How to choose a clothes dryer?
A tumble dryer is no longer a luxury. Almost every modern housewife dreams of owning this marvelous appliance to dry clothes quickly and easily. But how do you choose a tumble dryer, given the vast array of models and types available on the market today? Let's answer this question in detail in this article.
Types of tumble dryers
Choosing the best tumble dryer would have been much easier if we lived in Western Europe 30 years ago. Back then, tumble dryers were just emerging, the number of models was very limited, and there was only one type—pick the first one you found, and you'd be a winner.
Things are different now; even a specialist can't say which dryer is best, let alone the consumer. However, having understood the different types of dryers, we can formulate some general criteria for choosing one, but let's take things one step at a time.
There are several types of tumble dryers, presented in three classifications. For clarity, we've illustrated these types in the diagram below.
Strictly speaking, there are only two types of fully functional dryers: tumble dryers and cabinet dryers. The third type, shown in the diagram, is actually a washing machine with a drying function. Tumble dryers are the most common and in greatest demand on the market. This type of dryer is divided into two types: vent dryers and condenser dryers. In vent dryers, evaporated moisture is removed from clothes through a special pipe into a ventilation shaft.
Condenser dryers collect moisture in a special container and then drain it into the sink. Condenser dryers are more convenient and easier to operate, making them more popular. A drying cabinet is a regular wardrobe with built-in drying units. Clothes hang on regular hangers, and when the drying cycle is activated, the moisture begins to evaporate. Drying cabinets vary by the number of chambers and, consequently, by size.
Please note: Drying cabinets are convenient for their dual purpose: they can be used for both storing and drying clothes.
Selection criteria
What factors should you consider when choosing the right tumble dryer? Experts will help you answer this question.
- In small spaces (such as a bathroom in a typical apartment), every centimeter counts, so choose a compact dryer. However, keep in mind that the smaller the dryer, the less laundry you can load it with at one time.
- If there is no vent or window nearby where you plan to install your dryer, do not purchase a vent dryer.
- Pay attention to the dryer's functionality. Not every manufacturer-provided feature may be useful to the consumer, but some particularly valuable features are a must. For example, an "easy iron" function or an anti-clumping function.
- Pay attention to the material your dryer drum is made of. Stainless steel is best.
- A modern tumble dryer should be the least energy-consuming, so buy only those machines that have energy efficiency class A, or better yet, A+ or A++, indicated on the body.
- Make sure your dryer is equipped with a heat pump; it significantly saves energy and does not release excess heat into the room.
All types of dryers on the market today are available in three price categories: low, mid, and high. The low price category includes only drum dryers from well-known appliance manufacturers, with prices ranging from $500 to $700. The mid-price category includes dryers and cabinet dryers priced from $700 to $1,000. The high price category includes dryers and cabinet dryers priced from $1,000.
How does a tumble dryer work?
The operating principle of a tumble dryer depends on its type. Tumble dryers are very similar in appearance to automatic washing machines. They have the same round rotating drum and heating elements.
Additionally, tumble dryers are equipped with fans that circulate hot air inside the drum containing the laundry. This provides a triple positive effect:
- heating accelerates the process of moisture evaporation;
- the movement of air inside ensures the uniformity of this process;
- The rotation of the drum ensures easy ironing of the laundry afterwards.
How does a drying cabinet work? A drying cabinet resembles a familiar piece of furniture. Inside, it features wire shelves for linens and hanging racks. It's equipped with several powerful heating elements and fans to circulate hot air. Simply set your preferred drying program, start it, and go about your day. The program will automatically finish its work, and you'll be able to retrieve your clean, dry clothes.
Is a tumble dryer necessary in a modern home?
It probably goes without saying that in a modern, technologically advanced home, drying laundry on a line is not only inconvenient but also unfashionable. Indeed, why bother lugging basins of laundry out onto the balcony or outside in freezing temperatures, hanging it all on lines for all to see? And risking a drunken neighbor upstairs having a smoke and dropping a smoldering cigarette butt right on your favorite sweater?
Of course, you can buy a folding dryer and dry your laundry at room temperature. But then you'll have to spend the entire day staring at your laundry hanging out, inhaling the chemical odors of laundry detergent, and there's no need to even mention the excess moisture. So, there you have it, a tumble dryer.
Dryers have a number of advantages and disadvantages. Experts highlight the following advantages of tumble dryers:
- relatively small dimensions and effective drying of clothes;
- Tumble dryers provide the fastest drying of laundry;
- Tumble dryers are capable of treating laundry with steam, which makes ironing easier;
- Such machines have a lot of drying programs from which you can easily choose the right one;
- The drum dryer is autonomous and does not require connection to any utilities.
