Hi all, I'm looking into getting a heat pump dryer and am wondering if it's realistic for this to replace the majority of my 'air drying'?
Ideally, I'd like to just dry most of my clothes (except for the ones that can't go in the dryer e.g wool) on a weekly basis using the dryer as opposed to having to go outside and hanging them.
Is this realistic? Thanks!
Cheaper to run compared to vented dryers but towels take a good 4-6 hours to be 'cupboard' dry.
We bought a bosch 8kg heat pump dryer last week full load of towels just under 3 hours ready to be put away.
Maybe some take longer this one was on the expensive side of things but has a 9 star energy rating. Tracking the lower usage that load cost $0.28~
Yeah got ~5 year old Bosch serie 4 8kg.
Maybe newer ones are quicker or im just over loading 😄.
I agree; it doesn't take anywhere near that. I've heard condenser dryers take the longest.
Have an 8kg Hoover DXH85TCEX-AUS Heat pump dryer, and it only takes about 2h15 for five bath towels to get to the "cupboard" dry.
Just checked HA, and it's taken 0.81KWh for one cycle, which is about 26.73cents.
Yes, it takes longer, but not that long.
I have a Samsung dryer. When I start it, it says it will take 3 hours. But it usually finishes in around 1-2 depending on the load. My tip is to make sure you have a washing machine that has a high speed spin - you want 1400rpm at least. This gets most of the water out before drying.
Mine has several drying levels. I used to think I needed to make it super dry - but you don't. It might feel damp when you're unloading the dryer, but go back to the pile of clothes once they have cooled down and they're perfectly dry. Another option I use is the "no wrinkle" function which continues to gently tumble the clothes with no actual drying for some time after the drying has finished. It's useful for set and forget drying if you're coming back later in the day because it also helps to distribute any remaining moisture (say in thick collars) throughout the wash, removing any damp spots, but at negligible energy usage.
People complain about cost of living issues then use a heat pump to dry towels that would dry for free on a air drying rack or washing line.
These are perhaps not the exact same people? My younger colleagues who will never be able to own a house don't have heat pump dryers.
Why would they never be able to own their own house?
Even migrants moving to this country with nothing but a suitcase of clothes are able to work, save and eventually afford a house.
@Daabido: Yes, because just like anyone else (including all first generation immigrants) I worked hard, lived frugally, saved hard for it and then bought one.
The real question is, why haven't you ?
Depends on where you are. In winter we struggle to get all of our washing dry, the heat pump dryer is a god send. We try to use it during solar generating hours though.
Even during the last summer we had plenty of dodgy weather weekends that meant we struggled to line dry our washing. Heat pump dryer and solar, no worries and cheap…
false equivalence
Consider cases like myself, where I do have a small outdoor courtyard, but it's been raining for almost a week straight, and even when it's not raining, it tops out at around 10c with clouds overhead… Nothing dries because there's no sunlight or warmth to do so… We hang things up on airers inside, but then they take a week to dry anyway.
In Victoria they would take days to dry outside. Would potentially get mould too
That one dollar per load is not accurate because you need to factor in the both the cost of the unit and the replacement cost over estimated timeframe.
If you buy a $599 heat pump dryer and it lasts 10 years, and you do 3 loads a week, that's 1,560 cycles. That means each load costs 38c in wear and tear.
One load costs me about 20c in electricity, so that's 58c per load in total.
I like but ten years could be very optimistic.
@figarow: I think 10 years* should be about the expected lifespan of a heat pump dryer.
FWIW my old regular dryer was 20 years old and still working when I upgraded thanks to the great deal above. The only repair it needed was a belt replacement 13 years ago that cost $4.75. It didn't use much more electricity too, surprisingly.
*of course this depends on how often it's used; there'd be a big difference between a large family with daily drying vs a single person with weekly drying
You can do anything you want
Will your clothes like the dryer and will they last as long? No.
Will your electricity bill increase? Yes.
Great summary. A dryer is much easier than hanging clothes (and it means you can more easily do the laundry when it's raining) but it is harsher on your clothes and it does cost a bit of money each load.
heat pump = gentle heat isnt as harsh as condenser/vented
It's all the tumbling and rubbing that causes the wear issues.
