A tumble dryer is a useful addition to any home, especially where there are children and working parents that need access to clean, dry clothes with a quick turnaround
Everything from school uniforms to work clothes, to sports kits need a capable washing machine, but they also need to be dry on time for use.
Buying new appliance can be overwhelming, as there are various things to take into account when you are choosing your tumble dryer. Read on for our guide on buying a tumble dryer, so you fully understand what to look forward, and what might suit your home the best.
Things to consider
Load Capacity
They say size matters, and it’s certainly true when it comes to tumble dryers. Probably the main factor to consider when purchasing a tumble dryer, besides price, is the load capacity, or the amount of laundry it can dry in one load.
Smaller dryers of 6kg and 7kg are ideal for single people, couples, families, etc, and larger dryers of 9kg and above are more suited to families.
Appliance Dimensions
A standard tumble dryer is 85cm x 60cm x 60cm, and you should ensure you have this space available. Most kitchens are designed to accommodate this size of appliance. Alternatively, you should ensure your storage room or laundry cupboard has this space to spare.
Lint Filtration
All tumble dryers come equipped with a lint filter, to filter the fuzzy material ejected by the machine so that it does not pollute the air in your home. You should clear this, ideally after each drying cycle, as avoiding doing so can impair the performance of the machine, as it has to work harder to push the air out of the increasingly blocked filter. It’s all part of the good maintenance of your machine.
Freestanding vs Integrated
Freestanding tumble dryers are designed to stand alone, without fitting into a kitchen. They can be installed anywhere, including an airing cupboard or storage room. Integrated tumble dryers and other appliances are designed to fit seamlessly into the overall design of a kitchen. The drawback is that they are not portable and installation is a challenging, usually requiring the input of an expert. All of our dryers are freestanding, so you can put them wherever you want to, in your home.
Condenser Tumble Dryer vs Vented
Wet clothes need to be dried, and there is more than one way to do this. A condenser tumble dryer gathers moisture from your clothes into a container, which sits in the dryer, and needs to be emptied. This is an important task, and must be attended to regularly. Meanwhile, vented dryers release their moisture through ventilation, typically by having a pipe which extracts the hot air, and needs to be positioned near a window or wall vent. All of our dryers are condenser dryers, which is better for confined spaces where access to a window may not be readily available.
Programmes, Cycles & Settings
Tumble dryers come with a variety of settings for different materials (wool, cotton, synthetics etc) and time settings. Some tumble dryers also offer specific programs for quick dry, and outdoor clothing such as jackets and coats. More advanced dryers contain features such as being able to control the level of dryness they produce. It’s important to choose a tumble dryer that suits your specific needs and the clothes that you wear.
Tumble Dryer Features
Tumble dryers used to be quite basic machines which simply had a fast spinning drum for drying clothes, but these days they increasingly come with a wider variety of features. This is due to the advancement of technology, and the possibilities it opens up.
Anti Crease
Anti crease tumble dryers prevent the creases that can be formed when a clothes are not property unloaded at the end of a drying cycle. They do this by repeatedly running and pausing until the end of the cycle.
Sensor drying
Sensor drying is, as the name suggests, a setting where the tumble dryers stops when its sensors detect that the clothes inside have dried. These are ideal for saving energy from being needlessly wasted, reducing your carbon footprint, and saving on your electricity bills.
One Touch / NFC Technology
Hoover offers a One Touch app, which allows your smartphone to communicate with your washer or tumble dryer, using NFC Technology. It allows your phone to communicate with your dryer when it is in close proximity, communicating such information as running times, energy consumption, etc.
Child Locks
A useful feature in any tumble dryer, child locks, as the name suggests, can prevent younger children from tampering with settings, damaging clothes, and also preventing injury to themselves.
Delay Start Timer
As the name suggests, some dryers offer a delay star timer, so that you can delay the beginning of the drying cycle. This is ideal if are only able to load your dryer at certain times, to take advantage of cheaper late night economy 7 electricity, or to avoid disturbing neighbours during the night.
Extra Large Porthole
Some dryers benefit from an extra large porthole, which allows you to load and unload the dryer more quickly and easy – great if you’re dealing with lots of laundry for larger households.
Finally..
When making a major purchase of a household appliance like a tumble dryer, it’s important to make sure it meets all your needs. So read the fine print, and ensure you understand exactly what you’re buying…..
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