Living with limited space doesn’t mean you need to limit the number of appliances you have.
If you live in a flat, it’s unlikely that you’ll have access to a washing line, but that doesn’t mean you can’t have the efficiency of a tumble dryer in your home.
A small tumble dryer doesn’t mean you’ll be losing out on high-quality features, either.
Many modern, more compact tumble dryers come equipped with up-to-date sensor technology, allowing you to make the most out of your drying cycle.
While there are many small tumble dryers available, what is the best tumble dryer for flats? What makes a tumble dryer suitable for a smaller space?
We’ve chosen five of our favourite, flat-friendly tumble dryers, to help you get your clothes dry quickly and efficiently.
You can read our handy buyer’s guide for more information on what to look out for in a small tumble dryer.
Let’s take a look!
Best Small Tumble Dryers for Flats
1. Cookology CMVD25WH Mini Vented Dryer
Dimensions: 58.5 cm high x 49.5 cm wide x 41.5 cm deep
If you’re looking for an ultra-compact tumble dryer that you will barely notice taking up space, then this model from Cookology might be the option for you.
One of the standout features of this dryer is how easy it is to position in your flat. It can be placed on a worktop, or you can even mount it to the wall, giving you more floor space to play with.
Featuring 5 different programmes and 2 heat settings, don’t be fooled by the small size of this dryer. It won’t let you down in terms of performance.
It can fit up to 2.5 kg of laundry inside, and its vented design means it is easy to get the air outside and out of your flat.
Features
- 2.5 kg drying capacity
- Wall mountable
- 200-minute timer
- 5 drying programmes
Design, use and performance
The Cookology CMVD25WH has a small and functional design, and is perfect for squeezing into a small kitchen or laundry room.
It’s vented, which means that the moist air is released through a hose which goes outside your flat. If that’s not practical, you can use a condenser box, which will collect the water so you won’t have to vent it outside.
This dryer has a capacity of 2.5 kg. That’s much less than a regular tumble dryer which would be able to dry about 7 kg of laundry. However, 2.5 kg is probably enough for a single person who only needs to dry a small amount at a time.
You can set it to either Hot, Warm, Cool or Air-Dry, so you have control over drying time and can safely dry delicate clothing.
Pros
- Quiet noise level
- Very compact and can be mounted on the wall
- Ideal for student accommodation and smaller flats
- Various drying programmes gives you control over the cycle
Cons
- Smaller drying capacity can be restrictive
Summary
The Cookology CMVD25WH is an excellent choice for small flats. It dries clothes quickly and is reasonably priced. If you don’t need or want a big dryer, it’s a smart buy.
2. Russell Hobbs RH3VTD800B Mini Vented Tumble Dryer
Dimensions: 58.5 cm high x 49.5 cm wide x 41.5 cm deep
This mini tumble dryer from Russell Hobbs is small enough to fit on a kitchen work surface or can even be wall mounted to save even more space.
The dryer has a choice of heat settings and adjustable timer that can be set quickly by simply turning the dial. With a noise level of just 62 dB during normal use, this tumble dryer is a quiet option too.
Features
- Vented, front loading design
- Adjustable timer and temperature
- 2.5 kg drying capacity
- Supplied with wall mounting brackets
- 1 year guarantee
Design, use and performance
This compact tumble dryer is ideal for use in flats or student accommodation where space is at a premium. The vented design extracts the hot, moist air directly out of the machine, which does prevent a build-up of heat and steam in your home.
The dryer is easy to use and move around as needed, and it can easily be installed on the floor, work surface or even wall mounted, as long as you have access to a window or vent for the hose.
Despite its small stature, this Russell Hobbs dryer offers great performance and value for money if you do not need to dry large loads.
Pros
- Lightweight and easy to use and move around
- Perfect for small spaces
- Good value for money
Cons
- Vented design can limit you on where the dryer can be placed
- Instructions could be better
Summary
This Russell Hobbs tumble dryer is ideal for homes where space is really at a premium, and it just isn’t possible to install a full-sized dryer. Despite its small size, the machine still offers good performance for smaller washing loads.
3. Hotpoint NV4D01P 4kg Freestanding Vented Tumble Dryer
Dimensions: 67 cm high x 49 cm wide x 48 cm deep
This vented tumble dryer has a capacity of 4 kg, which is enough for around 20 t-shirts – plenty for small families or students. This machine’s small size means it can fit in flats where space is at a premium.
