes. It's a heat pump and it's so cheap to run but also dries clothes fast.
It's also really quiet.

MinnieDog · 16/08/2024 16:39

Ah I'm happy for you that you went for it! I splashed out on a Samsung heat pump one and I've no regrets, everything is perfectly dry and nothing has ever shrunk.

I spent forever checking and adding more time to my old one, it drove me mad. This does it all easily and in half the time.

Enjoy your new machine!