Purchasing a Tumble Dryer
In this article you will find all the basics you need to know about tumble dryers. If you are looking to a buy a new tumble dryer and you aren’t sure what to look for, this article is just for you!
So, let’s get to it. Here are the basic things you need to know about tumble dryers…
Tumble and Spin Dryers – When you buy a dryer you will have to chose between a spin dryer and a tumble dryer – yes, they are two different things. Spin dryers spin at phenomenally high speeds and use centripetal force to suck the water out of your clothes. Tumble dryers rotate as well but at nowhere near the same speed as a spin dryer; instead they use heat to transform water into vapour and dispose of it.
Vented and Condenser Dryers – After water has been extracted from your laundry, it needs to be disposed somehow. This can either be through a vent or into a condenser. With vented machines, water passes through a pipe and is then sent into the atmosphere. This can be done using a removable pipe, but is usually achieved with a pre-drilled vent in an exterior wall. Condenser dryers on the other hand, allow you to manually dispose of water by catching moisture in a series of cooled plates.
Energy Rating – An energy rating ranging from A-G gives you an indication of how much energy a machine will consume. An ‘A’ rated machine is likely to use up much less energy than a ‘C’ rated machine. These days it is less likely to come across a new machine being sold with a rating of less than ‘B’. Machines with a rating of ‘C’ or less are becoming outdated, so would not be advisable to buy. In general, the higher the energy rating, the less your annual running costs will be.
Capacity – To give you a rough understanding of drum sizes, think of it like this – each 1kg amounts to about 5 medium men’s t-shirts. So 5kgs = 5 t-shirts, 10kgs = 10 t-shirts, and so on.
If you need help finding the best tumble dryers, have a look at our collection of impartial tumble dryer reviews
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