Tumble Dryers

Gather App
Automatic Washer - The world's coolest Washing Machines, Dryers and Dishwashers

Help Support AutomaticWasher.org:

L

liberatordeluxe

Well-known member
Joined
Feb 15, 2012
Messages
530
Location
UK
Does anyone own a tumble dryer? I am thinking of buying one simply because when its wet and not cold enough to have the central heating on I can not dry clothes easily which means damp clothes everywhere. It would mainly be for the winter and days when it rains non stop. I only want a vented one as it will be going in a porch so the hose can hang out the window. The one I want is C rated for energy so is not too bad but just wondered how expensive dryers are to run seeing as I have never owned one before. I quite like White Knight brand as they are made in the UK. Mainly be used for towels and bed sheets etc.
 
Dryers....

....Do cost a bit to run, but they're not enormously expensive to operate.

And your house may well feel warmer when there is not clammy laundry hanging everywhere! The moisture coming from those clothes will make the house feel colder than it would otherwise.

There is not a great deal of difference between the energy consumption of older units and newer ones, because electrical resistance heating is what it is, leaving little way to improve the consumption.

For that reason, you might consider a used or vintage unit, and apply the savings to your first year's electric rates.
 
Well, I think the most of us owns one.....but may be not from the UK, so the running cost change from country to country..not sure about electricity cost there.
Dryers choiche:

For personal experience I can say european models generally changes like night to day from  american ones...  simply incomparable... european are kinda "toys"...

Over here in Italy because of high cost of electricity (the hghest of europe)  dryers are not that common, but gas models sold from speacial dealers along with agitator washers  are spreading always more...the cost of these machines is prohibitive for the most though...
Are also sold british gas models now, that generally have lower costs, but they're still averagely about 700-800 euros vs. the 1200- 1800 or more of US machines..
So since you're in UK and gas models of White Knight are "cheap" over there, about 350£ I suggest you go for it if you have a  gas hook-up available... not sure about gas costs in UK but generally gas is cheaper than electricity...and they're usually faster.
I never watch energy labels....I think they're BS..... most dryers  rated A, A+  yes they have lower consumption of Kwh, but usually they takes longer than others rated B or C... so that the consumption they have at the end is the same or sometimes more.
Not to mention condenser models, they generally takes longer than vented ones.... drying is different, laundry does not come out well as if dried with a vented one, but of course good (and only)  choiche for those that can't vent  outside.
So if you've the possibility I suggest you a gas model, or if not possible a vented dryer... Vintage, even better.
Leave alone newer stuff...
http://www.thegascompany.ie/iopen24...al-dryer-with-load-p-966787.html#.Uizcsn-rit8http://www.applianceconsultants.co....tary-sensing-tumble-dryer-in-white-7829-p.asp
Even cheaper: http://www.greenandeasy.co.uk/white-knight-eco43a-gas-tumble-dryer-in-white.html
 
Thanks for the links Kenmoreguy. It will have to be electric because I live in a rural area we can't get gas except LPG but I think like you suggest a vented one would be best. Where would be the best place to look for a vintage dryer? Ebay or Charity shop? I can just remember the liberator deluxe tumble dryer but have never seen one since sadly.
 
Second Hand Dryers Can Represent Good Value For Money

If one goes about the thing properly.

Tumble dryers on average are rather sturdy and long lived appliances with proper use and care. Even some of the more better built models can survive years with improper treatment and will still scrub up well.

Most persons chuck perfectly good dryers because they want something "new", usually to match a recent washing machine purchase. This and the desire to simply upgrade or simply want something "different" are common reasons for perfectly good tumble dryers going to the tip or being sold on.

First decide what your needs are in terms of space, type (vented/non-vented, gas or electric) and if you want something modern with all the bells and whistles or simply a box that will dry your clothing. Do you want a machine that reverses? If vented where will it go to be near an outside wall or window? Do you want something portable so it can be moved about into place as needed then shoved away otherwise?

As for where to purchase the world is your oyster. Ebay and appliance resellers are obvious first choices. If possible try to purchase something you can clap eyes on before money changes hands. You don't want to spend dearly for some grotty old bit of tat that is going to require extensive work to bring up to standard.

Great thing about purchasing used is that often you can pick up a TOL unit such as offerings from Miele, AEG and so forth for very little money. However if purchasing something older it is wise to inquire (here in the group or from other sources) as to the availability of spares. Miele for instance only promises to stock parts for 20 years after a model is discontinued.
 
