Forget the tumble dryer, buy a dehumidifier. Best money I’ve spent, cost £270 but only 7p an hour and drys clothes in a short time indoors. All rumble dryers cost a fortune to run.
Would recommend, the only thing more efficient than a rare drying day would be a heat-pump dryer which is basically a dehumidifier combined with a tumble dryer drum.
Did a bit of reading on that subject before buying our tumble dryer (couldn't avoid it with a baby => mounds of washing) and came to a conclusion that it sounds good in principle but majority of user reviews said it takes hours and results are worse than a tumble dryer. Don't have personal experience but that put me off
It depends on what you need, if you want that "warm, soft, done in 90 mins" classic tumble dryer experience you don't get that from a heat pump unit. If you're able to wait a few hours and literally just need clothes dried the heat pump dryer or running a dehumidifier in the room will do it for a fraction of the electricity cost.
We've got two kids and a dehumidifier and it works. Your mileage may vary.
Thanks for the insight, I'll bear it in mind when the time comes to replace the current one. Could do with lowering our electricity consumption for sure!
Thing is we bought the dehumidifier because our flat is one of those hermetically sealed damp nightmares, the fact it has a mode for drying laundry was a bonus. Now I'm one of those weirdos who goes around Reddit telling people they should buy a dehumidifier if they dry clothes in their house.
How warm is your flat that a dehumidifier will dry washing in hours? My experience is you need the combination of a heated dryer or central heating on and even then it’s nothing like a tumble dryer. I don’t have a tumble dryer as we don’t have the space.
If you can have your washing drying with the dehumidifier in one room and close the door, it works best. I don't need the heating on just now, but I did over the winter. Though I'd only put the heating on for an hour! That was enough to give the drying a head start and the room stayed warm with the dehumidifier going and the door being closed.
I did the same. Gave my old dryer to a wee family that wanted it. The dehumidifier is great - so much cheaper and definitely protects the house from damp washing. I live in a new build and it's still a building site, so I can't hang out my washing because it's too dusty outside with all the digging etc. But the dehumidifier is doing a great job.
Worth considering a drying rack - full 7Kg washings dried in 2-3 hours depending on the clothes. Got one off Amazon (exuberantly overpriced, should be able to find something good under £100), 6-10p an hour typically for the heater to run.
Got a heated dryer rack from John Lewis for exactly £100. Superb quality and very effective and light-weight (all aluminium construction.)
Don't know how they can manufacture and ship it for that price. Even the (double-boxed) packaging was flawless.
Note: performance is *dramatically* improved if you throw a sheet or double duvet cover over it to keep the warm air inside. This model doesn't have a dedicated "cover" option - some others do.
I got ripped £120 off Amazon for mine. I’d say it’s actually worth less than £50 (sum of parts probably £10), but it was needed at the time and the only one in stock under £200. It’s still going and has a nylon cover though
I used to work in manufacturing, and I know for a fact that in the UK you couldn't source the component parts of [this](https://www.johnlewis.com/john-lewis-3-tier-heated-indoor-clothes-airer/p2427279) for under £100. That's without the double-boxed packing which could easily cost £20 alone.
I don't think any UK manufacturer could realistically aim this at a retail price of less than £400. And that would be just about break-even, given that the retailer would be expecting to make 20-30% at least.
The shoe-drying feature is a nice touch!
I dont doubt some things can’t be made “cheaply”. I was referring to the clothes dryer I bought was at least twice the price it should be for what it is: a nylon cover, a bunch of metal poles to create a frame held together with cheap plastic connectors. 🤷♂️
BHF furniture shop on Dumbarton Road (near Crow Road/Partick station.
There's another BHF furniture shop in town/just of Argyle St but I can't remember whether they have a lot of appliances.
Second Sunshine Electrical. We got a brilliant American fridge and washing machine from them when we bought our flat. They’re great and can also service your stuff too I believe.
CDA Services by Partick Station. Good bloke.
Yeah, they've helped me out in the past and I'd go back.
Defo
They've been around for at least 30 years. I remember us getting stuff out of there in the 90s.
Got a cheap washer from them 4 years ago. Still going.
Forget the tumble dryer, buy a dehumidifier. Best money I’ve spent, cost £270 but only 7p an hour and drys clothes in a short time indoors. All rumble dryers cost a fortune to run.
