Philips D162 Tumble Dryer

[aquacycle]

So, out and about in town today, my friend James bought me the dryer I grew up with. My mum had this from new til about 1999 or so. Anyone have any info on them? I don't know much about them at all. All I remember about ours, is that the timer never worked, so we had to keep checking the clothes to see if they were dry. Luckily, it does work on this one. It's very basic and needs a good clean-up, but I love it. More pics to follow once it's all nice and shiney.

 

[chestermikeuk]

D162

Hi Chris, congratulations on getting your dream machine, those Phillips where one of the best dryers around at the time,,a simple, vented 2 heat dryer, very quiet in operation and economic as well!!!

Looking forward to seeing the "Shiney Pics" now for you to find the matching washer!!! Phillips from Hipperholme, Halifax, UK

 

[aquacycle]

Hi Mike,

Many thanks indeed for the info Much appreciated. Hipperholme is about 15 minutes away from where I live - how cool .

Here are some pics taken today. It's still a bit rusty, but it's had a wash, t-cut and polish and all the inside has been cleaned out. I actually found £1.65 inside the fluff filter LOL. It was FULL of dust - especially underneath the drum. But we carefully cleaned it out and it cleaned the outside. Here's some pics and a video to follow

 

[aquacycle]

and another

 

[aquacycle]

video number 1

 

[aquacycle]

and another vid..

 

[matchboxpaul]

What a great find Chris!

Its great when something totally surprising is stumbled across like this. Especially when its a macine from your childhood.

I am waiting on a Hoover 3236H and 3022 version 2 matching set, plus a Hotpoint 95452. The last two I just missed out on saving, being disposed of a couple of years before the interest became public again and I was able to accommodate stuff. grrrrrr.

Anyways ..... to Philips!
Clasic and smart styling, so 1970's.

This was the later styling version, with the earlier version of Philips styling boasting metallic blue dial inserts and writing. The blues ran for, I think mid through to late 1970s.

The brass dial inserts came about in very late 1979/1980, I think (definately about in 1980 though).

Definately a case of evolution, rather than revolution, with essentially the same machines (visually) running for the best part of 8 years or so.

earliest philips dryer pic i have is of a 1974 vintage machine - model AAJ001....

 

[matchboxpaul]

Also did a right hand drive machine - weirdly! Quite obvious that this design was later swung around and provided the basis of your machine, in later years. Dont know the model number of this one unfortunately.

 

[matchboxpaul]

Then the brass dial inserts came...

with your D162....

 

[matchboxpaul]

Plus a full door version, in the D160...

 

[matchboxpaul]

then moving onto the familiar round door machines, with the likes of the early version D163....

 

[matchboxpaul]

and the higher end D170....

 

[matchboxpaul]

Until the facia colouring was changed to black with silver edging, during 1981...

 

[matchboxpaul]

Hope this helps with a bit more info on them.

Unfortunately Philips dryers seem to me to be a bit higgledy piggledy in the way that they were introduced, so I might have got some of my rough introduction dates a bit wrong. Still gives you an idea of the evolution of the design.

Congrats again on a great find.
Paul

 

[aquacycle]

Paul, you're a gem! Many thanks for all the info. My mum had this dryer from new til about 1999 or so when she got the Hotpoint TL51. I'm not sure if I love it just because it's what I grew up with, or because it's a great dryer lol. Either way, it's great! Was there a matching washing machine? We had a Zanussi washer running along side the Philips. Washcraft style but it had a chrome door with brushed aluminum controls. Need to find one of them - then I'll have the washer, dryer AND vacuum I grew up with

 

[matchboxpaul]

Hi Chris.

To the best of my knowledge there was never a square door Philips washing machine. They always boasted round doors, as far as I know.

Although there were a number of different versions, essentially the machine to match the blue dial dryers was the Philips 707...

 

[matchboxpaul]

The brass dials machine looked like the Philips variatronic.
These were lovely machines and my best mates gran had (or maybe still has one!).

Dont know the model number of this version of Variatronic though (maybe 852 or 952, judging from the facia)...

 

[matchboxpaul]

They certainly were/are smart looking machines.

Cheers
Paul

 

[vacbear58]

The Variatronic was my first washing machine

Whilst up in my loft to get the Christmas decorations I dug out some old photos, this was my first washing machine & dryer shown alongside the Philips 2000SX dishwasher. The photo was probably taken mid 1980. As well as being a good washer with the unusual launch straight into spin without draining the rinse water, it was also quite shallow (front to back) - about 21 inches. I think it had a plastic outer drum too

 

[vacbear58]

This was my parent's kitchen - summer 1976

The fridge is a Hoover badged Zanussi (as they all were) - 1971
Washing machine - Zanussi DL6 - April 1975 - 520 spin speed
Cooker - English Electric Rapide 68 - mid 1974
Toaster - Hoover, filter coffee maker - Philips and kettle - Swan

 

[vacbear58]

The rest of the kitchen

Showing the Colstron Jetstream 303 dishwasher. This used a spray tube mounted off centre from the back of the machine which was reasonably effective although it could only have plates under it, bowls etc. had to be placed above. I had tried to persuade my father to get a floor standing dishwasher with conventional sprays, but he did not think it would fit - I suggested ditching the cupboard and placing it beside the washing machine. Would have been the best option as the Colston did not last that long, when they moved the next year it was indeed mounted undercounter, next to the washing machine

 

[fl1012]

Wow

What brilliant photos Vacbear58

I love how you had the matching Philips appliances in the first photo. How well did they last? A friends Mum had the later washer with the brown & silver facia, which also did the high speed distribution-drain! It lasted about 15 years i think.

