Archive for Downsizer For an ethical approach to consumption
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Nell Merionwen
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electric clothes airers.BA and I are constantly battling the laundry mountain and trying to dry it.
I don't particularly want a tumble dryer as I find them quite expensive to run. However, with the damp problem we could do without wet washing hanging around for any length of time.
I'm looking at an airer/dryer like this Dri Buddi
has anyone had any experience with them?
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RichardW
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As that does not vent externally it will still in the end put the same total amount of moisture into the air as having the washing hanging around for longer.
Also as its 1200watts its still quite a large consumer of power. Less than a tumble dryer but I am betting that it will need to be on for longer so in the end use about the same total amount of energy.
Cheaper on eBay too.
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Katieowl
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I've got one of the Lakeland ones...per hour they are cheap to run, but the need to be on for a lot longer than a tumble drier, so IIRC it worked out about 75p a day when I used the power monitor gadget on it. That having been said, I don't know how I managed without it. I can dry DS's stuff that can't be tumble dried (it shrinks, it's expensive, he's tall, he complains) flat on it, and it's brilliant for that. I dry my t-shirts and fleeces on it too, and hand knitted socks.
You need to fashion some kind of a cover for the lakeland one to keep the heat in, I'm using an old duvet cover.
Kate
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Nell Merionwen
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I was hoping it would reduce drying time. that way if I had the window open it wouldn't have to be open at night.
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Katieowl
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I'm running mine in the conservatory...so I don't know if the condensation on the windows in the morning is from the drier, or just the warmth it produces?
If you could tumble dry in an hour, and that was vented, to be honest I think it works out cheaper?
Kate
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Barefoot Andrew
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Hopefully though we'll have the laundry mountain under control soon. Combing two houses into one was always going to make Lots Of Work, and once we've cleared the last three big bags we'll be down to normal family levels of laundry. He said, hopefully.
A.
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alison
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If it just getting laundry under control I would be tempted to book a day, take washing to launderette, and get it done. Book or knitting, packed lunch and use as many machines as possible.
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Nick
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If it just getting laundry under control I would be tempted to book a day, take washing to launderette, and get it done. Book or knitting, packed lunch and use as many machines as possible. |
This, with your smart phone, and I promise you there'll be no kids there.
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nats
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I've got one of the Lakeland ones...per hour they are cheap to run, but the need to be on for a lot longer than a tumble drier, so IIRC it worked out about 75p a day when I used the power monitor gadget on it. That having been said, I don't know how I managed without it. I can dry DS's stuff that can't be tumble dried (it shrinks, it's expensive, he's tall, he complains) flat on it, and it's brilliant for that. I dry my t-shirts and fleeces on it too, and hand knitted socks.
You need to fashion some kind of a cover for the lakeland one to keep the heat in, I'm using an old duvet cover.
Kate |
This, with your smart phone, and I promise you there'll be no kids there.
This is a very very good idea, thank you Alison. We had a 21st birthday party here over the new year and I haven't got around to doing any of our washing while all the family were around.
sean
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Drop it in on your way to work and pay for a service wash. Even easier.
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nats
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Brill thanks - good to have someone I "know" review it rather than the faceless people on Lakelands site! I might be able to persuade husband!! I was thinking that it might not be good for nappies but might keep the clothes ticking over and leave other spaces I have free for nappies. And it might be OK with the fleece nappies but probably not the terry/toweling ones...
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Nell Merionwen
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Drop it in on your way to work and pay for a service wash. Even easier. |
It is looking likely that that will happen
I also want to get out duvets washed so it will be trip to the laundrette anyway.
Katieowl
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Yes but note the running cost I stated earlier...It might only be 7p an hour but X 24 it's £1.64 a day. Mines been on for four days since Fin decided everything on the floor in his room was washing!
Kate
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nats
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got to be cheaper than a tumble dryer though
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Katieowl
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Nope it isn't - hard to believe I know. Tumble drier was 30p ish a load on for about an hour... I can't remember exactly, we bought one of those energy monitor gadgets, and I was very surprised, they are a good invesment! Fun to check how much it all uses.
