Why are dryers, which are a must-have in almost every household abroad, so unpopular in the country?

Differences in concepts lead to a cold reception of clothes dryers in the country

The emergence of washing machines has liberated people's hands and brought more convenience to life. Domestically, washing machines have become quite popular and can be regarded as a must-have household appliance for every household. However, the companion of washing machines, dryers, are not "welcome" at all in the domestic market. Some friends even said that they have never seen such an appliance.

I have also visited major home appliance stores in China. Basically, all the products on sale are washing machines, and clothes dryers are rare. Why are clothes dryers, which are inseparable from washing machines in foreign countries, so unpopular in China? Is it because of cultural traditions? Or different living habits? Today, I will dig up some things about clothes dryers for you!

In fact, clothes dryers have long been standard equipment in European and American families. The reason why they are so popular abroad is that they feel that drying clothes outdoors is not elegant, especially underwear. For Western countries that particularly value privacy, drying clothes outdoors is considered an uncivilized behavior. What is even more unexpected is that in some areas drying clothes is actually prohibited by law!

Another factor is the climate. Most European countries have a temperate maritime climate, and there are not many sunny days throughout the year. As a last resort, clothes dryers were invented to solve this pain point. European countries along the Mediterranean coast actually also hang clothes to dry because there is more sunshine.

For Chinese people, the act of hanging clothes to dry seems to have been like this "since ancient times"! In addition, domestic consumers generally pursue multi-purpose machines, that is, spending the same amount of money to make a machine have as many functions as possible. As the demand for laundry continues to deepen and develop, a single washing machine product can no longer meet the diversified laundry needs of users. Products that integrate washing, drying, sterilization, drying and other multi-functions are more popular (for example, washing and drying machines are very popular among domestic consumers). On the contrary, foreign countries emphasize specialization and specialization in their understanding of products, that is, a product only needs to do its job well. Washing machines focus on washing and cleaning, and dryers can only be used to dry clothes.

In general, there are two reasons why clothes dryers are so popular abroad. One is political and cultural factors; the other is climate conditions. In fact, in my opinion, leaving these two factors aside, there is another point: foreign consumers pay special attention to energy conservation and consumption reduction. For example, the EU standards that everyone has heard of are quite strict. However, compared with natural drying, the use of clothes dryers is inevitably accompanied by a large amount of electrical energy consumption, which is contrary to their original intention of pursuing energy conservation and environmental protection. They talk about emission reduction and environmental protection, but at the same time they live a life of wasting resources...

Is it necessary for domestic families to buy a clothes dryer?

●Analysis of domestic environmental causes

After looking at some factors abroad, let's analyze the domestic environment. The reason why dryers are not accepted by domestic consumers can be roughly summarized into the following five factors:

First, the price factor. The most critical factor is actually the price. After all, the price of buying a clothes dryer can basically buy another washing machine. Most consumers feel that buying a clothes dryer is not cost-effective.

Second, floor space. Most Chinese families have small apartments, and purchasing an additional clothes dryer will occupy the already small floor space of the family home, making the space seem even more cramped.

3. The wrinkle problem. Clothes dried in a clothes dryer usually have some wrinkles, such as cotton clothes, so they need to be ironed later, which is a bit troublesome.

Fourth, sterilization effect. Drying clothes in the sun can also sterilize and disinfect clothes to a certain extent. Everyone thinks that clothes that have been dried in the sun will be cleaner and healthier.

5. Special clothing. The use of dryers also has limitations. Some special fabrics cannot be dried, such as wool, down, etc. For such clothes, they can only be dried by hanging them in the sun.

Based on the above five factors, whether from an economic perspective, practicality, or home placement, domestic consumers generally feel that there is no need to spend money to buy a dryer that can only be used to dry clothes. Compared with natural drying without any investment, the use of a dryer is also accompanied by electricity consumption. After long-term use, the electricity bill is also a considerable amount. In short: it is not worth it!

As a winner of Toutiao's Qingyun Plan and Baijiahao's Bai+ Plan, the 2019 Baidu Digital Author of the Year, the Baijiahao's Most Popular Author in the Technology Field, the 2019 Sogou Technology and Culture Author, and the 2021 Baijiahao Quarterly Influential Creator, he has won many awards, including the 2013 Sohu Best Industry Media Person, the 2015 China New Media Entrepreneurship Competition Beijing Third Place, the 2015 Guangmang Experience Award, the 2015 China New Media Entrepreneurship Competition Finals Third Place, and the 2018 Baidu Dynamic Annual Powerful Celebrity.