Best tumble dryers to buy in 2023

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Vented tumble dryers

A vented tumble dryer is the cheapest type of dryer, and is also the most traditional. It works by pumping all the hot, damp air out of the machine, through a hose, and out of your house. There are two main ways you can use this: Permanently venting the hose through the wall, or by positioning the hose out of an opening (such as a window or door). Of course, the latter is not ideal in the colder months.

Beko DTGV7000W 7kg Vented Tumble Dryer

A freestanding vented tumble dryer, the Beko DTGV7000W is a great bit of kit. It’s recommendable to anyone looking for a small, simple dryer to take care of their weekly load. It may have a C energy rating, but depending on the amount you use it, this shouldn’t have too much of an impact on your energy bills

The Beko DTGV7000W is an impressive dryer in two areas - price and size. The compact size of the Beko means it can be neatly tucked away in houses where space may be an issue. And compared to other similar models, it’s pretty inexpensive, so it’s good for the budget conscious.

On the other hand, it can be a challenge to figure out which of the Beko’s settings is best for which type of load. You may have to resort to trial and error to understand which programmes produce the best results.

Pros:

• Inexpensive: If you’re looking for an effective dryer that sits comfortably within your budget, the Beko DTGV7000W remains a solid option.
• Compact: The Beko DTGV7000W is a compact tumble dryer, designed to fit into smaller homes while still offering a 7kg load size. This makes it a desirable option for people living in smaller apartments, or those looking to utilise as little space as possible.
• Relatively quiet: While some tumble dryers can produce loud and distracting noises, the Beko DTGV7000W is very quiet by comparison. This makes it possible to enjoy a book, TV show, or gaming session without being distracted by the loud rattling other dryers might emit.

Cons:

• Unclear options: Some customers have reported that, when it comes to the different drying programmes, there are too many options. This makes it difficult to figure out which programme is best which type of load and requires some trial and error to figure out.

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INDESIT Ecotime IDV75 Vented Tumble Dryer

Vented dryers typically cost a lot less than condenser and heat pump dryers, and the Indesit Ecotime IDV75 is no exception. It is a very simple machine that lacks any of the mod cons you might find on a top range dryer. This isn’t a bad thing, however, as it makes for a super simple operation.

Not only that, but it is a fair amount cheaper than many other vented dryers. Of course, like all vented dryers, the need to remove water through a hose can make installing the IDV75 an annoyance - especially if it means you have to rearrange the layout of your home to accommodate it.

Overall, the sub-£200 price tag may be enough to sway you to purchase the Indesit IDV7, especially if you’re replacing another vented tumble dryer and don’t need to worry so much about installation and placement.

Pros:

• Simple usage: Sometimes simple is better, and on that basis, the Indesit IDV75 does well. With no additional features (such as sensor drying), you can rest assured that the dryer will take as long as stated, every time.
• Budget-friendly: Available for less than £200, this is an excellent option to go for if your previous dryer broke down and you need a replacement as soon as possible.
• Drying guide: If you’re unsure of how long your clothes should be in the dryer, there is a handy guide printed onto the machine itself. This will depend on the weight of the load, and the type of fabrics being dried.

Cons:

• Requires specific positioning: Because the IDV75 is a vented tumble dryer, it needs to be placed in an area with access to outdoors in order for the hose to drain properly. This can be difficult in some houses where the layout may need to be rearranged in order to accommodate the new positioning.

Condenser tumble dryers

These are now incredibly common, partly thanks to their ease of use. They work by condensing and collecting the water from the air inside the drum. The water is collected in a separate compartment which needs to be emptied when it gets full.

There should even be an indicator light to let you know when the compartment needs emptying. Additionally, since the tumble dryer stores the removed water, you can place it wherever it’s needed, unlike vented tumble dryers which need to be near a window or exterior wall.

Bosch WTN85251GB Condenser Tumble Dryer | 8kg

The Bosch WTN85251GB is an excellent tumble dryer which boasts a multitude of great features. These include specialised modes to properly dry clothes that may be too delicate to be used in more abrasive dryers.

