Are you sick and tired of having to take your clothes and blankets down the street to a dry cleaner, which can be expensive, or to the laundromat, which eats up your Sunday morning? Then maybe you should consider investing in a laundry dryer. Gone are the days when these babies cost more than a washing machine; you can now find an affordable dryer almost everywhere, brand new or second-hand.

However, it’s crucial that you learn more about dryer machines before buying one. Lucky for you, this article will tell you everything you need to know about clothes dryers.

Not All Dryers Are The Same

Shocking, isn’t it? Similar to washing machines, there are different types of laundry dryers that will use various technologies to dry your clothes. Let’s discuss them below:

Vented Dryers

The vented dryer uses an open drying system with a fan sending ambient air into the machine, which warms it up and sends it to the drum. Then a vent evacuates this hot air, which is why it’s recommended to place this vent towards a window.

These are the classic clothes dryers, and they are often the cheapest machines with the biggest loading capacity. However, they can curl clothes in a ball (unless you know our special tip, of course, which is to use tennis balls), and you will need a ventilated room with a window (unless you also want a sauna).

Heat Pumps Dryers

This type of laundry dryer doesn’t use a heating coil to make the magic happen. Instead, it uses a compressor, similar to an air conditioner or a fridge, but the air goes the other way around. This technology is more efficient in terms of energy, but you’ll have a water reservoir to empty regularly. These dryers are reputed to be more gentle on the clothes, but the process can often take longer.

Condenser Dryers

Do you remember your physics classes about condensation? If so, you can already guess how the condenser dryer works. If not, let us refresh your memory, literally. The condenser has a chamber with a heating coil. The humid air is cooled down, so the water condenses, and the coil warms up the clothes.

Meanwhile, a tube extracts the condensed water to a reservoir. This reservoir needs to be emptied regularly. It’s a heavy machine, so you won’t be able to mount it on your wall. Condensers tend to have a larger capacity, and you won’t have the heating problem. The main downside is that the process of drying your clothes can take longer than the other machines. 

Which Dryer Do You Need?

If you live in a small apartment, we’d highly recommend the condenser. Although it’s heavy, you won’t need to place it in an open room. If you’re on a budget, a good old-fashioned vented dryer won’t let you down with a simple system void of too much electronics. The heat pump is kind of like a hybrid between these two machines and will be more gentle on your clothes and cost less energy.