We tend to have a love-hate relationship with clothes dryers. Clothes shrinkage, inflated energy bills, wet clothing… Other than occasionally tossing something in in a hurry, those of us that own one probably use it less than we’d like to.
The good news is, there are more efficient dryers out there that take care of your clothes - Heat Pump Dryers.
Here's our guide with everything you need to know.
A heat pump tumble dryer is a highly-efficient condenser dryer.
Condenser dryers work differently to traditional tumble dryers. Instead of blowing hot air onto the clothes and out into the laundry, condenser dryers extract and collect moisture into an inbuilt water container.
This makes them especially ideal for homes with limited drying space or unventilated laundries.
A heat pump dryer uses hot air to collect moisture from your clothes and dry them. This same air then goes through an evaporator, where the moisture is condensed and collected in a water tank.
Unlike standard electric dryers, which continuously heat and blow air onto your clothes, heat pump dryers are particularly energy efficient. They conserve and reheat the same air to remove moisture from your clothes (think of it as recycling air). You end up using less electricity and significantly reducing your greenhouse gas emissions.
Thanks to this gentle, efficient drying action, heat pump dryers have been a popular eco-friendly option in Europe and the US for many years.
Heat pump dryers are about as energy-efficient as it gets due to their reheating and recycling process. This makes them significantly cheaper to run compared to other dryers. 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. That means big savings on your energy bills.
Heat pump drying is much gentler on clothes.
As their drying air temperature is considerably lower than conventional dryers, heat pump dryers are very gentle on your garments.
Heat pump dryers also feature multiple sensors to detect moisture, so your clothes are dried more consistently and treated with better care. Your favourite jumpers and blankets will enjoy an extended lifespan and be as fluffy and fresh as ever!
TIP: Look out for specific garment care programs.
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.
Clothes Dryer Type | Energy Star Rating | Average Times Used Per Week | Annual Energy Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
4kg standard electric | 1.5 | 3 | $121 |
4kg heat pump | 6 | 3 | $50 |
6kg standard electric | 1.5 | 3 | $150 |
6kg heat pump | 6 | 3 | $62 |
No - unlike standard vented dryers, heat pump dryers collect the moisture from your clothes into an internal water tank. You can also plumb the majority of heat pump dryers directly into a sink or drain.
This makes them ideal for use in both houses and apartments, particularly those with limited drying space or small laundries.
Heat pump dryers are on the heavier side due to the complex mechanics within the appliance. Moving them would require at least two people.
Yes, heat pump dryers do have a lint filter. Many models even come with two, which means residual fluff and lint is efficiently collected.
You'll find the full details of heat-pump dryer installation right here.
No. Heat pump dryers are very gentle on clothes. They often have very specific drying cycles to ensure that your clothes are treated with the best care.
The vast majority of heat pump dryers are covered by a 2 year standard manufacturer's warranty.
