Tell me about your tumble dryer

[Etak15]

Very much like the current 'drying laundry' thread I too am bringing in damp washing from the line now it's getting a bit cooler, in fact today I'm not even going to bother putting it on the line will put it on the radiators tonight when I put the heating on, I don't want to be doing this all winter as worried about condensation etc, so I want to get a tumble dryer, I'm under the impression that vented ones are better? I'm planning on using it in the conservatory or garage sticking the pipe out of the window? Can anyone recommend a good one?

My parents have a bog standard Hotpoint vented dryer, with 2 heat settings and a timer. It dries better and is quieter than my Miele sensor-condenser dryer.

www.currys.co.uk/gbuk/household-appliances/laundry/tumble-dryers/hotpoint-aquarius-tvm570p-vented-tumble-dryer-white-06171569-pdt.html

I have a Hoover condenser one and it's brilliant. Cost about £200. Never had a vented one so can't compare but it dries a large load in about an hour and as I have it in the house it warms my kitchen up a bit too. The house feels significantly less humid now I don't need to dry wet washing everywhere so whatever type you choose I would definitely recommend getting one!

I love my Bosch (fairly basic, but new) one. It is a condenser but has a huge container which is just the same as the drawer in a washing machine, but extra long! It doesn't need emptying often. It's great because it has a sensor. You just set it to the level of dryness (cupboard dry, iron dry etc) and click go and then it stops when the clothes have dried. It saves lots of electricity I reckon. Saves you guessing how long something takes. It wasn't very expensive either - circa £300 if I remember correctly.

I have a Beko with a sensor. It is fine with a full load, eg all towels on a hot extra dry setting, or a full load of manmade stuff on low setting. However, it is fecking useless at trying to dry a half load, or at finishing off a damp load.

I have a dead basic dead cheap Indesit vented & it's wonderful - basically just high heat, low heat & timer, with reverse tumble & a final 10-minute cool down. 7kg load, wide door; filter easy to pull out, clean, & replace.

In the winter I generally dry most stuff on airers & then finish off in the dryer to get creases out, but underwear goes in straight from the washer (cannot be arsed to hang up dozens of socks )

www.johnlewis.com/indesit-idv75-vented-tumble-dryer-7kg-load-b-energy-rating-white/p1931205?s_afcid=af_137991&awc=1203_1443564284_db88c305728f29d4baf88a0625c41596

We have a Hotpoint Aquarius tumble dryer. Two heat settings with a timer and delayed start setting. It also has a programme that's supposed to make ironing easier - it does help creases drop of something is crumpled.

The Indesit's £159 - the silver version, at £170, is a Which Best Buy so the white one's even better value!

Thanks everyone, the indesit one looks great value and further swayed by John Lewis 2 yr guarantee!
Just a couple more questions is the hose quite long am going to put it out of a top opening window will it reach? Also I'm sure I've read somewhere that they don't work under certain external temperatures? as conservatory is freezing in the winter.

My AEG condenser from John lewis has performed so much better than the vented ones I have had. We also don't get the fluff clogging everything up as it is efficient at collecting it in the machine. I have located it by my washing machine, so just empty the water into that.

The hoses are very stretchy. Unfortunately mine is attached to a wall vent behind the dryer, & is scrunched up between it & the wall beside it, so I can't pull it out to measure; but they have standard ends & you can buy extra-long ones. amazon sell a universal one which is 4m long - that would be at full stretch - there are also 3m ones, but either would do if the dryer is close to the window?

No idea about working in cold places - I know fridges don't, but no idea about dryers. But they have wheels so you could trundle it into another room temporarily?

just googled & they shouldn't be used below 5C but your conservatory can't be colder than a fridge???

online manual says the hose supplied shouldn't be stretched longer than 2.4m so I'm guessing it's a 3m one. It needs to be able to hang outside the window pointing downwards.

That would be ok then I bet that it would only be about a meter up to the window, ha feels like a freezer in there in December! It has no heating so I thought it must be same temp as outside although if there's a bit of sun I suppose it would warm it up slightly! I would knock it down and build an extension if I had some spare cash knocking about!!

I have a beko one with a heat pump which is fantastic and very economical to run. Heat pump dryers are a good bit slower than yer bog standard driers, they're more expensive too. But, I love that I can just use it as much as I need without worrying about the cost. Also, they work at a lower teperature so don't bugger clothes up as much.

Heat pump driers are always condensers too, which saves flinging away cash though an open window.

if you are going for a vented drier (they are cheaper to buy and have less to go wrong) consider having a hole in the wall near it to vent through.

No need to open a window, and no draughts. Observe which side the vent in the drier is before making the hole. It is done using a Core Drill which tool hire shops have, or most plumbers, electricians and small builders have one. It drills a neat round hole of the exact size. You can do holes for the bathroom extractor and the cooker hood on the same day, to get your money's worth.

Putting washing on radiators makes the boiler work harder, your better off getting airers instead.