Condenser Dryers are cool!

[Trek]

Just bought a new Bosch Maxx 7 condenser dryer. No vent needed. The removed moisture collects in a little container that you just pour out in the sink after a few loads of laundry. I've only ever used vented dryers in the past, so this is a neat toy.

And the front panel is all in Swedish, so now I'm fluent in Swedish laundry terminology.

Here's some information on condenser dryers for those not familiar with how they work:

http://ths.gardenweb.com/faq/lists/laundry/2004120958010854.html

 

[chinaco]

Sounds like it is more energy efficient. The same goes for water heaters used in Europe. They heat the water on the fly without a large tank being heated and reheated.

I am sure there are some trade-offs. But it sounds like a good idea.

 

[ladelfina]

Trek, how is that working out for you in terms of the dryness of the clothes and lack of wrinkles compared to a typical American gas dryer?

I have heard many a story here in the Bel Paese of condenser dryers' small capacity (i.e. 1 already-small laundry load = 2 dryer loads-- think along the lines of fitting ONE bedsheet in at a time) and still having it come out with wrinkles..

Bosch Maxx is top-of-the-line.. so it may not have these problems.

I want to get rid of the constant "stendino" (big drying rack) in my living room Nov.-April plus summer when it rains, and want to quit having to iron everything!

I have looked into gas dryers in Italy but it seems they do not exist. Considering the relative costs of gas and electricity here.. I think for us an electric dryer would be more costly to run.. but I gather in Estonia your electricity is unusually cheap?

Also to chinaco.. reading Trek's link they are actually less-efficient.. but if in a cold climate they help heat your house maybe not so much.

All else being equal (i.e. not including household heating/cooling issues), condenser dryers are slightly less efficient than their vented counterparts, typically on the order of ~15%. The real design intent of condenser dryers isn't improved efficiency, but the simple fact that they don't require a vent duct, permitting easy installation most anywhere (ideal for apartment dwellers, etc).

Condensing dryers are really the only option in Europe where most people are condo-dwellers.

Also, the washing machines here tend to be either in the bathroom or the kitchen. Few people have the luxury of, or even consider, a separate laundry area.. Our 1970-ish house has tons of space (on the order of 250 square meters or more..2600sf.. maybe 2800?), but the washing machine hookup is in one of the 3 bathrooms.. no obvious possible location for us for a dryer of any kind, not even a double-decker unit since the water heater is positioned over the washer. Further irony: the washers here only seem to have COLD water input.. so our washer wastes time, electricity and $$ heating up water that could be gotten from two feet away already hot. Go figure.

I'm imagining cozying up to a condensing dryer in the middle of the living room on a cold night..!

 

[calmloki]

We had a W/D set made by ASKO for years and really really liked it. Worked well for the 2 of us, but there's no denying the fact that they do small loads only - and they have really long wash cycles with multiple rinses. They also can wash at very high temps (internal water heaters) and spin clothes at up to 1600RPM if I remember correctly, which cuts drying time. Less pilling from unrinsed out soap scum. Washing takes a lot longer, but saves energy. The condensor dryer is great in the winter, less so in the summer (consider closing laundry room door and opening a window to that room if you can). Both ASKO and Danby (our cheap replacement condensor set) are almost impossible to get parts for, and the repairmen will charge up the wazoo. The ASKO in particular was all put together with TORX drive screws in multiple sizes. Horrible to change a dryer belt on, but made to be easy to clean out stuff from the washer pump. Miserable to service, but the ASKO set was outstanding in construction.

 

[Trek]

Trek, how is that working out for you in terms of the dryness of the clothes and lack of wrinkles compared to a typical American gas dryer?

I have heard many a story here in the Bel Paese of condenser dryers' small capacity (i.e. 1 already-small laundry load = 2 dryer loads-- think along the lines of fitting ONE bedsheet in at a time) and still having it come out with wrinkles..

Bosch Maxx is top-of-the-line.. so it may not have these problems.

I want to get rid of the constant "stendino" (big drying rack) in my living room Nov.-April plus summer when it rains, and want to quit having to iron everything!

I have looked into gas dryers in Italy but it seems they do not exist. Considering the relative costs of gas and electricity here.. I think for us an electric dryer would be more costly to run.. but I gather in Estonia your electricity is unusually cheap?