Tumble Dryers

Try & get yourself one of these old classics. The weather here in Cumbria has been well wet of late, full cotton load straight out the washer dried in 55 minutes.

optima++9-8-2013-16-47-14.jpg
 
If economy is your main concern

then you need to go for a new "heat pump " dryer !
Ok they take a bit longer than the classic above but if times not an issue then what takes a while saves a fortune the max input on the Beko I have is 900 watts so when you consider most dryers run at 2.5/3 kw thats a large difference it will of course be non vented but as it really is a closed system there really is no steam or dust to be found.

Austin
 
That Huebsh looks pretty nice. Don't worry about what the Ebay seller says about having to be wired into the mains. You can have a cord installed on it. Unless some UK code requires dryers to be hard wired. And it is a 230V 50 cycle Huebsh too.

I have a 20 year old Whirlpool dryer that has never had to have a repair. Even the interior light bulb is still the original.
 
Energy Costs Of Running A Tumble Dryer

Are directly related to how much moisture is left in the wash load that must be evaporated. Miele and AEG among other brands printed or at least used to drying times based upon various levels of washing machine extraction. This would range from say 800rpms all the way up to 2800rpms (spin dryer). For both vented and condenser dryers energy use/drying time drops dramatically the more water is spun out of the wash load. Difference is greater from say 800rpms and 1200rpms, however once you go to 1800rpms to 2800rpms the numbers begin to level out.

If your washing machine does not have final spin speed at or >1000rpms you might wish to consider a separate spin dryer. Yes, it adds another step on wash day and no not everything will fit (large cotton blankets for instance), but the amount of water flung out of laundry by these devices is often amazing. Spin dryers remove the water so your dryer does not have to, and that translates into energy savings.

You may not notice much of a difference with light cottons such as percale sheets and your shirts, but for heavy items like towels and other bath linen there is a measurable difference. Best of all spin dryers consume *much* less energy than tumble dryers. Barely 50watts IIRC.
 
I don't ever remember not owning a tumble dryer. My Mum got her first dryer in 1979 and we've had one ever since. I'd be totally lost without it. I rarely use the dryer for clothes - it's mostly for bedding and towels and things that take up a lot of space to dry in the house when it's wet outside.

A few things to consider:

Condenser dryers are more convenient as they can be placed anywhere, but they take a lot longer than a vented dryer and require more maintenance.

Single direction dryers have a habbit of tangling up large items like towels and bed sheets.

White Knight dryers may be made in Britain, but the newer models are notorious for bearing failure and they no longer reverse like other conventional multi-direction dryers. Indesit and Hotpoint basic vented dryers are far more reliable and also still made in the UK at the old Hotpoint plant.
 
Ok Chris ill bear that in mind. Like yourself I would only be using it for sheets and towels mainly. Would it be best to go for a full size one or would a compact model be ok? I never thought about the reverse tumble but I guess it makes sense to have.
 
Hard wiring a dryer.....well, there're a few school of thought about it, in the USA things changes than europe and UK and you actually are  generally *never* required to hard wire a dryer to a 240 volt hook up, they're generally already predisposed for dryers or stoves and so  wires are already large enough, so the same way plugs and oulets are  meant to  support it...
Hard wiring  it's  always recomended  in europe even if not *always* needed, this also and mosyly because some houses may have  too small wires  going to a plug,  especially old homes, so  hard wiring   is reccomended also to make sure the wires are big enough...
but  as said   this is not *always* necessary as long as you use a good plug and you're sure wires can support such absorbition...even  slightly  underrated household  plugs may be fine   but hey have to be good ones....otherwise you can opt to have installed a 220/240 volt industrial outlet..
http://dolnoslaskie.all.biz/it/prese-e-spine-di-corrente-industriali-g158730
I have seen a bunch of these dryers hooked up with simple schucko plugs over here in Italy, and as far as I know they worked fine... in one case  I also seen one  adapted to normal italian outlets ( the large pins outlets) with adaptors from 240 volt household hook-up to industrial one: http://www.bsmacchine.it/product_in...RE SPINA PRESA INDUSTRIALE UNIVERSALE 1140006<<

<

 

http://www.shopmania.it/componenti-...re-da-spina-civile-presa-industriale-29658056
 

That was a church community near here that had it for the youth dorm/summer camp self  service laundry... I find italian plugs to be better than european standard schucko, they allows more absorbiton..
Anyway....
Now, since UK plugs do have an internal built-in fuse in the plugs,  if fuse is old or very delicate may easily blown with a 5000 absorbition, you'd have to change  it to a 18- 20 A one at least to ensure it will last the wattage (4800 watt) it will never blown for the 200-300 watts more...  but likely a delicate 13 A would blown..
Uk plug fins are well more large and could support the absorbiton way more easily... this differently than europe where some bad shucko can actually over-heat and melt.... but in case of UK is more a matter of plug built-in fuse and house wirings than plug itself..
Of course is advisable to hard wire... you'll have to verify it yourself if it's the case or not...
 
