Heat pump vs condensing tumble dryer?

[Humptynumpty02]

Morning all, just researching tumble dryer and notice a fair mark up for heat pump vs condensing dryers.

Can anyone advise whether it's worth paying the premium for heat pump over condensing?

[Caroian]

I'm not an expert, but I believe that a typical condenser (probably B or C rated) will cost up to twice as much per year to run as a heat pump model (typically A++ rated). The actual savings you make depend on the cost of your electricity and how much you use the dryer. In turn these will determine whether the heat pump models will actually work out more expensive over their life time. I've seen estimates that they can save up to 30p per cycle, which could add up to £50 per year. By the 4 year mark you're saving money even if it cost £200 extra to start with.

The other factors to consider are things like how you feel about environmental impact (are youhapoy to pay more to reduce your energy consumption regardless of overall cost) and also that heat pumps arguably have more parts to go wrong.

[AnneWiddecombesHandbag]

We saved £50 a month changing to a heat pump dryer. It paid for its self in savings in no time.

[OctoberOctober]

I've just been looking at this too, think we are going to go heat pump for the longer term savings. Local shop recommended Bloomberg model for 450 which is comparable price to the condensors plus it has 3 year guarantee.

[whiskyowl]

I have a heat pump condenser and it's brilliant! Everything is cupboard dry in an amazingly short time, and it's cheaper to run than my old electric airer.

[SuperLoudPoppingAction]

Love my heat pump dryer!

Only thing is it doesnt self clean so I hoover the filter every few washes.

[Flimp]

We had a heat pump dryer but it took so fucking long to dry! 4 hours for a normal load. When I rang the manufacturer (Hotpoint I think?) they said they could send an engineer out but anything up to EIGHT FUCKING HOURS was normal and not considered a fault. Luckily John Lewis thought that was ridiculous and let me change it for a condenser.

[WeeM]

We got a Beko heat pump for £300 which we thought was a great deal. Love it so far.

[whiskyowl]

Flimp - that is ridiculous! cCuld it have been a faulty machine? Mine easily dries a load of cottons in under 2 hours.

[AnneWiddecombesHandbag]

I have a beko one too. I dry everything on the longest setting of 3.05 hours but with the sensor it never actually takes that long.

[scaredofthecity]

Another with a beko heat pump and very happy. It's noticeably cheaper to run and doesn't pump out heat like our old condenser.

[Lavri]

We got the Beko heat pump one in December and it hasn't worked at all. The only place we had to put it was the garage which we told the salesman and he said it wasn't a problem. It hasn't worked since we got it (never gets warm) and the service engineer said it was because the garage is too cold and it works by heat exchange. So annoyed as we don't really have anywhere else to put it so will probably have to change it

[MayFayner]

I have a Zanussi heat pump one, it replaced an old condenser dryer I had for years.

I have to say I don't notice much difference in the clothes. In terms of how it works, one things is that it decides itself whether it's finished or not which was irritating at the start until I worked out the settings. It doesn't create as much condensation as... the condenser

I think it might be much cheaper in terms of electricity but we changed supplier around the time we got it so I can't tell how much exactly.

[MayFayner]

lavri ours is out in an unheated utility room which is north facing and not insulated, in a flat roof extension- i.e. it couldn't be colder out there. And it works fine. About an hour and a half for an 8/9k load.

[officerhinrika]

I had a heat pump one from John Lewis a few years back and hated it. As pp said it took HOURS to dry stuff. Luckily it broke down spectacularly a couple of years in. When I worked out the relative energy consumption of a condenser versus a heat pump, taking into account the length of time the heat pump machine was on there was hardly any difference in the electricity cost. I now have a Miele condensing dryer which is fast and efficient, producing good drying results.
Calculating how many hours to dry the school uniforms was a right pain.

[SwedishEdith]

I've got a JL heat pump one, bought in their clearance sale - a return (which I now understand). It does/can take hours but I've got used to that now . Sometime the internal pipes/whatever get blocked with fluff and the display gets misty so you have to hoover it out sometime. All in all, I'm not sure I'd get this model again.

But, our electricity bills have gone down a lot. That's even with it being on for hours.

[thecapitalsunited]

I've got a heat pump and really like it. Being able to tumble dry more stuff even woollen times (!) due to the much cooler drying is brilliant. Yes, it does take a little longer - around 2-2.5hrs for an 8kg loads depending on which level of dryness I select but because it doesn't heat the air up loads and doesn't eject hot air like a condenser but recycles it, it saves loads on the electricity bill even if it is on longer. Mine is just 900W.

[SuperLoudPoppingAction]

I tumble dry my waterproof jackets and swimming costumes in mine - it's so gentle. It doesn't take long compared to my old condenser dryer but that was a washer/dryer with a similar set-up.

[Mybabystolemysanity]

We got a heat pump one recently. Takes about 2 1/2 hours to dry a mixed load, but I think it's gentler on clothes. Ours is in the kitchen and doesn't make the house damp. Wouldn't be without it now.

[Fairylea]

We have a heat pump dryer and I love it. It does take ages to dry anything but as others have said it’s made huge reductions in our electricity bill - maybe even £30-40 a month difference. Absolutely amazing. We have a samsung one.

[WaterBuffaloDancing]

I prefer my washing and drying to be over and done with in the morning, not waiting hours and hours for it to dry. Seeing a heat pump needing almost 2 hours to dry a load of cottons won't cut it for me.

My Beko condenser tumble dryer is the best kitchen appliance I ever had. Having had 2 babies with reflux tumble drying quickly was essential. The boys are now both in secondary school but I wouldn't be without it.

I save energy/recycle and I am aware of my carbon footprint (I used to work for an energy company) but the tumble dryer is non-negotiable.

[whiskyowl]

I don't understand the comments about them taking ages. My heat pump dries cottons in about 1.5 hours - 2 hours. My washing machine takes 3 hours to do a load (on the eco setting, which of course we are all using because of climate change, it would take 2 hours on normal). So the dryer is clear when the next load is ready to go on.

[Fairylea]

I think they do take longer compared to the older condenser models- my old C rated (!) Beko tumble of many years ago would dry towels in about an hour (!!) it was like magic... the heat pump does take way longer but it doesn’t seem to shrink things as much either.