Everything you need to know about heat pump tumble dryers

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How does a heat pump tumble dryer work?

The job of the heat pump is to reheat the air that’s circulating within the tumble dryer. Similar to a conventional condensing dryer, a heat pump tumble dryer releases hot air to absorb moisture from your clothes. After the air passes through the drum, it goes through the evaporator, where it’s partly cooled and moisture is condensed and collected into a water tank. The warm dry air that’s left is then reheated and pumped back to the drum to help your clothes dry faster.

The difference between heat pump dryers and standard condensing ones is that, while the air stays warm and dry, the pump dryer reuses the remaining heat left in the drum. Therefore, the system is more efficient as it recycles as much hot air as possible during the drying process.

Is a heat pump dryer better than a conventional dryer?

There are pros and cons to heat pump tumble dryers when compared with their conventional condensing brothers:

Pros

• As heat pump dryers use significantly less energy than conventional machines, they are considered to be more environmentally friendly.
• Heat pump dryers are less abrasive on your laundry as they use lower temperatures during operation. The maximum temperature reached in a heat pump tumble dryer is 50°C, compared to a condenser tumble dryer which can reach 70-75°C. This means it’s gentler on fabrics and you won’t have to worry about your clothes shrinking or losing their shape after the drying cycle. As heat pump tumble dryers are mostly high-end machines, there are usually moisture sensors to give your clothes a more consistent dry and treat laundry with care.

Cons:

• Heat pump tumble dryers tend to take longer than conventional ones to dry your clothes. As the temperature used in a heat pump tumble dryer is lower than in a conventional one, this may affect drying time. However, it's only usually by about 5-15 minutes and is not very noticeable in most machines.
• Heat pump dryers have no hoses or vents, as they deposit moisture into a water tank, which will need emptying every now and then.

• Heat pump dryers won’t operate properly in ambient temperatures less than 10˚C so you won’t be able to put one in the garage, especially if you plan on using it during a typical UK winter.

To get the best out of your tumble dryer, make sure the filters and the evaporator are cleaned regularly (check your manual for instructions).

How much is a heat pump tumble dryer?

Heat pump tumble dryers tend to be about two times more expensive than condenser models. The average purchase price of a condenser tumble dryer is in the region of £310, whilst the average price of a heat pump tumble dryer is closer to £600. However, for more recent models with additional features, you can expect to pay around £1000.

Is a heat pump tumble dryer worth the money?

Although the upfront costs of a heat pump dryer tend to be higher than those of a condensing unit, switching from one to the other can result in considerable energy savings in the long run.

On average, one drying cycle uses roughly 10 times more energy than a single washing cycle. This means that most of the electricity we use to do our laundry is used up by the tumble dryer. Heat pumps offer a solution that will allow you to significantly cut the amount of energy required per drying cycle, thus reducing your electricity bill.

Heat pump technology uses around half of the energy used by a conventional dryer (C-rated) for the same load size, meaning your heat pump tumble dryer will use 50% less energy to dry your clothes.

Based on the energy savings of using a heat pump tumble dryer, they are cost-effective for large households. If used regularly, you will see the investment pay off after around 5 years, and a good tumble dryer will last you a lot longer than this. Almost all heat pump tumble dryers have larger capacities and won’t be worth it for single households or those who rarely use them and prefer air drying their laundry.

The best heat pump tumble dryers

Model	Drying capacity	Energy rating	Annual energy consumption (kWh)	Number of programs	Manufacturer warranty	Price	Special feature
Samsung	9 kg	A+++	198	16	5 years	£849	Quick dry in just 35 minutes
Miele	8 kg	A+++	161	12	2 years	£999	Remote control
Logik	9 kg	A++	235	15	1 year	£289	Crease minimising cycle
Hotpoint	9 kg	A++	259	15	1 year labour, 10 years parts	£449	ActiveCare technology reduces fabric wear by up to 40%