Condenser Dryer: anyone has one?

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Batman

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#120905 18-Jun-2013 00:02

I must have been living in the 20th century coz i saw something i've never heard of: condenser dryer

Anyone has one? Are they any good (yet)?

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#838446 18-Jun-2013 00:13

I have a Bosch condenser. Wouldn't be without it! Best dryer I've owned.

kiwitrc

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#838460 18-Jun-2013 06:20

gehenna: I have a Bosch condenser. Wouldn't be without it! Best dryer I've owned.

Why is it the best?

Niel

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#838461 18-Jun-2013 06:22

I'm told they are slow, but efficient. It still takes a lot of energy to dry clothes, so if you have one of these in your home then instead of sucking the energy from the power station it will suck it from your house (which then needs heating). It is just slow enough that you don't notice it.

I love my Bosch sensor dryer. Can't go condenser because at times I need to dry 4-5 large loads in one day.

You can never have enough Volvos!

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#838463 18-Jun-2013 06:24

To clarify "efficient", that is on power usage and not considering the energy sucked out of your house (which needs to be heated again in winter).

You can never have enough Volvos!

timmmay

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#838465 18-Jun-2013 06:31

A friend has one in their shed, says they're very very slow. That will probably wear your clothes out more quickly than a faster drier.

zenourn

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#838474 18-Jun-2013 08:07

We have a heat-pump dryer which is like a condenser dryer but uses a heat-pump instead of a passive heat exchanger. Quick at drying clothes (generally 1-1.5 hours depending on moisture content) and extremely efficient, using less than half the electricity of a standard dryer. The biggest issue is the large capital cost.

gehenna

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#838479 18-Jun-2013 08:32

Mine dries a full load in about 40 minutes. Condenser reservoir fills in about 2-3 loads. Super convenient because I don't have to duct it out side (I rent) and I don't have condensation filling the house from the exhaust.

It doesn't use much power compared to other dryers I've owned - but maybe that's because it's a well designed brand.

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#838489 18-Jun-2013 08:57

timmmay: A friend has one in their shed, says they're very very slow. .

Very likely, given the shed temperature is unlikely to be much above the ambient outside air temp...

CapBBeard

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#838492 18-Jun-2013 09:10

gehenna: It doesn't use much power compared to other dryers I've owned - but maybe that's because it's a well designed brand.

Which brand is that if you dont mind? EDIT: Sorry didn't connect you to your earlier post! Bosch it is. Cheers!

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#838511 18-Jun-2013 09:26

I have a Miele condenser dryer and it's brilliant.
The clothes don't come out scorching hot like they did with non-sensor models, and as I rent, with no possibility to vent (leaving a door open is NOT going to happen) it's been brilliant. It's probably 15 minutes slower than our old drier, but the clothes seem to feel 'lighter and fluffier' when I get them out. You can choose to leave the drier on a mode that will leave your items slightly moist, so you can air them and REALLY look after the fabric. I don't, I choose the 'extra dry' option and it's perfect... not cheap, but you get what you pay for.

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#838521 18-Jun-2013 09:35

My in-laws have a Miele condenser dryer, and washing machine. They swear by them. I think once my Bosch set gets a bit long in the tooth I'll end up getting a Miele - but that's a good 10-20 years away :)

The Miele has this great tech that creates an air buffer between the load and the metal drum. That's why there's hundreds of little holes in the drum, so the clothes never have to touch the metal and therefore have less impact while drying and stay in good condition.

timmmay

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#838539 18-Jun-2013 09:44

My F&P drier is around 5 years old but is making a some strange squeeking noises. I'll probably replace it before it fails - I know I could probably have it serviced, but I've had the service guy out about 5 times already for various things, and it's $100 per time - that cost almost as much as the drier.

Can condensate driers be wall mounted, or are they too heavy? I have no floor space, so unless I changed to a front loader washing machine that can be stacked I'd have a problem.

gehenna

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#838540 18-Jun-2013 09:47

Not sure about wall mounting....I have a front loader Bosch as well and a stacking kit which is a slide out drawer that sits between the two - super handy for putting the basket on when you're un/loading the dryer.

Something like a Bosch or Miele is worth the investment in comparison to F&P. You're already noticing problems after 5 years, but the better brands last decades and they pay for themselves many times over.

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#838541 18-Jun-2013 09:47

We have just bought the Bosch condenser drier, its our first drier owing to wife's demands overcoming my logical reluctance, but its great to have. We got it so we didn't have to vent it outside, and it works well. Takes a long time, but then we don't have a benchmark for speed.

It does seem to have the brackets for hanging, but weights about 40kg.

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#838545 18-Jun-2013 09:56

Thanks, I'll look into them some time.

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