Heated Clothes Airers

kah22

My sister was looking at Heated Clothes Airers over the Christmas period after a close friend recommended them.  However, when she seen the price of them (£100 plus) she bought the actual heating unit itself, £30, and used her own clothes horse with a large blanket throwing over it, trapping the heat inside and while she hasn't had it long enough to make an informed judgement she seems pretty pleased with it.

Reading  Which? Online their opinion was 'We discovered that a heated airer could be more cost-effective for some people but can also end up costing more than using a tumble dryer, depending on the type of airer/dryer and the load size you're drying.' adding, 'However, we discovered two heated airers impressive enough to be Best Buys.'

Now I'm wondering what MoneySaving Members think, especially those who use one. As a single person I can't remember the last time I used my dryer normally I dry outside, on the radiators, or just let them sit in my utility room. I suppose I'm thinking more personal cloths and towels and maybe now would be a good time to buy?

sarah1972

You should never dry clothes on a radiator, it will affect the wall behind it and get damp plus you’re losing your heat. I use a clothes airer in front on my heating. Never felt the need to use extra electricity by plugging in a not very hot heated clothes dryer. My friend had one and said it took days to dry heavy clothing and bedding. 

I use my tumble dryer for towels after they have been in my heated house for a few hours so it doesn’t take as long in the tumble dryer and I also use those balls that speed up the drying time. 

kah22

Let me get this right Sarah. You have a 'clothes airer' but don't turn the heating section on? That sounds like you use it as you would a clothes horse!
Sorry if I'm sounding stupid but am I picking you up wrong?

Bossyboots

I've used my son's when I stayed at his and frankly found it quite useless.  It dried the bits touching the heated bars but the rest was still damp.

sarah1972

kah22 said:

Let me get this right Sarah. You have a 'clothes airer' but don't turn the heating section on? That sounds like you use it as you would a clothes horse!
Sorry if I'm sounding stupid but am I picking you up wrong?

There is no heating section? It’s just a clothes airer ? Like this https://www.amazon.co.uk/Clothes-Laundry-Concertina-Indoor-Outdoor/dp/B01AI7ETMO/ref=asc_df_B01AI7ETMO/?tag=googshopuk-21&linkCode=df0&hvadid=255672231529&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=10982164527663820305&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=1006742&hvtargid=pla-485932794157&psc=1

dealyboy

- Dry clothes outdoors when you can as much as you can
- Use heated air dryer indoors, with cover (mine is a Minky, Argos)
- Open windows when sunny, low relative humidity, removing moisture from drying
- Use dehumidifier to extract residual moisture from air indoors, windows closed (mine is an Electriq, Appliances Direct)

sarah1972

dealyboy said:

- Dry clothes outdoors when you can as much as you can
- Use heated air dryer indoors, with cover (mine is a Minky, Argos)
- Open windows when sunny, low relative humidity, removing moisture from drying
- Use dehumidifier to extract residual moisture from air indoors, windows closed (mine is an Electriq, Appliances Direct)

I suspect running a dehumidifier and heated dryer will be similar electricity as running a tumble dryer for a short amount of time?

dealyboy

Hi Sarah ...

sarah1972 said:

I suspect running a dehumidifier and heated dryer will be similar electricity as running a tumble dryer for a short amount of time?

Well (as I understand it from the Energy board) heat pump tumble dryers are a cost effective solution, low energy however costly  upfront.
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6412324/heat-pump-tumble-dryer-do-they-create-condensation-and-how-long-is-a-typical-program-for-fully-dry#latest

A heated dryer can help with drying and in the case of the Minky runs at 230W but as has been pointed out can produce disappointing results, i.e. drying only where clothes etc are in contact with the bars, so need moving around, but a cover can help by keeping the heat localised around the washing. Obviously the dryer does not remove the residual moisture from the atmosphere and therefore removal is recommended following drying to avoid damp etc., by ventilation or dehumidification.

A dehumidifier is one popular way to maintain low humidity levels and to prevent damp/mould, they are relatively low priced and as you suspect have the same level of running costs as a dryer. Many dehumidifiers have a 'laundry mode' but opinions appear to be mixed with regard their efficacy, they blow air onto the laundry and condense moisture. Again threads on the Energy board discuss this.

sarah1972

dealyboy said:

Hi Sarah ...

sarah1972 said:

I suspect running a dehumidifier and heated dryer will be similar electricity as running a tumble dryer for a short amount of time?

Well (as I understand it from the Energy board) heat pump tumble dryers are a cost effective solution, low energy however costly  upfront.
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6412324/heat-pump-tumble-dryer-do-they-create-condensation-and-how-long-is-a-typical-program-for-fully-dry#latest

A heated dryer can help with drying and in the case of the Minky runs at 230W but as has been pointed out can produce disappointing results, i.e. drying only where clothes etc are in contact with the bars, so need moving around, but a cover can help by keeping the heat localised around the washing. Obviously the dryer does not remove the residual moisture from the atmosphere and therefore removal is recommended following drying to avoid damp etc., by ventilation or dehumidification.

A dehumidifier is one popular way to maintain low humidity levels and to prevent damp/mould, they are relatively low priced and as you suspect have the same level of running costs as a dryer. Many dehumidifiers have a 'laundry mode' but opinions appear to be mixed with regard their efficacy, they blow air onto the laundry and condense moisture. Again threads on the Energy board discuss this.

So a humidifier along with a heated airer has the same running costs as a tumble dryer? , 

I think as you say too, the heated airers need the laundry moving around etc and are a lot of hassle for little or no gain. 

Anyway, it’s a great debate. X 

dealyboy

... I think I used 'dryer' too many times in my description introducing some ambiguity; in the 2nd and 3rd paragraphs I was meaning clothes airer.

I don't know the running cost of a heat pump tumble dryer, but my understanding is that it is comparatively low (compared to more traditional dryers). Taking a quick look at some data suggests that duration could be between 90m and 180m dependent on load and spin speed, and energy between 0.5 kWh and 1.5 kWh. It also does not cause air moisture/condensation and is quieter than a condenser.

My clothes airer is nominally 230W and dehumidifier is a low energy one at 180W max., although 300W/350W max. is not uncommon. Of course both of these would run for hours so you can see that a heat pump tumble dryer might be quicker and cheaper as some people attest to.

pcw12kcox

According to "Which?", and ignoring initial capital costs, for three big loads a week, heat pump tumble dryer, £68 per year, vented TD £250 per year and condensers £170. (Washer dryers cost more to dry, than stand alone TDs by the way) Heated air dryer small loads, three times a week, £62 a year, but three large loads, the same size as a large tumble dryer load £163. An additional cost, however, would be the cost of running a dehumidifier, and the average running cost per hour is at least 9p.

Radiators? Interesting. Damp is one issue, of course, and it's not cost free either, as the heat that would have gone into the room has been diverted to evaporating water from your clothes. so there will be increased energy costs as a consequence.

Conclusion seems to be - small regular loads, heated air dryer, large regular loads, tumble dryer.