Reluctance to use a tumble dryer is a British quirk

[User3735]

I've noticed that there is a lot of shame around using a tumble dryer, and even people who have one are reluctant to admit it, and make excuses why they have one and say they use it rarely. The claims of them being extortionate and terrible for the environment seem exaggerated to me whenever I look at the latest energy uses and cost. According to Which, the average tumble dryer costs around £150 per year to run (and less than £60 per year for a newer heat pump dryer). Yet people will buy expensive heated airers, rails and dehumidifiers to probably a similar value.

I have observed this tumble dryer reluctance from people from all financial backgrounds. The only pattern I have noticed is those who had one in their home growing up are more likely to use them, and those who didn't think they are to be avoided at all costs. I wonder if they did cost significantly more when they were new, and it is a misconception of running costs?

I have always had one, and when they have broken I have replaced asap. Our current dryer broke down this summer, and I put off replacing while the weather was better, but I now seem to have been influenced by the tumble dryer haters and I have a strange sense of satisfaction of powering on through winter without one. Whilst I get an utterly pointless sense of satisfaction that I am winning, the time spent shaking out, hanging and turning clothes takes up quite a ridiculous chunk of time compared to tumble drying and I am very time poor. Given our wet climate and issues with damp, I really can't understand why so many people are against them?

For us, it’s the cost of electricity to run it that’s a problem.

I have a washer dryer and I love it. Rarely use the dryer in the summer but I use it for bedding and towels in the winter.

Everything else is hung up to dry. We have a toasty warm new build so everything dries in a day, even in the winter. Plus 2 heated full length towel rails which nuke things.

I can't see a problem using a tumble drier, other than clothes shrinkage but it's great for sheets and towels!

Never had one growing up but my god l would rather sacrifice my dishwasher than my tumble dryer!! Don't use it is summer but in winter it is a Godsend and the cost to run it is less than sorting out having a damp house!

I did last year without one. It was a right pain keeping up the washing for 6 of us, and having to make sure stuff was washed days before it was needed (teenage boys are not known for their forward thinking. Nor am I for that matter)

The heating in my house isn't great which meant everything took an age to dry in winter.

So glad I got a new one.

A heat pump drier (cheapest to run) seems to be about 10 times as expensive as a heated airer?

Tbh it will probably change. People used to be like this about dishwashers and they are considered far more normal now.

I just resent paying money to heat clothes when I could just hang them on my (unheated) airer.

We have one, use as and when needed but do have solar panels/storage batteries (top up with cheap overnight electricity) to help ofset.
Would struggle to get washing dry otherwise. Apparently cost/power usage is pretty similar to other drying methods according to my science minded husband.

I have one that I use most of the time because
It's cheaper to run than than it is to have the heating on long enough and high enough to dry clothes.
I don't have space for airers.
I'm lazy.

I've only shrunk 1 thing in the last 10 years.

After spending years thinking I would be a bad person for using a drier and the expense was too much I also heard that it costs around £150 a year to use three times a week.
Brilliant!
I'd bought a Lakeland drying tent type thing which is so ineffective. I'm delighted to realise I can actually afford to use my tumble drier and the added bonus of no ironing either.
Delicate clothes are left on the maiden, that's it.

YANBU

It shreds towels - which of all things, you'd think would be made to withstand a tumble dryer! Yet all mine are fraying now. Rough on clothes too - I'm talking simple cotton T-shirts and kids' clothes, not woollen jumpers. Noticeably shortens lifespan.

Also, clothes come out creased and I can't be bothered with ironing.

It's a useful backup in the winter. Maybe I just need to play around with the settings?!

Totally agree.
I can't bear line dried towels,so much nicer in the drier.
It's such a faff lugging it all out, then in, then it's never fully dry anyway.
I also detest the smell of cold air, it's an awful sour smell that makes me retch.
I also hate seeing laundry hanging everywhere and that musty smell.
I have one of the new heat pump driers.
Cheap as chips to run,never scorches or shrinks.
Everything comes out ready to wear.
Zero ironing.
There's a British Martyr thing that everything must be difficult as possible.
No thanks!

Always had one, I didn't realise there was shame attached to it, and air drying clothes inside is bad for your health and your house

Ok, what am I doing wrong about creases? Do I have it on too hot? I just assumed tumble dryer = creased clothes!

It's the agitation to the fibres whilst being tumble dried that increases the amount of lint and therefore the amount of damage. Laundering your clothes, however you do it, will cause some damage but the speed at which clothes become damaged is vastly increased if you use a tumble dryer.

I love my tumble dryer. I don‘t need to iron anything and everything feels nice and soft.

I don‘t even attempt to dry anything outside. As soon as you’ve finished putting the pegs up it starts raining.

I think you need to get one of the new heat pump ones.
They are absolutely brilliant.
Shreds towels?
It needs to go in the bin !

Ditto. Absolutely love my tumble drier. Have never felt it necessary to mention it in conversation.

I use mine all the time.
I only dry washing outside in the summer.

Can't understand why someone would spend time hanging things when you can just shove it all in the dryer.

I do hang some stuff up, but only delicate stuff.

A washing machine, dishwasher etc can catch fire. There should be a lot more publicity about never leaving them on overnight.

Me too. It’s just one thing I just don’t have time to not use.

I work full time and then some, and am a single parent to two children so I need to save a bit of time.

Things get creased if you overfill it, I usually only put 4 or 5 things at a time of stuff that is prone to creasing and fill it when doing things like underwear and towels that don't crease, I also use those tumble dryer balls that seem to help

Agreed, I think it was Piglet John who said drying washing indoors is the equivalent of throwing buckets of water on your walls.

I haven't got one - I'd consider it but there isn't a space in my house where it would sensibly fit.

I don't have a microwave or a dishwasher, either. Not sure what my excuse is for those.

I don't have much space to dry indoors. Outside is damp most of the time. I'd be lost without a dryer for the sheets and towels and tea towels, socks etc. Anything good gets hung to dry. I don't think it's a quirk. If I had a big warm conservatory or lived in a hot country I probably wouldn't use one but otherwise they're just handy.

You shouldn't really no.

One of the big problems with tumble dryers though is all the lint gathering in the filter. You have to keep on top of that.

I'm sure it costs more than £150 a year though