The most impressive of these is the Outdoor+ drying mode, which makes light work of outdoor clothing, such as warm, puffy coats, which can otherwise be a nightmare to wash and dry. Whereas other machines may dry the coat too quickly, or use too much heat, causing damage, the Bosche WTN85251GB is able to gently dry your coat with ease.

The sensor drying option is not perfect, however, as it can still leave some moisture in your clothes to ensure it doesn’t damage them. This is easily combated by letting your clothes air-dry over a banister for a short time. The 8kg drum also makes it an excellent option for medium-sized households, letting you quickly dry everyone’s clothes together. Handy when you need to make sure that the kids’ uniforms are ready alongside your work clothes.

Pros:

• Sensitive drying system: Clothes are gently dried while currents of warm air are used to stop your clothes sticking to the drum. This removes the risk of snagging and your fabrics are left protected, no matter how delicate they are.
• Outdoor+ drying: If you enjoy long walks, but are worried about ruining your coats by putting them in the dryer, the Outdoor+ mode has you protected. Low temperatures will make sure they’re good as new for your next outdoor adventure.
• Sensor drying: There’s no point in continuing to use energy when your clothes are already dry. The built-in sensor of the Bosch WTN85251GB can automatically detect the level of moisture left in your clothes, and adjusts itself accordingly.

Cons:

• Sensor drying isn’t 100% effective: In order to avoid damaging your clothes, the sensor errs on the safe side. Unfortunately, this means that your clothes can still end up a little damp at the end of the cycle.

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Zanussi Lindo300 ZDC8202PZ 8Kg Condenser Tumble Dryer

Perhaps the greatest feature of the Zanussi Lindo300 is how it uses magnets to turn its motor, instead of using brushes like other tumble dryers. Consequently, the inverter motor is far quieter than most other models. Combine this with the Lindo300’s low cost, and it is a great choice to have in your home.

It’s also an incredibly useful dryer if you have a musty wardrobe, as it can quickly refresh your clothes and leave them smelling newly washed. This feature alone could save you a lot of money you’d waste by rewashing unworn clothes.

Unfortunately, the Lindo300 may be a little confusing to get to grips with. Some users have reported that the instructions are unclear, so the dryer may need a little trial and error to figure out properly.

Pros:

• Inverter motor: By using magnets instead of brushes, the motor in Zanussi’s Lindo300 is far quieter, more energy-efficient and longer-lasting too. Because of this, it is perfectly suited to open-plan homes, or areas where you’d typically prefer peace and quiet.
• Refresh your clothes: The Lindo300 has a short, cool air cycle designed to quickly refresh any clothes that haven’t been worn in a while, instead of needing to give them a full wash and dry.
• 8kg drum: Perfectly sized for medium households, the larger drum also provides more room for your clothes to be better exposed to the hot air and helps them to dry more quickly and efficiently.

Cons:

• Difficult to understand: Several customers have reported that they have been confused when trying to use the dryer for the first few times.

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Hotpoint TDHP871RP 8kg Condenser Tumble Dryer

If you’re looking for a condenser dryer that gets the job done, and won’t set you back too much, the Hotpoint TDHP871RP may just be the choice for you. It’s simple to use and has an A+ energy rating, which should stop you from spending unnecessarily on your energy bills.

The Hotpoint is not incredibly advanced, especially when compared to newer and more expensive tumble dryers. However, this does result in a lower price and eloquent simplicity in its usage.

It also boasts an A+ energy efficiency rating. This is extremely useful for keeping long-term costs down, and helping the environment while you’re at it. Combine the lower long-term costs with the very reasonable initial cost of the dryer, and the Hotpoint works out to be a very economical machine.

Pros:

• Easy to use: With clearly listed functions that are as simple to use as pressing a button, it requires very little to choose the correct setting for your clothes.
• Sensor drying: Designed to let you go about your day, safe in the knowledge that the dryer won’t continue to heat your clothes once they’re dry.

Cons:

• Not very advanced: While more modern and expensive dryers incorporate all sorts of new features to ensure that your clothes are well-protected, the Hotpoint’s price point means that it is a very basic, but functional, tumble dryer.

