Tumble dryers in particular help to save plenty of time otherwise spent waiting for clothes to air dry naturally. With a tumble dryer, you can simply load up all of your laundry and let it dry in just a few hours, ready to be folded away!
Tumble dryers are so useful that it can be hard to imagine a life before they existed. Keen to understand how they became such a vital part of everyday life? Then you’ll want to join the Reliant tech experts below! We’re going to chart a course from the humble origins of the appliance through to its current indispensable place in our homes! Let’s get started!
Life Before The Tumble Dryer
Before the invention of the tumble dryer, we relied entirely on the sun to dry our clothes after washing them. Of course, this is a practice that is still observed today, and many households still choose to air-dry laundry by hanging them out in the sun. However, in the days before tumble dryers, there were few other options.
Before the invention of the tumble dryer, there was no choice but to air-dry clothes. Air-drying clothes is incredibly weather-dependent. So, if the weather wasn’t right, many people would have to wait days to receive their clean laundry!
Early dryers often took the form of wringers. These were hand-cranked systems that squeezed water from out of fabrics. While wringing certainly helped to remove excesses of water from our laundry, they were still left damp and sodden, so still needed to be air-dried.
The trouble with air-drying laundry is that it is incredibly weather-dependent. If the weather is cold or wet, then it will take longer for fabrics to completely dry. This was incredibly inconvenient in the past, as the laundry was often a joint effort. Usually, only a few people would be responsible for the laundry of an entire town, so if the drying process was hampered by the weather, then it would impact the daily lives of almost everyone around!
1799 – The First Ever Mechanical Dryer
The first mechanical dryer that bore a resemblance to the dryers of today was invented in 1799. The device was concocted by the French inventor Pochon and was capable of handling massive loads of laundry at one time.
The device made use of a large metal drum, which was perforated with numerous holes across its outer surface. This drum was then filled with wet laundry, and suspended over a roaring fire. The drum would then be spun, in order to tumble the laundry around. The tumbling motion is highly important, because it maintains the air space between each article of clothing, so no patches of moisture are kept isolated from the drying heat.
The first-ever mechanical dryer was created by French inventor Pochon. It used a large metal drum that was rotated above a roaring fire. Though it did prove effective, it often resulted in laundry smelling of smoke or catching fire!
However, though Pochon’s tumble dryer was effective at removing moisture from clothes, it did come with some hefty drawbacks. For one, the roaring flames from below emitted plenty of dense and smelly smoke. This smoke would then latch itself onto fabrics, causing them to smell smoky. Worst of all, the uncontrolled flames very often resulted in fabrics catching fire!
Though it marked a significant step forward toward creating the tumble dryers we know today, Pochon’s tumble dryer simply didn’t prove successful. It was prone to too many errors, and operating the device was incredibly labour-intensive!
The First Successful Tumble Dryer
1892 – The First Successful Tumble Dryer
It would take nearly 100 years for tumble dryers to really prove successful. In the years following Pochon’s tumble dryer, many inventors tried their hand at creating a truly successful mechanical dryer. However, it wasn’t until 1892 that the world would see its first truly effective and safe tumble dryer.
That year, American inventor George Sampson created the world’s first truly successful tumble dryer. This new tumble dryer took the basic idea of Pochon’s early model but improved it in a number of key ways. Instead of using an open flame, for example, the tumble dryer made use of a stove. This meant that the temperature could be more closely controlled. Most importantly, it prevented laundry from smelling of smoke or accidentally bursting into flames!
The first successful tumble dryer was patented by the American inventor George Sampson in 1892. This new tumble dryer made use of a stove instead of an open flame. This meant there was no smoke smell or risk of fire!
The dryer was also designed to keep the laundry far away from the stove itself. This further prevented the risk of fire.
1890 – 1900 – Sampson’s Tumble Dryer Takes Off
After filing the patent on his new dryer, and showcasing it to the market, Sampson’s tumble dryer very quickly took off. Soon, the new dryer was being adopted by homes across the United States.
The 1900s Onward
For the majority of the early 1900s, Sampson’s tumble dryer had become the gold standard for clothes drying. With more and more models selling by the day, many inventors and manufacturers set about inventing their very own dryers, with designs on cornering the market! However, it would take until around the 1930s and 1940s for any of these new tumble dryer models to take off.
Around that same time, many homes were now gaining access to electricity and gas. This meant that more families could afford to implement tumble dryers into their homes. As a result, a number of new tumble dryer models began to find success around this time.