@iDroid: oh ok thats something i didnt know, i thought it was the intensity of the heat in the condenser/vented machines that usually damage/shrink. But yeah friction makes sense, but i think the convenience of clothes drying sooner outweighs the damage, I personally havent experienced the damage after using it for 4 years now.
Also, i am not too fussed with kmart pants/shirts getting wear and tear from dryer usage. If there were more delicate items i would opt to hang it out to dry. But with that being said pegs/gravity of wet clothing would also have damaging/stretching effects as well. So i guess just weigh it up and decide what is better for your personal circumstances
@iDroid: I found this out the hard way with a band shirt that I bought at a concert several years ago. Put it in the washing machine after wearing it, and found that the screenprinted design on the front was starting to wear off, presumably due to the friction like you describe.
Now they all get washed inside out, packed into a delicates/underwear bag, and have had no issues at all.
Also depends on how often the dryer is used and how big the loads are as well. I use a lg combo washer / dryer and is enough for a family of 4 and occasional guests. We mostly air dry on hot days and use dryer during the winter months. It has a condenser dryer which does not require venting which is a plus. I find the low temp drying mode fits for almost all the fabrics. Only downside is given it's a combo unit, you won't be able to run simultaneous loads and the low temp drying cycle takes about 2-3 hours.
only a fool would use a dryer to wreck their clothes while the sun is free
The intense UV in QLD will wreck some clothes for free too. A dryer load costs me about 20c in electricity so I'm not losing sleep over it.
UV also kills bacteria
@UFO: If washing hands with cold tap water and soap is good enough to protect against contracting an illness through touch, 1.5 hours worth of multiple soaks and rinses in warm soapy water followed by 1.5 hours in a dryer is good enough for me!
Also this
Sunlight also contains UV light, although it's mostly UVA and UVB. These types of UV light are less effective at rendering viruses inactive, though they can definitely give you a nasty sunburn. So while sunlight – aka line drying – has a mild antiviral and antibacterial effect, you can't rely on it to destroy viruses such as COVID-19 on your clothes, or in you.
I’ve found that heat pump dryers are actually pretty gentle on clothes compared to the old school vented ones. They use lower temperatures, so there’s less risk of heat damage and shrinking. Plus, they’re much more energy efficient about $0.45 per load.
That said, all dryers tumble your clothes around, which can cause some wear and tear over time, and you’ll see some lint buildup as a sign of that.
Line drying, on the other hand, avoids heat damage entirely and is super gentle since there’s no mechanical action. However, leaving your clothes in the sun too long can fade colors and weaken fabrics because of the UV rays.
It's nice to go outside occasionally, even to hang clothes up.
have 2 dogs so definitely spend enough time out there.For me it's more about time optimisation. Washing is almost a daily activity so it'd be a lot less cumbersome if i could just go straight from one machine to another… but yeah i agree time outdoors is important
Dogs follow scents. Cheers
Washer dryers generally are not heat pump and have terrible dryer performance.
@Typical16-bitEnjoyer: Yep, that's the trade off for laziness.
They also have lower load weights for drying than washing. Who weighs their loads?!
@Typical16-bitEnjoyer: on that note are there any washer/dryer combos that use a heat pump?
my google yielded no results
What are you washing that often?
I'm guessing it's gear for work or baby clothes or stuff dogs pooped on
Someone hasn't experienced Sydney weather this year.
True. But why would I want to go there anyway?
We could head out to shop bargains together and become friends.
@MS Paint: Nah, need to head out early to beat the traffic. Also save on petrol that way - the Ozbargain way.
I used to hate on Sydney.
Then I moved here.
I still hate it, but it's getting hard to imagine living elsewhere.
I love to hate it and hate to love it, but I do.
Is this realistic? Most high-rise apartment dwellers have no other option.
I had a ceiling fan installed and used the vertical racks from Kmart right underneath the fan. Clothes would dry overnight.
I only used the drier for towels and bedding since they get too stiff air dried. If I had a house and solar I would probably use the drier more.
