Tumble dryer: advertising tricks or need?

A tumble dryer is a household appliance item that can be either built-in or freestanding. It allows you to qualitatively dry washed clothes and bedding. This unit is especially relevant for those who live in apartments: with the advent of the tumble dryer, you can not tear between the balcony and the rope stretched in the yard, trying to place all the laundry there. Those who purchased it quickly receive clean and completely dry things in a short time, without waiting until they dry themselves.

general information

A machine for drying clothes is a unit that is designed for high-quality drying of washed clothes. Such a device will be a good helper for those who live in urban apartments and are limited in area. These people are familiar with the problem of hanging wet laundry: they have to take it to the balcony, and something to the yard, to the clothesline, as there is not enough space for all things. The undoubted advantage of the tumble dryer is the saving of space: now all the things that were previously hung in the living rooms are quickly and efficiently dried in a compact appliance.

Modern tumble dryers are able to dry in an hour from 3 to 8 kg of laundry. This feature is sure to be appreciated by women who have large families, as well as young mothers who often wash their newborn’s clothes.

Principle of operation

Externally, the dryer resembles a standard drum washer. The principle of operation of such an aggregate directly depends on its type. Most drum dryers have heating elements and fans, the function of which is to ensure the movement of hot air inside the device with the laundry placed in it.

The operation of the dryer is as follows:

• heating of special elements promotes the evaporation of moisture from wet laundry;
• the constant movement of air inside the unit makes this process uniform;
• the drum, rotating, does not allow the laundry to wrinkle, which will further facilitate the ironing process.

If a dryer in the form of a cabinet was purchased for the house, then you need to consider that it works differently. Inside this unit there are lattice shelves for wet clothes and hangers. Inside the cabinet is equipped with powerful heating elements and fans, the task of which is to disperse hot air.

Both the drying cabinet and the machine are programmed: just select the desired mode, and the device will quickly do all the work.

Kinds

There are several varieties of clothes dryers on the home appliance market.

There are two main types of full-featured clothes dryers: a front-loading tumble dryer and a drying cabinet with compartments and hangers to accommodate laundered items. The latter is quite large and bulky.

The most optimal in terms of convenience, design and compactness is a machine-drum device.

In addition to full-fledged chambers for drying clothes, there are models of washing machines with a drying function. They lose a little to a full-fledged unit, but they can save both space and money.

Dryers-drums, in turn, are divided into such varieties:

• ventilation. These units are designed in such a way that moist air is removed from them during drying out. This model is recommended to be installed near a hood or window;
• condensation. This type of drum unit is much more in demand. In them, hot air enters the drum, and humid is discharged into a separate compartment designed for this purpose. In it, condensation settles into the tank. Then the process repeats: the air heats up again and rises into the drum.

Condensing clothes dryers are quite compact in size and easy to operate.

Functionality

A clothes dryer has the following features:

• quick drying of clothes and linen;
• preparation of laundry for easy ironing;
• the presence of many programs, which allows you to load laundry from different materials into the machine, without worrying about their integrity and general condition;
• the ability to dry shoes (this applies to models of drying cabinets).

Popular programs that can be set for a tumble dryer are:

• "Low-temperature drying";
• "Baby clothes";
• "Drying for synthetics";
• “Sensitive underwear”;
• "Drying for cotton";
• "Drying for wool."

Many housewives will appreciate the functionality of this device: now the laundry will not hang on the clothesline for a long time, especially in wet and cold seasons. Another undoubted advantage of such an aggregate is the processing of things with steam, which subsequently makes it easy to iron them.

Advantages and disadvantages

All existing types of the described device have both undoubted advantages and some negative features.

The pluses of clothes dryers with a drum include the following:

• small size, which will allow you to easily place the unit on the living space;
• battery life. The drum device works without connecting it to any communications;
• the presence of a large number of programs, so for each group of things you can choose the optimal drying mode;
• drying rate;
• steaming the laundry, making it subsequently better smoothed out.

Advantages of drying cabinets are:

• the ability to dry not only clothes, including outerwear, but also shoes;
• organic appearance. Such an assembly will successfully fit into the interior without breaking out of it;
• careful and gradual drying of things, so that they do not crease;
• spaciousness. A cabinet for drying clothes holds much more things than a dryer.

The main disadvantage of drum assemblies is the impossibility of putting things from delicate fabrics and shoes into it. The negative sides of the cabinets are the dimensions and the high cost (at least $ 800).

The choice

To choose a clothes dryer that meets all the requirements, you must first familiarize yourself with the existing technical specifications. So you can weigh the pros and cons and not get confused when going to the home appliance store.

