Vented or Condenser Dryer

[Andrew May]

Not a DIY question [1] but my washing machine is giving up the ghost and it is time for a replacement and have decided that with winter on the way I will get a dryer to go with it. Seems to be a choice between condenser or vented. My experience with a condenser washer/dryer about

20-years ago leads me to prefer vented but that was 20-years ago and technology may have moved on - it usually does. So, what are people's experiences of either and is there anything in particular that I should look out for?

Andrew

[1] Well, if I go for a vented then I will be knocking the hole in the outside wall.

[Lobster]

I asked this question about 18 months ago and got some good response (can't find it in the ng archives though).

ISTR the upshot was that people thought the best reason for buying a condenser dryer was the ability not to be tied to an outside wall for venting purposes, but that if you can vent outside, then best to go for a vented model on the grounds of cost and mechanical simplicity.

But ISTR there was one school of thought that pointed out that not only is all the heat generated by a vented dryer chucked outside and wasted, but because it's pumping air *out* of the house then somewhere cold air is being sucked in from the outside (or there'd be a vaccuum in the house).

I went for a vented one in the end, and have no regrets.

hth David

[Andrew May]

Thanks, would that be this one?

rather drift onto the environmental aspects of driers didn't it? :-) but some useful information from forum regulars all the same.

Andrew

[Rob Horton]

I've got a condensing dryer and it works extremely well, but then it is a Miele. Well worth the extra money. Came with a 10 year guarantee as well.

Like a lot of people, I don't have the luxury of locating a dryer next to an outside wall. It has to go where it will fit.

During winter it is very handy to have the heat produced by the dryer being contained by the house. Obviously I never use my dryer during summer due to the big free dryer in the sky.

Never get a combined washer dryer.

[Jim Alexander]

Would be interested in your feedback there. Separate appliances at the moment but a combined washer dryer would free-up some valuable space.

Jim A

[Mogga]

Dryer has to dry the washer before it can start drying the clothes.

[Andrew May]

Technology may have moved on but I had a combined waster/dryer, admittedly I bought it 20yrs ago but it never really seemed to get clothes dry. And, the dryer only took half the load of the washer so not really feasible to run right through on both unless doing a small load.

Andrew

[Andrew May]

It's the Miele that I was looking at.

[Tony Bryer]

For me, living on my own, a washer-dryer works brilliantly - throw some clothes in and a couple of hours later they're washed and dried. But for a family, having two separate appliances lets you wash and dry at the same time and a separate drier can take more in one go than a WD.

[Rob Horton]

Only anecdotal evidence from other people who have had experience of combined washer dryers. They never wash or dry as well as seperate units.

[Huge]

Also, the driers often have a lower capacity than the washer, so you either need to wash half-loads or take half of it out to dry it.

[Steve Firth]

The Zanussi model we have works fine for both functions.

[Mathew Newton]

This may be a little late to be of any use but have a look at the 'UK Whitegoods' site - some really good buying advice, and indeed an article on washer dryers (basically says they're rubbish, with a couple of exceptions if you've got no choice):

sounds like an advert, but I have nothing to do with them - just found their buying guides very useful.

Mathew

[meow2222]

I prefer this option:

[AJH]

freecycle.

Our kitchen has full length fitted cupboards on the party wall end, which once housed a solid fuel boiler and subsequently a gas boiler. The recessed cupboard is deep enough for a clothes airer and having fitted a Suprima (spit) some years ago in a toilet, the space was free.

I simply put some rags up the flue and masked off the back, not too well to ensure some ventilation and put the dehumidifier and damp clothes in. It works well with the additional advantage the HW pipes and valves are still there, so as winter draws in the closet should have some more heat gain.

AJH