Heated clothes driers

bainbridge · 30 Nov 2023 at 16:30

Please can people share their experience and recommendations on a good one? I'm talking about this type of thing:

https://www.argos.co.uk/product/8849232?storeID=381&istCompanyId=a74d8886-5df9-4baa-b776-166b3bf9111c&istFeedId=30f62ea9-9626-4cac-97c8-9ff3921f8558&istItemId=ixitixwaw&istBid=t&&cmpid=GS001&_$ja=tsid:59157%7Cacid:898-274-0554%7Ccid:20247640952%7Cagid:%7Ctid:%7Ccrid:%7Cnw:x%7Crnd:13778463769196884242%7Cdvc:m%7Cadp:%7Cmt:%7Cloc:9045634&utm_source=Google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=20247640952&utm_term=8849232&utm_content=shopping&utm_custom1=&utm_custom2=898-274-0554&GPDP=true&gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQiAgqGrBhDtARIsAM5s0_nlHwXrZxKYMnRqM2O8Y-cmUSognTPKR4i4LN60O1Tw1yvKHZ9agBoaAjNuEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

My partner doesn't like tumble drying stuff and complains bitterly in winter about how long it takes clothes to dry outside on the washing line.

What better Christmas gift can a spouse get than something to help with the domestic chores?

Plus, she puts out 2 clothes airers in the garage and I'm constantly having to potter around them. I'd much rather devote some precious garage floor space to one of these things and be done with it.

Thanks.

MatsyLR · 30 Nov 2023 at 16:35

I only have an issue with how little you can fit on them. By the time it comes for me to wash I have far too much to fit onto one of those heated driers.

I usually just put my cloths onto an ikea frost drying rack (you can fit a lot on it), placed in front of a radiator with a spare bed sheet draped over the top and behind the radiator to trap some heat inside. Won't full dry on the first day but leave it overnight and usually "cubboard dry". Stick a dehumidifier under and it speeds up the process.

koolpc · 30 Nov 2023 at 16:37

Dehumidifier is good for drying clothes too

Bug One · 30 Nov 2023 at 16:42

I've been tempted by one. However, it only deals with half the problem. All you'll end up doing is moving the moisture from the wet cloths, onto your windows and walls.

I could only imagine using one of these in combination with a dehumidifier, or in a room with an open window.

Barry Smalley · 30 Nov 2023 at 16:53

Tower Fan + Clothes Rack + Dehumidifier (Meaco Arete on Laundry mode) - Can do a full load in 6hrs using 200W per hour. Wife loves it. :cool:

Lord-Jaffa · 30 Nov 2023 at 16:58

koolpc said:
Dehumidifier is good for drying clothes too

This is the answer you're looking for.

silverblack · 30 Nov 2023 at 17:02

We got this one,you still need to shuffle things around but it's cheaper than the tumble dryer.

John Lewis 3-Tier Heated Indoor Clothes Airer

Buy John Lewis 3-Tier Heated Indoor Clothes Airer from our Clothes Airers & Lines range at John Lewis & Partners. Free Delivery on orders over £50.

www.johnlewis.com

adencool · 30 Nov 2023 at 17:21

I brought one of these a few years ago, thou the type which looks like a standard clothes horse, with cover. and it just didn't really work, it just dried where the clothes were touching!

we now have a dedicated laundry room which is a little over 2x 2.5m and we have been constantly having clothes out for ages drying after a wash - up to 5 days, and we were getting mold in the room on the walls / skirting board, note this room has a overside rad as well

Last weekend, we brought a small dehumidifier from homebase for £95 (black Friday deal), wasn't sure on what results we would get, but in what 6 days we have washed and dried 4 loads, including a quilt cover. from the device we started at 75% humidity in there, to an avg of 42% with the washing out. its a total game changer. no longer are we going to have piles of washing, we cant wash, cause we cant dry!

HungryHippos · 30 Nov 2023 at 17:29

Yes if you dry stuff inside you generally will want a dehumidifier running, or fresh air, but in the winter that gets harder.

Heating won't help much as the water has nowhere to go.

Uther · 30 Nov 2023 at 17:37

We bought one from JL a while back and in combination with a dehumidifier it worked ok, if you were in no rush.
We've now got a heat pump tumble dryer though so not used it for a while.

ristac · 30 Nov 2023 at 18:23

I have read lots of reports that they are not worth the money, we too have a heat pump tumble dryer, highly recommended but costly outlay to begin with

bainbridge · 30 Nov 2023 at 22:23

Thanks for your responses. I might have a look at a dehumidifier and heated clothes horse combo instead.

arknor · 30 Nov 2023 at 22:27

I have these modern wonders in my house, metal plates attached to the wall through which hot water can flow through.

I dried some jeans in 3 hours the other day using a radiator on 3 out of 5 and a small usb fan blowing at them

koolpc · 30 Nov 2023 at 22:30

arknor said:
I have these modern wonders in my house, metal plates attached to the wall through which hot water can flow through.

I dried some jeans in 3 hours the other day using a radiator on 3 out of 5 and a small usb fan blowing at them

Moisture causes condensation. Vastly increased while drying cloths on rads!

Dehumidifier is the best solution..

arknor · 30 Nov 2023 at 22:35

koolpc said:
Moisture causes condensation. Vastly increased while drying cloths on rads!

you can just open a vent on a window I find.
drying anything inside is going to cause moisture

I've never had mould here, my place can be a tiny bit drafty though

Bug One · 30 Nov 2023 at 23:25

It's more efficient (ie costs less) to use a dehumidifier to remove the moisture, than to loose all your heated air out a vent.

mattyprice4004 · 30 Nov 2023 at 23:37

Heat pump tumble dryer is the way forward

bainbridge · 1 Dec 2023 at 12:26

I've been looking into dehumidifiers (not the chemical ones), and it's my understanding that it uses a cool plate to extract the water out of warm moisture laden air.

I was thing of buying one of these indoor gardeners grow tents:

Outsunny Mylar Hydroponic Grow Tent with Adjustable Vents and Floor Tray 120 x 60 x 150cm

Buy the Outsunny Mylar Hydroponic Grow Tent With Adjustable Vents And Floor Tray 120 X 60 X 150Cm at Robert Dyas online. Free Standard Home Delivery on this product

www.robertdyas.co.uk

And a dehumidifier:

Blyss D003A-12L 12Ltr Dehumidifier - Screwfix

Order online at Screwfix.com. Ideal for removing excess moisture and controlling damp and condensation. Features automatic shut down, carry handle, LED display and reusable air filter. Comes with a 24hr programmable timer. Has a water tank capacity of 5Ltr and switches off once tank is full...

www.screwfix.com

If I set this up in the garage, which is very dry but unheated, place the dehumidifier in there with an airer full of clothes, will it dry clothes fairly quickly?

I also have a small oil filled radiator that I could place in there too if required.

Any thoughts welcome.

Bug One · 1 Dec 2023 at 12:34

In a cold garage, you'll want a dessicant dehumidifer. This will also warm the air.

What's the grow tent for?

Gammawolf · 1 Dec 2023 at 15:33

Bug One said:
In a cold garage, you'll want a dessicant dehumidifer. This will also warm the air.

What's the grow tent for?

Contain the heat/effectively turns it into a make shift slower heatpump drier (minus the external to internal heat transfer). I personally don't think its worth it, better to dry them in a spare room or somewhere in the house where its just warmer and put the dehumidifier in that room. Theres the added bonus that particularly now that its so cold you may want to humidify air. My house is currently sat at 40%, which is a tad low for my liking.