Choosing a model of such a household unit, you should pay attention to the following criteria:

• drum sizes. It is necessary to select a model whose capacity will coincide with the size of the washing machine. The best option for the family is a drum unit with a capacity of at least 7 kg;
• device dimensions. It is necessary to proceed from the size of the living space, since it is unreasonable to purchase a large tumble dryer or cabinet at the expense of your own comfort and space;
• the presence of filters. High-quality models are equipped with filters that "collect" fine litter, wool, villi. It is necessary that the filter is removable, and access to it is provided easily;
• power consumption. Experts advise to pay attention to appliances with a heat pump: it saves up to 50% of electricity and reduces the amount of heat that is released into the living room. The most optimal unit in terms of energy saving is the one on which the class of its consumption A + or A ++ is indicated;
• a sufficient number of modes. It is advisable that the device contains all programs that can work with certain types of materials, the clothes of which are worn by family members;
• type of management. Dryers can be controlled mechanically and electronically;
• the presence of additional features.Modern units have many additional functions in addition to the ability to dry clothes. These include delayed start, the presence of a timer, the ventilation mode, easy ironing of things, protection from children, drum lighting.

An electric dryer is not always a must. If the hostess does not need her urgently, then without this unit it is quite possible to do. If it was decided that the dryer must be purchased, then the choice of the device must be taken responsibly.

Rating

This review presents the most popular models of clothes dryers.

Beko DPS 7205 GB5

• Drum volume: 102 L
• Type of control: electronic
• Maximum load: 7 kg
• Energy Class: A ++
• Number of programs: 16
• Availability of additional functions: “Delicate drying” mode, delayed start timer

Hotpoint-Ariston TCS 73B GP (EU)

• Drum capacity: 112 L
• Type of control: electronic + mechanical
• Maximum load: 7 kg
• Energy Class: V
• Number of programs: 10
• The presence of additional functions: delayed start, the choice of time to end the program, anti-crease after drying

Bosch WTG86400OE

• Drum capacity: 112 L
• Type of control: electronic
• Maximum load: 9 kg
• Energy Class: V
• Number of programs: 14
• The presence of additional functions: the program "Delicate drying" and "Volumetric things", the possibility of ultra-fast drying, drum lighting

Electrolux EDH3498RDE

• Drum capacity: 118 l
• Type of control: electronic
• Maximum load: 9 kg
• Energy Class: A ++
• Number of programs: 13
• The presence of additional functions: storing programs, adjusting the desired residual moisture of the laundry

Gorenje D85F65T (8 kg)

• Drum volume: 120 l
• Type of control: electronic
• Maximum load: 8 kg
• Energy Class: A
• Number of programs: 15
• Availability of additional functions: anti-creasing of things, automatic adjustment of time and temperature, which allows not to dry the laundry

Miele TDB 220 WP

• Drum volume: 120 l
• Type of control: electronic
• Maximum load: 7 kg
• Energy Class: A ++
• Number of programs: 9
• Additional features: digital display, delayed start, electronic analysis and adjustment system

Hotpoint-Ariston FTCD 97B H

• Drum capacity: 112 L
• Type of control: mechanical
• Maximum load: 9 kg
• Energy Class: V
• Number of programs: 17
• Availability of additional functions: quick drying, “refreshing” cycle, anti-creasing, delayed start

BEKO DU 7111 GAW

• Drum volume: 102 L
• Type of control: mechanical
• Maximum load: 7 kg
• Energy Class: V
• Number of programs: 15
• Additional features: anti-crease

Asko T754C W

• Drum capacity: 111 L
• Type of control: mechanical
• Maximum load: 7 kg
• Energy Class: V
• Number of programs: 6
• Availability of additional functions: accelerated drying, timer drying, delayed start, saving individual programs

A tumble dryer is a device that not only saves time and space, but also improves the quality of linen, making it softer and more pleasant to the touch. The average cost of a model of such a device is 25,000 rubles.

Title	Beko DPS 7205 GB5	Hotpoint-Ariston TCS 73B GP (EU)	Bosch WTG86400OE	Electrolux EDH3498RDE	Gorenje D85F65T (8 kg)	Miele TDB 220 WP	Hotpoint-Ariston FTCD 97B H	BEKO DU 7111 GAW	Asko T754C W
Loading	7 kg	7 kg	9 kg	9 kg	8 kg	7 kg	8 kg	7 kg	7 kg
Drying type	condensation	condensation	condensation	condensation	condensation	condensation	condensation	condensation
Number of programs	15	10	14	13	15	9	9	-	-
Electricity consumption class	A ++	AT	AT	A ++	A ++	-	AT	-	-
Noise level, dB	65	69	64	65	65	-	-	65	66
Price	from 30500 rub.	from 27000 rub.	from 58000 rub.	from 105000 rub.	from 50,000 rub.	from 60,000 rub.	from 28000 rub.	from 24000 rub.	from 36800 rub.