The Verdict on Condensing Dryers
Patrick Mccombe
| Posted in General Questions on
Anyone have first-hand experience with condensing dryers? I’m considering an under-counter washing machine and dryer for my home. It appears the only dryers that will fit under a 36-in. countertop are condensing models. I’m guessing it’s because they’re often used in rental and condo units where you can’t run a vent to the outside. Do these things really dry your clothes? I’ve heard the come out damp. I’ve also heard a drying cycle takes hours.
Thanks Patrick
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Replies
Don't get a condensing dryer. They're terrible. Get a heat pump drier instead. They don't need a vent, and they're a huge improvement.
We've got a Miele T1, and we've had it since June 2019. It's great--it dries well and doesn't heat up the room (which was a huge problem with the condensing driers).
https://www.mieleusa.com/e/t1-classic-heat-pump-tumble-dryer-twb120wp-lotus-white-10972580-p
What does it do with the lint? Years ago I had a Bosch condensing dryer, about once a year I would have to take the whole thing apart and clean out the lint.
The Miele has 3 layers of filtration. There are 2 layers of filters in the door, and a 3rd 'plinth' (foam) filter in front of the heat pump coil. The dryer prompts us to wash the 3rd filter under water every month or two.
After more than a year, the coils are very clean.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YYzh2BqFkk8 shows all 3 filters.
Jeff is very accurate. We also have the Miele heat pump drier (avoid condensing dryer) hooked up the drain to avoid having to empty the water by hand. They require more filter cleaning than a standard vented dryer but work very well.
We live in a hot climate and they only add a couple of degrees of heat. I would say a little less than a standard gas dryer.
Good luck!
FYI, Bosch is about to release a 500-series heat pump dryer sometime in November (unless COVID-related factors have delayed the introduction). It's not on their website, but it's in the price lists. I think they already have a model or two in other countries, just not in this market.
ASKO and Miele are the traditional players for heat pump dryers in this country, and we're going to grab the Bosch washer/dryer pair when it comes out (hopefully it works well) to open up some floor space for a heat pump water heater.
The Bosch Q3 pricelist says $1549 MSRP / $ 1399 MAP for the upcoming 500-Series HP Dryer, $1499 MSRP / $1349 MAP for the matching washer, as another point of pricing reference.
I have no affiliation with Bosch at all, I just happened to see a press release a while back, and I don't think most people know that they're about to have a heat pump product in this country.
The ASKO stuff is roughly in the same ballpark as Miele.
Whirlpool makes two 27-inch HP models it appears, which may be the only non-compact units on the market....? Interesting. Finding out all kinds of appliance facts today.
What is your lifestyle like, laundry wise? Do you do laundry throughout the week, or on the weekend only? If laundry is a once-a-week chore now and you plan to keep it that way, you won't be happy with a condensing dryer.
I just checked on the unit we use: warm-to-the-touch dry cycle is 2 hours, gentle dry is 2.5. Smaller loads reduce wash/dry time considerably. You MUST have small loads of delicates for the gentle dry to come out dry. We do a load of laundry every other day in our two person household.
I too, have the Miele heat pump. It works well. Family of 5. lots of laundry. I never have to get on a ladder to clean the dryer vent; awesome!
We had a Samsung condensing dryer and liked how it did not over-dry fabrics. But lint built-up was an issue and its dumped quite a bit of heat into the room (which wasn't a problem during the winter but not so great the rest of the year). Our new townhouse came with a conventional electric dryer that has a problematic venting setup. If we had to replace it tomorrow, one of Miele's HP dryers would be on our list for consideration.
Thanks very much to all who answered. I just looked up the price for the Meile pair with the heat pump dryer. Does $3400 for the pair match your experience?
I just looked that up the other day. There are multiple Models, and unless you need wifi connectivity (who does on a dryer?) or a steam function it should be more like $2400.
https://www.ajmadison.com/cgi-bin/ajmadison/MIWADREW201.html. Risinger was testing these out on his instagram feed a bit ago. The look nice, but my wife wanted a larger unit and Whirlpool is the only one that seems to make them.
Figure more like $1200 each for the low-end Miele. That's what we bought.
with options I think I was at 4200. not cheap, but so far a nice product
I have a Electrolux condensing dryer with matching washer because I wanted the compact, stacking form factor and it fit the budget. I've had it for a year. As others have noted, it dumps heat into the house, which is not ideal in the summer. The exhaust air is also humid. I have no issues with the drying performance.
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Whirlpool has a compact heat pump unit as well. I got it and really like it. Might be cheaper than the Miele one.
Whirlpool seems to be the only one with a 7cu heat pump dryer, so I am planning on going with that one for a family of 4. I am a bit concerned with lint build up with that unit, a few reviews mentioned that issue. The miele unit seems nice, but it seems all of the non-whirlpool ones are smaller and likely designed more for the european market?
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