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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

to want a tumble dryer?

87 replies

littlestressy · 25/12/2012 22:15

My DH and I try really hard to be energy efficient, turning off lights, turn thermostat down etc. At the moment we dry the washing over airers including a heated one.
But my laundry drying pile is never ending, DH is a nurse so needs clean uniform each shift and we use cloth nappies....really starting to want a tumble dryer. AIBU to want one for a slightly easier life? Thinking about January sales...

OP posts:

LineRunner · 26/12/2012 17:10

And with the DCs unfortunately now both ill with a virus, I am definitely making sure I wash and dry towels and bedding regularly.

I am very lucky to be able to do this.

autumnlights12 · 26/12/2012 17:12

I love my dryer and don't give the environment a single thought when I switch it on. Call me selfish or sue me. I don't have damp clothes lying around the house=win!

Original poster

littlestressy · 26/12/2012 17:19

Well the environmental issue is the reason we haven't had one for so long. I've managed (sort of) by rotating clothes around the 3 airers and using my heated airer for stuff like towels.
But my drying/laundry pile never goes down and drying sheets is horrendous in wet weather.
So most people say IANBU and we're going to get one in the sales.

OP posts:

autumnlights12 · 26/12/2012 17:23

contrary to what climate change neurotics preach, the environment will still be fighting fit in a thousand years, tumble dryers or not! The earth has been turning for thousands of years and volcanos do more damage than all the cars and tumble dryers on earth combined

Saccrofolium · 26/12/2012 17:24

Runs on squirrel tears

wendybird77 · 26/12/2012 17:27

I've just got one for the first time. I have 2DCs in cloth nappies. It was this wet summer that did me in. I am concerned about the environment and that was a big reason we never had one. Then I hit the tipping point and realised we DO need one. We recently moved and I found black mould behind furniture and beds that I didn't know was there. I'm not willing to risk my kids' health for the sake of feeling smug about not having a tumble drier. My life is no longer about laundry (planning when to wash, what to wash, how much space I had left to dry in, etc. YANBU.

LineRunner · 26/12/2012 17:36

How much does the squirrel tears one cost, Saccro? If my current one dies I'd like to get that one.

Saccrofolium · 26/12/2012 17:44

Dunno, Mr Saccro bought it, but he's v "home finance" and reckoned its running cost is v low which makes me think it was pricey. Hang on ill look it up.

Enigmosaurus · 26/12/2012 17:45

Yanbu. I couldn't live without my dryer, I actually cried when my last one died.

Saccrofolium · 26/12/2012 17:45

A grand. Bloody hell!

LineRunner · 26/12/2012 17:55

Crikey.

happymschicken · 26/12/2012 17:58

Having a tumble drier has revolutionised my life and there's no way I could di without one now.

I detest having wet washing hanging all over the place. It causes terrible condensation and looks shit quite frankly.

In the summer my washing is line dried so it's not used much then. Lifes too short to suffer the hassle of getting washing dry!

specialsubject · 26/12/2012 18:16

Tee2072, the reason is that they guzzle energy. No-one with any outside space should use them in the summer, and clothes can be dried outside in witer too. However those in flats with no outside space may need one.

we're all on this planet together...

Saccrofolium · 26/12/2012 19:02

How do you dry clothes outside in winter? They never get fully dry! And what about people in Manchester/Ireland where it rains All The Time?

PigletJohn · 26/12/2012 19:24

hello specialsubject

when you say they guzzle energy, how much electricity do you use in a year? We use 6100kWh per year, and of this, the drier uses about 2.5kWh costing about 30p each time it is run. A house which is draughty or badly insulated wastes a lot more energy than that heating the clouds

People who wash their towels every day will certainly use quite a lot of water and energy, and would benefit from a washing line, as thick wet cotton takes a lot of drying

A depressing number of people suffer from condensation, damp and mould because they drape their wet washing around the home.

dinkystinky · 26/12/2012 19:29

Yanbu - if you can afford it, get one. A total godsend in the winter months!

WankinginaWinterWonderland · 26/12/2012 19:36

I love tumble driers, mine broke but my washing does dry on those blasted horrid yucky disgusting eye-sore of bloody drying things (my downstairs bathroom gets very warm I ignore the toilet and dry washing in there now) .. if I am in a hurry I resort..to hanging items on the radiators, who has a £1,000.00 one? does it dry ,iron and put the clothes away in the correct drawers also?

hic... excuse me!

CremeEggThief · 26/12/2012 19:38

I think there are much worse culprits for causing harm to the environment than running the dryer three or four times a week.

bamboobutton · 26/12/2012 19:43

Have to agree with pigletjohn. since getting our new tumble dryer the mould around our windows has gone and dds coughing has stopped, she hasn't needed her inhaler for over a month now.

Stinkyminkymoo · 26/12/2012 19:47

No way are YBU! I couldn't cope without a tumble dryer! I hate draping clothes on the radiator and was thrilled to get a tumble dryer in our new house, especially with the arrival of dd, though I'm not using cloth nappies!

girlsyearapart · 26/12/2012 20:24

Can you keep a condenser dryer in a cupboard?

I have 4 dcs eldest is 5.

So much washing all over the house & on the radiators but no space in the kitchen for one though could put one in the under stairs cupboard.

Saccrofolium · 26/12/2012 20:32

Yes, the water goes into a little tank you just empty when it's full.

PigletJohn · 26/12/2012 20:33

condensors do emit a certain amount of steam, so I would be happier if it was in a ventilated area.

if you have an outside wall, you can cut a neat round hole in it for a duct using a Core Drill from a tool hire shop. That enables you to use a vented one if you want

You can also get a stacking kit for major brands allowing a drier to stand on a washer and not fall off.

A drier also does not have to be downstairs. They are fairly light and as they need no plumbing can be put in most rooms.

girlsyearapart · 26/12/2012 20:39

The cupboard I've got in mind doesn't have an outside wall.

No room upstairs- three girls share a room and ds in the box room.

Other option is in the airing cupboard which isn't actually an airing cupboard anymore since we got central heating but we do store the Hoover at the bottom & towels on high shelves.

No outdoor wall there either though

5madthings · 26/12/2012 20:41

Yanbu I love our dryer! You can get more energy efficient ones if you are worried about the environment. Having damp washing around the house isn't great, we do have a big airer but there is no way I can get a whole load of clothes washing on it, well I could when my children were smaller, not now and with bedding, towels etc its much easier to use a dryer.

Family of seven and I do a load a easy, hang out or put airer outside if I can (then I can just bring in the airer if it rains rather than take it off the line) but I use the dryer as well.

I don't have a dishwasher, but that's what I had children for!

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