[Closed] *guh* Tumble dryers, vented vs condensing

Maybe it'll appear this time...

Yep, condensing is good. Even better if you can easily run a drain hose for the water it removes - else you'll be pulling out a drawer/tank thing and emptying it in the sink every run or two.

I have a condensing one in the garage, I find it good to use and it stops me being limited to its location by having to have a vent.

Even better if you can easily run a drain hose for the water it removes

The one they're offering is not plumbable-in, it's a drain to a removable tank job

being limited to its location by having to have a vent.

To be fair, where it's going is with it's back against an external wall, so sticking a vent in isn't an issue

Instructions reckon you can.

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Instructions reckon you can.

A-ha! Nice spot.

Well then, decision made.

Condensing works well for me, even taking the drawer out and tipping it in the sink is no great hardship.

Condensing dryers have evolved somewhat in recent years. We can't have a vented one due to the location and the last one we bought is a heat pump thing.

Cost a bit more but we get no condensation at all from it, although there is still a drawer to empty every 5 or so loads.

Seems to be quite energy efficient too, unlike previous dryers we've had.

If you’re putting a condensing one in a garage, bear in mind that they don’t work well in low temperatures. Mine won’t go on if below 2-3 degrees. Not enough heat for the heat exchanger to work properly. Only an issue occasionally, but on the exact days you actually need one.

My understanding is that condensing take a bit longer to dry but are a bit more efficient vs a vented. I just bought another vented last week as it was more a case of what i could get and not be a silly price. I wanted another whirlpool as the last one lasted 20yrs but whirlpool dont seem to make vented anymore. Guess vented kill too many baby robins and are on tbe way out?

Condensing every time. If you fit a drain you get all the benefits with no drawbacks. We have just gone for a heat pump one because of the extra efficiency which is very unlikely to give back the extra cost but lets us feel smug as we save the planet.

As far as I can see it, the condensing one takes a bigger load and is more efficient, so it’s a no-brainer, right?

I don't *think* the ratings are directly comparable, sadly.

I'm struggling to find a reference for this now, but I remember discovering it last time I looked and tumble driers, and being surprised -- effectively vented and condensing driers operate on their own scales, so it's only really useful to compare different driers of the same type.

For the two machines you linked, the vented machine has an energy consumption of 2.1kWh per cycle, v.s. 4.32kWh per cycle for the condensing model.

I believe both condensing and draining types will recirculate all the air they draw in back into the room, and because they are not 100 % efficient the humidity in the room will rise?

That may be enough in some situations to promote condensation.

of the extra efficiency which is very unlikely to give back the extra cost but lets us feel smug as we save the planet.

greenwash!

greenwash!

Not if you separate your whites and coloureds properly

We have a venting one in the conservatory right next to a window so its ideal

Dehumidifier in the garage drains into the garden, buy which ever one will work best for where you will be putting it

FWIW, it’ll be used very, very rarely.

If its rarely ever going to be used then why not sell it?

Our tumble dryer gets used for every wash, life is too short to be hanging washing out and then bringing it back in once its dry, bung it all in the tumble dryer and turn it on

It costs around 35p per load, two loads per week means it costs around £40 a year

lol@IHN

Vented every time unless you simply cannot put a vent in - KISS

We got the cheapest Miele heat pump condensing dryer when we moved maybe 9 months ago. So far, I've been pretty happy with it. Previously, all my dryers large models vented outside. The ventless seems to take a tiny bit longer, but is supposedly much more efficient and I rarely am waiting for my dryer anyway. I'm also more willing to put some more delicate things in on the low setting than I was in my older dryer. So far I'd recommend it, but we'll see how it holds up.

Our tumble dryer gets used for every wash, life is too short to be hanging washing out and then bringing it back in once its dry, bung it all in the tumble dryer and turn it on

The children of the world applaud your time effiency.

Been researching and vented if you can vent is looking like the most efficient -even the manufacturers say that and quickest way to dry clothes ....but also the most damaging to your clothes. Happy to be convinced otherwise.

The efficiency scales are not compatible in anyway between the types.

