Our existing condensor tumble dryer has just died. Well actually, I killed it. The top door hinge got loose and the door wouldn’t shut easily, so I kicked it and it fell off. Hey-ho, it was free (used) 5 years ago.

Either way, it needs replacing. It worked fine, but unsurprisingly, when it was on it kicked out a lot of warm damp air. Warm is good, damp isn’t. It could be that the old dryer just wasn’t working as efficiently as it should have been. Is it worth getting a hole drilled through the wall and getting a vented one? Certainly less hassle in the long run as the reservoir wouldn’t need emptying.

condenser one with a permanent drain attached if you have a waste pipe conveniently placed.

Hadn’t thought of the permanent drain option. Cheers.

Had a condenser in my old rented flat. almost useless for getting things dry. it was more like a microwave than a dryer.

I would never bother with a condenser one if a vented one was a possibility!

They use so much more electric (condensers) and damp is an issue as you mention.

Vented for the win!

Vented are loads faster and cheaper to buy, I just hang the hose out of the garage door.

Used to have vented which broke them bought a cOndensor one as its new home was under the stairs. Kenwood one, great bit of kit but definitely doesn’t remove all moisture from the warm air it’s pumping out. Now built a nice shiny bike/log/tumble dryer store and it’s much happier outside!

I’ve got a condensor ( AEG ) and it has been excellent.

Note that they don’t work well at all if the are situated somewhere cold like a garage.

Most should come with a hose so that you can bypass the built in reservoir and put the waste water directly into a waste pipe.

Bosch condenser here. Far more efficient than they used to be. It provides useful heat in our enclosed porch and despite that not being heated we have no issues with damp or condensation. I was convinced vented would have been better but now I think my ideas were a bit out of date.

Zanussi heat pump condenser here. Works a treat.

http://www.sust-it.net/blog/how-to-choose-a-tumble-dryer-vented-or-condenser/

Go for whatever has the best rating. They have been through the same tests. I had a condenser for the last 5 years and, provided you cleaned all of the filters/traps regularly, never gave a problem.

I’m a condenser man now, I think the modern ones are more efficient than a vented as they reuse the heat extracted from the condensate..

Siemens condensor here, under the stairs, it re-uses heat and warms the hallway. I was very reluctant to buy it as I hate the idea of any kind of damp air kicking about, but, the air really is perfectly dry and the heat we’ve paid for stays in the house.

They’re more expensive to buy though, a LOT more expensive for a good one so, if I had an outside wall it would kinda depend on how much money I had on the day…

Our Hoover condensing dryer has been working fine in the garage for the last 5 years. I had to replace the capacitor recently but that’s it (touches wood, ahem).

Condenser as it lives in the “Bike Room” which any ill-informed estate agent would say was the third upstairs bed room . no damp issues from it and it does make the room nice and toasty.

money no object? nice new condensor

on a budget? vented

maybe the sums are different considering energy use over the long term etc

Shiny new condensor dryer arrived on saturday 🙂

So, connecting the drain. The drain hose is tiny, about half the diameter of a washing machine drain hose. Any suggestions how to connect it to either the washing machine drain hose, or the under-sink waste pipe?

You can get reducers for the waste buy a “tee” cut into existing waste (get correct size) fit the tee and put reducer in top using a good plastic adhisive and fit drain. Or get a plumber to fit (no more than 20 quid)

Got a gas vented one here. Had it for about 10yrs. Much cheaper to run than electric tumble dryer as gas is around third of the cost of electricity per KWh.

Gas FTW.

Just fited a new exterior vent to a vented one today, and the amount of heat and moisture it chucks out is quite a lot, think of all the heat and some residual dampness being pumped into your house.