Heat pump dryer or condenser dryer
There are different types of dryers; the condenser dryer, heat pump dryer and air extraction dryer. If you’re up for a new clothes dryer, it’s good to know what the differences are and which type of dryer is best for you. Today we zoom in on the heat pump dryer and the condenser dryer.
Types of dryers
When it comes to clothes dryers, you have the choice between 3 types: an air extraction dryer, a condenser dryer or a heat pump dryer. Because the air dryer uses a lot of energy while drying, we focus on the other two types in this article. To do this, we will start with a similarity between the heat pump dryer and the condenser dryer. Basically, both types of clothes dryers do the same thing; they dry your laundry. They also dispose of the moisture in the same ways. With both a heat pump dryer and a condenser dryer, the moist warm air can be removed in two ways:
- The condensation is collected in a reservoir. The reservoir is built into the dryer and must be emptied after running a drying program.
- You connect the dryer to the water drain with a drain hose. With this option, the moist air is discharged directly through the water drain. For this, it is important that you have a drain in the room where your clothes dryer will be installed.
Below you can read exactly how a heat pump dryer and a condenser dryer differ from each other.
Energy consumption
When you look at the heat pump dryer and the condenser dryer, the heat pump dryer is the most energy efficient. This difference is in the type of motor. The heat pump dryer uses a heat pump and a refrigerant when drying your laundry. The condenser dryer, on the other hand, dries with an electric heating element, whose energy consumption is high. To be called “energy efficient,” a clothes dryer must be at least energy class A++. For this reason, it is difficult to find an energy-efficient condenser dryer. Heat pump dryers are much more energy efficient.
Duration of the different drying programmes
A high temperature will dry your laundry faster than a low drying temperature. Because the condenser dryer uses a high temperature, it can dry your laundry quickly and the drying programs for this type of dryer are often shorter than those of a heat pump dryer – which dries at a low temperature.
Effect on your laundry
On the other hand, you should be aware that the high drying temperatures can be harmful to clothing and other laundry. The high temperatures increase the risk of wear and shrinkage.
A heat pump dryer uses a low drying temperature, which means that your laundry lasts longer. For this reason, a heat pump dryer is better for your laundry than a condenser dryer.
Purchase price
In general, heat pump dryers are more expensive to buy than condenser dryers. On the other hand, we would like to mention that heat pump dryers consume significantly less energy. This will keep your costs of using your new dryer a lot lower. If you choose a heat pump dryer in energy class A+++ (the most energy-efficient), you can save up to 75 euros per year on your energy costs compared to a condenser dryer in energy class B. Over its lifetime (about 12 years), that’s about 900 euros. Are you on a budget and need a new dryer? Then choose a cheap clothes dryer and look at condenser dryers.
Conclusion
We always recommend energy efficient drying. This is the right choice for the environment but ultimately also for your own wallet. If you want an energy-efficient dryer, a heat pump dryer is the best choice. Heat pump dryers are usually a bit more expensive to buy, but because they keep your energy costs so much lower, you’ll end up cheaper with them. In addition, heat pump dryers are better for your laundry and less likely to wear out. Also good to know; most clothes dryers currently being sold have a heat pump! This means the choice of heat pump dryers is huge!
Buying a heat pump dryer or a condenser dryer; what to look for
We have now thoroughly reviewed the different types of dryers – a very important topic when buying a new one – but there are, of course, many more specifications that you should look for. In the tips below, you can read exactly what you need to consider when buying a new dryer.
Condensate drain
As we mentioned earlier, most dryers offer you the choice of a condensation drain or a tank. If you know you don’t have a drain in your laundry room, or if you really don’t want to empty the tank, check whether the dryer has a condensation drain. Check to be sure that the dryer you have in mind has the condensation drain you want.
Filling weight
The fill weight of a dryer indicates how many kilograms of laundry it can hold. We recommend that you buy a dryer with the same load as your washing machine. That way, you can always fit all your wet laundry in the dryer and always dry with a full drum. Are you buying a new heat pump dryer and washing machine? Then use the overview below as an indication:
- A household of 1 or 2 people needs a dryer with a 7 kg drum.
- A 3 or 4 person household needs a dryer with an 8kg drum. Most clothes dryers have 8 kg fill weight.
- A household of 5 people or more needs a dryer with a 9 kg or more drum.
Energy label
If you choose an energy-efficient dryer, you can save a lot of money on your energy bill every year. Often, energy-efficient dryers are more expensive to buy, but you’ll get that out of it anyway. To keep your energy costs as low as possible, buy a heat pump dryer with energy class A+++, this will save you about 75 euros per year compared to a condenser dryer with energy class B.
Drying programs
Like your washing machine, heat pump dryers also offer different drying programs for different types of laundry. For example, there are special programs for wool, shirts, silk, baby clothes and towels. These programs ensure that your laundry dries perfectly and your clothes last longer. Almost all new clothes dryers also have an eco-program, to further reduce energy consumption, or a program that makes your laundry ‘extra dry’.
Ease of use
Dryers today offer all sorts of smart features to make drying as easy as possible for you. These include options such as a self-cleaning condenser, app control, delayed start and an illuminated drum. Do you think you and your household will benefit from this? Then choose a dryer that has these features.
Build quality
The build quality of a clothes dryer gives an indication of its drying performance and lifespan. Looking at the build quality, clothes dryers are divided into basic, middle and top class. Not all stores, online shops and brands are equally transparent about the build quality, so we give you the tip that you can also look at the brand. According to the Consumers’ Association, these are the best brands for clothes dryers: Miele, Bosch, Siemens, AEG and Samsung. These brands are generally more expensive, and therefore score less well on “value for money” according to the Consumers’ Association. Brands that do excel in this respect are Beko, Indesit and Zanussi.
