Name: Dehumidifier Vs Tumble Dryer For Drying Clothes: which is better? - Check Appliance
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Dehumidifier Vs Tumble Dryer For Drying Clothes: which is better? - Check Appliance

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Skip to contentLiving in an area where the weather cannot be relied on to get clothes dry outdoors even during the summer months, means we need to find an alternative way of dealing with wet washing. There are a few different ways we can go but in this article we’ll be concentrating on whether it’s better to use a tumble dryer or a dehumidifier to get clothes dry.If you’re having problems getting your laundry dry, and can’t decide whether to buy a tumble dryer or a dehumidifier, keep reading.Table of ContentsThere are several differences between these two appliances, not least of all the size. Tumble dryers are as big as washing machines whereas dehumidifiers are around the same size as a PC tower give or take.Functionality and positioning are also huge differences between these two appliances. Tumble dryers need to be sited in a permanent position (often near an outside wall depending on the type), whereas dehumidifiers are completely portable and can be moved from room to room in your home.A tumble dryer’s primary (and only) function is to dry wet laundry. Dehumidifiers on the other hand, can be used in any room and for drying anything that’s wet. For instance, wet washing on a clothes airer can be dried faster using a dehumidifier, but the dehumidifier can also be used to speed up the drying time of wet plaster, drying paint, wallpaper etc.In many homes condensation is a big problem especially in cold winter months when opening windows can be problematic. Running a dehumidifier can help to remove moisture in a laundry caused by drying clothes, in the kitchen boiling food on a hob, using a microwave oven, in a bathroom caused by steam and so on.Dehumidifiers work by drawing in damp air which passes across a refrigerated coil. This cools the air which condenses the water vapour which is then stored in a reservoir.The cooled air is then passed across the condenser where it gets reheated and sent back into the room only at a lower level of humidity. So a dehumidifier takes moisture from the air which in the case of drying clothes, allows more moisture to be expelled by the wet clothes.It also releases warm air which helps speed up the drying process. In many ways a dehumidifier does a similar job to a tumble dryer. It removes damp air and replaces it with warm dry air which gets the clothes dry. However, it takes a dehumidifier much more time to dry clothes than a tumble dryer.Some dehumidifiers have a “laundry drying” function which works by keeping humidity levels within the best range for optimum drying.For more information on the best dehumidifier for drying clothes, click here.Let’s take a quick look at the reasons for and against drying clothes using a dehumidifier.The main benefits of using a dehumidifier to dry clothes include;The main disadvantages of using a dehumidifier to dry your clothes include;Tumble dryers look like washing machines – they’re the same size and shape and are often situated in utility rooms. There are 3 types of tumble dryers which are;Vented Tumble DryersThese work by turning a metal drum which is filled with wet laundry. The drum is full of holes and is subjected to heat which forces the moisture in the clothes to evaporate. This wet air is then pumped out of the dryer via a vent hose which is either attached to an outside wall or draped through an open window or door. Vented dryers tend to be the least expensive of the 3 types of dryers and the most simplest in design.Condenser Tumble DryersThese dryers work using very similar principles to vented dryers except instead of a vent hose to extract the moist air, they use a cooling system that condenses the water vapour and collects it in a reservoir that needs to be emptied frequently. As there is no need for external venting, condenser dryers can be placed anywhere and are not limited to being placed near outside walls. They also have the shortest drying times of all 3 types.Heat Pump Tumble DryersThese dryers work in a similar way to condenser dryers except some of the extracted hot air is pumped back into the dryer to pass over the clothes again to remove moisture. They still have reservoirs that need emptying, but as they reuse hot air, heat pump dryers are the most energy efficient of the 3. The downside is they cost the most too. Added to which their drying cycle is far longer than the others as well.For more information on the different types of tumble dryers follow this link.Let’s now take a quick look at the reasons for and against using a tumble dryer to dry your clothes.The main disadvantages of using a tumble dryer to dry your clothes include;When it comes to versatility, purchase price, laundry care, environmental issues and running costs we’d have to say a dehumidifier wins hands down.