I put everything in the dryer. I use only the "low heat" mode in case I forget to use it one day for any delicate synthetics. I tried hanging out clothes but it gives me a rash, I think the neighbour is growing something weird in his garden.
The are a lot of possible pollen allergies, we really have the most hostile plant and insect life over here.
It will dry them but you don't get the sunshine that helps "clean" the fabric
The heat definitely helps clean the fabric, and so does the lint remover
Depends on your climate but air drying takes days where I live this time of year. But, yeah, I usually airdry unless I need it quickly ie uniforms etc..
i air dry inside the house, with a pair of vornados blowing on it
Must feel like a hurricane inside your house.
Yes it does.
i dry inside - but use a dehumidifier. works great.
Yes, we use one exclusively.
Never bothered putting in a clothesline. No regrets.
Same, it’s amazing. Bosch serie 8 heat pump dryer. Still the best thing I’ve ever purchased. Not blowing lint and hot humid air into your house is luxury living as far as I’m concerned.
the UV exposure of line drying outdoors in direct sunlight denatures potential pathogens that MAY survive the washing / drying cycle, especially during the warm cycle as it does not get to the high temperature as the hot cycle does. also the clothes feel nicer when dried on the line vs the dryer. Also drying in the dryer means you need to clear the filter and heat exchanger frequently to enable optimum performance
That’s in theory however melbourne weather is trash atm and is either raining, cloudy or sunny for a short period of time. Wanna move to qld
In Qld we try to hang clothes in the shade. Colours don't last long in the Qld sun. An air pump dryer sounds much better.
Something something grass greener
We normally turn "going out" or work clothes inside out which makes a noticeable difference in how long the colour lasts. For "home" clothes we don't bother. My kids outgrow their school uniform and they look almost new still.
Yes we air dry for those reasons outside as much as possible. But still use a dryer a bit.
And SEQ warmer climate is all good for it.
And UV exposure can also fade certain fabrics/dyes and can also degrade certain fabrics too (probably more likely with synthetics).
Yup, this is also the reason why some QLDers have been against DST. The extra hour of daylight fades the curtains.
Sports clothes like polyester tennis shirts get a real pong over time with normal washing. A day in the sunshine when they start to get on the nose seems to nuke most of the bacteria and they're good for another couple of months of regular washing.
Yeah totally can. Heat pump dryers are more gentle than traditional vented dryers so will be less of an issue for most fabrics.
Yep very realistic, I use a heat pump dryer exclusively for all clothes. I've had vented and condensation dryers in the past and they do damage and shrink your clothes over time but the heat pump ones run on lower heat and are much more delicate on your clothes. Been using them for years and never had any issues.
Oh and for the wool items, you can get heat pump dryers which are Woolmark certified and safe to use to dry wool clothing using the appropriate cycle setting of the machine.
The other dryers almost always have a delicate setting. It uses less power, but takes longer. Good during winter days if you have solar power.
Probably, just got Haier 7kg $661good guys commercial. It’s great
Just buy more clothes and a few clothes racks..
When we renovated our laundry bought a heat pump dryer after always having a vented type.
We have always, and continue to only ever use a dryer when needing clothes quickly. We usually air dry either outside or in winter on a couple of clothes horses on the patio or inside.
Anyway, the heat pump dryer is much kinder on your clothes than the vented one, but is more work to learn how to use it, and takes a lot longer. And often when using a dryer we want clothes dried quickly, often end up using the warm timed setting, which kinda defeats the purpose a tad.
So for our particular use case, I would probably go a vented dryer if had my druthers. Also a third the price. But if I was only using a dryer, probably the heat pump.
What's to learn? I put wet clothes in and press go. Love my heat pump dryer.
The right settings suitable for particular clothing types. More complicated than the old vented F&P that worked on moisture content. Mind you, there are lot of clothes you just can’t put in a vented dryer you can in a heat pump.
We used to line dry everything then we got a heat pump drier and we already had solar now we use it to dry everything (except wool and bulky doona covers). Not only is it more convenient the clothes feel much better (less crispy) and saves so much time. Heat pump driers are much more gentle on your clothes than a regular drier. Go for it!