Tumble dryers

Yes they are very useful in the damp winter months, definitely get a full size and definitely get one with reverse action.

 

It will probably cost you around 30-40p per load in electricity, so best to use them sparingly, but as you say for sheets and towels they certainly come in handy!

 

A good sensor dryer used properly can be very handy, but a timed model will suit most people just fine.

 

I'm sure U.S. style dryers are lovely, but you'd be incredibly fortunate to have a house large enough to fit one in in the first place (most people I know struggle to squeeze a standard size dryer in) and they will not run on a standard UK domestic circuit (which is limited to 13A, 3.1kw) so you would need special wiring for it, such as an electric cooker outlet.

 

I have never used a gas dryer but like the sound of them, as natural gas is 1/3 the price of electricity, however most people are reluctant to install a permanent vent for their dryer over here, let alone have a gas line specially run to it.

 

Personally, as much as it pains me to say it, if you are looking for brand new I would probably recommend a basic Hotpoint or Indesit full size vented model.

 

Matt
 
If you want a cheap no frills vented dryer I can recommend Indesit. I've had my IDV65 for over a year now. It's fast (most loads done in an hour tops), quiet with reasonable build quality. I like the fact it has a real glass door.
 
The plugs are not the biggest problem, but the typical Briti

Yes...... of course...that's why I said  it as well  if you read carefully, is not a matter of plugs mosltly, but  rather of their fuses and of course house wiring...
This statement is clear:
"<a name="start_48458.702296">but in case of UK is more a matter of plug built-in fuse and house wiring than plug itself.".....</a>

You better ask to an electrician,  especially if you're not particularly inclined about electric .....this is worldwide, not UK only..same thing would be for "our wiring" as you call it..if your circuit can't stand such absorbition you simply can't connect a 5000 watt dryer and ask for  it to work properly (and some circuits you find over here absolutely could not support it as they have too thinny wires)...not to mention if in your crcuit you've already connected a dishwasher or oven without having the slighest idea of it,  this would result in catastrophe if  the circuit safe fuse if present would not work as it should... BTW, over here generally there're not separate  fuses for each circuits like elsewhere...so it's really dangerous...
Mine was not to be meant as an advice,  just to clear things up...never gave one, just said facts..
If you would hook up a  5000 watts dryer to your regular outlet in UK you'd likely get your UK  plug  fuse blown firts and in the likely case your wiring isn't already much appropriated so underrated for the circuit that is ( example: wiring rated 2000-2200 watts used for 3000 watt circuits, thing  that over here I've heard was usual in homes built "looking at saving", like in our attic in the condo in front of the street, thing that  our electrician said  in 60s and 70s they all did in Italy)  you could get serious damages on your electric plant, and a fire hazard.... at best you'd need to change your circuit fuse if you have one, or re-do the circuit inside the walls....at worse you'd get a fire...
So better point it out ... you need to be careful on what you do, you need to know what you do...as for everything...
 
That Speed Queen dryer draws 21 Amps, so more than the normal 13 Amps in the UK. So the seller is right about the dryer needs to be hard wired.

And you know this is correct because?????????

The plugs are not the biggest problem, but the typical British ring system house wiring is very different than how we do it in the rest of Europe. It's better to leave this to a British electrician than follow advice from anyone from abroad.

Since when did the Netherlands become part of the UK?

It is assumed that the OP's home has a heavy duty outlet for dryers. Or do they not?
 

Similar threads

H
Siemens WR47B2C40 - A review
Replies
6
Views
906
logixx
logixx
S
New Electrolux dryer
Replies
1
Views
179
parunner58
parunner58
M
Dueling Duets with differing errors.
Replies
1
Views
487
henene4
H
bajaespuma
Help me decide
Replies
14
Views
1K
henene4
H
pierreandreply4
In need of advice for upcoming renovation febuary or march 2026 including moving washer dryer from second floor to basement
Replies
23
Views
1K
Chetlaham
Chetlaham

Latest posts

Sponsored
UnlistMe
Back
Top