OK, I now find myself in the position where I will need a tumble dryer for the new house. It's 10 yrs since I last had one and as well as using enough electricity to power the national grid, it shrunk everything in it's sight :rolleyes:

Are the modern ones any better these days? I think I'll need a condenser as I don't want the hassle of poking long tubes out of windows. What kind of clothes can I put in it without ruining them? The last one was only good for towels, bedclothes and cottons. So fairly useless, when 80% of my washing was sitting around wet and I was scratching my head wondering how to get it dry

What do I look for on the control programme? And lastly, what makes of machine stand the test of time?

I've looked on the web and its all starting to confuse me, not very difficult at the moment :P

Your opinions and experiences please :)

Ya can dry loadsa stuff in tumble dryers these days. Towels, bedding, jeans, some t-shirts n tops. Lots of clothes these days will go in the dryer, look at the labels! I wouldnt be without mine, if its raining n not cold, i used to have to put the heatin just for the clothes. Plus it makes your towles nice n fluffy :D

I put everything in mine since I started working - couldn't make sense of the time spent hanging wet clothes out and having to take them in again when dry/each time it rains......
I've found a 7kg load one which will take a full load from my washing machine, it's a Hoover, and apart from the design being so new, even the engineer didn't know what the fault code meant and so I had to wait a week for a new one, when infact the only problem was the clothes I was trying to dry on an autosensor programme were TOO dry, I've had no problems!
Some condensor ones these days come with the water container at the top - which I'd definatly advise......

I've got a Bosch condenser dryer, no timer it drys and switches off itself by a sensor, it tells me when the washing is dry.  Condenser's are loads better than the vented ones, no steamed up windows or wet walls.  Different heat settings mean you can dry almost every type of material.

Wouldn't be without mine!

I think I understand :P The heat sensor thing sounds ideal as I don't want to be constantly checking to see if it's dry. And the water container at the top wouldn't have occured to me ;)

I've looked at labels on clothes in the past when I had a dryer and even though they've said tumble dry ok some of them definitely weren't!

Now all I've got to do is find somewhere on the web that does better deals than the shops and hope that I can get it delivered here before my move, so I can catch up on the man made mountain in my bathroom :P

Err cough cough ( sorry to disagree)  :-))))

From an econimical, engineering and affect of clothes point of view the condensers are actually not better than the vented ones. Infact if you buy the Which magazine it will tell you quite a bit  ;-) the condensers are practical in the respect they do not need venting so can be put anywhere BUT the whole point of venting is to prevent having to condense.

Condensing is the process of heating, turning to steam and dispelling the water.

Venting the water is done so much quicker (vents the steam eliminating a process at a lower temp)  and with less heat so less wear and tear to clothes. So in other words ( do I go on a bit ;-) ) 

The venting tumble dryers are cheaper to run, a lot cheaping in price to buy and are more gentler on the clothes , you do need to vent them though. A simple bit of UPVC can be used in a window with a hole cut to avoid steam coming in or to avoid drafts in the winter.

The Condensers you can put anywhere in the house but I think that is all they have over the vented ones.

Creda who make vented tumble dryers with a vent on the back and front are probably the best.

Oh cripes, now that has given me more options to consider

Before you gave me a technical description and preference Blue, I had my mind made up that I wanted a condenser so I didn't have to bother with the hose out the window job. Even when I used to put the hose out of the window with the old one, the whole utility room still resembled a sauna :P  Interesting that the vented ones are more economical. ;)

Oh well, back to the drawing board :)

Hi Hairypooch again :-). I think you must not have the hose out the window far enough if it is steaming up. I have used  a vented one for 16 years ( except for 1 year when I bought a condenser that I gave to my mother ;-) )  and I have had no problem. First one last 13 years. :-) everyday use and I mean everyday :-)

It should hang out the window at least a foot and a metre if you can get it to.  Creda supply quite long hoses with theirs.

The reason for the vented one being more economical ( not just in the purchase price) but on average the condenser  takes 50% longer to dry a load just because of the condensing process.

Not Enstein really when you think about the process ;-) don't mean that directed at you of course just meaning when you think how it works. 

Thanks blue :) In view of your recommendation, I'm leaning more towards the vented one now, I've got enough problematic appliances without adding to them, after reading lilstars post And the vented one will be cheaper, which at the moment, every penny counts :)

Agree Blue, the annoying thing is in my local white goods shops I just cannot find a venting (why does that sound like a swear word :D) Washer/Dryer I already have the vent built in, not difficult to do, by the way, if you are on an outside wall even through the brick work and many kitchen layouts are designed that way.  I don't use my dryer much at all anyway so I'm blowed if I want one even more environmentally unfriendly.
Don't forget the sun does shines in Scotland too and the wind sure blows :D

Isabel, have you looked online for your requirements?  :)  I've found things online in the past that have not been available in the shops and for a better price. Not all the time though.