I'm the opposite. I dislike the feeling of tumble dried clothes. Air dried clothes feel more 'fresh' to me, that little bit of crisp to them is nice.
Soft, limp dry socks for example just don't feel as nice.
I haven’t line dried for 3 maybe 4 years, since I got my hp. It even does woolens without any damage.
Listen to Mr Money bags over here!!
What dryer do you have? I'm keen to buy a hp after all these positive comments
Is it "air" (as in a balcony) or is it "sun-lighted air" as in the open air?
We have a F&P heat pump dryer and do work very well.
However, sunlight and air (with the good old rotary Hills) wins without any doubt.
It naturally deodorizes your washing. Unbeatable.
More work but worth it.
got to swing around that Hills Hoist like children
goon of fortune
yep watch the eyes
goon of fortune
A real Australian sport !!!!
;-]
yes realistic. i don't hang anything at all, don't even have a line to hang things on
I have a heat pump dryer and they are quite gentle on your clothes so I haven't had any problems with clothes not lasting long or shrinking. I can even do wool with mine (Electrolux)
Everything comes out soft (i find line drying makes them crunchy) and mostly wrinkle free so I also don't have to iron!
It's cheap enough to buy and will save you when you need to dry something indoors. Depends where you live. You could hang clothes while already running heating in your house or hang outside if the weather permits which is the alternative. More for convenience I guess. I bought an Aldi one 5 years ago. Had to line up 30 minutes early and it was gone in 60 seconds (literally)
I use our heat pump dryer almost 95% of the time. This includes wool, cashmere and silk where I dry it but still slightly damp and then let it lie flat on a towel to finish drying. The other 5% is for items too big or troublesome like sheets which tends to end up in a ball.
I’ve tried a few heat pump machines, but did not find the experience suited my lifestyle. They have significantly come down in cost, but the cheapest units may not dry the clothes as well as you desire. Even the euro ones I tested while were better, still take a significant time to dry.
I went back to a the old style and use the gentle mode. Always works and much quicker.
We have. Heat pump dryer. It definitely takes a long time to dry a load. However, I think the clothes feel better than traditional dryers, though our previous dryer was better than most as it sensed fabrics and time required to get it just right.
You have to do what is right for you. Mysister-in-law has serious allergies. For her, a dryer is essential so the clothes don't get exposed to the pollens in the air.
Sun is great for sterilising (officially 2 hours of good sun in the mid '80's was considered sufficient for sterilising baby things including nappies. It also would remove that last stain that didn't go with the Nappisan). However, sun also fades things and causes some issues in itself - well at least where it is really intense.
A lot of people are commenting the heat pump takes a long time but that has not been my experience at all. Vented dryers would take around an hour previously, last year I bought a Samsung heat pump and it consistently dries a full 7/8kg load on the "AI" setting in 1 hour 15 minutes.
Just did a load in a 6kg vented dryer. Took 1.5hrs on delicate.
Will be upgrading to heat pump at some point though.
Heat pump is certainly slower. That’s the sacrifice you make for a lower power bill.
Which Samsung one is it? And how does it go with bedding?
I have a Bosch series 8 that's starting to throw up errors and am looking for a replacement. Bosch was good but it did take 2-3 hrs for a full load (8-9kg) and bedding would wrap up in a big ball and the inside would occasionally still be wet so I would have to unwrap it and throw it back in for another cycle.
I got the Samsung DV80T5420AW. I can't really comment on the bedding wrapping up issue because we only use flat sheets at home which has never been a problem.
@jaejae69: Thanks, that model came up 2nd in Choice's top dryer picks for this year so looks like a great pick.
I have an early 2023 Samsung heat pump and it too, wraps sheets up in a big ball so they don't end up dry. Using the Bedding setting helps but still causes it to tangle so what I have to do now, is dry each sheet (fitted, flat, mattress protector etc) one by one. Strangely enough, my two Fisher & Paykel vented dryers never had this problem. I can't understand why my Samsung (and other dryers) do.
Yes.
Cheap as well. Our dryer costs less than a dollar to run one cycle