How to use a tumble dryer?

Conventional washing machines have long been replaced by washing-drying machines that offer users “2 in 1”: both washing and drying. As a result, the machine washes, rinses, spins things, and then dries them. The housewife can only wait until the end of the program, open the hatch door, take out clean, dry laundry and immediately put it in the closet.

Thanks to such machines, there is no need for floor dryers or clothes lines - which is more convenient and simpler. You just need to know how to use a tumble dryer, what the equipment’s disadvantages and capabilities are.

Read the instructions carefully

The main mistake of the user of a drying-washing machine is failure to first study the factory instructions. Many housewives forget about the manual and start the equipment “at random”. This approach is fundamentally wrong: you can either over-dry or under-dry things, or break the machine, or deprive yourself of useful functions.

Before turning on the washer-dryer, you must study the instructions supplied with it!

In the instructions, the manufacturer prescribes the nuances of installation and assembly, a list of basic programs and rules for operating the equipment. Without this knowledge, the user often makes mistakes. For example, housewives often load the washer-dryer incorrectly. The manual specifies the loading rate, which in most cases is limited to half a tank. But people don’t know about the restriction and leave everything they washed to dry – a full drum. The consequences are dire:

• the laundry is dried unevenly due to excessive volume, you have to repeat the cycle;
• the fabric of things deteriorates, they quickly lose their presentation and tear.

Manufacturers recommend dividing large quantities of washed laundry into two batches. So, with a washing machine capacity of 7-8 kg, a maximum of 3.5-4 kg can be sent for drying. But it is better to clarify the loading rate of a specific model in the instructions.

The second point concerns the type of fabric. Modern machines offer several modes designed for specific materials and colors. This will ensure more efficient and safe drying of items.

How to set up clothes drying?

It’s not difficult to figure out how to set up the machine: just read the instructions carefully and look at the dashboard. Typically, to start a drying cycle, you need to press one button or turn the selector to the appropriate position. The duration and degree of drying depends on the type of drying provided. Usually one of two things occurs: using a timer or using Fuzzy Logic technology.

• Timer drying. The function is adjustable only by time - the user independently sets the cycle duration. The quality of drying will depend entirely on the minutes set - you will have to select the duration of the procedure experimentally for each type of fabric.
• Fuzzy Logic technology. In modern units, the system automatically calculates the drying time based on residual moisture. Thanks to this approach, laundry dries better and safer, and the likelihood of over-drying or under-drying things is minimized. When calculating the cycle duration, the machine is guided by a special thermometer, which is located in the lower part of the condensation compartment. This sensor constantly measures the amount of moisture and temperature.As soon as the values ​​coincide with the specified norm, the equipment stops.

Many modern machines offer the user the opportunity to select drying both by timer and by residual moisture. For convenience, several stages of drying are provided, and the boundaries are set not as percentages, but in terms understandable to housewives. For example, there are modes “Iron”, “In the closet”, “Very dry” or “On the hanger”. This gradation allows you to choose the most optimal option.

Modern combined machines allow you to vary the degree of dryness of things from 70% to 90%.

The latest models of washer-dryers have a special non-stop program. When this mode is turned on after washing, drying automatically starts - the user does not need to additionally press the buttons. But there is an important nuance: the machine should only be half loaded.

Also, improved models of washing and drying machines offer users:

• special gentle mode for delicate fabrics where drying operates at low temperatures;
• quick drying lasting 30-40 minutes;
• “Softness” function, which prevents fabric from creasing;
• the “Cooling” option, which sharply lowers the temperature in the drum to prevent creases and folds in the fabric;
• the “Hot Drying” function for coarse, dense items and the “Cold Drying” function for synthetic and delicate materials.

Modern expensive machines are distinguished by expanded functionality, offering the user several drying modes and additional options. The main thing is to know about all the capabilities of the washing machine and set up the cycle correctly.

What are the benefits of washer-dryer technology?

The washing machine with drying function has proven itself in everyday life.In addition to convenience, these machines have a number of advantages over conventional washers and dryers. We are talking about the following points.

1. Reliability. The opinion that 2-in-1 machines break down faster due to their complex design is wrong. On the contrary, thanks to sophisticated technologies and higher-quality components, washer-dryers last longer than conventional ones. The main thing is to follow the operating rules.
2. Compactness. It is easier to place one combined machine in an average apartment than a separate dryer and washing machine. Also, “2 in 1” equipment will be more economical in terms of electricity consumption: two units “wind” twice as much electricity.
3. Speed. While laundry can dry on a balcony or floor dryer for several hours, the machine can dispense dry clothes in just 40 minutes. What's even better is that the machine works quickly regardless of the season - both winter and summer. This is important when there are small children in the house or there is high humidity outside the window due to the proximity of the sea or lake.

Thanks to the fast mode, the washer-dryer is able to dispense dry clothes within 30-40 minutes after the cycle starts.

4. Safety. Trying to dry things faster, housewives often hang their laundry in direct sunlight or on a radiator. Unlike the listed options, automatic drying is much safer: the clothes do not dry out and the fabric does not deteriorate.
5. Versatility. The drying function allows you to wash pillows, down jackets, blankets and other bulky items even in winter. Automatic drying for the filler is safe: the fluff does not clump, holds its shape, and retains its original properties.
6. Reduced humidity in the apartment.If you have a dryer at home, then there is no need to dry things in the apartment - the amount of evaporated moisture in the rooms decreases.

The main advantage of a washer-dryer is the ability to free yourself from hanging wet clothes and then waiting for them to dry. This saves the housewife time and effort.

Disadvantages of washer-dryer equipment

Combination machines have both advantages and disadvantages. The most significant of the latter are restrictions on drum loading when switching to drying. As a rule, only half of the machine’s capacity can be dried at a time. It turns out that you either need to wash less, or divide the washed clothes into two batches, and spend additional time restarting the washing machine. Equipment capable of immediately drying a full tank has not yet been released - a maximum of 70% of the permitted volume.

Washer-dryers are less economical than standard washing machines - models are available only with energy consumption classes “B”, “C” or “D”.

Also, the owner of a washing machine with a drying function should remember at least one more serious drawback - high energy consumption. Due to the complicated design and long-term operation, such equipment is less economical than standard ones. Thus, most machines have level “B”; there are also “C” and “D” on the market. There is no class “A” and especially “A+++” among dryers.

The disadvantages of 2-in-1 slot machines can also include.

• high cost (combined equipment costs 20-30% more than standard equipment, and we are talking about the most budget models);
• rapid wear of the laundry (incorrect choice of mode or incorrect setting of the cycle duration negatively affects the fabric - it dries out, becomes rougher, discolored and becomes thinner);
• lack of an anti-dust filter (if individual dryers are equipped with this device, then combined dryers are not).

When deciding to purchase a washer-dryer, you should weigh all its advantages and disadvantages. If you have the opportunity to overpay for advanced functionality, then compact combined appliances will help ease household chores. The main thing is that before operating the machine, carefully study the instructions, follow the loading rate and choose the right drying program.

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