Heat Pump Dryers – Are They Worth The Money?

February 20th, 2018

Appliance News

Clothes dryers – it’s a love-hate relationship. Shrinkage, poor energy use, wet clothing… Let’s face it, they’re a bit notorious. Other than occasionally tossing something in in a hurry, those of us that own one probably use it less than we’d like to.

There must be more efficient dryers out there?

Yes – and the answer is heat pump dryers.

What is a heat pump dryer?

A heat pump dryer is a type of condenser dryer. These dryers are extraordinarily energy efficient, as they recycle heat in the process of extracting moisture – often resulting in energy efficiency ratings of up to 6 stars (the best possible).

Thanks to their gentle, highly-efficient drying action, heat pump dryers have been a popular eco-friendly option in Europe and the US for many years.

How a heat pump tumble dryer works

A heat pump dryer passes hot air over your clothes to collect moisture and dry them. This same air then goes through an evaporator, where the moisture is condensed and collected in a water tank.

Where other dryers simply blow hot air on your clothes, heat pump dryers use a more sophisticated energy-efficient heat exchange system to conserve and reuse the same air (think of it as recycling air).

Benefits of a heat pump dryer (and why they’re such a good idea)

Heat pump dryers have significant advantages over cheaper dryers. You may spend a little more initially on a heat pump, but their many benefits far outweigh the early outlay.

• Super efficiency

Thanks to their reheating and recycling process, heat pump dryers are about as energy-efficient as it gets, with most models scoring the maximum energy star rating. So you’re saving yourself a lot of money – more than half the energy use of vented electric dryers of most manufacturers.

• They’re much cheaper to run

A heat pump will provide you with significant short- and long-term savings on money and time. In fact, they’re so energy-efficient that you’ll feel very comfortable using them on a daily basis.

According to a report from Sustainability Victoria, heat pumps only use approximately 50% of the energy used by conventional dryers.

• Heat pump drying is much gentler on clothes

As their drying air temperature is considerably lower than conventional dryers, heat pumps are less abrasive on your garments. They feature multiple sensors to detect moisture, so your clothes are dried more consistently and treated with better care. This saves you from replacing them due to wear & tear or shrinkage.

TIP: Look out for specific garment care programs. Sensors.

• Convenient

A heat pump dryer’s remarkable energy efficiency means you can feel comfortable using it at any time. If you live in a home without a suitable drying area, like an apartment or studio,

TIP: Use it overnight to have dry clothes in the morning and save on off-peak energy costs.

Heat pump dryers suit just about any home, too.

And it’s all thanks to their great design.

Rather than expel moist air into your laundry, heat pump condenser dryers collect the water from your wet clothes. This makes them ideal for use in both houses and apartments, particularly those with no backyard or laundries where moist warm air can’t be vented out.