Do you use electric clothes dryers? 27 September 2022 at 7:49PM in In my home (includes DIY) MoneySaving 81 replies 14.1K views

Kostandia

Hello, do you use an electric clothes dryer,  how good is it? 
Is it cheaper to run, how long does it take to dry, does it cause any condensation...please let me know the pros & cons!! 
I don't use a tumble dryer and in the past (before the high heating bills), in winter I've hung clothes on racks above my radiators. But as this winter I'll be trying to minimise my heating, I wonder if electric clothes dryers really work, are they worth buying.
Many thanks

grumbler

Kostandia said:

does it cause any condensation...

ANY drier that doesn't extract moisture causes condensation. In this case the amount of condensation depends only on the amount of water in the washing and doesn't depend on the type of drier you use.

Condensing driers extract moisture by condensing it. Vented driers blow the moist air out.

victor2

We're lucky enough to have a separate utility room, where we have always hung clothes to dry and the excess heat from the inefficient old gas central heating boiler dried them. Last year we replaced the old boiler, but put a new radiator in the utility room. In the summer, clothes hang outside to dry. In the winter, the utility room is used, but if we don't have the heating on, they can take days to dry!

KxMx

During the winter when I need to dry indoors, an extra spin cycle for laundry helps remove even more water. 

biscan25

We put the clothes on an airer in the en-suite (smallest room in the house, basically a cupboard) with the dehumidier on max.
You'd think it was expensive, but clothes are dry in 6 hours. It uses under a kwh, and we have a dry and warm room.

ka7e

I use a big airer in front of a S-facing window. The combination of a little solar gain plus radiator on for a few hours a day (not yet on!) is very effective. Top window just opened a few inches to combat damp. I  have a dehumidifier which I might use this winter if we cut back on CH.

SuseOrm

We have one of the Lakeland electric dryers but in all honesty I just use that on the dryer nine times out of 10 because of the amount of time it takes to dry load of washing realistically I think it’s nearly 36 hours.  And even then you’ll be fold in the laundry up and you’ll just feel a little bit of a sock that’s not 100% dry which I don’t feel right then putting it away folded up what happens to that little damp patch ? 

outtatune

I have an old White Knight spin dryer that extracts an enormous amount of water even after the washing machine's spin cycle. They seem to have rebranded as English Electric but the ones currently on Amazon look identical to what I have.

Don't know the exact costs to run but since I'm in a flat and can't dry stuff outside I figure the cost of the leccy - even these days - is going to be less than the cost of the damage condensation might do, even with windows open.

getmore4less

outtatune said:

I have an old White Knight spin dryer that extracts an enormous amount of water even after the washing machine's spin cycle. They seem to have rebranded as English Electric but the ones currently on Amazon look identical to what I have.

Don't know the exact costs to run but since I'm in a flat and can't dry stuff outside I figure the cost of the leccy - even these days - is going to be less than the cost of the damage condensation might do, even with windows open.

A decent washer with efficient spin will leave under 45% residual moisture

can't find the specs for these standalone spinners

lisyloo

I use a dehumidifier in a spare room. Might take 2 days to dry all clothes (some dry more quickly) but it stops the room and contents getting damp and costs pennies to run.

Doozergirl

SuseOrm said:

We have one of the Lakeland electric dryers but in all honesty I just use that on the dryer nine times out of 10 because of the amount of time it takes to dry load of washing realistically I think it’s nearly 36 hours.  And even then you’ll be fold in the laundry up and you’ll just feel a little bit of a sock that’s not 100% dry which I don’t feel right then putting it away folded up what happens to that little damp patch ? 

When we had one of the Lakeland dryers I used to put a duvet cover over the whole thing, as in - put it all inside the cover - it used to dry the clothes a lot quicker.  

Always a bit frustrating, fighting with a duvet, but it did help.