Ah. the good ol' drying rack. That is the main reason I got the dryer. I was tired of maneuvering around my drying rack in the bedroom, plus waiting a whole day for things to dry was a drag. I couldn't have made a better decision. I'm like a kid with a new toy, just can't wait to wash stuff so I can toss them in the dryer with a nice smelling dryer sheet and have everything come out soft and warm!

As for capacity, there is plenty. My Samsung washing machine holds 6kg of clothes and the Bosch dryer has a capacity of 7kg. So whatever the washer will take, the dryer will have no problem with since it's a higher capacity. Now, I don't weigh my clothes, but I'll tell you what I normally wash. Today for example I put in 3 bedsheets, 2 pillow cases and a bunch of socks. Dryer had all that dry in no time. Yesterday I did a load that was 2 pairs of pants, couple shirts and a knit pullover thing. Again, the dryer handles this with ease. It does seem to take a little longer than a standard American dryer, but not too much longer. I just put stuff in and forget about it. For 2 people it's just fine.

One thing I especially like is the Bosch is so quiet. I close the bathroom door and can't even hear it. It does put out some heat, not a ton, but that will be nice for us in the winter! I'm lucky I have an unusually large bathroom for a one bedroom city apartment, so both units stack nicely in the corner.

You're right about my electricity, it's ridiculously cheap. I pay $7 a month now, so I'm not worried about the dryer using some juice.

I don't know how cheaper models would peform, but this Bosch was worth the extra money. It's really well made and thought out. The lint screen is simple to clean out and the container where the water collects is easy to slide out and pour in the sink. I like the glass door so I can see the clothes spinning. I really couldn't be happier with it and when the warranty on my Samsung runs out, I'll likely replace it with a Bosch as well.

 

[JohnEyles]

Just bought a new Bosch Maxx 7 condenser dryer. No vent needed ...

And the front panel is all in Swedish, so now I'm fluent in Swedish laundry terminology.

Sounds subversive to me. Swedish ?!? Aren't they socialists ? There are brave
Americans fighting and dying for our God-given birth-right to waste energy without
having to mess with technology that may be slightly inconvenient. Do you not
support the troops ?

 

[runchman]

Sounds subversive to me. Swedish ?!? Aren't they socialists ? There are brave
Americans fighting and dying for our God-given birth-right to waste energy without
having to mess with technology that may be slightly inconvenient. Do you not
support the troops ?

We put up with them because of the top-quality Swedish erotica.

For some reason I can't think "Swedish" without Swedish-erotica immediately popping into my head.

 

[HFWR]

...toss them in the dryer with a nice smelling dryer sheet

For some reason I can't think "Swedish" without Swedish-erotica immediately popping into my head.

 

[Trek]

Sounds subversive to me. Swedish ?!? Aren't they socialists ? There are brave
Americans fighting and dying for our God-given birth-right to waste energy without
having to mess with technology that may be slightly inconvenient. Do you not
support the troops ?

Isn't it a little bit early for you to be drinking?

 

[JohnEyles]

Sounds subversive to me. Swedish ?!? Aren't they socialists ? There are brave
Americans fighting and dying for our God-given birth-right to waste energy without
having to mess with technology that may be slightly inconvenient. Do you not
support the troops ?

Isn't it a little bit early for you to be drinking?

Touche'. A little cynical I admit, but no more cynical than the arguments
the "President" is making to subvert Congress' efforts to implement the
will of the American people as clearly stated in the mid-term elections
(and related opinion polling).

 

[Trek]

Ladelfina,

Here is a pic of my setup in the bathroom. The Bosch is a little taller than the Samsung, but otherwise the dimensions are the same, just seems bigger due to the angle the pic was taken at. I think the large door makes it seem bigger too.

 

[ladelfina]

Trek... thanks for the pic and for the extensive review... I'm more confident now about a condensing dryer if we find that's what we ultimately want.. I will still hold out hope for the possibility of a gas one, since we have piped-in gas for heat. A possible location could be a small room on the other side of the boiler room, but that is a kind of unheated "cantina" tricked out with wine racks & such by the previous owner. We make use of it for wine (not a collection like he had) and for storing vegetables in winter. I'd hate to heat that area up if we could avoid it.