&nbsp;With that said it’s far more convenient to dump all of your laundry directly from the washing machine into the nearby tumble dryer and remove it all once it’s dry. Sometimes, saving mother earth is less important than getting your family’s clothes dry in a hurry.You’ll need to consider all of the pros &amp; cons and decide which appliance suits your lifestyle best.There are two separate prices that need to be compared here which are purchase price and the running costs.Dehumidifiers cost somewhere in the region of £100 to £200 to buy, depending on the make and model you choose. Running costs are far cheaper than tumble dryers even when you consider overall running costs.Taking into account the fact that a dehumidifier will take an average of 6 hours to dry a wash load of clothes spread onto a clothes rack, the total cost depending on the wattage of the appliance is anywhere from 57p to £1.35p for the whole 6 hours.Tumble dryers cost considerably more to buy with the cheapest type, vented dryers costing around £200 to £300. Rising to around £250 to £450 for condenser dryers and heat pump dryers costing around £350 to £700.All prices are subject to change and regional variations.Running costs range from around £2.00 for a vented dryer,&nbsp; £1.90 for a condenser dryer and around 75p for a heat pump dryer.Please Note: All prices calculated using average rated appliances at a cost of 34p per unit of electricity.This is a question only you can really answer because you’re the only one that knows your situation. If you care about the environment and have a spare room and your home gets a lot of condensation, a dehumidifier will definitely be your best choice.Not forgetting that clothes are unlikely to get damaged by a dehumidifier in the same way they could in a tumble dryer.However, if you have a large family that creates a lot of laundry, and enough of a budget, getting a tumble dryer, even a cheap vented model could save you lots of work.Ultimately a dehumidifier will save you money but it’s not much good if you need your laundry dry in a hurry. For that you’ll need a tumble dryer.Maybe neither option is the right fit for your home in which case we have another option for you to consider;Rainberg Electric heated folding clothes dryer airer with cover, 230w Energy-Efficient 18 rails indoor airer, wet laundry drying rack. (Heated Rack With Cover)Check PriceThese are similar in design to regular airers except they have an electrically powered heating element that heats up the bars of the airer. Heated airers will get your clothes dryer faster than a regular airer due to the heat passing through the bars.Many have covers which prevent heat loss and keep the moisture contained too. If yours doesn’t come supplied with a cover, these can often be purchased separately or you can use a bedsheet as a cover.The choice is ultimately yours but we’re interested in what you decide, please let us know in the comments whether you chose a tumble dryer or a dehumidifier or something entirely different.SEE ALSO:&nbsp;Is it cheaper to dry clothes with a dehumidifier or a tumble dryer?Even though a dehumidifier can take up to 6 hours to get a wash load of clothes dry, it still works out far less expensive than using a tumble dryer even though it only takes around 45 minutes to complete a cycle.Are dehumidifiers good for drying clothes?Dehumidifiers work by removing moisture from the air and as moist air is removed it allows the damp clothes to release more water molecules into the air. This means that a dehumidifier is a great way to dry clothes and keep the room damp free as well.Will a dehumidifier stop my clothes from smelling?When clothes are left indoors to dry on an airer, they often end up smelling damp and musty. The reason for that is too much moisture. Using a dehumidifier removes that moisture and eliminates the mustiness preventing the clothes from smelling.FacebookTwitterPinterestLinkedInJoin our mailing list and we'll send it to you immediately

Skip to contentLiving in an area where the weather cannot be relied on to get clothes dry outdoors even during the summer months, means we need to find an alternative way of dealing with wet washing. There are a few different ways we can go but in this article we’ll be concentrating on whether it’s better to use a tumble dryer or a dehumidifier to get clothes dry.If you’re having problems getting your laundry dry, and can’t decide whether to buy a tumble dryer or a dehumidifier, keep reading.Table of ContentsThere are several differences between these two appliances, not least of all the...

Dehumidifier Vs Tumble Dryer For Drying Clothes: which is better? - Check Appliance

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