1 - Types
1.1 - Rotating Dryers
- Electric dryer : An electric dryer uses a coiled wire that is heated by passing electric current through it.
- Gas dryer: A Gas dryer uses a gas burner that burns natural gas, propane or butane to form a jet of hot gas that is then directed to the drum. They are cheaper and faster than electric dryers, but you would need to have a gas supply.
- Spin dryers: These dryers use centrifugal force to extract water from clothes. They extract more water from clothes as compared to electric or gas dryers; however, they don’t dry the clothes completely.
1.2 - Condenser or Venting Dryers
Tumble Dryers come in 2 types: condenser and venting.
- A venting tumble dryer uses a hose which releases the vapor or the warm air from the dryer outside. The hose can come out of a window or through an exterior wall using telescopic fitting. You should be careful where you place the venting dryer. If you live in an apartment or a building with multiple households, it is advisable that you avoid using a venting dryer.
- In a condensing dryer, warm air is blown on the clothes and the steam is then condensed and is directed and collected in a reservoir in the dryer; or, this condensed water is let out through a pump in the drains. It is advisable to keep these dryers in an area with open space. Condensing dryers run on electricity or gas.
List all Tumble Dryers
Back to Top
2 - Features
2.1 - Drying Capacity or Load capacity
Most tumble-dryers come with a load capacity of 5 Kg- 10 Kg. If you are a couple then it would be advisable to buy a dryer
with a load capacity of about 5Kg-6Kg. However, if you have a large family and have lots of laundry to finish every week
then it is advisable to take a dryer with a high load capacity. The load capacity varies between models and brands.
2.2 - Drying System
The type of drying system of a dryer is one of the most important factors while choosing a dryer. The dryer can be either
venting or condensing type. If you live in an apartment and can’t let out the hose pipe or a duct pipe or if you
don’t have an opening for a duct pipe, then a condensing dryer would be a good choice.
2.3 - Loading Type
Most tumble-dryers come with front loading mechanism. Some also are designed for a top-loading mechanism. Choose the one
that most suits your style of usage.
2.4 - Energy Rating
Most dryers receive energy and drying performance grading. In order to help the consumers compare the performances between
different models, the European Union instituted an alphabetical classification from ‘A’ to ‘G’, A
being the optimal and economical performer and G being the poor performer. You would come across these ratings while
shopping for a tumble-dryer.
2.5 - Design
The design of a tumble-dryer are in mainly two types: inbuilt and freestanding. If you want to keep your dryer hidden
under you workspace or would want it to be a constituent in your kitchen, the inbuilt dryer would be an advisable option.
However, if your dryer would be stand alone or independent, a freestanding dryer would be advisable.
2.6 - Power Source
Most dryers use electricity as power; however you may also come across a dryer that uses gas. If you don’t have a gas source, a dryer that runs on electricity would be advisable.
|
 |
2.7 - Energy Rating
Some dryers come with a unique reverse drum rotation at the end of the drying cycle, which helps to untangle clothes and
reduce creasing. Some come with a feature called as a cool tumble which reduces creases on clothes, wherein the final
cycle is run without warm air.
2.8 - Drum Capacity
Usually a full-sized dryer comes with a 5-7 cubic feet capacity. However, you may also find dryers with better capacity
incase you want to dry your comforters. There are also compact models available with 3 cubic feet of capacity, incase you
are single and you don’t have much washing and drying to do every week.
2.9 - Programs
Models today, offer different programs. It is advisable to get a dryer with programs which best suits your needs. Some of
them are:
- Delayed start - so that you can program your dryer according to your needs whenever you have time and then the dryer starts its magic.
- Anti-wrinkle program - to avoid tiresome ironing.
- Program for delicate linen
- Heat settings - you can program the heat to be high if you want to dry cotton or linens and low if you are want to dry synthetics or acrylics.
2.10 - Interior Light
This feature is very helpful if you would be keeping your dryer in a dark area. It would also be helpful to locate those
small tiny clothes that lurk at the edge of the dryer’s drum.
2.11 - Doors
It is advisable to buy a dryer with a bigger door so that loading and unloading clothes from the dryer does not become an
ordeal. Some dryers also come with reversible doors.
2.12 - Energy Efficiency
Dryers use more electricity then washing machines. However, some dryers come with features which help to curtail the
amount of electricity used. Some dryers come with sensors which indicate; when the clothes have become dry, when to shut
off the heater, hence saving on electricity and preventing the clothes from over-drying. Some dryers come with a timer
delay so that you can use your dryer overnight on cheaper electricity tariff.
2.13 - Noise
It is advisable to buy a dryer which does not make much noise, hence look out of a dryer that has a lower decibel number.
Some dryers also come with an anti-vibration motor to cut down on the noise.
 |
2.14 - End of Cycle Signal
Most dryers come with this feature which tells you that the cycle is complete and it is time to unload the drum of the dryer. Some also give out a signal if you are over-loading the drum of the dryer. |
2.15 - Dimensions
The dimension of a tumble-dryer is one of the most important factors to be kept in mind. The height of most dryers may range
from 75-90 centimeters, width may range from 60-65 centimeters and the depth may range from 60-65 centimeters. It is advisable
to keep in mind the type and the capacity of laundry to be dried in the dryer so that you can buy a dryer which would best serve
your needs.
List all Tumble Dryers
Back to Top
3 - Tips
Here are some tips that should help you to get a dryer that will meet your requirements:
- Tumble dryers come in varied colors like white, black, silver; buy one which would go with the décor of the space you would be keeping it in.
- It is important that you know the dimensions of the space where you would keep your tumble-dryer; hence avoiding buying one that would be too big to fit in the available space.
- If you want to buy a venting dryer ensure that you can place a duct or a venting tube at the location you intend to keep your tumble dryer.
- Most fabric can withstand tumble-drying, but it is advisable to check the care labels on your clothes to avoid disasters. For example, if there is a symbol which has a square with a circle in it, it means the fabric can be tumble dried and if this symbol has been crossed, it means the fabric can not be tumble-dried.
- Running costs depend on how much time the dryer takes to dry and how hard it has to work. So if you want to cut down on electricity, it is advisable to not to overload the dryer and dry similar fabrics together. Also, if you are on the lookout for a washing machine, get one with a spinning rate between A and C, so that you can spin the clothes before you tumble dry them. This is an effective way to be energy efficient.
- The filter in venting dryers should be cleaned at least once a week, so look out for a dryer where the filter is easy to reach and remove.
- It is advisable not to keep a condenser dryer in your bedroom or conservatory as they steam up the windows very easily.
Tumble dryers have larger drums as compared to washing machines with dryers. Larger the drum, the better is the efficiency of the warm air-flow through the drum, resulting in faster drying. In tumble dryers, as there is plenty of room in the drum for the clothes to move in, there are less creases on the clothes, so less pain while ironing. So bid adieu to those wet laundry days and welcome this state of the art wonder, the tumble-dryer, in your home!
List all Tumble Dryers
Back to Top |
