condensing tumble dryer

As usually I quote which?extra:

Tumble driers: Best Buy guide

Our Best Buys stand out from the pack because they dry more quickly, evenly and energy efficiently – and all without making too much of a racket. We’ve checked that they’re not too much of a chore to use and clean, too.

All of our Best Buys have sensors that detect when your washing is dry and stop automatically. Unlike some of the other sensor driers we’ve tested, they stopped properly when the clothes were dry enough to iron or pop straight into the cupboard.

They have a wide range of automatic programs, too, including several different options for cottons and easy-care fabrics.

Our condenser Best Buys turn most of the damp air into water, so it won’t find its way into your room to cause damp patches (that’s never a problem with vented models).

Condenser models

There is nothing much to choose between the drying ability of our Best Buy condenser tumble driers. Their speed, efficiency, noise and convenience ratings are exactly the same.

The highest-scoring drier, the Miele T4652C, also has the most effective condenser in the test, so you won’t find yourself mopping down the walls when you’ve used it. It’s pretty expensive – available online for around £800 – but it is the most technologically advanced drier we’ve tested. The digital display panel lets you select a slew of unusual programs for drying outerwear, multi-layered fabrics and denim. And you can tweak most of the features – you can delay the start time, choose an extra-loud buzzer, or lock the program settings so children can’t mess with them. It has only a 5kg maximum load, smaller than the other Best Buy condenser driers. But the only other drawback is that the heat exchanger is locked behind a hatch and a sealed compartment. Happily, though, you’ll need to clean it only about five times a year.


At £390 from Miller Brothers, the Bosch WTL6307 Exxcel is considerably cheaper the Miele. And its 6kg capacity means you can pack in about four more shirts. It also has a short program for items that need to be dried quickly, such as synthetic sportswear. The heat exchanger is tucked behind a panel that’s opened by pressing a button hidden behind the door – a nice feature, which is easy to use once you’ve found it.


Bosch and Siemens are part of the same company, which explains why the Bosch WTL6307 and Siemens WTXL733 are technically the same driers. The control panels have been jiggled about a bit to look different. And the Siemens also has a pollen filter that stops the drier sucking airborne pollen into the drum, where it could stick to your clothes. It’s £449 from John Lewis.


The AEG T57800 replaces the AEG T57760, which was our Best Buy in 2003. The changes are only cosmetic and this drier remains a good choice. Unlike most other models, it doesn’t suffer from any particular weak spots. For example, it won’t leave your clothes too badly creased after drying. You can choose a quick program if you are in a hurry, and delay drying by up to 19 hours so that it comes on when the noise won’t disturb you. We particularly like its lint filter, which pops out at the press of a button, to make cleaning it a bit easier. A display panel tells you how much drying time remains to help you organise your time better. It is widely available online for around £440.


The AEG T56800, £450 from John Lewis, is an alternative to the AEG T57800 and is just as convenient to use. It dries more evenly than its more expensive brother, but leaves more creases behind. Again, you can delay the start of drying – by up to nine hours this time. It lacks the remaining time display panel of the more expensive T57800, but LEDs light up to tell you which stage of the drying cycle it’s reached.


If you don’t feel like splashing out so much money, try the Zanussi-Electrolux TC 7102W, £230 from Currys It takes about 30 minutes longer than the AEG T57800 to dry loads, so it’s not a Best Buy, but it outshines similarly priced models. It’s easy to use, releases little damp air, and dries evenly – and it’s one of the quietest driers on test. It isn’t a sensor model, but at this price you wouldn’t expect that on a condenser tumble drier.

Model/Type/Total score (%)/Price (£)/Maximum load (kg)/hxwxd (cm)/Measured energy efficiency/Overall drying time/Noise/Ease of use

AEG T57800/Condenser/62/440/6/85x60x60
AEG T56800Condenser61450685x60x63
Bosch WTL6307 ExxcelCondenser63430686x60x57
Candy CIC 60Condenser36195685x60x60
Creda T622CWCondenser30not widely available685x60x58
Creda TCR2Condenser37220685x60x62
Hoover HDC7FMCondenser42240785x60x60
Hoover HDC6Condenser38220685x60x60
Hoover HNC270Condenser402707.585x60x61
Hotpoint CTD00PCondenser43250785x60x63
Indesit G 75 CCondenser37216685x60x60
LG Electronics TD-C70040ENCondenser44500785x60x63
Maytag MDE5605 AESCondenser51570585x60x61
Miele T4652CCondenser65800585x60x58
Servis M2000Condenser462685.585x60x58
Siemens WTXL733Condenser63449686x60x57
Siemens WTXL753 CCondenser60595686x60x57
Tricity Bendix TM 310Condenser51229585x60x58
Whirlpool AWZ 7813Condenser53250685x60x64
White Knight CL 797Condenser49280685x60x61
White Knight CL 767Condenser39190685x60x58
Zanussi-Electrolux TC 7102 WCondenser53230685x60x58