When buying a tumble dryer, most people just ask, “What the best tumble dryer?” Others are more to the point, and ask, “What’s the cheapest tumble dryer?”
Both of these cold be easily answered, but the questions are poorly asked. You really need to ask which tumble dryer is best for you. But, OK, you probably knew that.
How about price? Well, the cheapest is not really the cheapest. Many of us have learned that lesson the hard way. Aside from guarantees and quality issues, cheap models may use considerably more electricity and be harder on clothes – costing you much more in the long run.
Enough said…let’s get on with how to buy a tumble dryer:
Size Does Matter
Big or small? Of course, if you have a lot of laundry to do, bigger is better. But you also need to consider how much space you have. Do you have enough room to install a large capacity tumble dryer? If you’re wanting for space, you may want to opt for a smaller but high quality machine that dries quickly. A great 3kg capacity dryer may work twice as fast as a so-so 6 kg capacity dryer at the same price range, so that’s something to keep in mind.
A 6 kg model is big enough to handle 30 t-shirts. In the interests of diversity, lets say that it can handle 6 small towels, 2 pillowcases, 6 t-shirts, 2 sheets, 2 pairs of jeans, 14 socks. This is enough for most people. If you can afford a little larger, and have the space, then by all means go for a 7 or 8 kg model. If you have heavy laundering needs, you might want to look at 10kg models (a whopping 50 t-shirts!).
Whatever you needs, make sure that you measure the space you are going to put the dryer – and don’t forget to consider which way the dryer door may open. If it opens in an inconvenient direction, it will be a constant nuisance. Some dryers have reversible doors that allow greater options.
Vented or Condenser
This is an easy one to settle. If your dryer will be near an exterior window or wall where you can expel damp air, you will want the vented model tumble dryer. They are cheaper and more efficient. The problems comes when you have to put a dryer where there’s no place to expel the air. In that case, you really have no option but the condenser dryer, which has a water tank that needs emptying after use. You still will want to choose a well ventilated room, as some moisture will escape, especially in cheaper models. Think mildew on the walls.
Sensors, Timers and other Dryer Technology
Technology is taking off all over the place, and this means that new dryers have some great features that make them world’s better than older models.
One of these is sensors. Sensors tell the dryer to cool down and then eventually stop tumbling as the clothes dry out. There are no disadvantages to these except price. Tumble dryers that run on the old timer system are cheaper, at least if you don’t consider the cost of letting the dryer run too long, adding to your electric bill and damaging your clothes. Unless you want to keep a close eye on your tumble dryer, try to get one with a sensor.
An anti-crease function is another neat trick. If you can’t get to the dryer after it has finished drying your laundry, some will generously give them a tumble every 20 minutes or so until you come around. This really does help prevent creasing.
Other dryers have two direction tumbling (reverse tumble feature). In addition to drying the clothes faster, this also helps prevent creasing.