Unfortunately, in our bathroom the wall-mounted water heater and its connections start at about 1.5 meters from the ground, so we couldn't stack a dryer on top of the existing washer. Maybe move the heater.. back to cogitating on this..

Enjoy your nice warm clean and fluffy clothes, though!

 

[sailor]

Unfortunately, in our bathroom the wall-mounted water heater and its connections start at about 1.5 meters from the ground, so we couldn't stack a dryer on top of the existing washer. Maybe move the heater.. back to cogitating on this..

ladelfina,
I'm assuming that you know that many European companies make combination washer-dryers?
Including both Bosch and Siemens.

 

[Trek]

ladelfina,
I'm assuming that you know that many European companies make combination washer-dryers?
Including both Bosch and Siemens.

Good idea, but the problem with those are that the ones I've seen all have a smaller drying capacity than the washing capacity. Like 5kg to wash and 2.5kg for drying, though I think I saw one that did 4kg to dry. So after a wash cycle, you could only dry half your wet clothes.

 

[donheff]

My parents bought a single unit washer/dryer in the late 50s or early 60s. I think it was a GE. It was still running strong in 1979 when they sold the house. All it ever seemed to need was a replacement drive belt.

 

[sailor]

Good idea, but the problem with those are that the ones I've seen all have a smaller drying capacity than the washing capacity. Like 5kg to wash and 2.5kg for drying, though I think I saw one that did 4kg to dry. So after a wash cycle, you could only dry half your wet clothes.

5/2.5 are small apartment models. More common are 7/5. There are few bigger ones like 10/6 Samsung with Silver Nano.
But yes, in general the dryer has lower capacity than the washer.

 

[ladelfina]

I've also wondered about the Xkg ratings for dryers.. do they mean dry weight or "wet" weight after going throught the washer centrifuge cycle?

It would seem to have some connection to what the motor turning the drum can easily bear, so...? I can easily imagine a single wet bedsheet weighing a couple kilos.

 

[Trek]

I've also wondered about the Xkg ratings for dryers.. do they mean dry weight or "wet" weight after going throught the washer centrifuge cycle?

It would seem to have some connection to what the motor turning the drum can easily bear, so...? I can easily imagine a single wet bedsheet weighing a couple kilos.

I'm assuming "wet" weight as you wouldn't put something already dry in the dryer. But again, I think if you get a dryer with a 6- 7kg capacity you'd be fine. Plus, I think my washer here takes more water out of the clothes than my big kenmore did back in the states.

 

[ladelfina]

You're probably right.. that's why everyone seems to buy washers based on the number of "giri"... the more you pay the higher number of RPMs you get. Seems to be 400 on the low end and 1000 or more on the high end. Something I don't think anyone in the US ever even considers...!

 

[Trek]

You're probably right.. that's why everyone seems to buy washers based on the number of "giri"... the more you pay the higher number of RPMs you get. Seems to be 400 on the low end and 1000 or more on the high end. Something I don't think anyone in the US ever even considers...!

Yeah, my Samsung BigWash has 4 RPM speeds depending what you're washing. Low end is 400 RPM for Wools and 1000 RPM for light Cottons.

 

[Trek]

ladelfina, I was just using my regular bathroom scale, but I washed a heavy pair of pants, 3 t-shirts, 6 socks and a dishtowel today and after they came out from my washer on the 1000 RPM speed it all weighed around 3.5Kg. Just an FYI.

 

[ladelfina]

Great.. thanks! I usually manage to stuff in about twice that in my washer so anything under 7kg sounds not worth looking at. I have only a humble 600 giri.

 

[califdreamer]

After reading this thread I'm beginning to understand why it's so damn hard to get laundry done on vacations in Europe.

 

[Trek]

After reading this thread I'm beginning to understand why it's so damn hard to get laundry done on vacations in Europe.

Shouldn't be. Here in Tallinn there are many public laundry places you can take your clothes to. Lots of dry cleaners too.

Edit: Also, most hotels will have some type of laundry service available whether they do it in house or send it out for next day service. And if you stay in a B&B / Guest house type place, the owners will do your laundry for a extra small fee.