Clothes Dryer

[Crema Americana]

I'm looking for a GOOD clothes dryer that actually dries clothes in an efficient manner. You know, you put the clothes in and about 20 minutes later you take them out and fold them. The one I have now just tosses the clothes around for an hour and a half and they still come out damp and wrinkled (though slightly warm.) Why do they even bother to make such a garbage machine?

I've looked at past threads but they're either about washers or don't offer any specific brand names that aren't imports. I don't care how much energy it uses. I'd hang my clothes on a line, but that's not really an option. At the moment they're hanging from my curtain rods.


So anyone have any brands they can recommend and are happy with? Or are all dryers equally bad here? I miss American appliances (or Chinese.)

 

[ElQueso]

Eclair, I sympathize.

When I was here still perma-touristing, I took my clothes to the lavanderia. But damn that gets expensive after awhile. I went and looked at washers and dryers and couldn't believe the size and cost of what was available. I ended up buying for a good Bosch washing machine but couldn't bring myself to buy a dryer considering the washing machine, a full 1/2 the washable size I was used to in the States, was the price of a full-sized washing machine/dryer set back in the States. Heh.

I've heard that the vertical dryers are not even worth thinking about. I had room for a dryer when I lived in a house in the suburbs, but I'm glad I didn't decide to buy because now I only have room for a washer in my apartment (not small, being 165 sm).

I'm also glad I didn't buy because it turns out the apartment I rented after the house has a really cool feature. A drying closet. Not very big, about 1.5 meters wide, half a meter deep, as tall as the ceiling, with a water-heated radiator in the bottom. The top has three lines for hanging clothes on a roller that cranks so you adjust the tension of the lines. The clothes dry in about an hour and a half.

If I ever have to move again, I've decided I'm going to put such a thing on the priority list of things I want in an apartment.

Sorry I can't help you with recommendations on dryers, just thought I'd share a little on drying clothes in Buenos Aires

 

[gpop]

A name I come across that carries a good rep is Ariston which makes driers (secarropas), and washer/drier incorporated (lavasecarropas): http://www.aristonchannel.com.ar/

I also found Gafa Secarropas por calor at Falabella.

Here's a name you must know: Whirlpool.

Driers are convenient for the type of cloths you have in N.America, but be careful with heat and the cloths you buy here... they are not the same materials and get ruined much easier.

 

[StuckLikeGlue]

Driers are convenient for the type of cloths you have in N.America, but be careful with heat and the cloths you buy here... they are not the same materials and get ruined much easier.

I second this observation, although I have no idea about the specifics of the cloths/materials...when my boyfriend and I travelled to the States I took it upon myself to wash his cloths at my parents' house and lo and behold, one round in a dryer and they were all 2-3 sizes too small!! Mine were fine as I don't buy clothes here in Argentina.

 

[ghost]

A name I come across that carries a good rep is Ariston which makes driers (secarropas), and washer/drier incorporated (lavasecarropas): http://www.aristonchannel.com.ar/

I also found Gafa Secarropas por calor at Falabella.

Here's a name you must know: Whirlpool.

Driers are convenient for the type of cloths you have in N.America, but be careful with heat and the cloths you buy here... they are not the same materials and get ruined much easier.

Have had all of these and they aren't worth bothering with. In Olivos there's store that sells US type models. Imported and or used from corporate and embassy folks that moved on. Also check the US Embassys annual sale. Local driers a junk.

 

[nledec]

Be careful though about investing in imported machines (the only good ones!) as for the time being you can't get even the simplest replacement part if something breaks. If you buy from a store, invest in the Guarantia Extendida. You may be best off just waiting until an expat puts one up for sale.

 

[gpop]

I think that Ariston is either made in Italy or UK.
Gafa is Chinese.
Whirlpool i think is from Brazil... ahhh Brazil now makes [some] Stanley tools GRRRR they suck now, not what they used to be.

 

[Davidglen77]

I have a CANDY Lavasecarropas. While it does not have a large capacity, only 6KG to was and 5KG to dry, our clothes come out ok. I make sure to remove anything that is not made of cotton before the dry cycle kicks in, as it does get quite hot and anything that is rayon, polyester, etc. gets ruined. We have had this machine for 3 years, so far so good. 3 years ago it cost $3500 pesos, I recently saw it for $7200, unbelieveable.

 

[jimdepalermo]

A few years ago when I was last looking at clothes dryers, there was no national product whatsoever. All were imported. Which probably means there are none in the stores right now. . . .

I bought an Indesit, which performs reasonably well. It's smaller, and therefore slower than the US machines you describe, so a load of heavy towels may take 50 minutes to dry fully, assuming your washer has a great centrifuge. (If not, count on even longer cycles.) It needs venting through the wall, like the US machines. I've had only 1 problem in about 5 years of use, which the factory technician fixed on the first visit.

I also have an Ariston Washer/Dryer combo in a rental apartment. It does a good job, but only for a VERY small load - 6 kg - and a full wash/dry cycle takes a few hours. If you can live with those restrictions, I can recommend it.