I need a tumble dryer and trying to win one on ebay. Now i've come up against what might be a problem.

We've always had in our house vented ones and they dry clothes very quickly, only recently have we changed to a condenser as we've moved the dryer into a different part of the house, items do take a lot longer to dry..

My question is how effective would it be to buy a vented dryer and then buy the attachment to turn vented into condenser? I don't like the pipes and in my new house there would be no where apart from out of the window to put the hose, and in the cold, wet weather this isn't practical...

Any ideas or thoughts??  Vented dryers are cheaper to purchase too, but is the attachment worth the money??

No the attachment is absolutely useless. But I really don't get your comment about condensing driers taking longer -I've not found that at all. I had vented driers for years and years then switched to condensing, am now on my second and they're not at all slower, but so much better. Before the house turned into a sauna, even with the pipe going out the window -in fact one of our windows has been ruined by it because the steam got trapped in between the sheets of glass and turned to liquid. The condensing ones don't give out any steam at all. You just need to remember to empty the water tank frequently, empty the filter inside the drier and about once a month rinse out the main filter (this is assuming all work like mine LOL -mine's an Indesit) -if you don't do the filter as well, then it doesn't work properly. If my clothes take too long to dry I always know one or both of the filters need cleaning out.

I don't understand.  As soon as you add a condenser you have a consenser dryer.  Why not just buy one in the first place?
I don't like condensers, they cost more to buy, then can take an inconveniently long time and, of course, they use more energy and are therefore more costly to run....and rising.
Unfortunately I only have room for a washer/dryer and I just could not find a vented one to replace my old one so have to use a condenser sat right infront of a nice vent in the wall!
Personally, if I was buying a dryer only I would do all I could to place it on an outside wall and vent it as you do seem to still be able to buy a dryer that is vented.

> Before the house turned into a sauna, even with the pipe going out the window

I think the best method is to have a proper ducted vent.

For clarity, if I can then ;-)
Vented dryers I have found imo are quicker to dry clothes than condensers. My reasoning for looking at the attachment was that if I went for a vented I could keep the speed but put the hose into a condenser? Or would that slow it down again? lol
Please say that makes more sense?

Which Indesit one do you have Goldmali? There is one on ebay right now with little time to spare(condenser), local pick up that I was thinking about, however the Which reviews are shocking..:-( Bosch seem to come out on top..

> Or would that slow it down again? lol

I'm pretty sure it would.  That has to be the reason they are slow.

Love the condenser, I have it so that it doesn't need to be emptied of water but runs straight out into the waste.
It is every bit as effectivce as the vented one was.

Karen :)

I notice that Wikipedia suggests that condenser dryers take longer but that hasn't been my experience.  It might come down to the condensing dryer model you have tried.  My Bauknecht works just as well, if not better, than previous vented models we've owned. BUT it's critical to keep them clear of fluff as that has a dramatic impact on their efficiency/speed.  If yours is taking ages, and/or your clothes don't get really warm then make sure the condenser is clean, failing that you might need to check the thermostat is working (the door should get warm during use).

If you do choose a condenser drier and can't connect it to the waste then do look for one with it's water tank mounted at the top of the machine - they're much easier to empty!  There is some useful info on the John Lewis website.

I have a hotpoint washer dryer that has a condenser dryer. It took so long to dry anything it was unreal!

I went out and bought a vented one and it's brilliant.

> I have a hotpoint washer dryer that has a condenser dryer. It took so long to dry anything it was unreal!

Yes I wouldn't touch a combined washer dryer with a barge pole - my OH rented an apartment in Dublin a few years back whilst working over there and he found it was quicker to dry stuff on an indoor airer than in one of those things.  It was all very blokey - boxers and t-shirts draped all over the place :)

> have a hotpoint washer dryer that has a condenser dryer. It took so long to dry anything it was unreal!
>
> I went out and bought a vented one and it's brilliant.

You found a vented washer/dryer?  Where? What make?

