A few decades ago, the only choice when it came to tumble dryers was between vented and condenser dryers. There is, however, a relatively new alternative that is becoming increasingly more popular: the heat pump tumble dryer.
Heat pump dryers happen to be more energy efficient, but this energy efficiency comes at a cost. So, what is a heat pump dryer, and are they worth it?
What Is a Heat Pump Dryer?
A heat pump tumble dryer works in a similar way to a condenser dryer just with an added extra. In a condenser dryer, the hot air that passes through the wet clothing is passed through a condenser, which takes out the moisture, storing it in a water reservoir. A condenser dryer then expels the leftover hot air.
In a heat pump dryer, the dry air that remains after passing through the condenser is recycled back into the drum where it is reused. This means that this type of tumble dryer doesn’t use as much energy heating up fresh, cold air, making it by far the most efficient type of tumble dryer available on the market.
What Are the Advantages of a Heat Pump Dryer?
There are a variety of benefits of investing in a heat pump tumble dryer, most notably that they cost less to run.
The heat pump recycles the warm air left over from the previous rotation, so the machine will not be heating up cold air every time, saving you a fortune on the cost of running your tumble dryer.
As a result of this, a heat pump tumble dryer is much more environmentally friendly when compared to vented or condenser models. Some heat pump tumble dryer models offer energy savings of as much as 50% when compared to existing condenser or vented tumble dryers.
Heat pump tumble dryers operate at a slightly lower temperature than most vented and condenser dryers do. This protects your clothing, helping them last longer, and stopping them shrinking during the drying process too.
Like a condenser dryer, you can install a heat pump tumble dryer just about anywhere. A heat pump tumble dryer stores the water in a water reservoir much like a condenser dryer does, and you don’t need access to a vent or window like you would with a vented machine either.
What Are the Disadvantages of a Heat Pump Dryer?
Unfortunately, all of the benefits of a heat pump tumble dryer do come at an increased up-front cost. The price is coming down, but they are still more expensive than other types of tumble dryer.
The lower drying temperature might be great for your clothing, but it can be inconvenient if you need to dry clothing quickly.
Like with a condenser dryer, you will need to make sure that you regularly empty the water tank in a heat pump dryer unless you plumb it in.
Lover of coffee, painting, and all things cute and fluffy. I’m always on the lookout for easier, more gentle ways to tackle awful household chores.