Did you leave the Zanussi washing machine behind when you moved?

Really nice to see those old photos, i think weve got a couple from the 80s showing our old Hotpoint 95450 washer & 17221 Super Dryer, plus old Lec fridge freezer. Must get a scanner!

 

[foraloysius]

I think Philips started making dryers in the 60's, this is possibly the first model. Not sure though.

 

[foraloysius]

Here's a more detailed picture of the drum.

 

[foraloysius]

It's a bit difficult to date all these Philips appliances. There were differences between countries too. I never came across a Dutch Philips washer or dryer with a brown fascia. They must have skipped that series in the Netherlands and probably introduced the models with the redesigned fascia with the plastic brown controls straight after the chrome fascia ones. There was only one toploader washing machine that had that brown control panel.

 

[chestermikeuk]

Phillips

In the 1980`s Phillips where one of the best low to midrange laundry and dishwasher appliances to be had, offering a host of features;

Al, those pics are great, now I see how it all fits together from what you explained!!, The SX2000 range and the laundry appliances washers AWB082 096, 098 and dryers D163 and D165 used to fly out of the Independants I worked at, also the Co-op stores promoted them heavily, most stores had In-Store Phillips demonstrators..

Those machines had polypropelyne outer tubs, (dishwasher had a full poly tub) motors where permanant magnet motor (permag) and all those parts offered a Ten yr guarantee which was unheard of at the time!! Heres my Electra Phillips, have just got the matching dryer which is now stacked, will take a pic later!! Al, love the cooker we had the English Electric Rapide 66...

 

[chestermikeuk]

Phillips Dryers

Morning Louis, those Phillips dryers look so simple but for me that was their beauty, simple parts, did the job very well and energy wise cheap to use!!! I also find them stylish as well, have never seen any Phillips model with the perforated drum assembly, the fan looks like it could be a direct drive etc... any pics of the insides?? Mike

 

[matchboxpaul]

OMG Al!!!

Those pictures are FANTASTIC!

They just ooze nostalgia and a really useful for appliance history studies - finally a colour shot of a Zanussi DL6! Wonderful to see the Hoover fridge and Colston dishwasher too - my gran had the 101 Jetstream on its own wheeled trolley!

My parents recently got the deeds and blueprints for their house from the solicitors and I though what a shame it was that there werent official photos of the interiors when first built. Its daft but generally people never think to take pictures specifically of their house interiors and yet they are wonderful to look at 20, 30, 40, 50 years down the line.

I know that my parents have a picture of their previous houses kitchen, with the matchbox 3236h in pride of place.

There are also pictures of the matchboxes and 95452 in the current house. Will dig them out, scan them and post them.

Your Philips washer - the flash obliterates the features on it. Was it identical to the Variatronic I posted a piccy of, or was it missing the half load (?) function button?

When I first glanced it at work this morning I thought initially it was a dial only machine.

Can you remember the model number at all?

Thanks for posting - really great viewing.
Paul

 

[matchboxpaul]

How do Louis.

I take it that you are the proud owner of that Philips dryer? What a wonderful machine it is!

As Mike mentions, how strange to see a dryer drum full of holes and that big fan right behind the drum. Certainly something that little bit different.

I have to say that Philips machines really 'do my head in' and far as trying to understand model numbers and introduction dates.
They seem to flit around quite a bit with the numbering system and, as you say, there are machines that appear in some countries but are unknown entities in others.

A colleague of my mothers, when we lived at the previous house, owned a Philips machine festooned with knobs and dials and had blue disc detailing.
Now before my interest in machines was rekindled, a few years back, I always remember her machine as being a Philips 808. Remebering it as the 808 was before I knew of the existence of the 707, 606, 505, 303 and 202 (was there a 101 and 404?)!
This mystery machine also had the block button door release and a block button powder drawer button too.
Its matching dryer was across from it (blue again) with a square porthole door.

However the only picture of an 808 I have found is of a German machine, but its the later silver series machine, although it does boast all the right knobs and buttons.

So whether the UK received a blue version of this machine, I really dont know, but it really has me perplexed.

Even as a three year old I remember it looked SUPERB.
They were really smart machines.
Paul

 

[matchboxpaul]

Taken from Das Waschmachinen forum.....

....does anyone know whether the UK received this version washing machine at all?

One assumes variable temperature and spin, but I dont ever remember seeing one like this as a kid.

Also, I wonder what the second of the two smaller dials on the dryer was for. Time delay?

Paul