Features
- 4 kg load capacity
- Choice of 2 heat settings
- Timed drying
- Reverse tumble action to reduce tangles
- 10-year parts and 1-year labour warranty
Design, Use and Performance
This Hotpoint dryer is ideal for homes where space is at a premium. It’s small footprint means it can squeeze into kitchens, bathrooms, or even cupboards. If floorspace is really limited, this small dryer can be used on countertops too.
The machine is easy to use and maintain, and the choice of heat settings and modes makes drying a range of laundry a breeze.
The 4 kg load capacity is enough for around 20 t-shirts; plenty for smaller households, such as flats or student accommodation.
The machine’s reverse tumble action reduces tangles and creases in the laundry, reducing the amount of time you need to spend ironing too.
Pros
- Ideal for small homes
- Quieter than some alternatives
- Easy to set up and use
- Holds a good-sized load of laundry
Cons
- Front venting can limit where the machine is placed
- Not as small as some competitors
Summary
Hotpoint’s 4 kg dryer is an ideal choice for small flats with limited space. Despite its small footprint, the dryer still has a 4 kg load which is more than enough for small households.
That being said, this machine isn’t quite as small as others available, so may not be ideal if you are really limited for space.
4. Bush TD3CNBW 3KG Vented Tumble Dryer
Dimensions: 69 cm high x 49 cm wide x 47.5 cm deep
The Bush 3 kg vented tumble dryer has enough capacity for around 15 t-shirts and is ideal for use in small kitchens or utility rooms.
The machine has a neat appearance, and it’s choice of heat modes mean you can easily wash both bulky items and delicates.
Features
- 3 kg capacity
- 1 drying programme
- 59 dB during normal use
- Choice of heat settings
- Vented style dryer
- 1 year manufacturer’s guarantee
Design, Use and Performance
This Bush tumble dryer has a smart white appearance that will not look out of place in your home.
The machine has three heat settings to make drying delicates and bulky items alike a breeze, and the single dial control makes using the machine incredibly easy.
The machine is relatively small, so it can easily be tucked away out of sight. This, combined with it’s Quiet Mark stamp of approval, means less risk of waking up the kids during operation.
Pros
- Incredibly quiet dryer
- Easy to use
- Ideal size for small households
Cons
- Drying can take longer than other models
- No dedicated synthetics or wool cycles
- No reverse means laundry can tangle
Summary
The Bush compact dryer is a great value dryer offering good performance for small loads of clothing.
However, drying can take longer than other models and it only has one dryer programme.
The machine isn’t as small as some of the others on this list, so may not be ideal if you are really limited on space.
Things to Consider When Choosing a Tumble Dryer for a Flat
Size
It goes without saying that, living in a flat, you will need a small tumble dryer. But how small should you be looking at?
The standard dimensions of a regular full-size tumble dryer are roughly 82-85 cm high, 59.5 cm wide and 46 to 60 cm deep.
Freestanding tumble dryers are deeper (usually around 60 cm), whereas integrated tumble dryers are typically closer to 50 cm deep.
The mini tumble dryers reviewed here are obviously smaller than the average tumble dryer. They measure about 60 cm high, 50 cm wide and 40 cm deep. This can make them a great option if you just don’t have the space for a regular tumble dryer.
However, the smaller size of these tumble dryers comes at a cost in terms of drying capacity. Regular-sized tumble dryers can dry 7 to 9 kg of laundry at a time, whereas mini tumble dryers can only handle 2.5 to 4 kg of laundry.
It’s also worth noting that small tumble dryers will generally dry clothes at a slower rate, due to the smaller space available in the drum, meaning they may be less energy efficient.
While this can’t always be avoided, choosing an eco-friendly model can make the smaller size seem like less of an issue.
Vented, condenser or heat pump?
When choosing the best tumble dryer for you, it’s likely that you will hear the terms ‘vented’, ‘condenser’ and ‘heat pump’ to describe different products.
The mini tumble dryers reviewed here are all vented machines, but you could make them work like a condenser model using a condenser box.
Let’s take a look at the differences between them the main types of tumble dryer, so you can consider these before you make a purchase.
Vented
The vented tumble dryer is the simplest and most traditional type of tumble dryer.
These appliances remove water from the dryer using a long hose connected to the machine, which then vents the water outside of your home.
This design means it will need to be installed near to a window or exterior wall, so the hose can reach the outside. However, they are typically a budget-friendly type of tumble dryer.
Condenser
Condenser dryers remove water and deposit it in a container, often referred to as a ‘reservoir’, inside the tumble dryer.
