No open spaces, freezing temperatures or a multi-person household: there are many reasons why more and more people are opting for a tumble dryer in their own home. We have found out for you where it comes from and what it can do in the meantime. And tested the bestseller from elektrabregenz, the TKFN 8601 H, for you – you can find the report in the attached video.
If you didn’t know better, you wouldn’t believe it: the first hand-operated tumble dryer, a fan dryer, was invented in France more than 200 years ago. At the beginning of the 20th century, the first electric dryers appeared in the USA, followed by the first tumble dryer with a viewing window in 1940. In Europe, the first one only came onto the market in 1958.Dryers only became really popular in Europe in the 1970s and 1980s, partly for the reasons mentioned above. Since then, they have increasingly found their way into private households.
A modern tumble dryer can do everything – even save money
And the development that tumble dryers have undergone over the years is enormous, as Margit Anglmaier, Head of Marketing & Communications at Beko Austria GmbH, knows: “Today’s dryers are the ideal partner in the household. They are more energy-efficient, gentler on laundry, faster and quieter. They are therefore more environmentally friendly and also more economical to run. Thanks to the many different special programs, a wide variety of textiles can be dried. Outdoor clothing, wool, down jackets, blankets, jeans, delicate items – all this is no problem in modern dryers. Even suits can be treated in the “Refresh” program. And dryers ensure that the laundry doesn’t crease.”
The result of our dryer test
These are the things we wanted to find out for ourselves. That’s why the MYHOME editorial team put the TKFN 8601 H hybrid dryer, the “Ferrari” from elektrabregenz, through its paces. This tumble dryer combines the advantages of a condensation dryer with those of heat pump technology.It has a shorter drying time while at the same time treating the laundry hygienically and gently.This enables drying with maximum convenience and minimum energy consumption and results in the highest energy efficiency class A+++. Facts that make it a particularly environmentally friendly and economical appliance.
Further details and the result of our test can be found here in the video:
But even though a tumble dryer has been proven to be capable of many things, some people still view it critically. We confronted Margit Anglmaier with the most frequent points of criticism:
Preconception #1: A tumble dryer needs to be looked after properly, otherwise it will quickly give up the ghost
Margit Anglmaier: “Regular cleaning of the tumble dryer and, above all, regular emptying of the lint filter is recommended. This is because a dirty lint filter leads to poorer results, higher energy consumption and faster wear and tear. The heat pump filters should also be cleaned. If the clothes are only put in the tumble dryer to freshen them up, lint and hair will be removed. And these collect in the lint filter and can be removed immediately afterwards without any problems.”
Prejudice #2: Tumble dryers ruin laundry in the long run
“A tumble dryer does not ruin the laundry. However, it is advisable to pay attention to the labels on the garments. And above all, choose the right programs. For example, it is not advisable to dry outdoor clothing on the cotton program or wool on the delicates program. There are special programs for all these types of textiles. If these are selected, the laundry remains as it should be. elektrabregenz dryers are equipped with a honeycomb drum. This helps to ensure that the laundry is moved efficiently but particularly gently.”
Prejudice #3: I can’t put everything in the dryer
“That’s no longer true either. The elektrabregenz dryers have special wool or jeans programs, for example. In these programs, the temperature heats up much more slowly and in small steps so that wool or jeans do not shrink. It therefore makes sense to sort clothes by fabric type and dry them separately. The situation is similar with comforters and down, which also have their own programs. The dryer is much better for items of clothing with down, as they stick together in the open air. In the drum, if the clothes have enough space, with one to three tennis balls (for mechanical action from the outside), lumps are a thing of the past. So wool, jeans or down can go in the dryer without any problems. The “Refresh” program can also be used to remove unpleasant odours from jackets, suits or other delicate items and treat them in the dryer.”
Prejudice #4: Tumble dryers cause enormously high energy costs
“The damp laundry on the clothes horse in the heated apartment causes the room temperature to drop in winter as it dries, so that the heating is under greater strain. In order to let the moisture out of the room and to avoid mold, ventilation must be more frequent. This costs so much energy overall that a modern, energy-efficient tumble dryer is more economical.
The condensation and heat pump technology not only saves electricity during the drying process itself, but also eliminates the need for ironing afterwards, as the laundry comes out of the drum wrinkle-free and dry. The overall balance of heat pump technology versus drying on the line in a room is therefore in the dryer’s favor.This prejudice can be refuted with an energy-efficient dryer.”
Prejudice #5: I certainly don’t have the right connections
“All you need is a mains plug for the power connection. This is because both the condensation and heat pump dryers collect the water in the tank. This tank is emptied after each drying cycle – without much effort. Alternatively, the dryer can also be connected to a waste water connection. However, this is much more time-consuming.”
Prejudice #6: It takes a long time and is loud
“This no longer applies to today’s devices either. A hybrid dryer has a much shorter drying time; the TKFN 8601 H, for example, has a drying time that is up to 30 percent shorter than conventional dryers. There is also the 5 kg in 60 minutes program. So you’ll have dry clothes again in an hour. A special time program, such as the TKFN 8601 H has, also ensures maximum flexibility. The desired time can be set here and the appliance then dries for exactly the same amount of time – regardless of the dryness level.
The further development of dryers and their technologies has also led to them becoming quieter and quieter. For example, the hybrid dryer mentioned above is 64 dBA quiet. There is also a special quiet program. A special night program ensures that the laundry is dried particularly quietly.”
Prejudice #7: Only families without a balcony need this
“A tumble dryer makes sense for everyone – regardless of the number of people in the household. On the one hand because of the space problem caused by the clothes horse in the apartment, but also because of the constant residual moisture in the apartment. Outdoor washing lines are also not a good alternative for allergy sufferers in summer. The dryer is much better here. There are now also hygiene programs that are recommended for people with allergies.”
Cover photo: Stefanie Winter for elektrabregenz
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