Discover your options for drying your clothes this winter – there’s one for every budget!
Winter may not always be wet, but it’s definitely cold – and during this cold season it takes forever for clothes to dry. Your answer, of course, is a tumble dryer. But before you go out, swipe your RCS Card and buy one, here’s what you need to know about the different kinds of dryers:
VENTED DRYERS
These tumble dryers use a flexible pipe to remove the hot, wet air from your laundry, and then pump it outside – either through a permanent vent in your wall, or simply through a hose that you hang out the window. Here you’re looking at something like the Speed Queen 8.2kg tumble dryer (R9 999, Makro), Whirlpool 10.5kg vented dryer (R7 499, Game, pictured) or the Defy 8kg frontload tumble dryer (R3 999, DionWired). Vented dryers tend to be cheaper than condensers, but you do need to place them near a window or a vent.
CONDENSER DRYERS
A condenser dryer takes the water in your clothes and turns it into steam, then turns that steam into water, which it collects in a tank. Condensers are more convenient than vented dryers, and also more popular – so you have more buying options here. Consider the Bosch 8kg condenser dryer (R6 999, Makro), LG 9kg condenser tumble dryer (R9 499, Makro, pictured), Smeg 8kg tumble dryer (R6 499, Tafelberg Furnishers) or Samsung 8kg tumble dryer (R9 695, Tafelberg Furnishers). Before you swipe your RCS Card on the purchase, make sure that the dryer has some kind of alarm to warn you when the filter needs cleaning and when the water tank needs emptying!
HEAT PUMP DRYERS
These condenser dryers use heat-pump technology, which means lower drying temperatures, less electricity, lower running costs and far less operating noise. They’re the obvious choice, but they’re also the priciest – which means you’ll put your RCS Card to good use! Look at the Miele 8kg white heat pump tumble dryer (R22 999, DionWired, pictured) or the Defy 8kg heat pump tumble dryer (R9 299, Makro).
LAUNDRY PACKS
Finally, there’s a tumble drying option that doesn’t involve any tumbling at all. Laundry packs are cylindrical bags which are quick and easy to set up, and which use a high velocity motor to blast your clothes with hot air, drying them quickly and neatly. They’re cheap, easy, and don’t take up much space at all. Try the Genesis Dryfast (R899, Verimark), Mellerware Laundry Pack (R999.90, HiFi Corp, pictured), or the trendy Bennett Read DriBuddi (R999.99, Makro). Each has a 10kg capacity, and uses just 1 000 watts – making them super-light on your electricity bill!
SWIPE YOUR RCS CARD AND STAY WARM THIS WINTER!
Let RCS warm up your winter laundry days. Your RCS Card lets you shop at over 23 000 stores in our network, with 24- or 36-month budget plans and affordable monthly instalments. If you don’t already have one, apply for your RCS Card here.
* Prices were correct at time of publication, but may be subject to change or availability.
