Do you need a tumble dryer? They’re an essential appliance in busy households. Anyone who always seems to have three washing loads on the go at once will understand just how useful they are. And with winter drawing in, you need a means of drying clothes indoors.
But shopping for a tumble dryer is about more than just drying your pants. With the cost of living crisis in full force, everyone’s trying to save money and be more efficient with their energy use. It’s worth mentioning that if you want to save even more, it’s worth considering an electric drying rack — they’re cheaper to run than a tumble dryer. Though they may take longer to dry big loads of washing.
You might see different types of tumble dryers out there, such as smart or integrated dryers. But they fall into three main categories: heat pump, vented, and condenser. But what are they and which is best? Here’s some useful information to get you started.
What is a heat pump tumble dryer?
Based on our own research for this roundup, it looks very much like heat pump tumble dryers are taking over the tumble dryer market. Certainly, it’s the latest innovation in tumble technology. Heat pump tumble dryers use a closed-loop heat exchange system, which uses hot air to absorb moisture from clothes. After the hot air passes through the drum, it goes through an evaporator, which removes the moisture and stores it in a tank. The air is then reheated and reused for further drying. It’s essentially a system of reheating or reusing air.
They’re more energy efficient, which means lower running costs and less impact on the environment. Some manufacturers claim that heat pump dryers use up to 50% less energy. The downside is that they tend to cost more upfront and take longer to dry clothes. The tank also needs emptying.
Vented vs. condenser tumble dryers – which is best?
Vented tumble dryers are probably the most commonly seen. It’s the classic style tumble dryer, which uses a big hose to chug moist air out into the atmosphere. This means the dryer will need to be placed close to a window or door for the hose. Unless you want all that moisture spewing into your home. Vented tumble dryers cost less — you can pick one up for just a few hundred pounds — but they have higher running costs.
Condensers work by using high temperatures to remove moisture from your wet clothes. The droplets are then dumped into the tank, which needs emptying now and again. Unlike vented machines, condenser tumble dryers can be placed anywhere in your home — there’s no need to place near a window or door. They also dry faster. The downside is that they eat up more energy.
How much does it cost to run a tumble dryer?
For some people this is a bigger question that what type of machine to pick. With everyone gripped by the cost of living crisis, pennies and pounds matter. According to Which, vented and condenser tumble dryers can cost more than £230 per year to run (based on an average three loads per week). A heat pump may cost closer to £68 per year, however.
The big decision is whether you want to pay the bigger costs of a heat pump tumble dryer upfront. You’ll almost certainly save more in the future, making them very cost effective. But not everyone has around £1,000 lying around to splurge on a fancy appliance all at once.
What is the best tumble dryer?
That’s entirely up to you, depending on various factors. How big is your home? What’s your budget? How much washing do you do each week? Do you need to control remotely via an app? We’ve done the research and combed through online reviews to put together a list of what we believe are the very best options available. There’s something for everyone right here.
These are the best tumble dryers in 2022.
