ThornOfCamorr
Established Member
Heat pump dryers are slower as they work with less heat afaik. Don’t have evidence but could imagine this being more gentle to clothing, avoiding/reducing the classical tumble dryer shrinkage
Tumble driers - heat pump v condenser v heater
- Thread starter Lard
- Start date
Help Support UKworkshop.co.uk:
Lard
Established Member
Thanks very much for your replies.....I'd already watched that YT vid link (a few of you provided), it was that one that led me to starting this thread. I had intended to get a heat pump machine until I watched it. 
Having read a little more I was already leaning toward the condenser model and I think your views have, generally, reinforced it.
Having read a little more I was already leaning toward the condenser model and I think your views have, generally, reinforced it.
pidgeonpost
Established Member
We have an ancient Zanussi condenser drier - 20 years old if it's a day. One failure in all that time when the drive belt failed last year. Replacing it was easy enough once Z sent me the belt path. I'm from the 'clothes-horse-in-front-of-the-fire' generation but 'er indoors has to have fluffy towels.
No knowledge of heat pump dryers.
No knowledge of heat pump dryers.
Because we have noticed the woodburner consumes all damp then we just use a good old fashioned free standing clothes horse and a pulley maid in the ultility room which works well and no issues with damp or condensation so free drying. We also do not have a dishwasher and if you think about it if no one had either appliance then look at how much energy would be saved.
Based on this thread I went to check something in the manual and, to my surprise, discovered ours was a heat pump model. It was bought in a promotion, along with washing machine, for extended warranty and discount. I wasn't aware of there being different condensing types back then. Does it take longer to dry, perhaps, don't recall, and there's never any rush to get stuff dry. More lint, again, no recollection to compare to, but clothes don't seem to be wearing out unexpectedly.
It's clearly reliable, along with the washing machine, apart from the fluff issue, but I'm now more thorough in cleaning the lint. It's the oldest white good we own. Plasma TV has done 18 years which I don't think is bad.
Based on my experience I'd consider a heat pump model again, According to Which? average heat pump running cost about £70 a year less than a conventional condenser.
John Brown
Freeloading Social media influenza
According to stuff I've read, dishwashers are more environmentally friendly than washing up by hand.
As to drying clothes indoors without using a dryer, it's a bit more complex, but I'm prepared to bet it isn't free(in the winter, at any rate).
If you read the comments in the YouTube video linked, it seems that a lot of heat pump dryer users are pretty happy with them.
graduate_owner
Established Member
Here is something users of tumble dryers might like to consider - a low tech, single speed spin dryer. I bought a cheap one second hand for £10, having read that they spin at typically 2800RPM (twice the RPM of many washing machines). It extracts about 1.5 to 2 pints of water from a full washing machine load, after the spin cycle has finished. It only takes about 1/4 of the full machine load, but only needs to spin for 4-5 minutes, often less.
I fill it, let it spin, empty and refill then let the next load spin while I am hanging up the first load. By then it is just about time to empty and refill again, so it's very little time or effort. The clothes go in damp and come out damp, but dryer than they were, and it almost seems like a pointless exercise until you look at the container of extracted water - easily 1.5 pints, usually more.
We hang our clothes up in a utility room then, and we get 1.5 pints less in condensation on the window. If we need to tumble dry them it means we have the dryer on for much less time. I don't know how much energy would be needed to remove those 1.5 pints of water using a 3 kW tumble dryer, but the spin dryer is 300W so 1/10 the power used per hour. Rough guide - 300W for 1/3 hour is about 1/10 kW so around 1/10 of 25p. I don't know how much energy is used in the starting current but overall I think it must be a few pennies overall to shift all that water. So it ends up quicker and cheaper for very little effort. Of course the clothes then need time in the tumble dryer before they are fully dry, but so much less time.
We had one when I was a teenager in the 60's and the design has hardly changed - no variable speed, no reverse, no timer, no frills, just a simple reliable bit of old technology at which many people would turn their noses up, but I think it is brilliant.
K
I fill it, let it spin, empty and refill then let the next load spin while I am hanging up the first load. By then it is just about time to empty and refill again, so it's very little time or effort. The clothes go in damp and come out damp, but dryer than they were, and it almost seems like a pointless exercise until you look at the container of extracted water - easily 1.5 pints, usually more.
We hang our clothes up in a utility room then, and we get 1.5 pints less in condensation on the window. If we need to tumble dry them it means we have the dryer on for much less time. I don't know how much energy would be needed to remove those 1.5 pints of water using a 3 kW tumble dryer, but the spin dryer is 300W so 1/10 the power used per hour. Rough guide - 300W for 1/3 hour is about 1/10 kW so around 1/10 of 25p. I don't know how much energy is used in the starting current but overall I think it must be a few pennies overall to shift all that water. So it ends up quicker and cheaper for very little effort. Of course the clothes then need time in the tumble dryer before they are fully dry, but so much less time.
We had one when I was a teenager in the 60's and the design has hardly changed - no variable speed, no reverse, no timer, no frills, just a simple reliable bit of old technology at which many people would turn their noses up, but I think it is brilliant.
K
Phil Pascoe
Established Member
Yes. Many years ago I bought a nearly new spin drier for my m.i.l at an auction for £4. She used it for years.
I put the washing machine on a ten minute spin cycle after a normal wash cycle has finished - it makes a worthwhile difference.
I put the washing machine on a ten minute spin cycle after a normal wash cycle has finished - it makes a worthwhile difference.
Lard
Established Member
That's got me on the fence again
. I'm quite handy so how difficult is it to take that side panel off? Is it designed so that you can/should be doing it anyway for regular maintenance?
That's got me on the fence again
I'm quite handy so how difficult is it to take that side panel off? Is it designed so that you can/should be doing it anyway for regular maintenance?
No guarantee of course that the model you buy will experience this problem, nor that the internals are the same. Took me a short while Googling to find the solution, but just top off then side off (a few screws) then syringe with tubing attached + bottle brush to clear the lower reservoir/float. Hasn't happened for some years, so trust that my regular cleaning regime is sufficient.
No, not intended for end user access.
One complaint with heat pump models appears to be the condenser getting clogged. Ours is self cleaning, so maybe that has helped with longevity.
