Tumble driers - are they worth it?

[ooosabeauta]

Life is getting on top of me and I need a new labour-saving device!

Do you have a tumble drier? Is it indispensible? Do you still have to hang up much washing in the winter? What brand would you recommend?

My house is one great humid fug of drying racks at the moment and I can't stand it!

Thanks Hope, yes the environment did cross my mind... but for now my sanity is more important... and maybe I'll do something to make up for it...

Sounds like I'd better get one. If anyone has any recommendations or what to go for I'd appreciate it. Anyone know if a cheap one is a false economy?

Yes. I wouldn't be able to dry towels / jeans / sheets without it. Although I still put some clothes on the line all year round as it blows the creases out.

The machine is a life saver on dark winter nights when the DC's have a vomiting bug.

I do it the other way round from Hope - get things 3/4 dry on racks or over the banister, & then finish them off in the dryer. One year I was without mine for a few weeks while a part was on order & everything ended up musty

oosa, you used to be able to get a half-decent one for about £150 but I don't think you can any more. Vented are supposed to be more efficient than condenser, but unless you can park it near a window & hang the hose out (bad news when winter winds whip round) you have to get a hole knocked in a wall.

Worth looking for one that has reverse tumble, which partly stops everything winding itself into a knot.

Ooh, good information Ponders! Thanks. Will start researching vented ones with reverse tumbles , and if I'm very lucky I might get one for Christmas

Somehow missed your input Meglet. Thanks. I think we've done five loads of washing today, mainly of toddler and newborn clothes/towels/blankets/changing bag (don't ask) and it's been raining so you can imagine what my miniscule house looks like! I need one now!

mine has a sensor on it so it doesn't dry the clothes any longer than necessary, saves the guess work for how long to put it on for. Mine is a condenser though, not near a window.

Environmental impact is neither here nor there if the alternative is having the heating turned up in a desperate attempt to dry washing in a house resembling a Chinese laundry. Not to mention the health implications of a permanently damp atmosphere.

We got our tumble drier after we had DS and were using terry nappies. We had nowhere to dry outside (still don't), very few radiators and it was a nightmare. We have a condenser dryer under the stairs and two clothes airers in constant use. We absolutely could not manage without our tumble dryer.

We tumble-dry bedding, towels, muslins, and adult clothes that claim to be tumble dryable. Baby and children's clothes I hang up on the airer, regardless of what the label says, because they do always shrink a bit. I would say this works out about half and half on the washing front.

An added advantage (from an environmental pov) is that it also provides heating thus preventing the need for another heater on those evenings.

sales will be on just after christmas, best get something else for a pressie

Excellent point, gaelic. Yes, heating on much of the day to get this stuff dry.

bigcar what make and model is yours if you don't mind me asking?

mine's a hotpoint aquarius, 7kg one as washing machine is 7kg one. No idea how it rates good/bad etc, was cheap in the sales!

oh yes bigcar, thanks, I didn't finish my thought re holes in walls etc - if that's going to be a pain/impossible, get a condenser anyway (just remember it needs emptying!)

oosa, I will have a look at Which for you, I think they did them last month.

I love my tumbledrier as much as I love my DH.

ponders you just reminded me, if you go for condenser, get one that empties from the top, much easier on the back as you need to empty every 1 to 2 loads.

if you look here just as an example you can search on the left side for the sort you want so can choose vented or condenser, sensor drier etc, might give you some idea.

I have a very basic and elderly Bosch tumble drier and it is a lifesaver. Especially when the midnight puking hits, or it's been peeing down for days and I really need some clean, dry jeans. We also swim a lot as a family and I think that we would end up with a house festooned with slightly damp towels and jeans if I couldn't use the drier when necessary.

Ours vents to the outside (DH had a lovely time drilling the hole) so we don't get any inside condensation.

Have you got gas? White Knight gas-powered are the best for running costs but have to be connected by a corgi.

I do not buy clothes that cannot be tumble dried any more, how people cope without one I do not know, i barely cope even with one.

Oh brilliant, thanks Ponders re. Which. I used to have a subscription but too much of a cheapskate now!

I think condenser is going to be a must now that I consider it properly because it's a galley kitchen with cupboards above so no room for holes in walls etc.

Will have a look at an Aquarius bigcar, and good point re. the sales. Maybe I can get a promise from dh to gtet one for my Christmas present. I'm getting quite excited about this now. What have my Saturday nights come to!

We have got gas, yes. I'm writing this stuff down now as it's all double Dutch to me, but I'm sure I'll become a tumble dryer expert before the week is out

Yes, they use the world's resources yada yada, but they are invaluable between October and April. If you offset the environmental cost by trying to sponge clothes clean rather than always automatically washing them every day (not underwear, obviously, cos that would be yeuch) and using a triangular outdoor dryer in the warmer months, your conscience can be clear.

My conscience is perfectly clear anyhow thanks BoffinMum. We're off grid, and the energy used in running one or two (or more) extra storage heaters to keep the house warm enough to dry washing would be vastly more than the energy used by the tumble drier.

There might be sales after christmas but the vat rate is going up so you may be better off buying before!

White Knight ECO 83A is the best gas one, about £320, but it's vented.

Bosch WTE84306GB condenser about £390

Bosch WTE84105GB condenser about £350

Whirlpool AWZ 8578 condenser about £300

those are the best prices for condensers (lots of them are £450-700)