We all know how hard it is to get clothes dry without the central heating, but nobody wants to be turning the thermostat up more than necessary.

In previous winters I've relied on my tumble dryer to do the job, but with rising energy bills it was beginning to feel like I was chucking money away.

So when Money Saving Expert Martin Lewis branded them a 'demon appliance' for the amount they cost to run - up to £1 an hour - I decided to ditch it altogether and go for the swap that he recommends - a dehumidifier.

I'd used the little pots you can get for your window sill, which are good for getting rid of condensation, but not particularly effective at drying clothes, so I wanted a plug-in version to do the job properly.

You can spend hundreds on these machines, but I went for a reasonably priced HOMCOM brand, which just happens to be

© Manchester Evening News