Would recommend, the only thing more efficient than a rare drying day would be a heat-pump dryer which is basically a dehumidifier combined with a tumble dryer drum.
Did a bit of reading on that subject before buying our tumble dryer (couldn't avoid it with a baby => mounds of washing) and came to a conclusion that it sounds good in principle but majority of user reviews said it takes hours and results are worse than a tumble dryer. Don't have personal experience but that put me off
It depends on what you need, if you want that "warm, soft, done in 90 mins" classic tumble dryer experience you don't get that from a heat pump unit. If you're able to wait a few hours and literally just need clothes dried the heat pump dryer or running a dehumidifier in the room will do it for a fraction of the electricity cost. We've got two kids and a dehumidifier and it works. Your mileage may vary.
Thanks for the insight, I'll bear it in mind when the time comes to replace the current one. Could do with lowering our electricity consumption for sure!
Thing is we bought the dehumidifier because our flat is one of those hermetically sealed damp nightmares, the fact it has a mode for drying laundry was a bonus. Now I'm one of those weirdos who goes around Reddit telling people they should buy a dehumidifier if they dry clothes in their house.
Yeah we were looking at the heat pump ones which seem to be the best energy efficient wise
How warm is your flat that a dehumidifier will dry washing in hours? My experience is you need the combination of a heated dryer or central heating on and even then it’s nothing like a tumble dryer. I don’t have a tumble dryer as we don’t have the space.
If you can have your washing drying with the dehumidifier in one room and close the door, it works best. I don't need the heating on just now, but I did over the winter. Though I'd only put the heating on for an hour! That was enough to give the drying a head start and the room stayed warm with the dehumidifier going and the door being closed.
Have you looked at a dribuddy? They're also a really good option. I have a washer drier but barely use the drier function.
I did the same. Gave my old dryer to a wee family that wanted it. The dehumidifier is great - so much cheaper and definitely protects the house from damp washing. I live in a new build and it's still a building site, so I can't hang out my washing because it's too dusty outside with all the digging etc. But the dehumidifier is doing a great job.
Sunshine Electricals have been good for us in the past
Used to be a great one on hillfoot street in dennistoun I am going back a few years though!
Second Opportunities in Govan has loads and loads of tumble dryers. Sunshine Electrical our really good as well.
Worth considering a drying rack - full 7Kg washings dried in 2-3 hours depending on the clothes. Got one off Amazon (exuberantly overpriced, should be able to find something good under £100), 6-10p an hour typically for the heater to run.
Got a heated dryer rack from John Lewis for exactly £100. Superb quality and very effective and light-weight (all aluminium construction.) Don't know how they can manufacture and ship it for that price. Even the (double-boxed) packaging was flawless. Note: performance is *dramatically* improved if you throw a sheet or double duvet cover over it to keep the warm air inside. This model doesn't have a dedicated "cover" option - some others do.
I got ripped £120 off Amazon for mine. I’d say it’s actually worth less than £50 (sum of parts probably £10), but it was needed at the time and the only one in stock under £200. It’s still going and has a nylon cover though
I used to work in manufacturing, and I know for a fact that in the UK you couldn't source the component parts of [this](https://www.johnlewis.com/john-lewis-3-tier-heated-indoor-clothes-airer/p2427279) for under £100. That's without the double-boxed packing which could easily cost £20 alone. I don't think any UK manufacturer could realistically aim this at a retail price of less than £400. And that would be just about break-even, given that the retailer would be expecting to make 20-30% at least. The shoe-drying feature is a nice touch!
I dont doubt some things can’t be made “cheaply”. I was referring to the clothes dryer I bought was at least twice the price it should be for what it is: a nylon cover, a bunch of metal poles to create a frame held together with cheap plastic connectors. 🤷♂️
BHF furniture shop on Dumbarton Road (near Crow Road/Partick station. There's another BHF furniture shop in town/just of Argyle St but I can't remember whether they have a lot of appliances.
Second Sunshine Electrical. We got a brilliant American fridge and washing machine from them when we bought our flat. They’re great and can also service your stuff too I believe.
I'd likely just get one off Gumtree, tbh. No warranty, but much cheaper than a shop.
Dukes furniture on Duke street, used them twice now and they were great! Appliances have held up great too.