Dryers

Consider not just how many people are at home but what gets dried and how often. If you're regularly drying plenty of towels and bedding go for either a 7.5, 8.5 or a 9kg drum with these high capacities generally only found in Heat Pump Dryers like from ASKO or LG.

Consider where it will live at home. You can put a dryer on top of a Washing Machine (of course it'll need to be a Front Loader Washer) but only Heat Pump or Condenser Dryers are compatible, and the job requires a Washer Dryer Stacking Kit often sold separately. To wall mount a dryer we recommend going for a Vented Dryer which usually comes with wall brackets.

Vented or Sensor Dryers require a venting setup to push hot air outside. Heat Pump Dryers won’t fill a laundry with hot air and nor will Condenser Dryers, but Condensers need fresh air coming in to avoid the room heating up and moisture forming on the walls. The water accrued from Condenser Drying needs to be regularly emptied out or hooked up to drainage.

Rather than relying on conventional heating methods to dry, Heat Pump Dryers instead use technology like refrigerant to create and evenly distribute warm air throughout the drum. These Dryers reheat and recycle this same air throughout the entire drying cycle without continuously drawing on power.

Heat Pump Dryers naturally dry at lower temperatures so they’re gentle on all sorts of clothing and tend to have unique drum structures that cushion the load for warm and fluffy towels. Take Bosch Heat Pump Dryers for example with sensitive drying systems or for extra TLC of a favourite teddy bear or shoes, get an included drying rack with some Fisher & Paykel Dryers.

Extracted moisture collected during the drying process condenses into water and is stored in a condensation container for emptying. Depending on where the Dryer is positioned and its existing connections, condensed water could be expelled straight into drainage instead.

They can which is why you should follow the care label of your favourite clothing, as well as suggested programs and drying options within a Dryer's manual for the best settings. Cottons and woollens especially can be prone to shrinkage due to the nature of their fibres so be sure to use low heat cycles, the correct Dryness Levels for the materials and stick to program's recommended load sizes.

Damp clothes at ok in the Dryer but it helps to first wring out as much moisture as possible using the highest spin speed on a Washing Machine. If the weather’s not helping and you can’t hang them out on the line, it’s worth airing them over a clothes horse for a while first (especially cotton shirts) before they go in the Dryer.

The good news is as today’s Dryers are so much savvier with the majority including sensors that automatically stop the dryer once moisture is no longer detected, protecting from over drying and shrinkage.
 

Heat Pump Dryers are the cheapest to run due to energy efficiencies gained from how they dry. When used regularly, their initial higher cost is offset by the bill savings made over time. If you're only relying on a Dryer here and there, a cheaper Condenser or Sensor Dryer might suit better as you’re less likely to recoup the cost of a Heat Pump Dryer.

Most Heat Pump models have an 8 to 9 Star Energy Rating with some at even 10 Stars like some Miele Heat Pump Dryers compared to Vented or Condenser models at around 2 to 2.5 Stars. With many Heat Pump Dryers falling into the large size category, this can be a win-win for some households.

Always compare Dryers of the same load size to get a proper understanding on the Dryer’s efficiency. The higher the energy rating, the less electricity it’ll consume. It’s also worth getting an estimate of what the average annual running cost will be by referring to the Australian Government’s Energy Rating website.