When we actually hit the shops to search for the best clothes dryer, we used much the same technique as when we bought the washing machine. We had a good look round and compared the features and the energy efficiency before we looked at the price. One interesting feature that we saw on some of the models was a steam feature. We hadn't read about that and it sounded really interesting but we didn't dare look at the price just yet!
It was interesting that some of the same makes and models of clothes dryers caught our eye, just as they had with the washing machines. This was probably because the styles were similar to those that had appealed before and also the manufacturers were using the same levels of energy efficiency. Again we were not looking for the cheapest options not the most expensive!
The Bosch Nexxt models were all good looking and the salesman told us they do well in performance tests. The Nexxt 800 however was only considered to have mediocre levels of performance with delicates although it was considered overall to be a good dryer and it had a feature we both loved - a moisture monitor to show the progress of the drying cycle. We checked the price and decided it was far too expensive for the budget.
We dared to look at the price of a steam model the Electrolux Perfec t Steam EWMED65H[W] but whilst it had the steam feature and was a very good dryer overall again, it was not as good with the delicates. The deciding factor was however the price, much too expensive for my sister's purse at the present time but seemingly very highly rated by those who had bought it.
We next looked at the Frigidaire Gallery model, mainly because it did not look like a washing machine having a small door at the front that was rectangular and solid. It had some good reports but somehow did not appeal to us overall.
We were really interested when the salesman explained that whilst washing machines have changed over the last few years due to technology, clothes dryers have changed very little. Seems they are pretty simple pieces of equipment. The main differences are how they heat, gas or electricity, and how they are programmed to turn off once the load is dry. This is done by either a thermostat or a moisture sensor or just a timer.
He told us that tests show that a moisture sensor tends to recognise when the washing is dry faster than a traditional thermostat. Clothes that are not subjected to unnecessary heat last longer. These were more or less the main things to consider.
At this point we discovered that some dryers have a drying rack. This means that you can dry heavy items like trainers without having them bang round the drum which would make me sure they were going to damage it. This really appealed to us and the salesman said they were becoming very popular now with a lot of buyers.
Next we looked at the GE DCVH640EJWW, this had a lot going to it and it's performance ratings were really good. It was a little bit more expensive than we were hoping for but seemed excellent value for money.
We also looked at another GE machine, the Profile Harmony. It was quite snazzy looking and it did tempt my sister quite a bit as it had some good reviews. It wasn't stackable so she would have had to put it in another place and it was again rather more expensive than she was hoping for.
She was very tempted by the Kenmore (Sears) 800 Series. We had read some great reviews of these machines and seemingly there were no negatives on their performance and the price was very reasonable. However I knew it was not grabbing her heart, but it was grabbing her head so if budget had been a little higher on her list of priorities, I think she would have gone for this.
In the end my sister decided that she was better off stacking a dryer on top of her washing machine and looked seriously at the Frigidaire Affinity AEAQB600E. It was a good value dryer and it would stack on her washing machine but the only downside of this was that it was not available in red and she was mortified. Maybe she should have seriously thought about this more when choosing the washer. Anyway she hadn't and this held her back.
The salesman offered her a good deal on the Frigidaire Affinity FAQE7077KR, red and stackable and he assured us it was everything we expected. It had one of the largest capacity dries for its overall size, and we were assured it had something called DrySense Technology to ensure that clothes are dried very precisely and wrinkle free. It has 7 dry cycles and 12 dry options which are easy to select. It is very fast too, with a 25 minute dry cycle, great for energy saving.
Another great thing is that it has a sanitize option that means your laundry is almost completely bacteria free - wonderful. It was a reasonable price and my sister was really thrilled, the main result, she had found the best clothes dryer for her.
