Tumble dryers - Condensing or Vented?

[Welly]

Looking into tumble dryers at the moment, we normally use a clothes airer next to a dehumidifier but this set up has ended up being shifted in to 'my' new lounge room and looks untidy (and noisy).

Condensers are about £400.00, Vented are about £200.00.

Condensers cost about £35.00/year to run against the Vented's £75.00 (so a 5-year break-even on the purchase cost).

Trouble is a condenser is likely to give trouble later on (more complex) and I've read they don't dry the clothes very quickly.

The machine will live in the Garage so it doesn't really matter how it's vented etc.

Anyone got any experience or words of wisdom to offer?

[Bailes1992]

I got a core drill, put a propper vent in my kitchen and got a vented dryer. No messing around emptying tanks and less to go wrong overall.

[Welly]

Yeah, simplicity is attractive, thinking about it it won't be good having a collection of condense water in a freezing garage (already had a few burst pipes out there).

Just browsing the Appliance website and 'refined' my search to the Miele brand........THE f*ck....

[steve_earwig]

Miele - 10 times the price, do they last 10 times as long though?

If you can punch a hole though the wall then go for the vented, if not condensers can drain into the, er, drain if that's possible in your garage.

[Doggy]

Vented, but spend the extra for one that shuts off automatically when the clothes are dry, instead of just running it for 2 hours anyway.

(No. We never argue about this, ever).

[Welly]

I didn't know such a thing existed, is that a 'sensor' dryer?

[Doggy]

Allegedly they have 'humidity sensors' - I think it's just an exhaust air temperature sensor, (wet air = cold, dry = hot), but it does work.

[OllieNZ]

We have a condenser and touch wood it's been good for the last five years with no problems and it takes a hammering
The only thing it struggles with is duvets those need to go on a timed programme rather than relying on the sensor

[GingerMagic]

Looking into tumble dryers at the moment, we normally use a clothes airer next to a dehumidifier but this set up has ended up being shifted in to 'my' new lounge room and looks untidy (and noisy).

I've always had a clothes airer or two next to a de-hu in the utility room. " Lets get a tumble drier " Mrs magic says, " We won't use it !!" I said - so we got one of those mini types with a condenser for £30 from a mate as a compromise.

Is it any good?

No idea - we've had it for nearly a year and we haven't used it....

[trufflehunt]

I use a clothes line. Cost..., about £1. Running costs zero.

I've thought about lashing out on a clothes horse, but banisters do seem to work quite well.

[ally406]

I bought a "spares or repair" condenser off of ebay 3 years ago for £28, stuck some new thermostats in it and it's done me 3 years. Has developed another fault, will decide if it's worth while fixing (it is a Hotpoint, which appear to be made from tinfoil by a blind man). Never had trouble with things taking a long time to dry, and emptying water every 2 loads or so is not exactly a hardship. Part of the appeal is that I'm not pumping 2.8kw out into the universe, it does a very good job of heating the house in winter. I think if you went condenser you're better having it in the house so you aren't throwing away the energy.

[OllieNZ]

I spoke too soon, brass stud thing went tits up yesterday, new heaterstat assembly on order [emoji20]

[Bailes1992]

Can you get condensing dryers that have a pump in them that can empty into a drain after they get full?

[steve_earwig]

Nah, I think they just empty all the time. When I was looking a while back it seemed like it was either keep emptying the tank or connect up to the drain and forget.

I should be paying more attention really, the drier half of our washer/drier crapped out about 6 months ago

[OllieNZ]

Can you get condensing dryers that have a pump in them that can empty into a drain after they get full?

As Steve says, they empty continuously while operating. Ours came with a drain kit so I suppose that's the same really, install and forget.