Dumb question about tumble dryers....

[InTheZenGarden]

Feel really stupid asking this, but hey, up til now I've been a tumble dryer virgin...

I know that with washing machines, putting a cycle on with hardly anything in it is not cost-effective, as you use the same amount of water and electricity as a full cycle would.

But does the same apply to tumble dryers? I have a vented dryer with a sensor on it that adjusts the cycle length according to how wet the stuff is. So that makes me think that if I just put in, say, a T shirt, it shouldn't take long to dry, so shouldn't be a huge waste of electricity.

Am I right? Or deluded? Thanks :)

Well the situation is complicated by the fact that you can't easily dry one item in a tumble drier. You are actually better to put a towel in - it absorbs the water and then after twenty minutes take it out and leave just the tshirt.

It takes electricity to get a tumble drier up to any heat (which is what dries the clothes) so yes it uses a lot of power.

Takes less power to put your spin cycle on full than to dry from less than full spin in tumble drier as well.

you're better off setting the time for, say 5 minutes, and then hanging the warm shirt up than relying on the sensor.

And yes, don't ever put just one item in because then they come out all lumpy. The wrinkles come out when the clothes bash against each other, so a lone item just balls up and rolls around, drying the wrinkles in. So not only inefficient, but ineffective too.

Thank you both :)

DD basically has no trousers to wear tomorrow - I should have put a load of washing on last night, but couldn't be bothered (38+4 is my excuse!) and she's got through 3 pairs today, running in the park, playing in sand etc etc
So the washer is going on tonight (economy 7), and I thought I could give one pair a quick tumble tomorrow morning... guess I will put a few things on for a few minutes, put her in the driest ones

Thanks :)

well I do it every now and again can't say I've ever noticed it being particularly wrinkly. Pair of trousers you need in a hurry - dry in 10 mins.