Dehumidifier vs Tumble Dryer : Save Yourself From Endless Nightmare Of Laundry!

Have you ever wondered what makes a dehumidifier and a tumble dryer similar? A lot of comparison between dehumidifier vs tumble dryer is out, but which one is actually better and why?

When it comes to function and feature, a dehumidifier is better than a tumble dryer because it does not just help in drying clothes indoors but also in balancing air humidity at home to us feel comfortable.

The list just goes on when we talk about a dehumidifier’s benefits, however, when it comes to solely clean and dry out clothes, a tumble dryer is dedicated to this operation.

A dehumidifier’s main purpose is extracting excess humidity and not drying our clothes and so that’s what we all should remember. But, do you know that a tumble dryer naturally releases humidity?

Yup, if you notice there is condensation in your dryer after washing clothes, however, they are taken out to the exhaust system, usually connected to pipes outside.

But then, there are times when these ducts are clogged so the excess moisture goes back into the dryer and then released into the indoor air.

What's So Similar About Them?

When talking about a singular operation which is to dry clothes, both the dehumidifier and tumble dryer can do the job. However, one can be a cheaper alternative, while the other can be an expensive yet dedicated device.

Both devices work well in drying clothes indoors especially for those households that are too busy to dry clothes outside or those living in condos or apartments. Although, I must say that dryers work best in drying faster but dehumidifiers are more fabric-friendly.

In terms of technical principles, both the dehumidifier and tumble dryer, in fact, remove water through heat. The dehumidifier removes excess water in the air that causes high humidity through the hot and cold coils inside while a tumble dryer extracts water from the clothes by means of heating or steaming.

Dehumidifier Vs Tumble Dryer: The Differences

Mommies would definitely agree with me that we need both devices not only for drying out laundries but to make our lives easier and convenient. This is good when we are just talking about work objectives.

But the main concerns here are cost, feature, and function. If one device can offer us all these considerations, then why not?

We can have both devices, of course, but I would like to emphasize multifunction operation. We need a piece of versatile equipment that can give us more than what we pay for.

There are major differences between the dehumidifier and tumble dryer.

First is their main purpose. You cannot use a dryer to remove excess air moisture because it is actually contributing to this condition.

Yep, most types of tumble dryers actually release high air moisture and making the room more humid and hot.

But, you can naturally use a dehumidifier to dry out clothes by simply hanging them near the machine, although it takes longer times to completely dry out. This is why you often see dehumidifiers that included laundry rooms as their area of expertise.

How a Tumble Dryer Works

There are two kinds of tumble dryers available, one is a vented dryer, the most commonly used, where moisture exits through a hose outside, through the window or a wall hole. Next is a condenser dryer, where the water is simply collected in the tank and drained.

The vented dryer works similarly at some points, with a dehumidifier. It’s basically working as a washing machine and hairdryer principles combined.

It draws warm air from the laundry room and the warm air goes inside the central drum as the clothes spin.

This warm air runs through the clothes and causes the moisture to evaporate. The air is then vented outside through the hose in the form of steam and not water.

On the other hand, the condenser dryer condenses the warm air from the clothes into the water.

Tumble Dryer: Perks Of Having It!

A tumble dryer is an excellent investment if you live in urban areas where outdoor space is scarce and expensive. Plus, it makes drying quicker!

Here are some of the major pros of using a tumble dryer:

Cons of Tumble Dryers: What's The Burden Behind It?

Apparently, with these notable advantages, there are downsides of tumble dryers which can make you think twice before deciding to buy.

Dehumidifier:The GOOD Stuff

Now that we have filtered the pros and cons of a tumble dryer, let’s proceed with the dehumidifiers. They are known to be a cheaper alternative to the clothes dryer, but apart from that, they are also popular for the following reasons:

Dehumidifier: The Inconvenient Aspect

However, even though dehumidifiers offer excellent advantages, we cannot really get rid of its disadvantages. Luckily, these cons are manageable and can be easily controlled. Here are some of its disadvantages:

How Much Do Both Devices Consume?

I would like to share with all of you my tip on purchasing brand new appliances. I for one, greatly rely on consumer reviews because they are the real people who had used this specific equipment and their experiences vary.

Next, I look for an energy-star certification on every device I am planning to get. Of course mommies, we need to be practical with how much this new device will consume electricity.

Tumble Dryer Energy Cost

A typical tumble dryer can use up electricity somewhere around 12% of your total household consumption.

A dryer usually runs at 3.3 kilowatt-hours of energy with roughly an average of 11 cents per kilowatt-hour.

Dehumidifier Energy Cost

For dehumidifiers, let’s take a standard model operating at 20-30 Watts-hour, the total energy cost is only around 8-12 cents of power per 24 hours.

This calculation, of course, varies on the room size, dehumidifier size, and the amount of humidity a room has. But then, using these figures above, you can get a rough estimate of how much will be added to your monthly bill.

It pays to review and read the manual so you can calculate the kWh consumption of your dehumidifier.

So, Which is Better and Why?

Although tumble dryers make our lives easier, it’s impractical to use this machine for drying clothes, especially when you are being economical. I am a huge fan of dehumidifiers and perhaps my thoughts will gear up towards this machine.

Dehumidifiers have more advantages over tumble dryers. Here are my top three reasons why:

Let’s take a brief example on my electricity bill. Each state has different rate, so better check how much the rate per hour in your area is. Nevada’s average rater per hour is $0.11/kWh. 

Given that you do the laundry once a week only for 4 hours at the rate of $0.11/kWh.

Your Tumble Dryer using 3000 watts will cost you, 1.71kWh/day and that is roughly $0.18/day, and $5.72 per month, and $68.66 annually.

Whereas a dehumidifier using 280 watts will only be 0.16kWh/day and it will cost you $0.017 per day, $0.53 per month, and roughly $6.41 annually.

If you run the dehumidifier for 24 hours a day, it will cost you $0.74 daily, $22.49 monthly, and $270 yearly. Given your business is tumble dryers and they run for 24 hours a day, it will cost you $7.92 daily, $241 monthly, and $2891 yearly. 

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Bear in mind that a dehumidifier does more than just helping you dry clothes, it balances air moisture caused by extreme summer heat and it will only be a little add-on for 3 months time.

Alternatively, If your main goal is to dry out clothes, you install a clothes line and hang it inside the laundry room and make sure that there is enough ventilation so the air can freely flow inside and help dry these clothes naturally.

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Conclusion

There are so many factors we have to consider when comparing a dehumidifier vs a tumble dryer. There is the price, feature, function, and of course our own convenience. These are the top considerations we should consider.

Both these devices work similarly in terms of clothes drying, but in terms of versatility, a dehumidifier has a lot to offer. It works both in dehumidifying our homes as well as drying our clothes.

On the other hand, a tumble dryer is a piece of singular equipment is solely dedicated to clothes drying. This device is best for people who don’t have much time to dry clothes at home or those businesspeople who are always on the go. Some high-end brands offer wrinkle-free and quiet tumble dryers. If you are in one of these, a tumble dryer investment is an excellent choice.

However, in terms of practicality, investing in a dehumidifier is a wise move. You can save electricity and money. Apart from that, a dehumidifier can get rid of mold and bacteria, alleviates allergies, and dry out damp walls and clothes on the side.

I hope you get to ponder on the pros and cons of these devices and you can weigh your options. The choice is always yours. Decided on what device is more convenient and helpful for your daily needs.

This article is only a guide so you can filter and weigh your options. You see, my goal here is to enlighten everyone in choosing and getting certain devices. We can always invest wisely on appliances which can offer us more than what we expect and need, and what will make our lives better!