Is it better to have a washer/dryer or a separate dryer?

After abandoning the traditional hanging of clothes on clothespins, housewives were faced with a real dilemma: a washing machine with dryer or a separate drying machine. The first attracts with its versatility and space saving, while the second promises greater efficiency and spaciousness. Which of the manufacturers offer to choose so as not to waste money? Familiarity with each type of technology will help resolve this issue. All details are below.

Multifunctional unit

At first acquaintance, it may seem that it is better to immediately buy “two in one” - both a dryer and a dryer in one multifunctional machine. But everything is far from ideal: you won’t be able to simply switch the mode and get both clean and dry clothes. You will have to come to terms with several unpleasant nuances.

• High energy consumption. The washing machine turns into a dryer by installing an additional heating element. But its power is inferior to the “water” one, so many times more electricity is spent on heating the air. As a result, the energy consumption class is reduced from A-A+++ to expensive to maintain B and C.
• Low drying quality. A lot of energy is spent on drying, but still the multifunctional machine cannot boast of quality. The explanation is simple - the design of the machine is designed for washing, and the dryer is only an additional function.
• Timer drying. Drying is not the main task of the unit, so machines are often equipped with a primitive drying program based on cycle time.The user must set the program time at his own risk, due to which the laundry is over-dried or not dried. But this problem is gradually being corrected, as manufacturers began to introduce residual moisture indication into the system.
• Inconsistency of capacity. The main disadvantage of drying-washing machines, due to which the operation of the units is impractical and inconvenient: washing requires less space in the drum, and more space for drying. For example, if the maximum load of the washing machine is 8 kg, then the limit for the dryer will be 4 kg. The user only has to divide the washed clothes into two groups and dry them in two passes. Another option is to wash in small batches. This is possible, but not always economical.

The capacity of the machine during drying is usually 2 times less than in washing mode.

It is also widely believed that multifunctional machines are also less reliable due to their complex design. In fact, it is not drying and washing machines that are to blame for such statistics, but their negligent owners. Thus, service technicians note that such units often break down due to the carelessness of the owners. More precisely, when the maximum drying capacity established by the manufacturers is exceeded.

Multifunctional models are compact and inexpensive, but are not as good to use as they seem. Therefore, it is worth considering an alternative option - separate dryers.

Equipment for drying things

Externally, dryers look similar to washing machines. But unlike their competitors, drying machines are designed specifically for drying things, and therefore have a more thoughtful design and appropriate equipment. So, if you look at the drum, it is easy to see the obvious advantages.

1. Increased diameter. On average, tumble dryers are 2.5 times larger than their washing counterparts, as free space is required for optimal ventilation.
2. Special surface. High-quality drying requires uniform distribution of laundry along the walls of the tank, smoothing and unhindered penetration of air into the fabric structure. This becomes possible due to special perforation of the surface and other tricks and nuances of the drum.
3. Internal lighting. With the help of lighting, the owner of the machine controls the degree of drying of the laundry.

The cost of individual drying machines starts from $180-200, while among multifunctional machines you can find a model for $150.

A separate machine also wins in the number of programs offered by the system. As a rule, a standard dryer has more than ten modes of varying duration and intensity of exposure to hot air. So, the user can select a cycle for synthetics, cotton, sports items, woolen items, or even more clothes, or turn on accelerated drying. The owner will also be pleased with the availability of additional options - steam treatment, ironing effect and wrinkle prevention.

Often, special baskets and other devices are included with the dryer to reduce the risk when drying shoes, textile bags, plush toys and items made from delicate materials. At the same time, the machines are not without modern features - a digital display, delayed start, child protection or remote control using a smartphone.

The main advantage of a dryer is its specialization. If an integrated approach to drying clothes is important, then it will be the best option.But there are also disadvantages - the high price and the need to look for free square meters. The latter problem can be solved by choosing a model with the possibility of installation in a column.

“Two in one” sounds nice, but in everyday life, multifunctional machines are clearly inferior to their direct competitors. More expensive and larger drying machines handle drying more efficiently and easily, without creating unnecessary risks and problems with wet laundry that does not fit into the drum. It remains to decide what is more important: savings, comfort or careful treatment of linen.

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