1938 – The World’s First Electric Dryer
With many households across America now receiving a steady supply of electricity, it was about time for tumble dryers to take notice. In 1938, American inventor J. Ross Moore patented his very own automatic electric dryer. Of course, this would prove to be a landmark moment, paving the way for the electric tumble dryers that we now use regularly today.
Moore’s first electric dryer would also prove significant because of the various design elements it introduced. Many of these design elements are now staples in modern tumble dryer technology to this day!
The first electric tumble dryer in the world was invented in 1938. This handy new model proved to be immediately popular. At the time, numerous homes across the United States now had access to electricity.
Moore’s tumble dryer was the first to include an automatic rotating drum. This meant that users no longer had to painstakingly crank mechanisms to keep laundry tumbling! It was also the first tumble dryer to feature electronic heating elements. This meant that there was no need for an open flame or even a stove to produce heat. This in turn made tumble dryers much safer than ever before.
Moore’s tumble dryer also came equipped with an exhaust vent. This allowed the dryer to release the built-up steam created by evaporating all of the moisture in the laundry. This leads to quicker drying and more effective operation.
Electric tumble dryers quickly took over as the standard option for laundry. They were not only more effective, but they were also more efficient than ever. This meant that they required no labour to use, so they were incredibly helpful for busy households, and especially housewives.
The 1940s – Tumble Dryer Prices Lower
Despite the growing popularity of tumble dryers in the 1930s, they still ultimately proved a little too expensive for many households across the world.
However, over the course of the 1940s, many major manufacturers set about creating their very own electric tumble dryers. With so much healthy competition now in the tumble dryer market, prices also started to slowly decline.
In order to entice potential customers, and to dominate the market, manufacturers began offering their models at lower prices. These lower prices helped to increase the accessibility of tumble dryers, and in turn, increased their popularity as more and more households started to adopt them.
Tumble Dryers In The Postwar Boom
Of course, the Second World War would prove incredibly impactful in the history of Tumble Dryers. Over the course of the war, many major manufacturers of tumble dryers would be recruited to manufacture weapons for war. This meant that the tumble dryer market temporarily stagnated, until the end of the war.
However, once the war had passed, and nations began rebuilding, there was a more positive outlook towards the future. With renewed optimism, and greater access to cash as a result of the postwar boom, households across the world adopted tumble dryers into their homes.
The 1940s – Tumble Dryers Continue To Improve
During the same postwar period, manufacturers also iterated on their existing tumble dryer models, fitting them with new features. Many of these features are now important aspects of the modern tumble dryer experience.
Tumble dryers were now equipped with more accurate temperature controls. This allowed users to more effectively care for their laundry by choosing the right temperature. This was significant because many delicate fabrics can be damaged by high temperatures. Temperature controls allowed users to ensure delicate fabrics were well cared for.
During the period following World War II, sales of tumble dryers blew up massively. Households now had more disposable income than ever, and families were looking to build the homes of the future. So, tumble dryers proved a natural fit.
Fitted timers also allowed users to more accurately control the drying experience. Now, users could choose exactly how long they wanted a cycle to last. Perfect for caring for delicate fabrics. It also meant that users no longer had to intervene in the drying process or decide when drying was done. Less guesswork made for more relaxed use!
Finally, tumble dryers of the time were also equipped with cool cycles. Of course, these were fantastic because they allowed users to dry more delicate fabrics that might usually be damaged by high temperatures.
1953 – The World’s First Washer Dryer
Washer-dryers are now a staple of many homes across the world. These handy devices combine the function of both a washing machine and a tumble dryer into one unit. With just one drum, users can wash and dry their laundry without having to intervene at any point.
Though they are now a staple in modern homes, it would take until 1953 for the first washer dryer combo unit to be released, by Bendix Home Appliances. Of course, washer dryers would prove to be immediately successful. No longer did homeowners have to purchase both a separate washing machine and a tumble dryer. With just one appliance, they could handle all of their laundry woes!
1965 – Permanent Press Dryers
One problem that plagued many early tumble dryers was the tendency to crease laundry. The high temperatures and constant tumbling of the laundry led to the fabrics developing unsightly creases.
To counteract this, in 1965, a new tumble dryer was released that was specially equipped with permanent press technology. This combines both high heat and low heat periods within each cycle. This combination of air temperatures ensured that laundry was never exposed to high temperatures for too long. This also meant that laundry wouldn’t come out of the unit covered in creases. So, no longer did users have to dig out the iron!
