Operating principle of a clothes drying cabinet

Some modern families prefer to purchase not a washing machine with additional capabilities and not a drying machine, but a drying cabinet for drying. Not everyone knows how a clothes drying cabinet works, but it looks impressive, it is spacious and functional, so it attracts attention. We will analyze in detail how much better or worse it is than classic drying machines, and we will also find out how to choose it.

How does this device work?

First of all, you need to understand the operating principle of this useful “home assistant”, which will allow you to understand whether you need it at all. Modern cabinets can be divided into two categories:

• models in which moisture is eliminated along with air. This happens due to the outlet pipe, which either goes out onto the street, if we are talking about a private house, or into the ventilation duct of a multi-story building. Such devices are characterized by low installation flexibility, because they can only be placed in rooms where ventilation vents are prepared;
• models that condense moisture, which remains in a special container. This container can either be emptied with your own hands, or the resulting liquid will be drained into the sewer. Depending on the model, the device may inform the user that the container is full and needs to be cleaned.

How does drying itself occur? First, the housewife hangs up the clothes, then selects the appropriate work cycle and starts it, then the heating element installed at the top or bottom of the closet, as well as the built-in fan, are activated. If we are talking about a cabinet with natural convection, then it activates only the heating element. Then the evaporation of moisture from the products begins and subsequent removal of moisture or condensation.

You can also find equipment on the market that can monitor the moisture level of clothing using expensive sensors. This technology helps complete the work cycle at the moment when the humidity of clothes and air is the same. To speed up drying, it is better to wring out clothes until they are as dry as possible, but it is important not to overwork, as clothes that are too dry will be difficult to iron.

Finally, it is worth noting drying cabinets that operate on the principle of infrared radiation. Their operating principle is almost the same - moisture is removed by heating, but it is very important to place things in a special way so that they do not block the sources of infrared rays.

Let's compare a typewriter with a cabinet

The most effective ways to dry clothes using household appliances are a drying cabinet and a tumble dryer. The second device usually does not differ in size from the washing machine, so it can be conveniently placed in the same row with it. Even visually, the units are similar, as they have a rotating drum with many holes. However, additional elements are usually placed in dryers in order to more efficiently mix laundry, which without water can be damaged inside the drum.

At the same time, drying cabinets and machines differ in their different capabilities, which makes them quite difficult to compare. The machines provide faster drying as the rotating drum helps to effectively remove moisture from freshly washed clothes.If a cabinet can dry an item from one to six hours, then a machine in the fastest mode can do it in just a third of an hour. At the same time, machines also have more different operating modes, although users usually have enough of the basic ones.

• Cold duty cycle for products that may suffer from shrinkage at high temperatures.
• Fast intensive mode for maximum savings of user time.
• Long-term program for thick items such as jeans and sweaters.
• The longest mode with moderate temperature, suitable for outerwear.

It may seem that the cabinet is inferior to the washing machine in everything, but more expensive equipment has its undeniable advantages. In a drying cabinet, you can not be afraid to dry even those things that some manufacturers do not recommend processing in a machine - winter jackets, coats, winter and autumn shoes, large blankets and rugs. Not everything described can be dried in a machine, plus it is recommended not to dry things like knitted lace scarves, stoles made of wool and down, hats, as well as elegant items with beads at all, where they may suffer from friction in the drum.

When choosing a closet, you need to be prepared for the fact that newly washed items will have to be dried several times, especially if you exceed the maximum permissible weight for processing in one working cycle, which will cause the clothes to remain wet longer.

Plus, you can put a lot more clothes in a closet at one time than in a dryer. When the machine is usually designed for only three kilograms of clothes, the closet can hold four, five or even more kilograms.You also don’t need to remove things from the closet immediately after finishing work, since they can perfectly continue to hang on the hangers without being wrinkled. Finally, the drying cabinet is characterized by almost silent operation, thanks to which you can not be afraid to leave it working overnight even in a house with small children, as well as its relatively low cost, which is relevant for some brands.

Choosing a good wardrobe

It is not difficult to understand the principle of operation of a drying cabinet; it is much more difficult to choose a high-quality device. You need to take into account not only the manufacturer’s reputation and cost, but also the size of the equipment - usually buyers focus on the number of potential users, as well as the capacity of the washing machine. Most often, drying cabinets reach 60 centimeters in length and width and 180 centimeters in height, but alternative options can be found. For example, enlarged “home assistants” with two sections reaching a width of 120 centimeters, or vice versa – compact models with a width of only 50 centimeters. Also, the machines may differ in non-standard height, for example, 200 centimeters or more, which will be very convenient for processing fur coats and evening dresses.

Another parameter that users often pay attention to is energy efficiency. Most often, the cabinet power ranges from 2 to 4 kilowatts per hour. This parameter is very important, because the worse the energy consumption class, the higher the bills for housing and utility services will be. That is why it is best to purchase equipment with an energy efficiency class of at least “A”, and preferably “A+” and higher.

Also, the energy consumption is greatly influenced by the selected mode, since the economical program consumes less resources, while the maximum modes dry better and faster, but negatively affect energy consumption.

In addition, it is worth highlighting the fact that usually drying cabinets have a laconic and even ascetic design, so they can be easily placed in any home where they will fit harmoniously into the interior. Manufacturers spend much more time organizing the internal space, since depending on the placement of hangers and perforated shelves, the drying efficiency increases or decreases. This is due to the fact that air flows from the fan must cover every area of ​​the item so that it dries evenly. That is why the entire distance between shelves with hangers is carefully measured at the design stage, along with the calculation of the load of laundry, which will ensure the necessary gap between the clothes.

Most often, the “home assistant” is installed in the hallway, bathroom, or in a separate technical room, which in the case of a private house is usually planned in advance. The stores mainly stock models in white or silver, so you have to choose between these two colors.

   

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