You're right, the wind sure blows in Scotland, but that unfortunately, can't be relied on to get 3 lots of kids & 2 adults clothes dry, especially when I won't have an airing cupboard like I have now to get damp things dry.  And the sun shines spasmodically, as I am aware in the years that I have been up there for visits :) (Not knocking Scotland, just an observation :) )

Actually it depends where you are, I lived on the east coast for many years, sunny, dry and very windy days were the norm although right on the coast there would often be the haar.  In the West, where hubby comes from, it never seems to stop raining but is generally warmer, I think in the middle you will get a mixture :) and of course have colder winters if you are on high ground.

hi hairypooch i have a few friends that have bought condenser dryers and hate them were one of my friends put in the paper to sell on and bought an new dryer with a tube! i have a philips whirlpool tumble dryer and the tube goes out of the window  it is a brill TD and it dries everything really well and doesnt take that long i can put a full load out of my washer straight into my TD and set it going for 60 mins and the clothes are bone dry! it cost a bit more than youre average tumble dryer but i think it was worth it!

Hate to add to your confusion but last year I treated myself to a much more expensive condenser dryer after years of the ordinary type,  A good move I thought but in that time I have had to call the engineer out ( electrical fault )  which my husband had to actually point out to the engineer and this was only after 3 months use, end of problems !!!!!!!!!  no since then it just leaks water instead of collecting it in the container just give me back my old tumble which was cheap and lasted me 12 years.  I couild just have been unlucky though and yes it does seem to take longer to dry.

I hadn't had a tumble drier for over 20 years - but treated myself to one about 18 months ago when the kitchen was redone. It's a Bosch condenser version as someone else mentioned, with no timer and it's excellent. I don't use it for everything, but it works well when I do use it, particularly when the kids come home from uni :)

A hose version wouldn't work where I position my drier, so had to be a condenser or nothing :)

Daisy

My Bosch is also Energy A, I've had tumble dryers over the past 18 years of marriage and I can say that my Bosch condenser is the best, my electricity bills aren't any higher and I dry all my washing for 6 of us in that, sometimes 4 loads a day........and lots of jeans!!  the joys of having GIRLS ;-)

When I discussed this thread with OH, his comment was, "we'll definitely get a vented one then if it's cheaper to buy and run" I had to gently remind him that "laundry duties" are always MY domain :P

Still trying to work out where I could put a ventilation hole for it though :)

Believe it or not everytime I fit a new kitchen ( utility room) I plan it out around my dryer :-)))  I would be lost without mine.

Another thing that people forget is when you look at the energy efficiency of appliances  for example if both a vented one and a condenser one say Grade C you automatically think they are the same because the calculation is based on how much energy it uses in an amount of time BUT if the condenser takes 60 mins to dry a load and the vented only takes 35-40 mins to dry a load , this makes the vented one not only a lot cheaper to run but more enviromentally freindly..

Sometimes the experts don't have it quite right yet ;-)

Hi,

Now with 5 children I have just got around to buying a Tumble Dryer.
We went for Miele as I have their dishwasher which has been excellent and just keeps going.

This Miele can be used as a condenser or be connected to direct drains so option of both.
It has 24 hr delay,sensor drying,multiple programmes and the pc part can be upgraded so no need to buy new model each time an engineer will upgrade if you want.

However Miele does come at a price just under £5oo however having tried various makes of appliances the only models ill have in my home now is MIELE now will sve like hell to get their washing machine.
Most of my family now have Miele they agree built to last and just keep going so the intial price i feel is worth it.

Briony

I might be wrong but I think a plumbed in drain means its still using the condenser its just automatically disposing of the waste water for you, venting is different there is no condensing of the steam into water just chucking it out to the outside world.

Isabel totally agree if their is a drain then it condenses.

Hi Sorry,

It still condensing but you have the option of just letting water direct to drain.Having said that it alrms when its finished drying,light to tell u to emppty draw container and different programmes for delicates etc.
I personally would never consider venting and I only use my tumble when its very wet and cant get washing dry otherwise my washing line and larger oldfashioned airer is better :-)

Briony

Hi Briony, :-)  I if  dry the old fashioned way I would have to iron everything as well ;-) heaven forbid. :-) Terrible I know.. but life is too short :-))))

I can with 80% of my stuff get it out the dryer when it is dried and put right away.

I found the condenser to over heat my clothes at times and some became a little out of shape..

Hi,

I will agree tumble drying just cuts down on ironing but with my 5 children thinking cost of electricity .However Miele condeser dryers do not overdry lots of choice of programmes as well as sesor drying.
Some of my choices are

minimum iron,low temperature,hand iron,20mis warm,15 mins cool,

then for cottons I have,
normal ,normal plus,hand iron,machine iron,,smoothing,wollens/delicates.

By carefully selecting the correct programmes and with sesor drying - never have an over drying problem :-)

So long as i dont leave my washing in the washing machine too long when finished and get it on my washing line most of my creases are blown away and you dont overfill your washing in your machine.
All my sheets etc can finish drying on my airer and with washing machines with brilliant spins now, they dont take long to dry.
I hate ironing too ;-) and u can imagine what i get through for 7 of us and one baby (8wks old)I could not afford electricity bill to be constantly tumble drying its cheaper overall to get an iron out and when u hate ironing u become very quick at it :-D.
I also like the smell when they come straight off my washing line lovely and fresh sad I know :-)

Briony :-)

Hi,

Just also to point with the right programme with my condenser I can also get a full load dried in 40mins inc jeans however unless its raining or very damp i use my washing line and if necessary finish on airer suspended from ceiling or quick 10-25mns in tumble if in a rush.
I only use my tumble when its really necessary.

Briony

Oh I love the smell of washing off the line toooooo:-)