1983 – Tumble Dryer Delay Timers
In 1983, the first tumble dryer with a delay timer was released. Delay timers essentially allow users to pick a specific time of day for the drying cycle to start. This allows users much greater control over their laundry tasks so that they can fit them around their personal schedule.
Tumble dryer delay timers are still incredibly important to this day, as they allow users a much greater sense of control over their laundry schedules.
Modern Tumble Dryers
Since their early days in the nineteenth century, through to the modern era, tumble dryers have been subject to a massive number of changes and alterations. These changes have helped to make them more effective at drying laundry, and have also helped to make them more energy efficient! But there are still quite a few unique features that separate modern tumble dryers from their earliest ancestors that we’ve yet to touch. Let’s get into it below!
Sensor Technologies
Modern tumble dryers are now equipped with extra special sensors. These help to optimise performance, and also ensure your laundry is fully and effectively dried.
Many tumble dryers are equipped with weight sensors. As the name suggests, these special sensors are able to detect the exact weight of each load of laundry. The data from these weight sensors can inform the tumble dryer of the perfect conditions for each cycle. Lass laundry placed into the drum? The tumble dryer will shorten the cycle accordingly!
Modern dishwashers are now equipped with weight and moisture sensors. These can detect how much laundry is inserted in the drum, and how much moisture there is. This allows the dryer to only use whatever electricity is needed.
Moisture sensors can accurately detect the amount of moisture being released from your laundry. This allows the unit to adjust the cycle length appropriately so that you’re only ever using the amount of electricity you need to get the job done! When the tumble dryer detects that there’s less moisture being released from your laundry, it will shorten the cycle accordingly!
Sensor technology helps to make modern tumble dryers much more energy efficient. Now, they only need to use exactly the amount of electricity needed to get the job done. So, they cost less to operate, and they can provide better care to unique fabrics!
Heat Pump Dryers
The modern tumble dryer market is now populated with all manner of options. Tumble dryers can differ massively from model to model, not just in terms of their overall capacity, but also in terms of how they operate! Heat pump dryers, in particular, operate very differently from standard tumble dryers!
Standard tumble dryers, like the ones we’ve explored so far in this guide, make use of either vented systems or condenser systems. Vented tumble dryers send steam out of the unit once it has been built up. Condenser dryers, on the other hand, collect the moisture from your laundry, and then vent out the leftover hot air! This keeps moisture from building up so that the unit can more effectively dry your laundry.
Heat pump tumble dryers, on the other hand, are a fairly recent innovation, and they operate differently. Instead of venting all of the moisture directly out in the form of steam, it sends that steam to a small compartment under the drum. Here, the steam passes through an evaporator. This converts the steam into water, which is then stored for later removal. It also leaves behind hot air. This hot air is then sent right back into the drum!
Heat pump dryers are incredibly energy efficient because they do not need to waste electricity continuously generating hot air. Instead, heat pump dryers simply reuse the same hot air throughout the cycle.
Greater Energy Efficiency
It’s not just heat pump tumble dryers that are now more efficient than ever. Various other features have also helped to make all kinds of tumble dryer models more energy efficient. For instance, many modern tumble dryers now come equipped with special “Eco” cycles. These cycles are designed to use less electricity overall. This means that they have a much smaller impact on the planet, and they cost much less to run!
In the centuries since tumble dryers were first invented, we’ve sought ways to make them more energy efficient. Nowadays, tumble dryers use only a fraction of the electricity once used. This makes them cheaper to operate!
Tumble dryers are also now equipped with more energy-efficient parts and components. These are able to deliver fantastic results without having to use an excess of electricity. When compared to the earliest tumble dryers, it’s easy to see just how much more efficient modern tumble dryers are.
In the early days of tumble dryer technology, there was certainly less emphasis placed on energy efficiency and protecting the environment. So, many parts built into these units tended to use excessive amounts of electricity. This made them very costly to operate!
Steam Technology
Tumble dryers now leverage the benefits of steam to deliver effective drying that protects your fabrics. Steam can be used to prevent creases in your laundry, and prevent them from shrinking. Steam can also be used to lift small pockets of dirt from fabrics. If you suffer from allergies, you’ll also benefit from steam technology, as it’s capable of lifting allergens directly from fabrics that they’ve clung to!