> Yes I wouldn't touch a combined washer dryer with a barge pole

My previous vented one was not too bad.  I don't think you can ever expect them to be as efficient as seperate units but then you are gaining the space so if that is an important element then they are worth considering particularly if you have an outside area and are therefore not a regular using of the dryer.
The weather has been so dry I haven't used mine for weeks.

"The weather has been so dry I haven't used mine for weeks".

Blimey where do you live, we've had torrential downpours on and off for days now.

My Whirlpool dryer is vented, works great, I've had to get a new part for the vent to go through an outside wall, but my AEG combined washer dryer has never actually dried anything properly. Had no experience of condenser driers, maybe the Which mag can give you a few pointers.

> Blimey where do you live, we've had torrential downpours on and off for days now.
>

North West, normally the capital of rain :)  We have had some showers but plenty of dry in between.

I cheat my dryer is supposed to have one of those hose thingys (sorry oh just appeared apparently an elpehants trunk ) that goes out the window but it is such a parlava I dont bother with anything just leave the window open a bit or the door if the weather is ok. True the room it is in is fairly big (the kitchen) but I find it works fine (23 years fine actually) and the room is no more steamy than when I am cooking.
We have a condenser one at work and the flipping thing seems to take forever to dry and then not always that well unless you leave it on for ages and that on is only a couple of years old
No I wouldnt have a combined washer dryer either. The little one I have got (3.5kg I think )even goes on the wall (creda or hotpoint) and gets used all the time with my lot and so far I have had anything up to 10 years from them

> I cheat my dryer is supposed to have one of those hose thingys (sorry oh just appeared apparently an elpehants trunk ) that goes out the window but it is such a parlava I dont bother with anything just leave the window open a bit or the door if the weather is ok.

Same here. I just leave the hose on the floor, directed to towards the open window.

I've had 2 washer/dryers more useless than a chocolate teapot, had vented dryers found they caused too much damp in small utility room, have also had 3 condensors and my first 2 (Hotpoint) were total rubbish and had high energy rating so last one i had was a Bosch A rating condensor had it a few years now is super fast and a brilliant piece of kit.

Thanks everyone for the advice..
The dryer would have to go in the kitchen which is small, so really don't think I can do vented, even though I have a door and a window to the outside world - in the death of winter its not a good idea.
I am currently using the families LG condenser and its shocking, I have to put it on an extra hot cycle twice for anything to be bone dry :-(  I'll look at Bosch ones again. Miele and Maytag I was considering, only again on ebay for a good price.

> even though I have a door and a window to the outside world - in the death of winter its not a good idea.
>

You don't have too.  If you can place on or near an outside wall it is very simple to have it ducted out so no steam need ever escape into the room or cold air get in.

We have condenser dryers and would never be without one.

We have loads of different types of settings but have found the one hour ten minute jeans setting does the job very well .

It is an Indesit and have had hotpoints before but this one is the best one so far.

I think you need to invest in an AGA! Family member dries all her laundry on that!

I've got a Bosch condenser dryer and really like it. It seems to dry the clothes quickly enough for me :) :)

Hotpoint vented here love it, in utility room vented through the wall.

Vented dryers without any doubt dry them far quicker. The whole method of condensing has to make it longer, the water has to be condensed into steam then back to water the it drops into a container. Vented the water turns to steam and right out the hose it goes.

Can't remember the model ( might be the once LJS mentioned)  but it was an indesit that was voted the best condenser on Which, it has a top drawer that you empty for the water , a  lot have bottom containers which are a pain to empty.

If you have an outside wall you can get a core cutter and get it vented straight out the wall.

ooo an aga wolf struppi now you are talking

I've had my condenser dryer for nearly 4 years now and it's broken down goodness knows how many times and I swear my electricity bill is so high because of the length of time it takes, once the warranty has rang out (early 2012) I will be going back to a vented dryer, we have one for the dog bedding and it dries so much quicker.