Heat pump tumble driers - any good?

[Celeriacacaca]

We're looking at replacing our vented drier and I'd never heard of heat pump driers before now. Does anyone have one and are they any good please? My current drier is a nightmare as it's too deep for the slot under the kitchen counter which means the venting hose is crushed behind it so it keeps turning itself off mid-cycle. My choice of replacement will have to be either be a shallower vented one or a heat pump one.

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[SwedishEdith]

This dryer is probably the nearest model to ours (and is also in clearance). And it's got a reverse tumble action.

www.johnlewis.com/john-lewis-partners-jltdh24-heat-pump-freestanding-tumble-dryer-8kg-load-a-energy-rating-white/p3897444

[SwedishEdith]

We got a JL one about 5 years ago. It's really AEG and has a reverse tumble action for sheets etc.

I did hate it for a while as was taking hours to dry things. But, a complete taking apart, cleaning and putting back together have completely transformed it. You do have to clean the filter every time. I was in the "never again" camp but I would get another now because of the cost saving on electricity. You'll have to weigh that up v initial extra outlay but our fuel bills went down once we got it. And we got it in a clearance sale so was already reduced.

[PigletJohn]

@Celeriacacaca

We're looking at replacing our vented drier and I'd never heard of heat pump driers before now. Does anyone have one and are they any good please? My current drier is a nightmare as it's too deep for the slot under the kitchen counter which means the venting hose is crushed behind it so it keeps turning itself off mid-cycle. My choice of replacement will have to be either be a shallower vented one or a heat pump one.

you might also condider a vented model where the hose comes out of the side

AFAIK Bosch venteds have been designed like that for a long time. Ours has a vent on the LHS as you look at it. You can also switch it to a rear vent if you want.

Vented are much simpler, so have less to go wrong and are cheaper to buy. however they are less economical on electricity than a heat pump. heat pumps take longer to dry the clothes.

[ISeeTheLight]

@Runningdownthathill I don't know about reverse dry but it stop starts constantly - no issues with clothes coming out tangled (unlike the washing machine).

[Runningdownthathill]

Thanks @Iseethatlight. That model does't have reverse action, and I wonder if your clothes get tangled up?

Beko driers seem to be good but only have a one year guarantee which makes me nervous!

[LooseMooseHoose]

I wonder how many people who say they don't dry are the people who put them in garages / sheds / unheated spaces? You can't do this with a heat pump driers, they can only operate within a particular temp range. Too cold and your clothes will never dry.

They are much gentler on you clothes although do take longer. But because they are quieter they're less intrusive than other driers. Definitely worth paying for one with counter rotation though.

[FrownsAndDimples]

A lot of the responses haven't been my experience at all. I got a which best buy. It was a beko (I know) and we have been so pleasantly surprised. Costs hardly anything to run. Which states something like £36 a year for an average family I have been looking at our monitor and did the sums and I think that's fairly accurate. We have had it 3 months so far and I wouldn't go back to a condenser unit. It is kinder to the clothes as it dries with lower heat, it takes a bit longer to dry but to me it's no biggie. I'll take my clothes lasting longer (old one would shrink everything) and low electricity bills over longer drying times anyday. Depends what is important to you.

[StartingGrid]

I have the one @ISeeTheLight has posted, its great, so much better than our vented Hotpoint that blew up! Not very noisy, dries well, easy to maintain and the 5 year warranty was a big selling point too.

[ISeeTheLight]

Wow apologise for the massive link!

[ISeeTheLight]

@Runningdownthathill it's this range - though ours is white and 9kg ao.com/product/dv80m50133x-samsung-heat-pump-tumble-dryer-silver-46353-126.aspx?&WT.z_PT=MDA&WT.z_AT=Heat%20Pump%20Tumble%20Dryer&WT.z_MT=Search&WT.z_MAT=Samsung&WT.z_FT=Free%20Standing&WT.z_PC=DV80M50133X_GH&WT.srch=1&WT.z_KW=DV80M50133X_GH&WT.z_DT=m&WT.z_RTM=PLA&ef_id=CjwKCAiAqJn9BRB0EiwAJ1SztdruP_H1wQ7IcK2IwQwAK664FjlfcJPp1DbZkrC3Jc2PnbZ9_soAhBoCPW0QAvD_BwE:G:s&s_kwcid=AL!8149!3!304780354273!!!g!300333542806!&gclsrc=aw.ds&&&WT.z_CN=MDA%20-%20Tumble%20Dryers%20-%20BT&WT.z_AG=MDA%20-%20Tumble%20Dryers%20-%20Samsung&utm_medium=shopping&utm_source=google&utm_campaign=mda+-+tumble+dryers+-+bt|mda+-+tumble+dryers+-+samsung&utm_term=brand|DV80M50133X_GH&utm_content=pla-300333542806&gclid=CjwKCAiAqJn9BRB0EiwAJ1SztdruP_H1wQ7IcK2IwQwAK664FjlfcJPp1DbZkrC3Jc2PnbZ9_soAhBoCPW0QAvD_BwE