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Candy Grand'O Vita GVSC10DE 10Kg Condenser Tumble Dryer

A brilliant budget tumble dryer that offers nearly as much as bigger brands do on their pricier models. The Candy Grand’O Vita is truly exceptional. The greatest selling point of the Candy Grand’O has to be its value for money.

At the time of writing, the Grand’O was available for a mere £279. Considering all the added features it comes with, that is an astounding price, and may be why it’s so common to find it out of stock. If you do manage to find a Candy Grand’O in stock, it’s definitely worth checking out before that one gets snapped up too.

Like other budget tumble dryers, the Grand’O can be a bit noisy while a programme is running. If you’re not put off by this, you will enjoy the 10kg drum and smartphone controls, but nevertheless, it can be annoying in the long term or if you’re drying at night.

Pros:

• 10kg drum: More than capable of handling the largest loads, the 10kg drum provides an incredible ease of access when loading and unloading the tumble dryer.
• Smartphone control: The Candy Grand’O has WiFi compatibility, which means that like more expensive tumble dryers, you can use your phone to control and monitor the drying cycles.
• Excellent value for money: At below £300, the Candy Grand’O Vita offers a lot of machine for not a lot of money. If you can one find one available, be sure to snap it up because they do sell out very quickly.

Cons:

• Noisy drying cycle: The biggest flaw with the Candy Grand’O Vita is the noise it produces when in use. It’s unfortunate, as everything else with this tumble dryer is very impressive.

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Heat pump tumble dryers

Heat pump tumble dryers are typically the most expensive to buy. However, this is generally offset by lower long-term running costs.

They work by sending wet air through a filter which removes and collects the water and then reuses the same hot air to continue drying your clothes. Like condensers, a heat pump collects water so it can be positioned anywhere you need.

Of course, the heat pump does have some running issues. While it may be cheaper in the long term, experts have deduced it may take 11 years to eventually equal the cost of a vented or condenser tumble dryer. Not only that, but they’ll also take far longer to dry your clothes and will often refuse to work properly in temperatures below 10˚C.

MIELE TWJ660 WP WiFi-enabled 9 kg Heat Pump Tumble Dryer

The Miele TWJ660 is probably the most capable tumble dryer available. It has a myriad of features designed to protect your clothes, and make your life as simple as possible.

The fact that it has WiFi functionality makes it incredibly simple to monitor and manage your clothes, even if you need to leave the house and are worried about your clothes either being in too long, or not long enough.

It’s one of the more expensive tumble dryers on the market, costing over £1,200 at the time of writing, but the incredible features it has packed into it make it more than worth that price. Minor additions, such as the fragrance flacons, show an impeccable attention to detail and desire for customer satisfaction.

Pros:

• WiFi-enabled: Leading a busy life and need to leave your clothes in the dryer while you pop to the shops or go to work? Simply download the Miele App and manage your drying from your phone.
• Patented honeycomb drum: The specially designed drum of the Miele TWJ660 has a honeycomb pattern on the inside, which provides your clothes with a cushioned effect, and prevents snags.
• Fragrance flacons: Choose your preferred scent and by using special Miele flacons, add the scent to your clothes as they’re drying. You can choose one of five available scents to be imbued into your clothes.

Cons:

• Expensive: At the time of writing, this was £1,259.99, making it an incredibly costly machine. The Miele TWJ660 may be out of budget for those looking for a standard dryer, but for those who want all the bells and whistles, it is an effective tumble dryer.

LG FDV909S WiFi-enabled 9 kg Heat Pump Tumble Dryer

Probably one of the top tumble dryers on this list, there is very little that the LG FDV909S cannot do. In fact, if you have the accompanying washer, they can even exchange information and prepare the ideal drying cycle for your clothes.

The FDV909S has also been awarded the highest energy-efficiency rating, which means it will definitely save you money on your energy bills, especially when compared to other dryers.