Once the container is full, it will need to be manually emptied, however many modern tumble dryers will alert you once this needs to happen.
One benefit of this means that you can place the tumble dryer almost anywhere you like, as opposed to near a window or wall.
This may be more convenient in a flat, as you won’t need a hole in the wall to vent the air through.
Condenser dryers are usually a bit more expensive than vented dryers.
When researching this article, we couldn’t find any mini condenser tumble dryers.
Heat pump
Heat pump dryers are the most modern and energy efficient type of tumble dryer. They work in a similar way to condenser dryers, extracting moisture and depositing it in a reservoir, which needs to be emptied periodically.
The difference between a heat pump dryer and a condenser dryer is that a heat pump dryer recycles warm air rather than having to continuously heat air. This makes it more energy efficient and cheaper to run.
Since they use more advanced technology, heat pump dryers are the most expensive dryer type.
When researching this article, we couldn’t find any mini heat pump tumble dryers. It seems like if you want something much smaller than the average model, your only option is a mini vented dryer.
Sensor technology
While small tumble dryers are not known for being particularly energy efficient, many modern designs will feature special sensor technology to help with this problem.
This technology works by monitoring the level of moisture in the drum during the cycle, and will then stop the dryer once the clothes are dry, so you won’t be leaving your tumble dryer running unnecessarily. This will not only save energy and time, but also be a great help on your bills too!
However, it is worth bearing in mind that tumble dryers featuring this technology are often more expensive, but they will potentially save you money over time, so they could be a worthwhile investment.
Washer-dryers
Living in a flat means that you won’t have lots of excess space to play with. It may therefore seem more logical to buy a 2-in-1 appliance rather than two separate machines.
That’s where the washer-dryer comes into play. As the name suggests, this product is a combination of both a washing machine and a tumble dryer, which can save you a lot of space in your flat.
The ‘washer’ part of the product works like a standard washing machine. However, for this product review, we’re most interested in whether the ‘dryer’ part works as well as single tumble dryers.
The ‘dryer’ uses a heat-pump mechanism to get clothes dry. It reheats air that is taken out of the laundry throughout the cycle, and cools it down, so it turns back into water that is then drained.
While washer-dryers are excellent in theory, and in terms of saving space, some users have claimed that their drying capacities are not as high-performing as a single tumble dryer on its own.
If you aren’t too worried about drying large loads, then a washer-dryer can be a great option but bear in mind that the 2-in-1 design means its drying performance may be impacted.
If you’re not sure whether or not to get one, we have explored whether it’s worth getting a washer dryer combo here.
Noise
Living in shared accommodation, such as a flat, can mean that you need to be more cautious of making too much noise.
With your neighbours in close proximity, it’s important that you consider how loud your tumble dryer is going to be.
We recommend choosing a tumble dryer that features ‘anti-vibration’ technology or good interior isolation, as this will prevent the dryer from being unbearably loud.
The last thing you need when drying your clothes is for your neighbours to complain about a rattling, deafening tumble dryer!
Check out our roundup of the quietest tumble dryers on the market if noise is important to you.
What Widths Do Tumble Dryers Come In?
The standard dimensions of a tumble dryer in the UK are 85 cm high by 60 cm wide. The depth can vary from 46 to 70 cm.
However, you can buy a mini tumble dryer that is smaller than the standard size. Mini tumble dryers can be as small as 58.5 cm high by 49.5 cm wide and 41.5 cm deep. However, they have much smaller capacities, which can be as little as 2.5 kg. Regular tumble dryer have at least a 6 kg capacity.
Do slimline tumble dryers exist?
Based on our research, no, it’s not possible to buy a domestic slimline tumble dryer in the UK.
The only way to get a tumble dryer that is less than 60 cm wide is to buy a mini tumble dryer such as those listed in this article. These dryers are usually around 49 cm wide.
However, bear in mind that these tumble dryers have much smaller capacities than regular dryers, so you won’t be able to dry as many clothes at once.
Summary
It’s clear to see that there are many great small tumble dryers on the market, and it can be difficult to choose the perfect one, especially when you only have a limited space.
However, with all the factors considered, my pick for the best small tumble dryer for a flat would be the Cookology CMVD25WH Mini Vented Dryer.
This dryer has many features that make it ideal for use in a flat, most notably its compact design, which allows it to be placed on a work surface or even mounted on the wall.
With the help of our buyer’s guide, I hope this product roundup review has given you a clear insight into the best small tumble dryers for flats, and now you’ll never have to worry about the limited space being an issue when drying your clothes!
Thanks for reading!
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