Tumble Dryer Buying Guide

There are three main types of tumble dryer to choose from – heat pump, condenser or vented.

• Heat pump tumble dryers recycle hot air created inside the drum to dry clothes, which makes them really efficient.
• Condenser tumble dryers remove moisture from your clothes and store it in a removable tank.
• Vented tumble dryers remove moisture from your clothes and feed it outside of your home through a vent.

Vented and condenser dryers are the most expensive and least efficient run, averaging at £60 to £80 a year. Heat pump tumble dryers are much more energy efficient and cheaper to run. Depending on the model, they average at around £30 to £40 a year, but they’ll take longer to dry your clothes.

This depends on the size of your household, if there’s just one or two of you, then a 4-6kg drum will do nicely. If you’re a family of three or four, you might want to go for a medium sized 7-8kg drum. And if you’re more than four, then you’ll want a nice large drum at 9kg or above.

We sell condenser, vented and heat pump tumble dryers in a range of sizes. Take a look at our range here.

A vented tumble dryer removes moisture from your clothes and gets rid of it through a hose to the outside. Condenser tumble dryers work differently as they store the moisture from your clothes in a tank which can be emptied after each cycle.

We recommend emptying every time you use it.

Yes they do but they will save you money as they use much less energy than condenser dryers.

It’s handy to keep it near your washing machine. But manufacturers recommend that tumble dryers be put in a room with a minimum temperature of 10 degrees.

Manufacturers don’t recommend putting dryers in garages as the room temperature can fall below 10 degrees. Any lower and you risk damaging your machine.

Lint is a mixture of the tiny bits of fabric that shed from the edges of your clothes while they tumble around in the dryer.

All dryers use a 13amp plug – the same as washing machines and dishwashers.

Manufacturers don’t recommend using an extension lead for tumble dryers. You should hook up your tumble dryer to the mains electric.

A front vented tumble dryer vents out the hot air through the door at the front of the machine.

Most models average around 60 to 70db, which is the same as a normal conversation on the decibel scale.

The smallest tumble dryers are ones with a 6kg drum.

Tumble dryer sheets just add a little fragrance to your clothes as they’re being tumbled. This way they come out dry and smelling lovely.

It’s in the bottom of the door seal when you open the door. Empty this after every cycle.

You’ll find your model’s serial number on a label around the door seal.