Should I get a tumble dryer?

[Whenisitmysleepytime]

We are moving and although we won't have space in the kitchen for a tumble drier we will have a garage.

The garage isn't attached to the house - you get in/ out via the garage door at the front.

Would I be a bit loopy to be taking washing in/ out the garage?

Fwiw I seem to have the washer on everyday (me, dh and 2 dc under 4 means a fair bit of washing) and only get it all dried by putting it on radiators ATM.

What do you think?

Tia :)

Hanging washing on radiators or draped around the house is the main cause of condensation, damp and mould in British houses; so if you can afford a drier, get one. It will cost about 60p of electricity for a full load of cotton washing, and correspondingly less for smaller or lighter synthetic loads.

Vented driers are simpler, so usually more reliable and cheaper to buy, than condensing ones.

You can hire a Core Drill to make a neat round hole in the garage wall for the duct to go through. Don't steam into the garage or all the metal tools will go rusty.

I got one of these recently, it is a Which Best Buy, and JL gave me a 2-year warranty, free delivery, and gave me £30 discount trade-in for my old broken one.

I calculated that the electricity I would save by buying a more energy-efficient heat-pump model, would take me over ten years to compensate for the higher purchase price.

one of these I mean

My Mum has a tumble dryer in her garage and ours is in our shed. Doesn't pose a problem for us!

Hmmm interesting.

Now can someone knowledgable explain the difference between vented and condensing ones. I'm assuming one needs a vent and one doesn't but what else does it mean?

condensing means that the steam from the clothes is cooled down and collected (or in some cases drained away in a drain pipe). a condenser could in principle be put anywhere where it could be plugged in, does need ventilation (open window) though as some steam will still escape.

vented means that the steam is vented to the outside via a big pipe and therefore needs a hole for the pipe. can (obviously) only be put near an outside wall.

can you put an extractor fan into the garage and put your airers/a line in there?

Back2Two

This heat-pump condensingtumble drier costs £730 and Which say it costs £40 in electricity a year to run for a family of four.

This vented one costs £289 and Which say it costs £94 in electricity a year to run.

At £54 a year difference, you would have to keep the drier for almost 9 years (ignoring inflation and maintenance) to break even. It would vary with how many people in your household, and if you use the line in summer.

(John Lewis must calculate it in a different way as their usages are much closer)

Yes! It will change your life. Unless you already have a dishwasher and are used to having your life revolutionised:) plus a washing machine that does a quick wash of 30 mins..

Omg I am really tragic:)

both of them are Which best buys.

Can you guess which I bought?

I'm guessing the vented one - it'd take about 5yrs to cost the same as the initial outlay for the condensing one? Is that right?

I've just had another look at the pics for the house we're buying and there's a cupboard next to the washer. I could take the cupboard out, install a vent to the outside and have a tumble drier - couldnt I?

I already have a dishwasher and I love how that has revolutionised my life!