Most people think about buying a new clothes dryer when they move into new accommodation and need to install a drying appliance for the first time. The decision that most people are faced with is whether to go for a washer dryer combo machine that does two jobs or go for a single, dedicated drying unit. To make the right 
choice it is important to do a little prior research, to get something that is appropriate for your needs and to avoid making any costly mistakes.
You will normally find that most drying machines are bigger than a combination machine especially if you consider that you also have to factor in a separate washing machine. Most separate units have a drum capacity of around 5 to 7 cubic feet whereas most compact models have about 3 cubic feet of capacity. Compact models are especially useful where space is of a premium such as in cottages, apartments or even a boat.
Many drying machines you find are powered by electricity, but it is possible to find appliances that are actually powered by gas. These gas appliances can work out very cost effective in the long run.
When going in a store to look at the machines it can be quite daunting. These are from companies such as Whirlpool, GE, Maytag and Kenmore that it can be quite daunting and confusing when going into a store for the first time to look at the machines. Therefore, a useful thing to do is an online search for the different makes on a large site such as Amazon. These will give a list of features that you can make a note of but will also give customer reviews which are an invaluable source of real feedback. When going to a store it is vital to measure the space where the dryer is going to go into.
The full size machines which are useful if you have a large family are usually about 28 inches wide. If the space you have is much smaller than this then it is worth having a look at one of the more compact mini drying or mini washer dryer machines.
One of the decisions you will have to make when purchasing a machine is whether to go for a vented or non vented model. A vented appliance pushes the damp hot air from the machine to the outside of the house and into the fresh open air. With a non vented or ventless model the hot, damp air is removed from the clothes and passed through a condenser.This produces water which collects in the machine and has to be emptied regularly.
The vented machines tend to be cheaper than the ventless models, which require regular emptying, although they do require a way of connecting to the outside which may be a problem in some residences. A non vented model can be placed anywhere in the house as it does not need this connection.
When making a choice there are basically two more decisions to make: whether to go for a single dryer unit or go for the washer dryer combo appliance; and whether to buy a vented or ventless model. One last point of note is that both machines will achieve the same outcome of dry clean clothes but you will find the washer dryer combo will take a little longer to do it.