[Runningdownthathill]

@ISeeTheLight

We have a Samsung, was about £600 on offer with 5yr guarantee.
It's brilliant - dries well, quiet, doesn't kill clothes and seems to cost virtually nothing to run. Highly recommended and I'd buy it again.
We always had vented dryers before (including one of the whirlpool/indesit range that set our utility room on fire, but that's another story).

Do you mind sharing a link please? Just been looking at some Samsungs.

[ISeeTheLight]

We have a Samsung, was about £600 on offer with 5yr guarantee.
It's brilliant - dries well, quiet, doesn't kill clothes and seems to cost virtually nothing to run. Highly recommended and I'd buy it again.
We always had vented dryers before (including one of the whirlpool/indesit range that set our utility room on fire, but that's another story).

[user1466539618]

We have a John Lewis one we got about 4y ago. Has been very reliable for a family, and when you do consecutive loads the drying time for the subsequent loads is quite short.

[Runningdownthathill]

Reviving this as I am looking for one. I want one that does reverse drying, doesn’t take hours and hours and has a good energy rating and guarantee.

[areallthenamesusedup]

Careful. I bought a "cheap" Mielie....nightmare...only rotates in one direction......as a result I have to stop it it and rearrange everything frequently (3x for a king sized duvet cover otherwise it gets so knotted). If we went away on holiday it would take me literally days to get washing done and dried. HATE IT WITH A PASSION.

[OneHippoOnThePhone]

I love my, incredibly expensive, Miele heat pump. You have to get rid of the fluff and empty the water after every load but that’s hardly onerous. It takes about 1 h 40 min to do a 7 kg cotton load. If I used the eco setting it would take longer but I’ve not noticed any increase in my fuel bills. The clothes still look good.

[Bellag79]

We have one and I can't wait to get rid of it. It takes forever to dry a load of washing. I think the record was 8 hours to dry school and work clothes. Its just not practical for us.

[lmcneil003]

Have had 2.
A beko one lasted a year or so but Hughes refunded us after an engineer visit. We then went for a £1300 Miele one which has been great so far. Low leccy bills too.

[BentNeckLady]

We’ve got a Samsung one and it’s fantastic, dries things properly, doesn’t crease clothes, it’s quiet and cheap as chips to run. It does take longer than a traditional tumble dryer but I think it’s doing less damage to our clothes due to the lower temperatures.

[LegoBloodyHurts]

We have a Bosch 9kg self cleaning condenser heat pump tumble dryer and it’s been very reliable, although it takes longer to dry.

We have had it 2 years now, and it’s had heavy use as a family of 6 no problems.

[EvilPea]

If you look on ao.com they have the exact yearly cost in the product descriptions (it obviously depends on your electricity supply, but it’s a good comparison).

Yes I would buy another, but Ive only had it 6 months (the dryers 3 years old), so haven’t had the issues others have (yet!?).

[Celeriacacaca]

Thanks @EvilPea - that's an impressive saving. So, on balance, would you buy one again?

[EvilPea]

It’s difficult to say how much longer, maybe half hour on a big full load.
But the yearly cost saving is bonkers, something like £28 a year vs £200.

[wehaveafloater]

I have a beko one that's been fine. Used it for about a year. Yes it takes longer but costs less to run and is kinder to clothes ( and planet I think ?)

[Ginjanotaninja]

To answer your question. Nope they aren’t. They take ages and don’t dry properly. I recently got rid of mine, during my ownership it broke down 3 times, clogged with fluff and at 1 point took an engineer two days to piece back together. I bought a Beko condenser, short cycles and good drying. The difference is unbelievable.