The tumble dryers of a heat pump recycle the hot air that they use to dry your clothes, instead of venting it out. This conserves energy, making it a cost-effective choice for your household.
John Lewis offers a wide selection of tumble dryers. They include heated and vented models. Find out more about tumble dryers in our article.
Cost
Tumble dryers are great for making it less necessary to hang laundry outside in the sun and to save space for storage, but they also are prone to using lots of energy. If you want to reduce your energy costs, it might be worth switching to a heating-pump tumble dryer. Although these dryers do have a higher upfront cost, they'll save you money in the end because of their lower energy consumption.
They work by reheating air that was already warmed up during the drying process. This results in lower energy bills than condenser or vented models. This type of tumble dryer consumes only half the energy as vented or condenser models, allowing you to save up to PS173 on your energy bills every year.
When comparing the performance of heat pump tumble dryers to other types, there's usually a negligible cost difference. However, it is crucial to take into consideration the amount of energy is being used and the frequency you'll be using your tumble dryer. You will need to consider the wattage of your appliance and your electricity tariff in determining how much each tumbler will cost.
Vented tumble dryers make use of gas to dry the laundry and are powered by gas from the mains which means they are more expensive for those on a tight budget. They also have a smaller range in the places they can be installed since they need to be placed in a room with appropriate ventilation to get rid of the humid air.
Condenser dryers remove moisture from the laundry by moving hot air into an individual condensing unit which is then converted into water. This water can be drained into a removable container that must be manually emptyed, or it can be pumped into the drainage system to remove it constantly. This permits you to place the system in a variety of places. However, you'll be required to perform additional maintenance on the drain pipe.
Energy efficiency
If you're worried about your energy costs, a tumble dryer heat pump can offer significant savings. The technology requires less energy to heat the air inside the tumble dryer. This lets it dry clothes more efficiently and at lower temperatures than vented models.
The dryers also use a coolant to liquefy the air's humidity, which is then ejected through the condenser. This means that they use less energy than traditional vented dryers. They may take longer to complete your cycle of laundry than vented dryers but your clothes will be looking and feeling better longer because of the lower drying temperatures.
They cost an extra $500-$700 upfront but the energy savings will easily compensate for this. They're also more expensive and should be placed in rooms with adequate ventilation.
Like all electrical appliances, it's essential that any installation of a tumbler is done by an Gas Safe engineer. Ventilated dryers require a long flexible vent hose that's permanently connected to the appliance at one end, and the drainage point - which could be an outlet or a door or window at the other. The hose needs to be secured in place and cannot be shared with other appliance or used in any way that could cause it to degrade.
As with heat pump dryers, a condenser works by heating the air by using an electrical element and then expelling the moisture through a tray for condensation. They're typically heavy-duty dryers with higher wet load capacities, ranging from 6kg to 10kg. They also run more quietly. However, they're more costly than heat pump tumble dryers to buy and aren't suited for installations that don't have an ongoing connection to the wall. The cost of running them is more expensive than heat pump dryers, since they generate more heat to evaporate the moisture from your laundry. They're also less efficient than vented models. They still rely on electricity to turn the motor that turns your clothes.
Noise
Tumble dryers generate a lot of noise, but the level of loudness is contingent on a variety of factors. The decibel rating will only be one of the many variables. The frequency of the sound will also influence the volume at which it sounds. The sound may be amplified by nearby resonant objects such as cabinets, work surfaces or furniture, and may be affected by the acoustics of the room. The sound from the tumble dryer can be slowed by acoustic absorbent materials like carpets, or be drowned out by other appliances in your home.
Condenser and heat pump models are quieter than vented dryers however, they're still noisy. They are gentler on your fabrics, and dry your laundry faster due to lower air temperatures and a much longer cycle than traditional models. This means they're less damaging to your clothes and are less likely to cause the loss of color that is often associated with high temperature, old fashioned tumble dryers.
It is crucial to keep in mind when you intend to use your tumbler dryer in conjunction with a washer machine both appliances should be placed close to each other to minimize noises or vibrations when operating. To avoid this issue there is the washer and dryer stacking set is available for both kinds of appliances.
They require continuous flow of air to perform, and therefore should be placed in a location that is well ventilated in your home. The vent hose should be connected permanently to the appliance and positioned securely outside your home.
The condenser tumbler, in contrast does not require an ongoing connection to a vent and can be placed anywhere in your home. It collects the vapour and water leftover in containers that can be manually emptied or connected to a drain using an drainage pipe that will automatically empty it.
Converting a vented tumble-dryer to condenser dryer can be done by using a conversion kit. However, this will end the warranty of the manufacturer and should only be done by a qualified professional. The kits contain the components required to set up the vent and a tiny water pump to remove the condensation, which is why they're not cheap.
Maintenance
The heat pump tumble dryers operate differently from condenser or vented dryers in that they don't require venting outside to extract hot air. Instead, the warm air that flows through your clothes is extracted and collected inside the appliance and then pushed through a condenser to separate the water from the hot air and store it in a tank (sometimes called a reservoir) inside the machine. You'll need to empty the water tank at some point however, you can store the dryer in the same place as if you have vents.
Compared to vented models, the heat pump model consumes about 50 percent less energy. According to Which? it is also more economical to run. It can save you between PS42 and PS51 per year. It's not cheap to purchase a tumble dryer, so you'll need to be able pay for the initial cost.
In general the heat pump tumble dryer needs little maintenance other than clearing the lint filter and checking for fluff around the heater unit now and again. You will need to clean your condensation drain more often and it takes longer to dry clothes than dryers with vented vents.
If you're in the market for a low-cost tumble dryer, it might be worth considering an automatic model that stops when your laundry is finished to avoid drying too long that could damage your clothes. You'll need to manually program your dryer's drying cycle in case you have a lot of different types of fabrics.
You can find a range of tumble dryers from brands such as Beko and John Lewis that use condenser, heat pumps or vented technologies. All come with a two-year warranty and John Lewis has excellent customer reviews and free home delivery. Check the warranty details before buying an appliance, especially one that is electrical like a tumble dryer. This will ensure that you are protected in the event of a fault or breakdown.
