Tumble dryer or heated airer

[Puffthemagicdragongoestobed]

We have just moved to our new house and had to leave the tumble dryer at our old house. It was in use all the time. In the new house I was planning to get one of those lakeland dryers after reading so much about them on here. Now DH had the idea to replace one of the kitchen cupboards with a tumble dryer. This would involve a bit of carpentry and moving the oven but he thinks it shouldn't be too complicated.
Now I am not sure what to do. Eventually we want to get a tumble dryer anyway but only after we have built an extension where we plan to install a utility room. So this would be in a year at the earliest.
We also haven't quite worked out where to store the lakeland contraption.
Any wise words?

Thank you

If you don't have floor space maybe look at putting a drying rack. Either a pulley system or a hanging system. Then look at a dehumidifier. I have a dehumidifier and the Lakeland heated airer - but the airer is only used after trips away (as I can't dry things quick enough otherwise) or during the winter on the days I wash the bedding and towels.

Thanks, I haven't considered those yet.

If you are used to a tumble drier I think you should put one in. The airer is useful but not the same. It takes up a good amount of floor space and things take all day to dry on it. It's fiddly putting everything on as well.

Option C: Dehumidifier and standard airer

anything except a tumble drier chucks water into your house, drying a load of washing is like throwing a pint or two at the walls. So you need a dehumidifier too and a tumble drier is far less farting about.

obviously dry outside whenever you can.

Tumble drier. Especially if you are used to one. We have only got one recently and i would never be without one again.

Tumble dryer. We have an amazing one that sucks the water out instead of drying with heat so we don't need a vent and don't have the issue Mencken mentions. Expensive but worth it. I couldn't live without my tumble dryer.

I think I'd wait the year for one in the utility room though. I had a heated airer for two years before we fitted in our tumble drier and it was fine. As long as you air the house well you don't need a dehumidifier.

I found that as soon as there were more than four people in the house, managing without a tumble drier became much more difficult. Four of us now and when I've been without a tumble drier, it's been relatively easy to keep on top of the drying. We have a dehumidifier that we run in the winter and we line dry from about March through to October.

I have given my heated airer to my daughter, Just two of them and she doesn't miss her tumble drier.

Thanks all. We are going for a tumble dryer again, just need to make space in the kitchen for it. We do have a washing line in the garden which I am planning to use when it’s getting warmer.

I was just going to say washing line. They work brilliantly in cold windy weather

I hate using the heated airer

I love my heated airer. Couldn't survive without it

Tumble dryer knocks the spots off the heated airer. Same as Red my washing line gets used year round. As long as there’s a breeze and the pavement is drying, washing will too.

I have both, find the Lakeland dyer really good for things that might not fair well in the tumble dryer.
Side note, I'v never understood people who put washing outside in winter, surely it's still wet and then cold when brought back inside.

Depends, @thrree. If it's really just dry but cold and damp, it won't do much but if it's cold with at least a bit of a breeze then it will take the edge off. I tend to put it out quite early and leave as long as possible. I bring it in and put it over radiators or aurers and it finishes off in the warmth. If you leave it out later than 3 or 4pm.on a winter's afternoon it just feels cold and damp. You definitely need at least some breeze to get the heavier stuff dry.

And I do find myself (quite tragically!) planning my washing round the weather forecast! Apart from work and school uniforms, we've all got plenty of socks, undies and casual clothes that we can manage if a sweatshirt or pyjamas are in the basket for over a week.

I'd go with a standard airer and a dehumidifier. In addition to using the airer indoors you can use it outside when you need extra washing line space and the dehumidifier can be used if you have a leak and need to dry out the house.