To not want a tumble drier. Total first world problem.

[Discopanda]

We've recently moved into a new house, garden is big with one of those long, extendable washing lines. DP (who doesn't do the laundry) wants to get a 2nd hand tumble drier despite us living in the south of the UK and getting plenty of sun. I think it's a waste of money!

I never had a tumble dryer until last winter and it was fine but I was sick of the condensation. Also couldn't get anything dry quickly. Bought a washer dryer due to lack of space and used the dryer in winter. Now the weather is warmer I'm back to line drying. No dryer is OK for one or two people but as a family of four I'm glad we now have the option.

I have 4DC and live in Scotland therefore tumble drier is a necessity. I had to manage without one for a few weeks and it was a total PITA.

I had two condensers driers the last one was over £300 and it was rubbish, I got this heap little vented one recently and it is amazing it was only £150.

I NEED to know why your non laundry doing DP thinks YOU laundry doing person NEEDS one, when you don't want one 🤔🙃🙄

I don't have one because I don't like them. They ruin clothes & make your towels & bed linen all floppy. Though I'd probably end up getting one if we had more kids & a more suitable place to put one.

I love my tumble dryer. I do maybe 9 loads of washing a week so it would have to be a pretty massive clothes horse to dry all that. I also have a garden so only use the dryer in winter. My MIL doesn't have a dryer (or central heating or a microwave, two other things I wouldn't be without!)and laundry used to take over her bloody life! My dp would have complained I think but it was written into our lease that we had to run one as previous tenants had caused such bad damp problems drying clothes without one.

I didn't have one until I moved in with DH (at the age of 40!). He had an old tumble dryer - which I did use now and again - more out of laziness - load the wet laundry straight into the dryer.

After a while we decided to revamp the utilty - which meant no space for the tumble dryer. So got rid of it.

I haven't missed it. We do have space to dry items in the house. Have a couple of airers - sometimes use the upstairs spare rooms and the radiators too. It's fine - no smelly damp laundry here, and I like to think I am not spending loads f ££ on the electricity.

Also love to hang things out side- when the weather is suitable. I love the smell of freshly dried bedding.

Have only ever had a washer dryer which was crap and barely used the dryer bit. Only have a washing machine now and 2 clothes airers in the spare bedroom. I can fit 2 or 3 loads on them and they dry fairly quickly. I'm in Scotland so don't get that many outdoor drying days

I never wanted a tumble dryer. My mum bought me one anyway after the birth of dc3. I would now not be without one.

I love my tumble dryer, warm soft clothes. I can wash 3 load and get them dry and back in the cupboards of an evening. What's not to love? I put the odd bits that can't be tumbled on an airer but 90% of my washing is tumbled and it feels so much nicer and cuts down on the ironing

I agree about dc3 making a tumble dryer a neccesity. I have always had one. With 3 kids and working there is no way I would ever be at home enough in the brief periods of sunshine, even in the southeast, to get my 9/10 lods a week done. That's a conservative estimate now as well with 3 boys playing football, cricket and rugby on a weekly basis.

I got a heat pump condenser one to keep running costs down.

Why not just get one so you've got the option but then use the line outside when you can?

My DM never had one and doesn't really see why she would do but then they have 2 extendable washing lines out in the garden which she doesn't mind going in and out to when it rains.

I've got a washer/drier but I've only really dried in it twice (single person) but I didn't really 'get it'. It seemed to take a really long time and get the towels hot but not as dry as I would like without having them in there for hours on end. It also seemed to give them a funny smell despite me using one of those tumble dry sheets.

If I had the space and the money I would do if I had my own children though as especially in 'emergencies' they can be really useful. My sister doesn't have one for her family and despite washing every item of clothing the children wear after every single time they use them they don't even hang things in their massive garden. Everything goes on two airers in the kitchen.

I couldn't live without a dryer and haven't hung clothes out for over 20 years and I live in a hot climate :)

I live near the Lake District so actually get very few outside drying days as the weather can change rapidly during the day and I work full time so can't be in to keep bringing it in and out of the house. Use Airers in the house and have even got the heating on now because it is still freezing up here and rained all day yesterday! Off work at the mo and is currently sunny so might risk hanging out some today...I mainly use the dryer for towels and sheets when unable to hang them out but we do have a damp house prob in part due to washing always being inside so I would def get one if u are able to.

Yanbu I had exactly this argument with my mother who was convinced it was not possible to live with children and no drier and to not have one was a health hazard . I eventually agreed to get one when she said she'd pay for half of it! It hasn't changed my life but I have to say it is useful.
It's big so I tend to do several loads of washing on a weekend then stick one load in the drier- I can see it wearing clothes out much quicker so I put the kids clothes in there (they will grow out of them soon enough anyway) plus towels, linen etc, and put grown up clothes on radiators.
But once weather improves stuff will be mostly out on the line again.
They're horrendously un-environmentally friendly.

Yanbu I had exactly this argument with my mother who was convinced it was not possible to live with children and no drier and to not have one was a health hazard . I eventually agreed to get one when she said she'd pay for half of it! It hasn't changed my life but I have to say it is useful.
It's big so I tend to do several loads of washing on a weekend then stick one load in the drier- I can see it wearing clothes out much quicker so I put the kids clothes in there (they will grow out of them soon enough anyway) plus towels, linen etc, and put grown up clothes on radiators.
But once weather improves stuff will be mostly out on the line again.
They're horrendously un-environmentally friendly.

YANBU

I was going to buy one last summer, but decided to wait until I needed it. I still haven't bought it! I am in the South East, we had a really mild and dry winter this year, I think I only had to put the laundry inside twice since last July.

I check the weather forecast and wash my towels and bedsheets when the weather is fine, even if it means doing 3 loads on a sunny day, and I do change them weekly. Things have been drying really well this winter, thanks to the wind.

I am paranoid about mold and damp, so would never put laundry on radiators either, and the heated airers are just as bad. Even if laundry is not bone dry when you bring it inside if it starts raining, you avoid all the condensation problem.

I also think if you work ft then it's really useful as you just need to get it done whereas if you don't you can wait for good weather etc.

HoundoftheBaskervilles Thu 07-Apr-16 02:50:57

^If I secretly hated them I would shit in the dryer drawer and then behave in a confuddled fashion when they went into work stinking of my effluence.

But I would never get into a state where I secretly hated another human being, I would fuck off and up before we got into tumble-dryer games.

And if it was a housemate? I never hated any of them that much where I would erroneously advise them, I was always quite kind to the hapless dicks to try and prepare them for any woman who was unfortunate enough to fall upon their cocks.

I don't play games.^

Well, that escalated quickly.

Any objection to a washing machine OP?, or would you prefer bashing your washing on a rock in the nearest stream for added green credentials.

I really can't comprehend why people don't use labour saving devices if they are available. I think you lot with out dryers are martyrs who want to make their life harder.

I really can't comprehend why people don't use labour saving devices if they are available

me neither, but it takes the same effort to leave your clothes in a dryer than to leave them outside, you are not actually doing anything yourself to dry them!

The bedsheets I've put outside 1 hour ago are nearly dry already (bit windy this morning), they smell nice, no noise, no steam and cost me nothing. You might prefer your dryer, but I am happy with my garden!

"I really can't comprehend why people don't use labour saving devices if they are available"

I don't find hanging clothes out/up a chore tbh.

"I dont get the tumble dryer hatred. IME it usually comes from men who object to their wives 'wasting money' on one."

In this house my husband would have one, but I'm not bothered!