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Oh what my life has become...
Our tumble dryer has died, we need a new one.
It's used occasionally, mainly to dry down jackets and bed clothes.
It lives in the garage.
I don't want to pay a lot as it's not used much.
I also don't want it to set on fire and be happy to leave it unattended.
Anything to look at or to avoid?
Vented externally or condenser?
Vented externally or condenser?
Err...
It'll live in the garage, I can leave the door open a crack if needed so could vent. But happy with condensing if it's a better option.
No real point buying the usually more expensive condenser dryer if it lives in the garage , vented will be fine.
Maybe avoid whirlpool , they were the last brand to do a major recall due to fire risk.
just remember to clear fluff / lint tray after every use.
and make sure the socket used for the dryer is rcd protected as its left unattended whilst in use
Maybe avoid whirlpool , they were the last brand to do a major recall due to fire risk.
And the numerous companies they also own and recalled with the same fault.
However I think that's all solved now in newer ones innit?
White Knight, made in UK and the most reliable driers on the market and won't burn your property to the ground.
If you can get a gas supply into your garage then a White Knight gas dryer would be your best bet. At lease from cost of running perspective, but it’s up to you if you want another co2 emitting gas appliance. These are the choices we need to make these days I guess. But my gas dryers been going strong for years.
If you can get a gas supply into your garage ..........
you've got to be kidding right ? sorry but thats just ridiculous.
getting a gas mains to what maybe a detached building , under whats probably a concrete pad is unlikely to cost less than a grand before even buying the appliance.
or maybe just use an existing socket that has zero installation costs ?
good grief.
Get an interlinked fire/smoke detection alarm for your garage.
Or get a drying cabinet ! Just to be different . I want one. 700 quid or so though so fails on the price point....
2nd vote for White Knight.
When we did our kitchen up we got a cheap WK dryer as had spent more on cooker, fridge as they were more used and essential. The idea was to replace when it gave up.
14 years later and a lot more use due to kids it’s still going strong.
3rd for white night, bog standard version. Our new fancy digital one has a load of unnecessary settings and digital buttons and it's no where near as good. Old school timer dial and hot or not so hot button was all the white knight had and it was just better!
'nother vote for White Knight.
Order on line, deliver to your door.
Do consider what you have in your garage if venting into it.
Warm moist air = rusty tools etc.
You don't want a dryer in the garage with bikes. We have a simple small vented one in our porch - get that wet air out.
My folks have a condenser in their garage - personally, no wet drying machines near the family bike fleet and tools...
Again for white knight, over 18 years at this point.
My folks have a condenser in their garage – personally, no wet drying machines near the family bike fleet and tools…
Or just get a venting kit and local builder to knock a 100mm hole through the skin. Definitely don't have it venting into the garage space.
Our cheap Beko condenser doesn't rust tools in a reasonably well sealed garage (I keep bare steel bike tube for frame building in there and it is fine). Not throwing away the waste heat through a vent also gives "free" garage heating. A sweaty teenage son on a turbo trainer chucks out a damn sight more moisture.
The only features I'd look for would be a moisture sensor (rather than timer) and a cool setting that actually works (ours has two settings - very hot and thermonuclear).
We have a John Lewis condenser - run without issue for the last couple of years. Doesn't chuck out a lot of moisture, rather just hot air - it's sat in a utility room with a humidity sensor on an extractor fan and we've yet had the sensor tripped when the dryer is working.
We've got an AEG Lavatherm.
It's got loads of "how dry do you want your clothes" dial, which I don't really understand, I just want them dry, and a moisture sensor of some description. Put clothes in, switch on, it stops when the clothes are dry. It's also got an internal light when you open the door, good for finding errant socks.
It's got to be over 10 years old now, we had it from my parents when they emigrated. No trouble or issues.
Whats wrong with it? Tumble driers are easy to work on for the DIY repair man. The heating element went on ours and it was easy to source a replacement on ebay and fit it. Less hassle than waiting in for a delivery and better for the environment. 2 years later it's all still working fine.
As above, I've fixed our old one a couple of times with parts from eSpares.
They normally have a video on how to do the repair too.
Our vented dryer that lives in the garage (electric shutter so would just raise it a couple of inches when on) died last Thursday.
Did a little research and decided to try a heat pump. A little more expensive, but uses a third of the electricity of the vented or condensor dryers. (£33 compared to £105 average per year or so I read)
Was delivered yesterday and the wife had it running most of the day and her feedback was that it was just as quick, much quieter and everything came out feeling softer. Seems the sensor drying, some anti tangle, anti crease functions went down well with her. But thumbs up it seems
Oh and if you have a drain near, the pipe can go straight down it to save having to empty the tank
brownsauce
Member
If you can get a gas supply into your garage ……….you’ve got to be kidding right ? sorry but thats just ridiculous.
getting a gas mains to what maybe a detached building , under whats probably a concrete pad is unlikely to cost less than a grand before even buying the appliance.
Or alternatively he might have an integral garage with the mains supply arriving in there. Like mine.