Steam can also effectively lift odours from your clothes. This is particularly useful if you have certain fabrics that are only lightly soiled. Just run a simple cycle with steam, and your lightly soiled clothes will be refreshed. Perfect if there’s a favourite outfit that you’d like to wear a few times!
Finally, steam has also been noted to give fabrics a softer feel. So, you can dry your clothes while also giving them a totally new feel!
Quieter Operation
No one likes a noisy appliance, so it’s a blessing that modern tumble dryers are now built to be quieter than ever. Thanks to higher-quality parts and greater control over spin speed, tumble dryers are now able to operate incredibly quietly. So, you can maintain the peace in your home even while tackling your backlog of laundry.
LG tumble dryers are particularly worthy of mention, as they make use of special inverter motors. These special motors can more accurately maintain certain spin speeds and can rotate much more quietly.
Modern tumble dryers are fantastic for modern homes, as they help homeowners to maintain a level of peace and quiet. They’re also especially great for smaller homes, as users won’t have to put up with hours of operational noise while they dry their clothes!
Smart Connectivity
Much like our mobile phones and TVs, our tumble dryers are now smarter than ever. Not only are they packed full of smart features like weight and moisture sensors, but they’re also equipped with connectivity capabilities.
Smart connectivity allows users to connect remotely to their tumble dryer via a smart device like a smartphone. This opens up a whole new level of control for more accurate results. For instance, users can use their phones to choose specific cycle types or to adjust each cycle to best suit their individual needs.
Smart connectivity allows users to control every facet of their tumble dryers through just their smartphones. This allows for more accurate cleaning results and a greater sense of control over drying!
Smart connectivity also gives users insight into the performance of the tumble dryer. For instance, via their phone, users can see how much energy the tumble dryer is using, or whether the dryer needs any repairs. This can also help the user save heaps of cash that might otherwise need to be spent on costly repairs.
How you connect your smartphone to your tumble dryer will ultimately depend on the model. For instance, if you’re using a Samsung tumble dryer, you’ll need to use the SmartThings app to connect. If you’re using a Bosch tumble dryer, you’ll need to use the Home Connect app. These apps are built to be incredibly robust and to give you a fantastic sense of control.
More Cycle Types
Due to advancements in technology, tumble dryers are able to offer dozens more cycle types to choose from. With more advanced motors for careful spin speed control and more advanced heating elements for precise temperature control, it’s easier than ever to create the perfect conditions for drying!
With more cycle types available, it’s much easier to create the perfect conditions for drying your laundry. This also means you can take greater care of delicate fabrics. You won’t end up putting delicates at risk of shrinking, for example.
Tumble dryers are now equipped with all kinds of cycle types. This allows users to choose a cycle type that suits the needs of different fabrics. This also gives users the option to dry fabrics previously deemed too delicate!
It also enables you to dry a much wider array of fabric types. So, you won’t have to settle for air drying specific pieces of laundry while others get to enjoy the tumble dryer experience.
Tumble Dryers Moving Into The Future
As we move further into the future, it’s natural to wonder just what’s in store for the humble tumble dryer. How could they possibly advance further? And how can you possibly innovate on the now widely available smart models? Let’s take a look.
It’s most likely that tumble dryers will continue to get smarter and smarter with each year. They’ll be equipped with more powerful processors, which are better equipped to handle intensive laundry tasks. It’s also likely that smart tumble dryers will be equipped with AI technology. Manufacturers like Samsung have already begun integrating AI technology into their smartphones, so it’s likely that it will also be integrated into the company’s tumble dryers!
AI will be able to improve the user experience by totally eliminating guesswork. No longer will users have to guess which cycle is best for their laundry. Instead, they will be able to rely on AI to choose the perfect cycle for every piece of laundry in the drum.
It’s also likely that tumble dryers will become more energy-efficient overall. They’ll be able to deliver more accurate results, while also using less and less electricity. This will make them far less costly to operate, and will also make them better for the planet. To help with this, it’s also likely that heat pump tumble dryers will drop in price, and will thus become much more accessible.
In the future, tumble dryers will be easier to operate, will deliver more accurate results while taking perfect care of your fabrics, and will also be much kinder to the planet overall!
Frequently Asked Questions
Did They Have Dryers In The 70s?
Absolutely. In fact, the 1970s saw a distinct boom in tumble dryer sales. At the time, more families had access to disposable income. Tumble dryers were also much less expensive than they were before. Prior to this decade, tumble dryers were already widely available across the world. This is because they were actually invented as far back as the 1800s!
