Siemens Tumble Dryers Cashback

Siemens Tumble Dryers

Although they have long been behind the other kitchen appliances with regards to popularity tumble dryers have become more and more common recently and it is no surprise that the well known manufacturer Siemens have a small, if somewhat select, range.

Price

As Siemens have close links with Bosch like them they prefer high quality to low prices, although Bosch do boast more of the former than the latter. However as with most products from the major manufacturers there are quite a large range of prices and you can expect to pay anything between £350 and £500 for a standard model with prices rising to around £700 for the more expensive options. Helpfully Siemens most recent range – the iQ range – comes in three different variants which are useful in identifying the likely price, quality and number features.

The iQ 100 machines are the most basic offerings with the iQ 300 (described by Siemens as good-looking mid-range appliances), iQ500 (increased 'class' and 'refinement') and iQ700 (the premium models) each offering increasing number of features at increasing prices.

Aesthetics

With regards to aesthetics there is unfortunately little variety offered by Siemens for their tumble dryers as the vast majority come with a standard white finish, with only the more expensive models available in black or with silver doors (which makes a surprising difference to the looks of the dryer). However seeing as a tumble dryer is often hidden from immediate sight behind a cabinet door or in a utility room this is generally not an issue.

Features

The first of the features that are worth considering is the efficiency of the various models. As well as the standard alphabetic scale some Siemens tumble dryers carry a 'Silver' or 'Gold' efficiency award (which roughly corresponds to the 'B' and 'A' classifications respectively on the standard scale); a machine with the Gold award will on average use half the energy in a comparable cycle to a machine with a Silver award so it is well worth checking.

Other features worth comparing are the drum size (although this is roughly 100l for all models) and the type of dryer: the cheaper tumble dryers use an air-vented system which blows the hot damp air out through a venting pipe whilst the condensing dryers retains the air, condenses it, and stores the water for manual removal (although in certain models it can be drained). Whilst the former are generally cheaper and more efficient, the fact they require a vent means that they are less popular in comparison to the more convenient condensing option.

A feature unique to the Siemens range is the 'soft paddle' drying design which attempts to create a 'gently dried by nature' feel by using a special drum and paddle action designed to maximise airflow. Another innovative idea present in the Siemens dryers is the 'wool drying basket' which allows you to dry hand and machine washable wool, as during this mode the drum is not rotated and the wool does not touch the hot sides allowing for the even and precise heating process that delicate fabrics need.

Programme Options

Programme Options allow you to quickly adjust the settings of the machine to the optimum for the clothes you are drying, and the number of these that are available vary relative to the amount you are willing to pay. The cheaper models come with 'short' and 'woollen' settings whilst the more expensive ones also offer 'outdoor', 'timed', 'low heat', 'lingerie' and 'synthetic non-iron' settings, all of which are fairly self explanatory.

The more unusual ones are the business and casual 'refresh' settings which allow you to 'refresh' your clothes with a quick warm spin - useful if you are pressed for time and cannot spare enough for a full wash and dry.

With regards to time settings some machines allow you to adjust the time of the drying cycle whilst others allow you delay the start time for a maximum of 24 hours; this useful for those who want to make the most of cheaper night-time electricity so it is worth looking out for. Although leaving the clothes in the dryer is not advised, most of Siemens' offerings come with an anti-crease function which occasionally moves the drum to ensure that the clothes do not become creased; this can be combined with the anti-iron setting which reduces the spin speed and alternates the spin cycle allowing the washing to 'relax' resulting in less creases.