White Knight 37AW

Introduction

A Tumble Dryer along with a Washing Machine were at the top of my 'things to buy' list when I recently moved into my new home and much time was spent on-line looking at the choices available. I decided from the outset that I didn't want a combination Washer/Dryer as I've always had the niggling doubt that if something should go wrong with either the Washer or Dryer parts of the machine then it also takes the other half out of action, plus I had the cost consideration to bear in mind too. I live alone now so any washing that I do have is just mine and any clothes/bedding/towels that I need to wash and dry don't mount up into massive loads so something that was suitable for a single person was what I was looking for and whilst not the cheapest option available to me I ended up settling for the subject of this review, the White Knight 37AW vented tumble dryer.

White Knight

British manufacturers, White Knight offer a variety of Tumble dryers at varying prices and the 37AW is at the cheaper end of the scale with this particular model retailing for around £130.00. I bought mine on-line for £116.00 which I thought was a great price and it was delivered a couple of days after I ordered it. It's a small machine in dimension measuring 67cm in height, 50cm in width and 47cm in depth so finding room for it in a kitchen/utility room shouldn't be too troublesome and it easily fitted under one of my kitchen counters with plenty of room to spare. Stylistically speaking this is a basic machine, it comprises a front loading drum, timer dial and a heat setting switch along with a removable filter and being a vented machine the 37AW comes complete with a vent kit.

It has a maximum capacity of 3Kgs and is rated "D" for energy efficiency which is pretty much the standard for tumble dryers anyway and on the underside of the back of the machine are 2 small wheels which allow it to be moved around with very little effort. The 37AW is simple to use, just load it up with damp clothes from the washing machine, set the counter dial for as long as you want it to dry for, select if you want a gentle or high heat and then just close the door and leave it to tumble dry whatever it is you have put in there. Easy.

So what's it like in operation?

In Use

I've never owned a tumble dryer before so I didn't know how noisy they were or if they were any good in all honesty, because I have no washing line at my disposal in my new place and the radiators in my rooms are too small to hold a decent amount of clothes I knew I needed to buy a dryer and I don't think I could have got much better for the money than the 37AW. I was surprised the first time I used it at just how quiet it actually is in operation with the machine making a gentle hum as it dried the clothes I had loaded into its drum and having used it several times now I just think it gets better and better every time I use it.

I love its simplicity, there's nothing complicated about this model and all I have to do is set the countdown timer and select the heat setting I want and I can just leave the machine alone. The door makes a reassuring 'clunk' when it is closed and the catch feels sturdy, the whole machine feels well made and whilst it is basic in appearance it does exactly what I want from a tumble dryer and it does it well. I have to have my dryer near to a window so I can hang the end of the vent out of it and moving the dryer around is very easy thanks to its wheels. It's not an ideal situation for me having a vented tumble dryer and until I bought this I didn't know the difference between a vented one and a "condenser" and whilst I do wish I had gone for a condenser model the fact that I can easily move the 37AW around is a definite plus point. That said, the vent hose that does come supplied with the machine is a bit on the short side so do be aware that it doesn't stretch very far, if you're going to connect your machine to a fixed air vent then it shouldn't cause any problems but if you're like me and have to use a window or the front door then it can be on the tricky side to get it positioned in the right place. The vent hose does fit firmly onto the back of the machine though and stays in place throughout the drying process and it does feel sturdy and of good quality so the fact that it is rather short is a shame really but certainly not a reason for anyone not to buy this particular model.

I can't compare the drying time to other models as I haven't owned a dryer before but I am impressed at how quickly the 37AW is at drying the items I put inside it. Cotton mix clothes take around 20 minutes to dry on the highest heat setting (after having a second spin in my washing machine to get as much water out as possible) and towels take around 30-40 minutes. I never mix fabrics in the dryer so always dry my towels separately and I think that this is probably the best thing to do as I would imagine that adding anything too heavy to cotton mix clothing would only extend the overall drying time. 3Kgs as a maximum load is plenty for me and the things I need to dry although perhaps a bit low for anyone with a large family so do bear that in mind if you are looking for a tumble dryer and are considering this model.

Overall though I have no complaints with the White Knight 37AW and it has proven itself to be an invaluable purchase which I now would hate to be without. It makes washing days easy as far as I'm concerned, I can load up the machine with my damp clothes and leave it to dry them in a relatively short time and for the money I spent I can't be too critical over the short vent hose. It's easy to move around, emits a gentle hum whilst drying and best of all it doesn't fill my kitchen with condensation (something that I was afraid might happen after reading reviews on other vented models). Because I live alone I can't say how this would operate in a busy family environment and in all honesty this model might be a little on the small side for a family, however if you're single or just in a couple and need a tumble dryer that doesn't take up much space then this one should definitely be one to take a look at.

The White Knight 37AW comes with a 12 month warranty, is British made as mentioned earlier in this review and is widely available on-line and from me gets an excellent 4 star rating. Definitely recommended as far as I'm concerned, thanks for reading my review.

Please note that this review also appears on dooyoo under my username.