Heat pump tumble dryer

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About a year ago my old vented dryer broke and I bought a heat pump dry, sold on the energy efficiency. We are a busy household of 5 teens and 2 adults plus pets.
We have an 8kg candy model.

I can't tell you how bloody long it takes to dry the clothes.

Half a load rakes about 2.5-3 hours. A full load takes 5 hours to be properly dry.

Does anyone else have this issue? I know they are meant to be slower than vented and condenser dryers, but it's driving me mad. I can't get through the laundry quickly enough and it's constantly piling up.

Are there any hints people have?
Are condensers better? We have remodeled the kitchen and now couldn't have a vented one, but I need to do something...

Ours is right in the kitchen, in a purpose built cupboard. It's quite a warm room so I don't think it's that.

Which model do you have?

Is the door to the cupboard closed though?

Not really. We do 2 loads per day of clothes plus bedding and towels at the weekends. We can't reduce it as we are a big family, kids do sports etc

Sometimes, if we are sitting in the room. Does the ventilation make a difference?

I've had a Bosch washing machine and heat pump dryer since 2018 and I have no complaints. I set the timer on both to wash and dry, and like a previous poster I used to double spin but I don't do that anymore.
Are you emptying the water container? Not sure if it makes any difference but ours is 10kg and a full load of towels will be dry in about an hour, while sheets will dry in lesser time.

Another vote for Sharp here. I was sceptical when we first got it as I had heard stories of washing taking 8 hours to dry and didn't really want to exchange my old condenser dryer. Like pp a full load is done in 90 mins or so on the extra dry setting. We are very happy with it.

Our heat pump dryer is fine. It's a Hisense. We have an 11kg washing machine so we do overload the dryer slightly as it's a 9kg, but I've never had a full dry take longer than 3 hours or so and usually more like two, which is fine for me. I don't generally need clothes so desperately and if I do it can dry a tiny load quickly. And it's so cheap to run and gentle on the clothes. Our old dryer was a nightmare if anything accidentally got out in it, it would be shrunk and come out steaming hot. I do everything in the heat pump one, even my nice tops and jumpers, and no shrinkage.

They don't work well in unheated outbuildings and stuff though.

Mine wasn't too costly, around €700 in 2018 currency.

I have a Beko and it takes about 90 mins to dry a full load and it's always lovely and soft and comes out way less creased than it used to on the airer! We have 3 kids - 2 small, one teenager. I think our washing machine is 7 or 8kg capacity. TD is 8 or 9kg. I have very haphazard laundry habits so do anything from 0-4 loads in a day.

The only things I have to put in longer are some of the (small) DC's jogging bottoms, the waistbands don't seem to trigger the moisture indicator thing so stay damp. I just put them in with the next load or hang them over a bannister. Everything else comes out perfectly dry on the Cupboard Dry + setting.

We had it previously in a kitchen in a flat next to an outside wall and leaky window. The room was unheated, but obviously not cold due to cooking, downstairs flat etc. We now have it in a bathroom with underfloor heating (~22C) and I haven't noticed much difference. Not sure if ventilation matters, but it does kick out hot air - I have the thermostat set to 25C because it's right above the dryer and it confuses it.

In general really happy with it - I wouldn't have minded a longer drying time but I am also pleased with it being shorter than people say. It wasn't the most expensive model - I think it might have been around €400? I did a bit of research before buying it, including buying the local version of Which report, since I'd never had one before and I didn't want to spend loads.

I think brands can be important. I've been happy with Beko, LG, AEG and Bosch/Siemens appliances. Would defo avoid anything Whirlpool/Hotpoint.

Oh yeah the estimate time display thing always starts at 2:40 but it normally finishes exactly in sync with the washing machine, which says it will take 1 hour but usually takes about 90 mins.

Actually thinking about it the new washing machine is a bit quicker. So the dryer must be a little bit quicker with its cushy new heated spot

OP does yours show 15 mins remaining for ages and not finish? Mine will show 15 mins and an hour later it's still going

That is probably to do with the humidity sensor. If it's always been like that it might be you are putting too much in. If it's recently started happening the sensor might be faulty.

@BertieBotts it's more likely I am putting too much in. It's done it for ages, it isn't a recent thing.

I have a Samsung, and do either a 35 minute programme or a 1.20, depending on the wash. Can't imagine how yours would take so long. You can adjust the dryness settings on most programmes I think - maybe try that?

We have a heat pump washer dryer. It's crap, takes ages and sort of steams the clothes. I only do towels, bedding and half loads of socks and boxers in it.

I have a Samsung heatpump one which will be 5 years old next month and has just died this evening. Will get an engineer out but I'm going to be miffed if it's done as 5 years doesn't seem much for a drier. Have been very happy with it till now. It does take longer than the washing machine cycle but we don't tumble much so it's not a problem. I think heat pumps are gentler on clothes because they are cooler, but yes obviously that takes longer.

Very happy with my Bosch.

We have a Beko heat pump dryer. I'd say it takes around 2.5-3 hours to dry a load of washing. It is a long time, but I just have to plan the washing around that and generally it's fine.

I empty the lint collector in the door of the machine every time a load is finished, but there is also a filter behind a wee door on the bottom left of the machine. It took me a while to realise that this needs to be cleaned out periodically or it drastically worsens the drying time. Have you got one of these and are cleaning it out regularly?

I do the same. All washing done on a Saturday. Three loads washed and dried in a day.

Bosch but I don’t remember the model.

I have found that it is often quicker than it says it’s going to be. Sheets are dried on cotton cupboard dry extra plus setting. This says it will take 5 hours. It usually takes 2.5.

AEG heat pump, works like a dream. Was pricey, around £900 I think, but worth keeping an eye on John Lewis website as sometimes have cash back deals.

My washer and drier are in cupboards, its noticeably cooler in them.

I have an AEG one and it takes 1 hour 50 mins approx to dry a full 8kg load.

It also depends where it is located. If it is in a cold place such as a garage, out house, shed etc...... it will take a lot longer than in a warm house.

I agree I can’t wait to replace mine…it’s because heat pump driers only reach max 50 degrees C and condenser etc reach around 75 degrees C…you really .that difference in heat wrt dry time….so frustrating…wet washing everywhere when the washing machine operates 3 or 4 times faster than the drier…sigh.