Tell me everything about tumble dryers.

[PastaandCheese]

Please!

Have resisted for years as didn't feel I needed one. With a new, bigger utility with the option to have one and a second baby due next month I've caved.

It's been sitting staring at me since it arrived this morning and I've realised I am woefully ignorant on the finer points of tumble dryers.

What dries best in them? Do I need dryer balls and if so what do they do? Do I need to put any sort of laundry product in it?

I got one and a dishwasher when I had my second baby as well, must be a common tipping point! I now tumble dry everything except duvet covers which dry beautifully hung folded and hung over banisters. However, I now iron virtually nothing! This makes me a total slut in my mothers eyes, but I find if you fold or hang stuff while it is still warm out of the drier you get few creases. Certainly all baby related clothing just got smoothed, folded and bunged away. Tried using the 'balls' they made a huge racket and were never used again. Don't like sheet softeners either, horrible artificial smell. You will never go back....

Shobby they get the creases out too??? Why did no one tell me this when I smugly said I didn't think I'd get much use out of a tumble dryer.

I've just seem a button that says 'reduce creases' and I'm on the verge of weeping tears of joy at the thought of not ironing miniature clothes that will only be worn for a few hours!

they work better if they are about 80% full. If they are nearly empty they take longer which must be inefficient. A mix of large and small things is best. Duvet covers like to gather things inside themselves or roll into a ball, so you may need to pull then out and shake free. bras will tie themselves round whaatever they can clasp to their bosoms so put them in a sack lingerie bag pillowcase.

Cottons dry slower than synthetics so do separate loads. Synthetics and polycottons are least likely to need ironong. Towels come out very fluffy. Som items (e.g. mattress covers) have polypropylene backing or interlining which melts, so do them on low temp. Some garments (e.g. washable or padded jackets) may have fusible interlinings which may melt.

If you ever get a moth infesation or fleas, the drier will kill any lavae and eggs in stuff you put in, even if it has not just been washed.

Some cotton stuff, like vests and T shirts, which are knitted cotton not woven, will shrink, so get in the habit of buying XXXL to allow for it.

I've only got a small one and it's only good for smalls,bedding but have to separate load as I've got king size bedding so duvet first and sheet and pillow cases in a 2nd load, but single bedding is ok, and to dry stuff of that's been hanging on clothes horse but not quite dry!
So if you want to dry loads of clothes get the bigger one,

Piglet mines seems to eat the electricity and costs a fortune to run

It's on! It's on! Apparently it is drying towels as I type. Excited about this is in a 'where did my life go' sort of way.

I didn't know they were best about 80% full. Thank you for that tip.

Have a large landing with a long bannister which happily takes king size duvet cover and sheet so planning to stick to that for bedding.

Hoping it will dry towels, baby clothes and baby bedding and things like jeans that are normally a pain to dry.

If you want to reduce costs hang Jeans and towels up overnight before doing 15mins in the dryer!

Watch with baby clothes the may shrink, mines always did

Beware of your energy bills! I used mine constantly and my bill tripled - just use it now when I can't dry of line. Avoid bibs with the plastic backing, and jumpers - lightweight fabrics dry best (I have a washer/dryer combo)

*dry on line

There are two types of tumble drier vent - stick big tube out of window or through a whole in wall - or condenser - you empty a pot into the sink at the end of each wash. I rent and got a condenser one - the pot is like a big soap drawer at the top. There are delicate, synthetic, cottons, jeans settings amongst others. It has a sensor so stops when washing is dry. For a big load, 6kg, of cottons it is about an hour and half to be cupboard dry. It beeps when done. Mine is a becko, was £200 and a which best buy. I am on key meter and have not noticed a significant increase in the amount needed to be put on.

Ooo! Mrspear I think that is my one. I chose it after reading the Which report and it is a Beko.

My towels are soft and dry and already in the cupboard. I suspect I shall conclude I should have got one years ago.

We generate our own electricity so our annual bills are quite low fortunately.

I'll watch out for shrinking clothes. I really like line dried clothes when the weather allows but there comes a point when the weather is crap but it isn't cold enough for the heating to be on for long and it starts to feel like widow twankie's here.

I love my tumble dryer. To keep the costs down I get stuff 80% dry on the line / on a rail that DH hung in the boiler cupboard and then bung it all in the dryer to finish it off.

As soon as it's dry I pull it out, shake it and fold it and as a result I don't iron anything apart from some of DHs cotton work shirts, and even then sometimes I don't need to if I hang them up quickly.

I rarely have shrinking problems possibly as my stuff only goes in for a short while, but it comes out nice and soft instead of like cardboard.

I swear by my Bosch condenser drier. Am also renting, so much easier to move it and not have to worry about fitting the vent tube out of a window or something!

Ionly iron about 6 times a year now, as most things just go in the drier and get folded or hung up when they are done. I tend to buy t-shirts etc a size large to allow for shrinkage, and knitted woolies, bras and some delicate stuff do get hung over the bath. With 2 DCs it's invaluable!

We've had ours for about 5 years, and other than the handle breaking (through overuse!) Which was easily replaced, it's been brilliant. The electricity bill may have gone up slightly but in terms of time, effort and sheer hassle factor, or lack thereof, I wouldn't part with it.