When is a tumble dryer suitable for 2 people or a couple?
Whether you live with your partner or a flatmate, 2 people do not generally need a large tumble dryer. To find out more about the size of a tumble dryer, look at its fill weight. The fill weight of a clothes dryer indicates how many kilos of wash will fit in the drum each time it is dried. For a household of 2 people, a tumble dryer will not easily be too small, but too big is a risk. It may not seem like a big deal at first, but the energy consumption of a large clothes dryer is higher. In addition, you will need more laundry for a full drum, so you may have to save your dirty laundry for longer. Drying with a half-empty drum is an option, but a full dryer will maximise the energy cost of the drying programme.
Now you’re probably wondering how much fill weight a household of 2 needs. First of all, we recommend that you look at the water capacity of your washing machine. Choose a dryer that has at least the same load capacity as your washing machine. This way, all your wet laundry will fit in the dryer. Are you going to buy a new washer and dryer? Check out the chart below to find out how much fill weight you will need:
- For a 1 or 2 person household, get a 6 kg or 7 kg dryer. It will be easier to find a washing machine with 6kg fill weight than a tumble dryer. But 7 kg items should not be a problem for a dryer.
- For a family with one or two children, get an 8 kg dryer. Most new dryers have a 8kg fill weight.
- For a large family of 5 or more: a 9kg or larger dryer. Tumble dryers with a 9 kg capacity are considered to be large washers.
Best tumble dryers for 2 people or a couple in 2023
Are you looking for the best tumble dryer suitable for a 2 person household? The list below shows the best 7kg tumble dryers for 2023. In making this selection, we looked at the fill weight first of course, then compared all the 7kg dryers in terms of energy class, noise level, ease of use options, different drying programmes, expected life and customer reviews. These dryers came out on top!
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Buy a tumble dryer for 2; our tips
When buying a new tumble dryer, one of the most important aspects is the capacity of the drum. This largely determines whether the size of the appliance will fit the size of your household. But there are, of course, many other specifications that you should take into account when buying a new tumble dryer. There are three different types of dryers: the vent dryer, the condenser dryer and the heat pump dryer. Of these, the vent dryer has the highest energy consumption, and the heat pump dryer is the most energy efficient. In general, heat pump dryers are also more expensive to buy, but remember that they keep your energy costs down. That way, you’ll end up saving money with a heat pump dryer. And it’s better for the environment! There are several ways for dryers to do this. The extractor dryer leads the water outside through a window or a hole in the wall. With both the condenser and heat pump dryers, you have the choice of a water collection tray (a condensation drain that you will have to empty a few times a week) or a drainage hose that connects to the water outlet.
Energy class
Each time we explained that the heat pump dryer is the most energy efficient. But there can still be a difference in the energy consumption of 2 heat pump dryers. This is why you should look at the energy label of the device. This tells you exactly how energy efficient the dryer is. Dryers always fall between energy class A+++ and energy class B. For the most economical dryer, choose an A+++ heat pump dryer, even though A++ is considered energy efficient too.
Sound level
The sound level of a tumble dryer indicates how quiet it is when running drying programmes. Dryers are almost always a lot quieter than the average washing machine, but if you plan to turn the dryer on at night, for example, it can still be nice to have a quiet dryer. The noise level of 7kg dryers fall into 3 categories: loud, medium and quiet. Most 7kg dryers have a ‘medium’ noise level, producing 65dB or 66dB. Quiet dryers produce 64 dB or less.
Comfort
Wash dryers today include a host of technology to make drying your laundry better and easier. This includes options like a self-cleaning condenser, a delayed start and app-based controls. Think you can benefit from all this? Just like your washing machine, tumble dryers have all sorts of different programs for different types of laundry such as wool, shirts, silk, baby clothes and towels. These programs ensure that your laundry dries perfectly and lasts as long as possible. Almost all modern dryers have an eco-setting, for an extra energy-efficient way to dry, and many also have special anti-allergy and extra-dry programs.
Building quality
The build quality of a dryer tells you something about how sturdy it is and how long it is expected to last. Looking at the build quality, all dryers are divided into basic, mid-range and top-of-the-range. If the build quality is not mentioned with a dryer, you can also look at the price range and the brand. According to the Consumers’ Association, these are the best brands for clothes dryers: Miele, Bosch, Siemens, AEG and Samsung. These brands are slightly more expensive, but they all have 7 kg tumble dryers in their range. Miele, Bosch, Siemens, AEG and Samsung score less well according to the Consumers’ Association when it comes to value for money, because they are more expensive to buy. Brands that do score well in this category are Beko, Indesit and Zanussi. Zanussi also produces 7 kg tumble dryers.