Trouble is we have a lot of stuff we can't tumble. Fin's blasted Nike stuff, and traccie bottoms, he's 6'3 and stuff shrinks badly if I tumble dry it. Our fleece jumpers, and my work stuff, go on it.... I tumble all the bedding, towels and teatowels.
Kate
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nats
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we have an Owl - it needs batteries!
I didn't realise that it wouldn't work out cheaper than a tumbler. Start up costs are lower of course, and it wouldn't mean rearranging the garage but.... out of interest are your costs based on a condensing tumbler or vented? Don't think we'll be able to get a vented one in and I think condensing ones are dearer to run...
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Katieowl
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Mine is a vented drier...and it's quite a new one - so I assume reasonably energy efficient.
Kate
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nats
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Which best buy tumblers are £500 odd though - the clothes airer may yet work out cheaper!
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sean
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You can buy a lot of 'leccy for four-hundred and odd quid, for sure.
I'll probably get one. There's nowhere sensible here to put a tumble drier and most of the time we don't need one. Something to give an occasional boost to the drying capacity seems like just the ticket.
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Katieowl
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Mine wasn't anthing like £500....it's a hotpoint IIRC (you know look at it daily and couldn't pick it out of a lineup!) think it was about £200
Kate
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nats
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I've found one on Which that is just over £200 which we are looking at. I've a feeling it may work out more sensible in the long run, and save me stress which has to be worth ££££££££ It's a Beko and has very good reviews!
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Katieowl
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If you haven't got a tumble drier, really do think that is your best bet with the kids laundry TBH.
Rack thingy gave me my kitchen back...so it was a problem solver for me, but I realised I just had to suck up the running costs of drying the laundry. My kitchen is a corridor from the rest of the house to the living room and garden, and is a place people lounge about with tea and stuff despite being too small, I'm constantly moving people out! Having a drying rack in front of the Rayburn and stuff hanging over it drove us all nuts!
Kate
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Rosanne
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If you have a rayburn buy an oldfashioned dryer that hangs from the ceiling with 4 rails, you can pull it up and down out of the way
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alice
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I hang laundry in a small room with a good dehumidifier. It dries quickly and I know where the water is going.
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robkb
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we'll have the laundry mountain under control soon |
I was going to go trekking in the Himalaya's once, but then I realised that walking around the foothills of our laundry pile would be a) cheaper, and b) just as exhausting.
Barefoot Andrew
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A.
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earthyvirgo
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If you have a rayburn buy an oldfashioned dryer that hangs from the ceiling with 4 rails, you can pull it up and down out of the way |
I think however you're heating the house, having one of those is probably a good idea to make use of rising heat. It only sits up near the ceiling doing nothing otherwise.
We found room for ours on the landing, so it's doesn't clutter a living space.
EV
Nell Merionwen
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If you have a rayburn buy an oldfashioned dryer that hangs from the ceiling with 4 rails, you can pull it up and down out of the way |
I wish!
earthyvirgo
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If you have a rayburn buy an oldfashioned dryer that hangs from the ceiling with 4 rails, you can pull it up and down out of the way |
I wish!
We've only got a small woodburner in the kitchen Nell. It's incredibly effective as the heat wafts up the stairs.
EV
Nell Merionwen
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If you have a rayburn buy an oldfashioned dryer that hangs from the ceiling with 4 rails, you can pull it up and down out of the way |
I think however you're heating the house, having one of those is probably a good idea to make use of rising heat. It only sits up near the ceiling doing nothing otherwise.
We found room for ours on the landing, so it's doesn't clutter a living space.
EV
This may be the way we go.
Katieowl
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I used to have a pull up rack in our place in London it hung in the hall where it was really out of the way...the general heat from the kitchen and the Aga used to dry stuff on it...together with a breeze if the back door was open. Regret the kitchen here is too tiny to hang a rack, and to be honest, as I'm doing B&B, and cooking guests breakfasts in there I'd really not want the kitchen festooned with our undies
Kate
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