Home Improvement

How to choose a clothes dryer

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By Kaleem Bhatti

 

A dryer is a convenient, but not accessible device for everyone. Someone cannot afford the tangible costs of acquiring it, and someone simply does not have a place in the bathroom to install overall equipment. For this reason, most of us prefer to dry clothes “the old fashioned way”, hanging washed clothes on thin cables.

More recently, for these purposes, it was necessary to independently pull the ropes on the balcony or in the bathroom, but now the need for them has disappeared. Modern manufacturers produce several types of clothes dryers. So what are these devices, and how do they differ?

Types of dryers

Clothes dryers or Clothes Airers can be classified according to different criteria. First of all, this is the principle of operation – according to it, devices are divided into conventional and electric.

A conventional dryer is a frame with metal rods. Linen on it dries naturally due to the gradual evaporation of moisture.

The electric model is mains powered. This is an optimal device for busy housewives, because things on it will dry much faster. Such models can work in different ways. Some have heating elements built into the laundry rods. Once turned on, they turn into thin “batteries”, forcing clothes to dry. To eliminate the risk of burns, the heating temperature of such devices is maintained at a level safe for humans – about 50 degrees.

Another type of electric dryers are models with a fan. It is usually placed at the bottom of the device, under the clothing bars. Thanks to the directed flow of hot air, the device is able to dry things quickly enough, in just two to three hours. To speed up the drying process, such models are often provided with a cover made of thin material. It is put on top of the frame of the device, preventing the hot air flow from escaping.

Electric dryers may have additional options, such as adjusting the degree of heating, a timer or a remote control.

According to the type of construction, the devices are divided into sliding and folding, and according to the materials of manufacture – into metal and plastic. Metal products (usually steel or aluminum) are more reliable and load-bearing.

Another method for classifying dryers is by type of placement . From this point of view, the following models are distinguished:

  • floor;
  • wall;
  • ceiling;
  • installed on the bath;
  • hung on a radiator.

Floor dryers are similar in design to ironing boards.

You can install such a model in any convenient place: in the room, in the kitchen, on the balcony or in the courtyard of a private house. The device can have several drying zones located at the same or different levels, withstand high loads, and after use it can be easily folded for storage.

Ceiling and wall dryers are stationary models. They are attached to the ceiling or walls in designated areas – usually in the bathroom or on the balcony. The ceiling dryer has a large load capacity and works on the principle of an “elevator” – in order to lower and raise the rods fixed at the top, you will have to use the ropes located on the side.

Wall dryers are divided into several types. The design of some resembles an “accordion”, the second, when folded, looks like a rectangular plastic box attached to the wall. When you need to hang clothes, the front part of such a box opens like cabinet doors, turning into two sidewalls with rods stretched between them. This model is compact and looks very aesthetically pleasing, but has its drawback: it is not designed for a large load.

Another view – bath dryer . It consists of two halves, resembling a book. This device can be placed above the bathtub as a gable or flat roof, with one end placed on the edge of the bathtub and the other end against the wall.

Radiator dryers are suspended models in which the horizontal drying zone is complemented by two hooks. By fixing with their help the structure at the hot radiator, you can significantly speed up the drying of the laundry. The main features of such devices are: a relatively small area and carrying capacity, as well as the fact that it makes sense to use them only during the heating season.

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Specifications

No less important than the principle of operation and the method of placement are the characteristics of the dryers. These include:

  • load capacity;
  • number of rods;
  • number of zones.

The load capacity indicates the maximum weight of the laundry that the dryer is designed to carry. For floor models, this indicator usually varies from 10 to 25 kg, and devices installed on the bath can withstand 10-15 kg. Ceiling dryers are considered the most “hardy” – some models can hang up to 30 kg of laundry. Wall-mounted retractable and battery-mounted compact dryers – for them the maximum load is 5-8 kg. Electric dryers with a fan are on average designed for 10 kg of laundry.

Another indicator that will help you figure out how many things can be placed to dry is the number of rods. Small “radiator” models may have only 5 of them, while large floor devices have more than 35 rods.

Drying zones are areas for hanging laundry. They can be on the same tier, located one above the other or at an angle. Most often, additional zones are located on the sides. With the help of special fasteners, they can be lifted up, fixed parallel to the floor, increasing the area of ​​​​the working surface, or vice versa, folded, reducing the dimensions of the dryer.

Criterias of choice

In order to purchase a successful model the first time and not regret the wasted money, several factors must be taken into account at once. If you plan to dry bedspreads, linens and other large items, the best choice would be a hardy and large floor dryer with two or three zones , capable of withstanding a load of over 15 kg.

A friendly family cannot do without a model with a large number of rods – it is desirable that there be at least 20 of them. But a young couple may well save money and buy a compact model with one zone for 8-10 rods – such a dryer will cost less than a thousand rubles. If the spouses are not too limited in funds, you can get a wall-mounted pull-out dryer with about the same number of rods – you do not have to carry it anywhere and look for a place to store it.

If you have a lot of fussy silk or wool items in your wardrobe that are not recommended for wringing, a bathroom dryer is a practical choice – you can place clothes on it without fear that water flowing down will ruin the laminate.

For families with young children, where there is always a lot of laundry, electric dryers will be useful. Of course, electricity costs will increase slightly, but it will be possible to use clean and dry things in 2-3 hours after washing. Another useful acquisition for parents of young naughty – radiator models . In winter, hats, mittens and outerwear dry very quickly on them, soaked after riding down the hill and having fun playing in the snow.

If one of the main selection criteria for you is the cost, the following information will help you navigate.

Even in the low price range up to 1 thousand rubles , different types of dryers are presented: for a radiator, for a bath and floor, including with several sections. True, the number of rods in the latter is usually not too large – about 20.

In the range from 1 to 2 thousand rubles , the assortment is expanding – for this money you can already pick up a hardy floor version with 25-37 rods.

At a price of more than 2 thousand rubles , electric dryers are mainly offered. Moreover, the difference in cost between horizontal and vertical models is insignificant, but the latter spend much more electricity. The power consumption of horizontal electric dryers, depending on the working area, is on average 100-250 W, and for vertical drying with a fan, this figure can reach 1000 W.

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