tumble dryer withdrawal pains

I recently read on some 'household tips' article that a Tumble Dryer is THE most expensive household gadget to run.

I also heard somewhere that a dehumidifier is far better at that drying process, put clothes on a rack near it, they don't take long to get acceptably dry?

I bought a 'DrySoon' from Lakeland and find it invaluable - it's not as fast as my tumble dryer, but the bonus is that delicate clothing, lingerie, fine wool sweaters etc can be dried overnight so cheaply. I wouldn't be without it, but neither would I be without my tumble dryer. Towels go in for ten minutes to soften them up, and I dry the bed linen each week.

My ancient tumble dryer (second hand when purchased in 1990) stopped working a few years ago. On a friend's recommendation I bought a Lakeland heated airer. Haven't looked back since - It costs pence to run and heats up the room too. The dryer was noisy, expensive and did my clothes no good at all - not to mention being bad for the planet!

I only use my TD sparingly but I would miss it for emergencies or when family with children come to stay. My location is invariably wet and cold so opportunities for outside drying are limited.

My tumble dryer is possibly over 30 years old. It is small and fits in a very small space above the washer. I don’t have a vent just the back door open in the utility room. It’s worked hard and I use it several times a week . we spend more on gas than electricity so at nearly 80 I want to be warm and not have the faff of having clothes drying slowly. I like clean pillowcases twice a week- DH has very thin skin and bleeds with the slightest scratch and he unconsciously scratches his head when he thinks. I only allow myself to say don’t scratch once every other day . I’d be interested to know what a condenser bought on eBay does if the poster could tell me.

I have a good size laundry room so have the space to have to two floor standing drying racks (non electric) that I bought from IKEA and one overhead rack. My tumble dryer is old and inefficient though still working, but I very rarely use it. I prefer to ‘air dry’ nearly everything on the drying racks it saves a lot of wear and tear on my clothes and keeps the energy bills down. It works well for us…but couldn’t have worked when we had children at home and I worked full time.

I decided to forgo a tumble drier when we had a new kitchen/laundry room so I could have more cupboard space, and I used an airer, although I did have a Pulley Maid before the new kitchen was installed. A few months ago, I bought another Pulley Maid for the laundry room and I wouldn’t be without it. It is out of the way, unlike the airer, which took up floor space. Everything dries in record time. I did need the TD when the children lived at home.

Stansgran

My tumble dryer is possibly over 30 years old. It is small and fits in a very small space above the washer. I don’t have a vent just the back door open in the utility room. It’s worked hard and I use it several times a week . we spend more on gas than electricity so at nearly 80 I want to be warm and not have the faff of having clothes drying slowly. I like clean pillowcases twice a week- DH has very thin skin and bleeds with the slightest scratch and he unconsciously scratches his head when he thinks. I only allow myself to say don’t scratch once every other day . I’d be interested to know what a condenser bought on eBay does if the poster could tell me.

The condenser thingy is for the vent hose to go into.
It stops everywhere from steaming up and needing to hang the hose out of the window.

Thankyou Miss A.

As we had towelling nappies years ago I bought a small basic dryer. A few years later I gave it to my friend.
I didn’t replace as prefer garden or radiator but bought another small basic one about 5 years ago but hardly rarely use it but glad it’s there for emergencies.
Hope it lasts as long as my original one which is still going strong after 48 years.
I still need to hang the hose out of the window (because I was too mean to pay the extra…

I sold mine. If the washing can't be dried outside, it is put on the airer in the en-suite and the dehumidifier switched on.

For those of us who prefer to dry outside, I have an app on my phone.
You set your location, and it will tell you when your washing will be dry.

It reassures users that leaving things out overnight does no harm whatsoever, and gives other little tips.

Ooh MissA please could you tell me the name of that app? Though it does go against my ‘religion’ to leave washing out overnight! It will get ‘darker on’!

Well, if I put my heavy washing out now, it'll take 28 hours to dry.
Anyway, hopefully this is the link to the app...

play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.solarr.drytimer

I use mine to get the creases out of my washing. Only have it on for a short time and then use my dehumidifier to dry things. I do tumble dry my dogs bedding which is Sherpa fleece and dries very quickly.

Mine is an old android phone, by the way, not "the latest iphone" so I don't know if this app is suitable or anything.

MissAdventure

I specifically looked for one that had an on/off button, and a cool/hot setting.
That's all!
I couldnt cope with a dashboard of options.

A BiL has a laundry room at his huge place in France - two washers, two condenser dryers - with about 10 options in French! - ready to fold, ready to iron, extra dry, etc.

I do quite like the condenser type though - just take the thing out and tip the water down the sink.

That's my dream, if I ever win the lottery (which I don't do, so possibly unrealistic)
A lovely utility room.
Sigh.

I have never had one. I have always had a utility room, garage or somewhere indoors with extra warmth and either a chimney or window over it to take away the humidity.

I must agree damp in the hosue would always worry me bcause of the dangers of mould.

My small- 3kg - 30 yr old tumble drier packed up just before Christmas, only had an on or off button and a timer. Was in the spare bedroom and I had to hang the venting hose out of the window- but it never bothered me and served me well. Although I never used it that much, I panicked and thought I couldn’t do without it, especially over Christmas with extra sheets and towels. Took ages to source a new one - they don’t make them that small anymore and there were so many fancy options. Finally settled with a Beco 7kg condenser, still smallish by today’s standard, one of the cheapest ones and was worried it was too cheap - but so far I’ve been really pleased and I’m sure I’m using less electricity as it’s more efficient. Prefer to hang outside if possible or shirts etc hung on a hanger and straight into the airing cupboard where they dry well. But the tumble drier is a good back up and it’s lovely not to have to hang the hose out of the window, especially in wet/windy weather.

My Creda TD is 47 years old, still working marvellously! Keep it in the garage & just pop out to use it in the winter. Just an On. & Off switch & 2. Heater settings.

I think they still sell Credas.
I looked at all those kind of brands, because they've been around years, so I thought they'd be a safe bet.

That's a long time though!!! Fabulous!

I too got rid of my td when I downsized and after asking around I got a dehumidifier. Cheap to run but takes a lot longer than a tumble dryer.

I did without a tumble drier for a few years when we had a very effective extractor fan in the bathroom and washing dried overnight. After moving I tried to manage without it recently succumbed to a heat pump drier. It's amazing, can't imagine a winter with all the stuff over radiators. Every cycle it removes pints of water which would make the house damp and mouldy.

We gave the tumble dryer to my sister as soon as ours were out of terry nappies in about 1975. The dehumidifier we bought then is still going and stands under the Sheila Maid rack. In our downsize it's now in my bedroom which was DH's workroom, but I see no point in moving it. Only my clothes etc now.