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Broken Tumble Dryer - Hotpoint CTD00

Two days ago I was getting ready for bed when my girlfriend frantically started shouting at me from downstairs. This is not the rarest occurance in the world but something about the urgency in her voice made me pay attention.

Apparently the tumble dryer was 'smoking'. We all know the dangers of smoking, so this had me quite concerned. Despite the obvious impediment of being semi-naked, I ran down the stairs to find out that the tumble dryer was indeed emitting a small amount of smoke along with the distinct smell of electrical burning.

While the possibility of a fire would have facilitated the drying of clothes in the dryer, a late night inferno in my kitchen didn't make it worth the risk. I acted quickly and decisively by unplugging the dryer immediately, at which point the smoking stopped.

Now, I'm no electrician, but I'm going to go out on a limb and say that something is wrong with it. I am reluctant to say its 'broken', because that seems a very harsh judgement for what was, until that night, a very good tumble dryer. Perhaps it was just having a bad day, or maybe it had an argument with my dish washer. I don't know, it's none of my business and frankly I'm not getting involved. Inter-kitchen whitegood politics are a minefield.

But, since the dryer has shown itself to be a bit of a liability, we've gone out and bought a new one. The new one leaked a little bit on its first use, but I'm sure it was just first-day jitters. It is probably and understandably nervous to be filling in for the old dryer, which is currently leering at it from the opposite side of the kitchen.

Since I need my clothes to be nice and dry, I think the best solution is to relieve the tension in the kitchen by selling the old dryer on eBay, and it is now for sale.

There are numerous uses for a potentially broken tumble dryer. If you're mechanically inclined, I'm sure there's some scope here for repair, or salvaging the very useful spare parts. Not so long ago I removed and completey cleaned the condensing unit, for example, so this is still in good shape. Have you ever tried to clean a condensing unit properly? It's like trying to wax a car using cotton buds.

It might not have occured to you before, but a dryer would also make a very good projectile weapon. If you've got a grudge against someone but are lacking a suitable method of revenge, you'd be surprised how effective a tumble-dryer to the face is. Alternatively, drop one of these on someone's car windscreen and they'll certainly get the gist of what you're trying to say to them.

It also has great stress-relieving potential. Why spend loads of money going to the gym when you can bash the crap out of an old tumble-dryer with a sledgehammer? There are literally hours of fun to be had hereif you're athletically inclined.

The winning bidder will need to pick up the dryer from my house in South Manchester. It'll fit into the back of pretty much any car with the seats down. While it will be emotionally painful to say goodbye to this particular modern convenience, I will put on a brave face and help you carry it to your car, however I cannot promise that I won't cry or mumble under my breath about all the good times we had together.

If you have any further questions please do ask. I know we're in the grip of a deadly recesssion, but I consider this item to be an absolute bargain no matter what bid price it goes for, because while it might not be materialistically worth much, it's sentimentally priceless.

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