If you often dry washing but can’t hang it outside or connect a vent to the outdoors, a condenser tumble dryer can free up your living space by doing away with the clothes airer. A heat-pump model is worth comparing if electricity use is a particular concern. However, check the cycle times, capacity and maintenance requirements. A clothes airer is still an option if you have a large, well-ventilated room or one with suitable extraction, as recommended by ADEME for drying washing indoors.
If there’s no duct to carry air from the tumble dryer outdoors, deciding between a vented and a condenser model comes before choosing programmes. Que Choisir explains that a vented model needs an external opening or access to a ventilation duct.
If the clothes airer regularly takes up space in a living area, first consider where your washing could dry and how well that room is ventilated. ADEME recommends drying washing indoors in a large, well-ventilated room or one with suitable extraction.
Choose a capacity that suits the washing you actually dry, and make sure the Eco programme time, noise level, water management and maintenance requirements fit your household’s routine. Compare these features model by model, using the product details and EPREL in particular.
Start by checking whether you can vent the air outdoors or set aside a suitable room for a clothes airer. Then compare energy use, cycle times and capacity: these factors won’t necessarily point to the same option.
Worth considering: if you don’t have an external vent, dry washing frequently and take electricity use into account when choosing.
The trade-off: according to Que Choisir, this technology uses less energy than conventional condenser or vented models, but usually takes longer to dry clothes.
Worth considering: if you don’t have an external vent and a generally shorter drying time matters more than energy use.
The trade-off: Que Choisir reports that these models generally use more energy than heat-pump models.
Worth considering: only if an external opening or usable duct allows the moist air to be vented outdoors.
The trade-off: this installation limits where you can place the appliance and, according to Que Choisir, generally uses more energy than a heat-pump model.
Worth considering: if you have a large, well-ventilated room or one with suitable extraction where you can dry your washing, and you’re happy to wait.
The trade-off: ADEME notes that air-drying washing releases a lot of moisture into the air indoors. A poorly ventilated living area won’t meet these conditions.
| Concern | What to check | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Damp washing in living areas | Find a suitable room for a clothes airer or choose a mechanical drying method that works for your home. | I’d like to avoid regularly drying washing in the spaces where we live, while still making sure there’s enough ventilation if I keep using a clothes airer. Around 36% of consumers put this need first. |
| Electricity use | Compare kWh/100 cycles and the Eco programme time in each model’s product details. | If I dry washing regularly, I want to be able to assess how much electricity it uses rather than choosing based on cycle time alone. This is a priority for around 29% of consumers. |
| Capacity and washing routine | Check the capacity in kg against your usual loads, and note the Eco programme times for full and half loads. | When loads of washing come one after another, I need enough capacity and a cycle time that fits before the next load, without having to put some of the washing back on the airer. Around 21% of consumers prioritise this. |
| Installation and maintenance | Check where it will go, whether it needs a vent, access to the water tank and the maintenance steps set out in the manual. | In a tight space, I want to be able to install the appliance and carry out routine maintenance without undue difficulty. This is a priority for around 14% of consumers. |
A vented tumble dryer needs to send hot, damp air outdoors. Having a window nearby doesn’t necessarily mean you can set up the connection specified by the manufacturer.
Before ordering, check the opening or duct, the route the vent would take and the model’s manual. If your home needs alterations, also check which permissions apply to your circumstances.
A short programme doesn’t tell you how long it will take to dry a typical load. Que Choisir also highlights the trade-off between speed and energy use across different technologies.
Compare the Eco programme time, capacity and consumption in kWh/100 cycles for the models you’re considering, taking into account how often you dry washing.
The filter and, depending on the appliance, the condenser need to be looked after as set out in the manual. Electrolux warns that a blocked condenser can increase energy use and damage the appliance.
Before buying, check how to access the filter, condenser and water tank, then follow the maintenance instructions for your chosen model.
ADEME identifies air-drying washing as a significant source of moisture indoors.
If you keep using a clothes airer, set it up in a large, well-ventilated room or one with suitable extraction. Otherwise, look at a drying method that works for your home.
The WQG2450SFR is an example of a Bosch heat-pump model with family-sized capacity; its features don’t apply to every model in the range.
The EW6HI5829SB provides useful details to consider when looking at an 8 kg heat-pump tumble dryer, but they don’t necessarily apply to other Electrolux models.
The TQ 1000 WP Nova Edition is an example of a Miele heat-pump tumble dryer with energy-use and cycle-time figures that can help you compare models.
These three 8 kg tumble dryers are intended for mechanical drying without an external vent: two are listed as heat-pump models and the third as a condenser model. To compare them, check each appliance’s energy label and manual against your washing routine and the space where you plan to put it.
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Worth considering if you want to dry loads of up to 8 kg without an external vent.
White model listed with a C energy rating. Check its energy label for consumption in kWh/100 cycles and the Eco programme time, then check the installation requirements in the manual.
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Worth considering if the stated 8 kg capacity and lack of an external vent suit your home.
The product description specifies condenser drying but doesn’t, on its own, confirm which sub-technology it uses. Check the EDH1018CD’s energy use, Eco programme time and water management instructions before comparing it with a heat-pump model.
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Worth considering for loads that suit its stated 8 kg capacity, when connecting an external vent isn’t possible.
White model listed with a D energy rating. To see whether it’s suitable for frequent washing, check its consumption in kWh/100 cycles and Eco programme time. Also check the dimensions and water management instructions in the manual.
No. You need an external opening or access to a usable duct to vent the moist air outdoors: Que Choisir specifies this as an installation requirement. If your home doesn’t have one, consider a condenser tumble dryer or a clothes airer in a suitable room.
No. Not needing an external vent doesn’t remove the installation requirements for the specific model. Check the clearance, room temperature, access to the water tank or drain, and maintenance instructions. For example, Electrolux specifies a temperature range of 5 to 35 °C for the EW6HI5829SB; this doesn’t apply to every appliance.
Compare energy use in kWh/100 cycles, the Eco programme time, capacity and noise level of the models you’re considering. The European EPREL database provides details for models covered by energy labelling. Use the same indicators and programme conditions when comparing two product listings.
Follow the maintenance instructions in the model’s manual, particularly for the filter and, where applicable, the condenser and water tank. Electrolux advises cleaning the filter after every cycle on the relevant appliances and warns that a blocked condenser can increase energy use and damage the appliance.