The main disadvantage of a tumble dryer is that it cannot dry all items without exception. In particular, delicate items and shoes cannot be dried in this type of machine. For some housewives, this is a significant drawback.
Drying cabinets also have many advantages. In particular:
- You can dry absolutely everything in them that can be dried outdoors, including shoes;
- the drying process in a drying cabinet is very gentle and gradual, and in most cases the clothes do not become deformed or wrinkled;
- the drying cabinet is extremely spacious (even if we are talking about a model with one section), you can easily hang “the whole batch” of washed laundry in it;
- The drying cabinet looks very stylish and will fit seamlessly into the furniture arrangement of your home.
Consumers point out the size of drying cabinets as a disadvantage; they are very difficult to place in a small apartment. Moreover, their price is striking: more or less decent models cost from 800 USD, such a price scares off many potential buyers.
Important! The advantages of modern tumble dryers outweigh their disadvantages. With them, you'll forget about clotheslines, bulky dryers, excess moisture, and heavy basins of wet laundry.
Dryer Reviews: Which One is the Best?
Now it's time to look at examples of reliable and high-quality modern tumble dryers. We'll point out right away that choosing the best one will be extremely difficult, as this is a subjective matter. However, we'll provide a list of good tumble dryers based on expert ratings and consumer reviews, and then you can draw the final conclusions.
- Bosch WTC 84102 OE. This Polish-made tumble dryer has a load capacity of up to 7 kg. It features a multi-stream drying system, ensuring gentle drying of laundry. You can select a program to gradually reduce the drying temperature. There's no display, but this is reflected in the price. It's a great value for the money, priced at around $580.
- Asko DC 7583S. This innovative Swedish drying cabinet measures 184 x 60 x 64 cm and includes a shoe drying section. Its relatively small size is offset by its exceptional capacity. The manufacturer claims it holds the same amount of laundry as a 16-meter clothesline. Furthermore, the laundry dries flat, preventing creasing. The average price for such a cabinet is approximately $1,400.
- Siemens WT46S Another high-quality tumble dryer made in Poland with a load capacity of up to 8 kg. It offers a variety of drying programs: cotton extra dry, cotton iron dry, cupboard dry, super quick dry, underwear, wool, steam dry, and more. A display makes operation easier. The average price of this model is $750.
- Gorenje D 844 BH. This Slovenian-made drum condenser dryer has a maximum drum load of 8 kg. It has no display. It features steam drying modes, an electronic drying control system, and touch-sensitive moisture and wrinkle detection. The condensate tank full indicator works well, and you can program a delayed start. The average price for this model is $460.
Important! All of the above dryer models have been thoroughly tested by experts and have received positive customer reviews.
In conclusion, clothes dryers are another step toward automating household chores, which is especially valuable when you come home tired from work and have a lot of washing, drying, and ironing to do. The key is choosing a dryer that suits you in every way, and to do that, you'll need to do some research. If you're also looking for a more suitable automatic washing machine, check out this article. How to choose a washing machinefor you. Have a nice day!
Interesting:
3 reader comments
Add a comment
Headings
Washing machine repair
For buyers
For users
Dishwasher
We immediately decided to buy a 2-in-1 washer and dryer. If we were to buy separate units, we'd need a penthouse. But otherwise, it's a bathroom/shower combination, a stove/oven combination, and a washer/dryer. It's a useful thing, but it's a shame it doesn't iron. 🙂 The price is fantastic compared to the time saved. We initially considered buying online, but then decided on Avito. I'm loyal to Avito because I sell it myself and know not everyone is looking to make a profit. Plus, Boxberry has become much safer.
To find something that's not prohibitively expensive and is normal, Indesit is probably the first one you should look at.
I agree, 2-in-1 is much more convenient and economical. My husband and I also used this same principle when purchasing everything for our house. We did, however, debate buying a dryer for a long time. My husband said it was useless. But in the fall and winter, when clothes started drying twice as slowly, he realized a dryer would be a good thing. I was hesitant to buy online, but an offer on Avito convinced me. We bought the Candy GrandO' Vita GVC D1013B-07 model for about $194. I don't know how I ever lived without a dryer. 🙂 Besides the affordable price, this model has a high-quality drum with some kind of cool coating (my husband is more familiar with the names), it's easy to operate, has a timer, and doesn't take up much space. It's not particularly quiet, but not uncomfortably so either.