Dryers rated A for Energy Efficiency in the UK

[ec1matt]

I've finally decided to give in and get a dryer; I'm sick of my flat being full of drying laundry all the time. However, I'm keen to get an energy efficient one. At the moment, the only A-rated dryers (apart from the White Knight model that takes 8 hours to dry a load of cottons) available in the UK are the AEG T59800 or its John Lewis-branded cousin, the JLTDC01. Both machines cost around GBP500, which I can live with.

First of all, does anyone have any experience with either of these dryers? Secondly, does anyone know if any other A-rated dryers are on the way to the UK market? I really like the look of the new Miele dryers (especially the T9000 series) so if they have an A-rated version on the way, I'd wait.

Thanks

Matt

 

[gadgetgary]

8 hours to dry a load of cottons

You have got to be kidding?

They would probably dry faster on the line!

 

[decodriveboy]

Just how....

are these lonnnnnng cycle times on washers and dryers saving any energy?

 

[seamusuk]

On the White Knight...

Its a minimal/no heat programme designed for overnight use.....

Seamus

 

[seamusuk]

Id strongly advise....

Not buying the AEG.

1 The heatpump technology is unproven with regard to effectivness/reliability

2 The Aeg uses 2.4kw to dry a 6kg load or approx 0.4 kwh/kg

3 The TOL Zanussi ZDB 5377W uses 3.95kw but has a 7kg load making it approx 0.56kwh/kg- its about to be replaced so if you shop around you should be able to find it for around £300.

Thats an awful lot of laundry youve gotta do to save £200 worth of Electricity lol!!.

Seamus

One thing in the AEGs favour is the 5 year guarantee- if you were to buy this on the Zanussi it would be approx £80 extra to consider.

(And yup I do sell White goods for a living )

 

[toggleswitch]

The White Knight then must be vented, because I would think that a condenser dryer would not work without a high temperature differnetial between the tub air and the condensing fluid (air/water).

So what is the deal with pumping room air to the outdoors for 8 hours. Can this possibly save energy when the "big picture" is considered? (Think cold winter night).

 

[ec1matt]

Thanks

Seamus: I share your concerns about the heat pump technology (although I did read somewhere AEG introduced it back in 1999 although it wasn't a commercial success) but thought that the 5 year warranty sort of balanced that out. I'd probably get the John Lewis version anyway, since it's much easier to make a fuss on their shop floor if anything goes wrong (like with my disastrous Siemens WIQ1430) than deal with some internet box-shifter.

Toggleswitch: I wholly agree - an 8 hour energy-saving cycle that sucks warm room air out of the house is a joke. Run in normal mode, that model is a C-rated dryer (i.e. pretty average). The special programme was a gimmick just to be the first to get the A-rating. It has since been discontinued; as GadgetGary noted, it'd be quicker to dry things on the line.

 

[toggleswitch]

 

[rolls_rapide]

AEG Heatpump Drier

I too thought that it had been on the go for some time, albeit in Europe itself. Surely it will be tried and tested enough now? (I also read somewhere that the manufacturing assembly of the heatpump technology, had to be streamlined to make the machine a commercial success. It was too labour intensive, apparently).

The UK "Which?" Magazine commented upon it some time ago, and stated that it was not available in the UK. They also commented upon the WhiteKnight, and its ridiculously long cycle.

 

[Bearpeter]

8 hours to dry?

What about the massive wear and tear on the clothes? Anyone thought about that??

 

[seamusuk]

And...

The massive wear on the motor etc!