LG have gone above and beyond with specialised modes. The Eco Hybrid mode is able to save you either time or money, and the allergy care mode has been certified to kill 99.9% of dust mites. The only flaw with the LG FDV909S is that it doesn’t alert you when the water collector is full, but simply checking before you use it can nullify this.

Pros:

• Top energy rating: With an A+++ energy rating, the LG FDV909S is one of the most efficient tumble dryers you can buy. If you have the budget to afford the initial cost of the dryer, you’ll be able to benefit from continuously lower energy usage.
• Eco Hybrid: When you select to use the Eco Hybrid Mode, you get to choose whether you want to save on energy or time. This is a brilliant offering because different lifestyles have different priorities.
• Allergy Care: If you suffer from allergies or respiratory issues, the Allergy Care function is certified to eliminate 99.9% of dust mites. It does so by sanitising, disintegrating, and then removing the dust mites that may be living on your clothes.

Cons:

• Lacks full water indicator: While the dryer is capable of sending a notification when the cycle is finished, it doesn’t notify you when the water collector is full. If unmonitored, this can lead to water overflowing and spilling onto your floor.

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Samsung DV90T6240LN Heat Pump Tumble Dryer

This is an absolutely excellent tumble dryer. It runs relatively quietly, and can easily handle a larger household’s washing thanks to its 9kg drum. It also possesses some great cost-saving features, such as Optimal Dry technology, to keep long term spending down.

This can be very beneficial to busy households where you may not have the time to juggle between waiting for the drying to be ready. With its SmartControl+ feature, the Samsung DV90T6240LN is able to not only send push notifications to your phone, but even to your TV, alerting you to the fact your cycle is finished.

Pros:

• 9kg drum: Looking for a dryer that can handle the entire house’s load at once? The large 9kg drum is well suited to managing large households, instead of forcing you to split the washing into separate drying loads.
• Limits power usage: Samsung’s Optimal Dry technology is responsible for cutting down on excess power usage, able to automatically adjust the length of a drying cycle. It not only protects your clothes, but keeps your energy bills down too.
• SmartControl+: Whether you want to be alerted to when exactly your cycle finishes, or you simply want to decide on the programmes from your phone rather than the machine, Samsung’s SmartControl+ feature allows you to do exactly that.

Cons:

• Language issues: On odd occasions, customers have reported that their machines have been set to other languages, such as German. This can be solved with relative ease, however, by either contacting customer support, or downloading the user manual.

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AEG SensiDry T7DEE835R Heat Pump Tumble Dryer

If you want to dry your clothes with a strong focus on energy-efficiency and ease of use, then the AEG SensiDry is a solid option. Like all heat pump dryers, it is initially expensive, but will save you money in the long run.

Perhaps the best feature of the SensiDry is that it’s incredibly simple to use. Whilst some dryers need you to constantly refer back to their manual in order to use their functions properly, the SensiDry’s UI (User Interface) is incredibly simple to get to grips with.

Unfortunately, the SensiDry can be loud when in use. Some customers have reported that it makes annoying noises, but that doesn’t stop this from being an excellent dryer. Especially when you consider that AEG have thought about the usage and placement in the home, by including an adjustable door.

Pros:

• Easy to use: The AEG SensiDry has an extremely intuitive user interface, meaning you won’t need to constantly refer to the manual in order to dry your clothes in the way you want. The various modes are clearly labelled, and easily selectable.
• Anti-crease: When doing a big load of laundry, the last thing anyone wants to do is spend ages ironing it all. With the easy ironing, anti-crease option, your clothes are rotated to help remove as many wrinkles as possible, making your life much easier.
• Adjustable door: Initially, this may seem like an odd gesture to include. In practice, however, it is brilliant. By allowing the door to be moved around, the consumer now has the ability to configure their dryer to their specific needs.

Cons:

• Can be loud: Some customers have reported that the SensiDry can create an annoying, loud noise while it’s drying. It isn’t ideal, but doesn’t change the fact that the AEG SensiDry is an efficient machine at a good price.

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Whatever tumble dryer you end up settling on, make sure it’s the right fit for you and your household. They typically last for years and can make your life far easier than trying to air-dry all your clothes straight out of the washing machine.