Tumble dryer recommendations- cupboard dry

[JB2021]

My use of a tumble dryer stems from a washer dryer at uni that was rubbish!

We are getting a tumble dryer - yes, they use energy, yes they cost but we are a busy household with 2 children, active lives, work evenings and weekends and I hate damp washing hanging on the airer for days (we just don't have the heating on enough) no judgement please.

Anyone any recommendations for tumble dryers. I'm wanting one to go in our garage so this might rule out heat pump maybe. Lower enf price wise. MUST dry clothes to cupboard dry. I know some have a setting for this but it doesnt always work.

Also, tumble drying jeans - yey or nay?! I wear them all the time for work!

Go vented while they still sell them
my vented never runs for more than an hour even with towels so being 2.4kw it uses just about 2units which is comparable with heat pump

We have had a heat pump AEG for almost 10 years. It drys well, is eco, and has settings for drying delicates, wool or jeans if you want to.

ours in within house, but an unheated area at back, so temperature doesn’t drop to freezing, but isnt warm really either in winter

AEG heat pump. Expensive to buy but good.

Can you still get vented dryers? Dreading the day mine carks it as I wouldn't have anything else - did have my mother's condenser for a while, was glad to see the back of it as it was rubbish. As for jeans, I line dry or hang on a radiator and then finish off in the dryer if needs be, my husband hasn't mentioned any shrinkage.

Incidentally I left a bath sheet on a cold radiator for a couple of days and wish I'd put it in the dryer, as it has that faint mildewy smell now. Dry your washing how you like, it's no one else's business!

Can you vent it from the garage?
Condensers are cheapest. We have one in our car port in a cabin and it copes fine outside and no need to mess around with venting. You just need to properly maintain them with frequent clearing of fluff from the condenser blades.
Also don’t have the noisy thing whirring about indoors so works for us.
Had the condenser eight years now with no issues. I tend to start off jeans and towels indoors or outside on a rack and just soften them up for ten minutes in the dryer. Except proper denim (Levi’s). Dont tumble them!

Thanks all.

Any specific make/model recommendations?

Seeing very mixed things on heat pump so thinking to avoid especially given the cost as don't want to be disappointed after spending so much

Mine's a vented Indesit, had it for some years now, maybe ten? Can't remember, but it's good, dries quite quickly and bone dry too, has a low setting which is handy for potential shrinky things, more than happy with it.

I have a small Creda. Had it for about 30 years. Works a dream. Just has two settings. Sometimes the least fancy are the best. My daughter has Miele and I don’t rate it at all

We have a Bosch series 6 condenser/ heat pump. Incredibly cost effective with lots of programs and various levels of drying . Would highly recommend.
I love the bedding setting , no more tangled , balls of sheets or duvet covers !

We got a new one this week. Sensi heat pump one it's brilliant so far. It has a light up drum something stuff out is easy

My washing machine is a Series 6 - despite being on my third heating element it's still by far the best washer I've ever had (it's a long list). Do you actually use all of the programs?

Hoping my Indesit dryer will last a long time yet of course.

I have just bought a Hisense heat pump one. I go through tumble dryers like there's no tomorrow. It's much quicker than my last heat pump one and is probably the best tumble dryer I've ever had. Doesn't fry your clothes either.

In a garage you are probably better to get a vented or condenser dryer as heat pumps are not so effective in cold places. A garage could be under 5C so it may not work properly.

Get a heat pump dryer - the Bosch ones are the best! use barely any electricity and also don’t damage the clothes like the usual tumble driers do either

@PamelaColmansMustard yes I use most of the programs . I really do rate it , best machine I’ve ever had .

I have a Beko heat pump, had it about 3 years now and very happy with it - it’s our first heat pump.
It is meant to work down to 5C so should be fine in your garage unless it’s very cold. Ours is in an unheated utility room and had no problems

Yes you’re right, I wanted to replace my useless AEG tumble dryer with a heat pump one, was told in John Lewis it wasn’t recommended for use in a garage, I now have a Bosch series 6 one which is excellent, dries everything perfectly.

Just get a heat pump. They are affordable now and dry well. I have the Beko Which recommended one, not expensive and as well as adjusting the default drying level, you can then set iron dry, normal, cupboard and extra for each load.

They don’t work In garage in winter

Beko condenser. Dries excellently and quickly to cupboard dry. Simple and effective.
Heat pumps can take hours to dry. Never again.

I have a beko condenser, cheap as chips, been going for a decade no issues. Definitely has a cupboard dry setting.

I will say you don't need to spend £££ on a tumble drier, they are pretty simple machines all told.

We have a Beko heat pump. Lots of different programmes and drying levels

I have a hotpoint condenser and really rate it. It wasn’t the cheapest but next one up.

Personally I find "cupboard dry" problematic, because for some ridiculous reason this often doesn't result in clothes that are dry enough to put away. I have to put ours on warm 60 minutes and repeat as needed to stop the bloody thing from deciding that damp clothes are dry.

This seems to be a common problem.

They work down to 5 degrees C. So depends whether your garage gets down to near freezing or not. Mine is quite well insulated so doesnt get down that low. Depends on the OPs situation.