I think that vented is quickest, but I don't think that they are more efficient than the current crop of ventless heat pump dryers, which can avoid putting out so much waste heat. Here is a comparison for Samsung's 4.0 cu ft vented vs. ventless heat pump dryer. The expected life time energy usage is notably lower for the ventless.

Vented:
https://choose.enervee.com/dryers/140266281-Samsung-DV22K6800EW-enervee-score/
Ventless:
https://choose.enervee.com/dryers/164994152-Samsung-DV22N6800HW-enervee-score/

 

Vented throws quite a lot of heat away down the vent.

I use our condensing one as garage heating in winter - combine mending bikes with drying the towels 🙂
Wet shoes can also be dried by the (surprisingly dry) exhaust air.

Right, thanks all, given that the condensing one they offer is out of stock, I may just go for the vented one.

I assume it's not hard to get a core- cutting bit and make a vent hole in a wall?

I assume it’s not hard to get a core- cutting bit and make a vent hole in a wall?

depends on the wall. the core bits are expensive even to hire and the twice I have done it once was 2 hrs of hard work once was more like 5. first was a double skin wall made of very hard brick, second was a stone built house with a very thick wall with a rubble core

second was a stone built house with a very thick wall with a rubble core

Hmm, yeah, it's going through stone, so there's a strong chance of it being a PITA. To be honest, by the time I've hired the core bit I might as well just get an odd-job-bod to come in and do it.

For the two machines you linked, the vented machine has an energy consumption of 2.1kWh per cycle, v.s. 4.32kWh per cycle for the condensing model.

Surely the vented is better for the environment then?

Also how big does the vent have to be?

My Indesit Condenser has packed up after a trouble filled 4-5 years of use

We have just gone for a heat pump one because of the extra efficiency which is very unlikely to give back the extra cost but lets us feel smug as we save the planet.

Based on electricity consumption before and after (very consistent straight line graphs) our heat pump dryer paid for itself in 2 years. We use it a lot because we find drying clothes outside picks up pollen and exacerbates hay fever. I think the main factor in the saving is that while the kWh per cycle is about half our old dryer, the cycle is longer so the kW drawn is lower still, and often with the output of our solar panels.

I can see that reads as greenwash humblebrag but it wasn't meant to be, just an interesting effect.

I've decided that heat pump is the way to go. AO website has useful fact sheets for all its dryers. Heat Pump dryers are not that pricey anymore and if you buy a cheaper one (£400 ish) any extra cost will be recouped in a few years.

My only caveats are that I assume vented dryers are less likely to break as less to go wrong. & cheaper heat pump dryers more likely to break than the more pricey models.

EDIT £50 cashback on certain tumble dryers at AO if you let them collect your old one.

We've had a heat pump dryer for over 8 years now, a John Lewis badged AEG. In that time the lower drain tray has clogged requiring a wire hanger to prod through the fluff sludge, the primary filter broke due to a (corrected) design fault and most recently the motor stator magnets unglued themselves. Every fix was easy and parts readily available, I'd say its the best appliance I've ever had for working on. It's been plumbed in for most of the time and now gets all filters cleaned after every load.

I wouldn't say it's any less reliable than any other dryer, the heat pump is as reliable as a fridge (same tech) so should work forever.

I wouldn’t say it’s any less reliable than any other dryer, the heat pump is as reliable as a fridge (same tech) so should work forever.

Ah good knowledge, ta

life is too short to be hanging washing out and then bringing it back in once its dry,

Tumble drying clothes is very harsh on the textiles esp if it's technical or delicate or just about anything except cotton imvhe

I’m looking at buying new tumble drier and although most seem to be condenser/heat-pump types, review suggest they take a ridiculous amount of time to dry stuff. 3hours+ some review saying 8hrs for towels!!

Is that right? Seems bonkers and I’d pay more for leccy for the convenience of being able to dry more than one load of clothes a day

Mine will live well away from plumbing and external walls, so vented isn’t an option unfortunately

My pal has a condenser drier thats like that. Useless thing

I don't use one but if I did get one it would be vented KISS

review suggest they take a ridiculous amount of time to dry stuff. 3hours+ some review saying 8hrs for towels!!

That's probably idiots overloading them, failing to clean the filters and not emptying the catch tray. They really suffer if they aren't maintained hence why plumbing them in is always recommended.