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Original poster

someone persuade me that not having a tumble dryer is a good thing.

58 replies

lucyellensmum · 10/01/2008 15:54

Our tumble dryer gave up the ghost just before christmas. We ARE a bit broke, but there is enough spare to buy one thats on special offer in B&Q just now £135 for one that would do just lovely.

The thing is, i have managed without one, it is a bit tough having to get the stuff dry indoors but i have managed. When i had the TD i used to just put everything in there, even if it was really sunny, i know it woudlnt take me long to slip back to that way.

Firstly, will i save MONEY on electricity, and will it make any considerable contribution to reducing my carbon thingamajig

OP posts:
Sobernow · 14/01/2008 14:17

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Blu · 14/01/2008 14:22

Another 'never owned on'. Make sure you have a good clothes horse airer thing that can take loads of stuff efficiently.

Is there anything more attractive, useful or enjoyable you could do with the space a dryer would take up?

Blu · 14/01/2008 14:23

I can't stand the extra noise of dryers, either.

FourPlusOne · 14/01/2008 14:35

I have a washer / dryer and I never use the dryer (think it's been used about 4 times ever, and I've had it for years. Washing line in summer. Radiators / clothes horse in winter. Hang the stuff really straight and it cuts right down on ironing too. I use cloth nappies too and I can still get everything dry this way (even when both children were still in nappies). I usually keep on top of the washing though which is the key I think - then you don't have 4 loads to dry at once. I stick a wash on before breakfast most days, and then they are all hung out before we go out for the day. Some days have 2 loads but still pretty manageable.

choosyfloosy · 14/01/2008 14:39

led, have to say, if you still have an overdraft etc, i REALLY wouldn't get a tumbledryer. when i moved in with dh he had a washer/dryer, which i basically refused to use due to attempt at greeness. We nearly came to blows over it a few months ago, then phew, the thing broke. It's mildly more inconvenient, plus i suppose if you iron stuff (i do) then you may not save much in electricity (have never tested this) - still the answer to this one is to iron less! But not getting one seems like a really fast way of not spending money to me.

rebelmum1 · 14/01/2008 14:54

I have an airer above the wood burning stove and it dries in a jiffy..

sabaidii · 14/01/2008 15:01

I'm in Laos, so everything is washed by hand.

needmorecoffee · 14/01/2008 15:02

I've never had one even with 4 kids and using cloth nappies. Eldest is 16 now, youngest 3 and still in nappies (she will be forever as she has CP)
Dry outside when its not raining, over a clothes horse inside when it is.

needmorecoffee · 14/01/2008 15:04

cardboard towels go softer with a bit of shaking but fluffy things really are a bit sissy! Nice but not necassary. Don't use fabric conditioner either.

Cam · 14/01/2008 15:05

Never owned one. Only ever used one in the past at a launderette.

An aga is the answer

foofi · 14/01/2008 15:05

It's much harder not to have one when you have been used to having it. Personally I have never owned a tumble drier, so I don't miss it IYSWIM. I understand it's easier to scrimp on the ironing if you have used a tumble drier, which would be my chief reason to get one, if I ever did. I am also very fortunate to live in a house where there is plenty of room to hang clothes without them getting in the way.

needmorecoffee · 14/01/2008 15:07

we don't iron either. Do tumble dryers iron then?

Anna8888 · 14/01/2008 15:09

I could not manage without a tumble dryer. I live in a flat, with communal central heating (very ehtical ) that is turned off entirely between May and October and tiny radiators that you can't get near.

Plus, a tumble dryer reduces my ironing time hugely.

berolina · 14/01/2008 15:14

We don't have one, and also have no outdoor space. It's a PITA atm because the spin cycle on our washing machine is b*ggered, so everything is taking forever to dry, but usually it's no problem to get everything dry on racks.

ivykaty44 · 14/01/2008 15:18

My tumble dryer went bosh about a year ago now and I have lived without one ever since.

i put £1 in the pot every time I do a load of washing - thats roughly what it costs to dry the washing in the dryer - I don't know how many washes you do a week, a month or a year but it soon adds up.

We had enough for ice creams on holiday and a few other treats!!

rebelmum1 · 14/01/2008 15:19

aga is bit pricey compared to a tumble drier .. I've seen a drying cupboard, you put your clothes in and they come out dry without any need to iron!

ernest · 14/01/2008 15:47

The ironing difference is huge, tha's for sure. We've got quite a fancy model and compared with 1 othe one I've used it really does mean, apart from shirts, I have very little ironing, and I am quite fussy like that and have to iron everything in the summer, so my work load will increase dramatically.

re towels, I'm not such a big girl that I need fluffy wuffy towels, but, well, maybe I've just got extra crap towels or you're as hard as nails? but my towels, line dried are I exaggerate not, totally rigid. Rigour mortis sets in. you can practically hear them crack as you fold the. I like a bit of rough, but am not looking forward to this.

and the huge amount of ironing

Baffy · 14/01/2008 15:59
sophy · 14/01/2008 17:56

The only things that get ironed in this house are dh's work shirts. Tumble drier or not.

Highlander · 15/01/2008 11:37

I couldn't live without mine now that we have kids. Clothes always just get dried on airer/outside but sheets and towels get tunbled in the winter.

choosyfloosy · 15/01/2008 13:45

i have to say that i love really rigid towels now - i never buy exfoliators (though the state of my skin is no advertisement for this, tbh).

i'd agree there are circs when tumble dryers are much more necessary(no outdoor space etc). However, i was shocked on another thread about them a few months back to read about people with gardens/outside space who are apparently not allowed to hang washing outside. that just seems daft to me.

Cam · 16/01/2008 18:54

I hang most clothes on hangers on the drying racks near my aga, no ironing needed.

Elf · 16/01/2008 21:16

Just wanted to say, thanks Sobernow for the link to lovely driers - they look great.

bossybritches · 19/01/2008 08:32

wouldn't be without mine

Stick stuff on at night & all dry in the morning!

babyjjbaby · 15/02/2008 22:17

i have cut down on using my tumble drier i spent 340 on 2 clothes airers and think they are great i useally tumble dry the bedding and woolens and that is it unless there is alot of washing and i tumble dry the towels and dusters and teatowels the thing to try and get right tho is the type of airer i have got mine from argos one is long when it is up so ideal for drying the nappies and towels and tonight i have put the bedding on there but don't think it will dry if it is not dry by the morning it will be going in the tumble drier then i have got a tall one with a bigge rbit at the top which is the main one i use it is up all the time drove me mad at first but u get used to seeing it after a week or so i iron stuff anyway so it doesn't bother me and if u sahke the towels and scruch them up they go softer and nappies i think if u can mange with out one for a few weeks then u might aswell cary on i haven't used mine much in about a month and i think it is great